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Category: India

  • MIL-OSI Russia: School of International Cooperation Opens at HSE

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    © Higher School of Economics

    School of International Cooperation created in the structure Faculty of World Economy and World Politics (FMEiMP) Vyshki. The school launches, promotes and implements programs of additional education and professional retraining, corporate education programs and international intensive trainings for working specialists and managers interacting with foreign government officials and businessmen, as well as foreign entrepreneurs, students and scientists.

    Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Relations Anastasia Likhacheva, opening the presentation, emphasized that the main task of the school is to implement projects in the interests of the country, to promote Russian interests in the international arena. “There is no single formula for what key opens the hearts of partners. We are glad that our faculty is creating a platform that will unite enthusiasts of international cooperation,” said Anastasia Likhacheva.

    Senior Director of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Andrey Lavrov noted that last year, during the elections of the Academic Council, a formula was developed that reflects the essence of the current HSE: a university for the development of all of Russia, open to the world. He called international cooperation a priority for HSE and the Faculty of World Economy and International Relations. Andrey Lavrov is confident that the opening of the School of International Cooperation will help to realize the most ambitious goals of developing additional professional education at the National Research University Higher School of Economics. “The development of adult education is an area where we can achieve great success. I am very glad that you have become pioneers in the new wave of development of additional professional education at HSE, congratulations,” Andrey Lavrov said, addressing the heads of the faculty.

    “It’s nice to be pioneers,” Anastasia Likhacheva responded. She recalled that HSE began its turn to the East many years ago (700 students currently study Chinese at HSE) and expressed hope that the school will contribute to the development of Russian-Chinese cooperation.

    Minister-Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Russia Zhao Wei read out a greeting from the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China Zhang Hanhui, in which he congratulated HSE on the opening of the School of International Cooperation. HSE was described as a leader in the field of innovation development and a university that makes an invaluable contribution to the formation of the international agenda. In her congratulatory letter, the Ambassador emphasized the role of the Academic Director of the Faculty of World Economy and International Relations Sergey Karaganov in strengthening HSE ties with leading universities in China and developing bilateral cooperation.

    Zhang Hanhui noted in his congratulatory letter: China and Russia have common positions in solving international problems and forming a fair world order. “I am convinced that the school will become the foundation for training new types of specialists with cross-cultural competence and skills in solving international problems. I hope that the establishment of the school will contribute to deepening Chinese-Russian cooperation in personnel training and strengthening cooperation with the countries of the Global South,” he emphasized.

    According to FMEiMP research professor Fyodor Lukyanov, the university and faculty do not move at the mercy of the winds, but strive to create and strengthen these winds themselves. Now, he added, the world is in an amazing state, when what was impossible yesterday is obvious today, and tomorrow will be completely different from what we imagine. The professor noted: international cooperation is necessary in any situation in the world, it should be strengthened and supported. Now it is important to create new connections, while maintaining the old ones. “Support for the implementation of international cooperation projects, learning it throughout life – this is what we need to exist in, this is such an environment,” said Fyodor Lukyanov.

    Now, he believes, the quality of expertise is extremely important, since no high-level manager operates in a vacuum, but operates in an environment with a large volume of events and trends, where when making decisions, not only knowledge is important, but also intuition, which develops, among other things, thanks to knowledge.

    The head of the School of International Cooperation, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Relations for Continuing Education Yulia Belous noted: the school offers a wide range of continuing education programs, winter and summer schools for different categories of students.

    The training programs are divided into four levels. The first one is “Starting a Career — Key to a Career” — for students and young professionals with 1 to 3 years of work experience. Next comes the “New Facets” stage — training in new skills for professionals with 3 to 5 years of experience, then “Time to Act” — for foreign professionals and those who need to enter a foreign market. And finally, the fourth level is strategic sessions for managers with leading experts in international relations, global economics, orientalists and regional experts who create a vision of the principles of work in eastern markets, the foundation for effective operations and competition with existing players. They are aimed at obtaining practice-oriented knowledge for work in different countries and regions.

    Head of the professional retraining program of the Faculty of World Economy and International Relations “Eastern Perspective: Strategy and Tactics for Building a Business» Natalia Guseva noted that the program is aimed at developing an effective strategy for working in the East, understanding the specifics of business and entrepreneurship in these countries, as well as the practice of doing business in India, China, Japan and South Korea. This is a three-week program that involves developing one’s own projects.

    A 10-day intensive programme has also already been formed. program for foreign entrepreneurs who want to work in Russia. They will learn about the peculiarities of the Russian financial and tax system, the specifics of business cooperation with Russia, and will gain an understanding of the cultural characteristics and values of Russia and its peoples. This is a program in which leading speakers and experts will speak.

    Deputy Executive Director – Director of Strategic Partnerships at Innopraktika Anastasia Pavlenko spoke about the program for transferring competencies in the field of digitalization of public administration to African countries – an important international initiative that is being implemented Center for African Studies HSE University with the support of Innopraktika. She emphasized that Russia is currently one of the world leaders in the field of digitalization of the public sector, and the experience of overcoming sanctions pressure and repelling a large number of cyberattacks seems valuable for friendly countries, with which Russia is ready to exchange knowledge in this area.

    Also in her speech, Anastasia Pavlenko mentioned the direction of Innopraktika’s activities to support the entry of private high-tech companies – “national champions” – into the foreign market and the promotion of their solutions in friendly countries. In conclusion, she drew attention to the high potential of international cooperation in the development of education, science and culture.

    Deputy Director of the HSE Center for African Studies Polina Slyusarchuk added: the center held a series of workshops with experts and scientists from different African countries. One of the programs is dedicated to food security of countries and regions, within its framework, participants are invited not only to study the problem, but also to propose ways to solve it. The center also created a program of additional professional education on running a practical business on the continent.

    Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council Ivan Timofeev noted: the concept of international cooperation is very broad and includes economic, scientific, military-technical and cultural interaction, each of which has its own characteristics. It is important to understand how different aspects of interaction, from chess to sensitive technologies, can be used as a country’s soft power, how to integrate their various elements into foreign policy.

    “Your project is not an adventure, it is an initiative based on the ecosystem and human capital of HSE. Your programs will be in great demand,” Ivan Timofeev is confident.

    Head of the Center for Educational Solutions and Work with Universities of the TMH Corporate University (TMH Group) Alexander Belyashin congratulated the faculty on the opening of the school. He said that in the modern world, educational partnership is an integral part of international cooperation and the opening of such an institute as the HSE School of International Cooperation is an excellent and timely decision. In turn, TMH JSC has been preparing and developing the company’s engineering potential for several years and this year, together with the Tashkent State Transport University, it created a scientific and educational center in Uzbekistan, on the basis of which it is planned to train design engineers and process engineers in joint master’s programs and additional professional education programs. He noted the high potential of the School of International Cooperation, where not only general problems will be studied, but also specific cases of bilateral and multilateral interaction.

    Vice President of the Vyzov Foundation Elena Eremenko spoke about the Vyzov Foundation Prize, the international track “SCIENCE. DIALOGUE. TRUST”, within the framework of which an international assembly, seminars and scientific breakfasts on “scientific diplomacy” are held. Elena Eremenko also emphasized the desire to continue intellectual cooperation with the FMEIP on the “scientific diplomacy” track and in the line of interaction with students.

    Roscongress Foundation Supervisory Board Member Dimitrios Velanis recalled that even during the most difficult periods of international relations, for example in the early 1980s, during the period of sanctions imposed on the USSR after the introduction of troops into Afghanistan, businesses, including those from Western countries, found opportunities to work in the Soviet Union.

    Head of Corporate Programs for Universities at SberUniversity Natalia Konshina spoke about the case of training advanced engineering schools of Russian universities. Together with the head of the School of International Cooperation, they presented possible areas of cooperation on the international track – risks and barriers in international scientific and technical cooperation.

    Anna Bessmertnaya, Chairperson of the Commission on Foreign Economic Cooperation with Partners from China of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry, spoke about trends in training personnel for Russian-Chinese cooperation and the “Start Your Business with Moscow” project for young specialists.

    The presentation of the School of International Cooperation was also attended by the head of the program “International cooperation in the context of global reassembly» HSE University, Deputy Head of the Department of International Relations of the Faculty of World Economy and World Politics of HSE University Dmitry Novikov. He spoke about the relevance and features of the program, its advantages.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Regula Blog Wins 2025 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RESTON, Va., March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Regula, a global developer of forensic devices and identity verification solutions, is proud to announce that its blog has been accoladed as the Best Cybersecurity Blog in the 2025 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards. Providing diverse expert content such as how-to guides, original analytics, and detailed visuals, the Regula Blog serves as a valuable resource for the general public and niche professionals.

    The Regula Blog has been named the Best Cybersecurity Blog by the 2025 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards

    For more than a decade, the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards have honored individuals, teams, and companies that demonstrate exceptional performance and innovation in cybersecurity.

    The Regula Blog received the award for its expert insights, authoritative opinions, real-world fraud case analyses, practical guides, and forward-looking discussions on evolving security challenges.

    With over 18,000 unique readers per month, the Regula Blog is a fast-growing knowledge hub for professionals in cybersecurity, forensic science, and identity verification. The blog provides in-depth content on deepfake detection, facial recognition, document authentication, forensic examination, and more, to ensure that businesses and professionals get the timely and relevant knowledge they need.

    “In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, trust and security are more critical than ever. Our blog is more than just industry news—it’s a true knowledge hub designed to educate and empower professionals tackling identity fraud, document forgery, and cybersecurity risks. Winning this award is an honor and a testament to our team’s effort in providing actionable content that helps businesses navigate today’s complex security challenges,” says Ihar Kliashchou, Chief Technology Officer at Regula.

    These are the current top 10 most-read Regula Blog articles:

    For more insights and expert analysis, visit the award-winning Regula Blog.

    About Regula

    Regula is a global developer of forensic devices and identity verification solutions. With our 30+ years of experience in forensic research and the most comprehensive library of document templates in the world, we create breakthrough technologies for document and biometric verification. Our hardware and software solutions allow over 1,000 organizations and 80 border control authorities globally to provide top-notch client service without compromising safety, security, or speed. Regula has been repeatedly named a Representative Vendor in the Gartner® Market Guide for Identity Verification.

    Learn more at www.regulaforensics.com.

    Contact:
    Kristina – ks@regulaforensics.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b43b713b-6760-4e89-8a88-6a6561fad951

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Latest update on Clade Ib mpox

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Latest update on Clade Ib mpox

    The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) latest updates on Clade Ib mpox.

    Updates on clade Ib mpox case numbers are published on the UKHSA data dashboard

    Latest update

    Clade I mpox no longer considered a high consequence infectious disease

    Clade Ia and Ib mpox will no longer be classified as a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) following a review of available evidence by the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens, the UK Health Security Agency has confirmed today.

    This decision has been taken because the evidence related to this clade no longer meets the criteria for an HCID, which includes having a high mortality rate and a lack of available interventions.

    However, the decision should not be interpreted as clade I mpox no longer being of any public health consequence. The disease is still a public health emergency of international concern as defined by the WHO.

    Sexual and close physical contact is the main way that mpox spreads.

    There have been no reported deaths from mpox in the UK to date, and vaccination is available for higher risk contacts, healthcare workers, and those who are most at risk.

    Emma Richards, Incident Director at the UK Health Security Agency, said:

    There is now firm evidence of vaccine effectiveness and a low mortality rate for cases of clade I mpox, alongside heightened clinical awareness of symptoms, and access to rapid diagnostic testing and safe therapies with emerging evidence of efficacy.

    This change does not alter our overall public health response and we remain committed to preventing the spread of clade I mpox within the UK.

    While mpox infection is mild for many, it can cause severe symptoms including unusual rashes and blisters, a fever and headache.

    The majority of people who have presented with symptoms report close physical contact, including massages, or sex prior to developing symptoms. It’s important people who have travelled to affected countries in Africa remain alert to the risks and seek medical advice if necessary.

    All 4 UK Chief Medical Officers have agreed to accept the recommendation.

    There have been no cases of clade Ia mpox in the UK, and only a small number of cases of clade Ib mpox. Most of these cases have appeared in returning travellers from affected areas in Africa with the others being household contacts of a case.

    There has been no community transmission of clade I mpox within the UK and the risk to the population remains low.

    In the context of the outbreak in parts of Africa, we expect to see the occasional imported case of clade Ib mpox in the UK.

    Previous

    13 February 2025

    A new case of clade Ib mpox has been detected in England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) can confirm. 

    The case was detected in London and the individual is now under specialist care at the Royal Free Hospital High Consequence Infectious Diseases unit. They had recently returned from Uganda, where there is currently community transmission of clade Ib mpox. The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual.

    The risk to the UK population remains low. In the context of the outbreak in parts of Africa, we expect to see the occasional imported case of clade Ib mpox in the UK.

    This is the eighth case of clade Ib mpox confirmed in England since October 2024. This case has no links to the previous cases identified in England.

    Close contacts of the case are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. Contacts will be offered testing and vaccination where needed to prevent further infections and they will be advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive.

    Dr Merav Kliner, Incident Director at UKHSA, said:

    The risk to the UK population remains low. Close contacts have been identified and offered appropriate advice in order to reduce the chance of further spread.

    Clade Ib mpox has been circulating in several countries in Africa in recent months. Imported cases have been detected in a number of countries including Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Sweden and the United States.

    There has been extensive planning undertaken to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to confirmed cases.

    Further updates on clade Ib mpox case numbers will be published on the following page: Confirmed cases of mpox clade Ib in United Kingdom.

    Previous

    27 January 2025

    Another case of clade Ib mpox has been detected, bringing the total number of confirmed cases since October 2024 to 7, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) can confirm.

    The individual had recently travelled to Uganda. The risk to the UK population remains low.

    The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual.

    Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said:

    The risk to the UK population remains low. Close contacts have been identified and offered appropriate advice in order to reduce the chance of further spread.

    20 January 2025

    A new case of clade Ib mpox has been detected in England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) can confirm.  

    The case was detected in East Sussex and the individual is now under specialist care at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. They had recently returned from Uganda, where there is currently community transmission of clade Ib mpox. The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual. 

    The risk to the UK population remains low. In the context of the outbreak in parts of Africa, we expect to see the occasional imported case of clade Ib mpox in the UK. 

    This is the sixth case of clade Ib mpox confirmed in England since October 2024. This case has no links to the previous cases identified in England.

    Close contacts of the case are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. Contacts will be offered testing and vaccination where needed to prevent further infections and they will be advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive. 

    Dr Meera Chand, Deputy Director at UKHSA, said: 

    It is thanks to clinicians rapidly recognising the symptoms and the work of our specialist laboratory that we have been able to detect this new case.

    The risk to the UK population remains low following this sixth case, and we are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread.

    Clade Ib mpox has been circulating in several countries in Africa in recent months. Imported cases have been detected in a number of countries including Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Sweden and the United States. 

    There has been extensive planning undertaken to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any further confirmed cases.

    29 November 2024

    A new case of clade Ib mpox has been detected in England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) can confirm.  

    The case was detected in Leeds and the individual is now under specialist care at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. They had recently returned from Uganda, which is seeing community transmission of clade Ib mpox. The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual. 

    The risk to the UK population remains low. We expect to see the occasional imported case of clade Ib mpox in the UK. 

    This is the fifth case of clade Ib mpox confirmed in England in recent weeks. This case has no links to the previous cases identified. All 4 previous cases were from the same household and all have now fully recovered.  

    Close contacts of the case are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. Any contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive. 

    Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said: 

    It is thanks to clinicians rapidly recognising the symptoms and our diagnostics tests that we have been able to detect this new case. 

    The risk to the UK population remains low following this fifth case, and we are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread. In accordance with established protocols, investigations are underway to learn how the individual acquired the infection and to assess whether there are any further associated cases. 

    Clade Ib mpox has been widely circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya in recent months. Imported cases have been detected in Canada, Sweden, India, Thailand and Germany. 

    There has been extensive planning underway to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any further confirmed cases.

    6 November 2024

    One further case of clade Ib mpox has been detected in a household contact of the first case, the UK Health Security Agency (UKSHA) can confirm.  

    This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 4, all of which belong to the same household. 

    The patient is currently under specialist care at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London. The risk to the UK population remains low. 

    The patient has been isolating since identified as a contact of the first case and no additional contact tracing is required. 

    Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said: 

    Mpox is very infectious in households with close contact and so it is not unexpected to see further cases within the same household. 

    The overall risk to the UK population remains low. We are working with partners to make sure all contacts of the cases are identified and contacted to reduce the risk of further spread.

    Contacts of cases are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. All contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive. 

    There has been extensive planning underway to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any further confirmed cases.

    4 November 2024

    Two cases of clade Ib mpox have been detected in household contacts of the first case, the UK Health Security Agency (UKSHA) can confirm. This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 3.

    The 2 patients are currently under specialist care at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London. The risk to the UK population remains low.

    There has been extensive planning underway to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any further confirmed cases.

    Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said:

    Mpox is very infectious in households with close contact and so it is not unexpected to see further cases within the same household.

    The overall risk to the UK population remains low. We are working with partners to make sure all contacts of the cases are identified and contacted to reduce the risk of further spread.

    Contacts of all 3 cases are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. All contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive.

    30 October 2024

    The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has detected a single confirmed human case of clade Ib mpox. The risk to the UK population remains low.

    This is the first detection of this clade of mpox in the UK. It is different from mpox clade II that has been circulating at low levels in the UK since 2022, primarily among gay, bisexual and other men-who-have-sex-with-men (GBMSM).

    UKHSA, the NHS and partner organisations have well tested capabilities to detect, contain and treat novel infectious diseases, and while this is the first confirmed case of mpox clade Ib in the UK, there has been extensive planning underway to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped and prepared to respond to any confirmed cases.

    The case was detected in London and the individual has been transferred to the Royal Free Hospital High Consequence Infectious Diseases unit. They had recently travelled to countries in Africa that are seeing community cases of clade Ib mpox. The UKHSA and NHS will not be disclosing any further details about the individual.

    Close contacts of the case are being followed up by UKHSA and partner organisations. Any contacts will be offered testing and vaccination as needed and advised on any necessary further care if they have symptoms or test positive.

    UKHSA is working closely with the NHS and academic partners to determine the characteristics of the pathogen and further assess the risk to human health. While the existing evidence suggests mpox clade Ib causes more severe disease than clade II, we will continue to monitor and learn more about the severity, transmission and control measures. We will initially manage clade Ib as a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) whilst we are learning more about the virus.

    Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser at UKHSA, said:

    It is thanks to our surveillance that we have been able to detect this virus. This is the first time we have detected this clade of mpox in the UK, though other cases have been confirmed abroad.

    The risk to the UK population remains low, and we are working rapidly to trace close contacts and reduce the risk of any potential spread. In accordance with established protocols, investigations are underway to learn how the individual acquired the infection and to assess whether there are any further associated cases.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting, said:

    I am extremely grateful to the healthcare professionals who are carrying out incredible work to support and care for the patient affected.

    The overall risk to the UK population currently remains low and the government is working alongside UKHSA and the NHS to protect the public and prevent transmission.

    This includes securing vaccines and equipping healthcare professionals with the guidance and tools they need to respond to cases safely.

    We are also working with our international partners to support affected countries to prevent further outbreaks.

    Steve Russell, NHS national director for vaccination and screening, said:

    The NHS is fully prepared to respond to the first confirmed case of this clade of mpox.

    Since mpox first became present in England, local services have pulled out all the stops to vaccinate those eligible, with tens of thousands in priority groups having already come forward to get protected, and while the risk of catching mpox in the UK remains low, if required the NHS has plans in place to expand the roll out of vaccines quickly in line with supply.

    Clade Ib mpox has been widely circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in recent months and there have been cases reported in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Sweden, India and Germany.

    Clade Ib mpox was detected by UKHSA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing.

    Common symptoms of mpox include a skin rash or pus-filled lesions which can last 2 to 4 weeks. It can also cause fever, headaches, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.

    The infection can be passed on through close person-to-person contact with someone who has the infection or with infected animals and through contact with contaminated materials. Anyone with symptoms should continue to avoid contact with other people while symptoms persist.

    The UK has an existing stock of mpox vaccines and last month announced further vaccines are being procured to support a routine immunisation programme to provide additional resilience in the UK. This is in line with more recent independent JCVI advice.

    Working alongside international partners, UKHSA has been monitoring clade Ib mpox closely since the outbreak in DRC first emerged, publishing regular risk assessment updates.

    The wider risk to the UK population remains low.

    UKHSA has published its first technical briefing on clade I mpox which provides further information on the current situation and UK preparedness and response.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Realty Executives See Opportunity to Drive Revenue with Lofty

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PHOENIX, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Award-winning technology innovator Lofty today announced that Realty Executives International has engaged with the company to offer to their extensive network of franchisees, teams, and agents the Lofty AI-powered platform. To learn more about how Lofty empowers everyone from the agent to the enterprise to make more money, visit https://lofty.com/.

    With over 150 brokerages across North America, Realty Executives is always looking for unique ways to help its franchisees accelerate profitable growth, support the unique needs of the brokerage business, and enable real estate professionals at all levels to increase production while maintaining the privacy of their leads and database. With Lofty, Realty Executives brokerages, agents, and teams can leverage a flexible org structure with needed permissions and controls, as well as innovative reporting capabilities to track agent performance and ROI from advertising spend. Coupled with the platform’s lead generation programs such as Lofty Blast, and empowered by innovative tools like Lofty Present and Social Studio, Realty Executives users will be able to increase their productivity while streamlining the home buying and selling experience for their clients, from search to settlement.

    “Real estate professionals at every level need to leverage technology, particularly a strong CRM, if they want to compete and grow in this market,” said Patrick van den Bossche, President of Realty Executives International. “Presenting Lofty as a tech option provides our network with an additional opportunity to drive revenue from their existing databases. Through our strategic relationship, those in our network who opt in to the Lofty service offerings can benefit from a competitive cost model.”

    “As a Realty Executives franchise owner, I am excited to offer our teams and agents easy-to-use technology that can help them start making money quickly,” said Mike Tezak, Broker/Owner of Realty Executives Premier in Valparaiso, Indiana. “Lofty’s practical applications are not just technology for technology’s sake but mapped to how our agents actually work. Plus, these proven innovations will help us to recruit and retain high producing agents and deliver a real return.”

    Unlike other technology applications that are too rigid and too cumbersome for brokerages and agents alike, Lofty’s AI-powered enterprise platform is custom-built for how real estate professionals operate – from the agent to the enterprise and everything in between. With proven innovations that are designed to close deals faster and generate revenue, Lofty enhances agent workflows and eliminates the need to toggle between multiple applications, saving everyone time and money. As an enterprise platform with enhanced reporting capabilities and extensive custom branding options, Lofty provides the technological foundation needed to gain a competitive edge in the real estate market.

    “Modern real estate brands like Realty Executives understand that technology can serve as a true catalyst for business growth. But to be effective, the applications must be seamlessly woven into the fabric of how real estate brokerages operate their firms and how their teams of agents execute day-to-day activities,” noted Brian Hoialmen, Chief Strategy Officer, Lofty. “With the comprehensive Lofty platform and our AI-powered tools, we can empower everyone at every level of real estate operations with the proven innovations needed to close more deals and make more money.”   

    To learn more about how Lofty can help your enterprise meet business growth goals, visit www.lofty.com.

    About Lofty Inc.
    Lofty Inc. (formerly Chime Technologies) provides an AI-powered platform that helps real estate professionals increase their productivity and accelerate business growth. Featuring award-winning technology, the Lofty platform is designed to optimize every step of the real estate journey, from search to settlement. By leveraging one unified hub, customers can automate marketing programs, streamline the sales process, and maximize collaboration between agents empowering them to spend more time building relationships and their business. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Lofty operates as a US subsidiary of Moatable, Inc. (OTCPK: MTBLY). For more information, visit lofty.com.

    About Realty Executives International
    Founded in 1965, Realty Executives is one of the largest and most established real estate systems with over 5,000 members working across the globe. As the only brand named after its people, their Executives, the company operates with the philosophy that the network and the people that represent it come first. Creator of the first ever 100% commission concept, Realty Executives attracts and retains the most productive, efficient, and successful real estate professionals in the industry through our unparalleled brand, technology, training, and concierge services. For more information, visit RealtyExecutives.com.

    For More Information:
    Julie Crotty
    Attune Communications
    julie@attunecommunications.com

     

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: RBI Bulletin – March 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    Today, the Reserve Bank released the March 2025 issue of its monthly Bulletin. The Bulletin includes four speeches, five articles and current statistics.

    The five articles are: I. State of the Economy; II. Spatial Distribution of Monsoon and Agricultural Production; III. Changing Dynamics of India’s Remittances – Insights from the Sixth Round of India’s Remittances Survey; IV. Decoupling Economic Growth from Emissions: A LMDI Decomposition Analysis; and V. Market Access and IMF Arrangements: Evidence from Across the Globe.

    I. State of the Economy

    The resilience of the global economy is being tested by escalating trade tensions and a heightened wave of uncertainty around the scope, timing, and intensity of tariffs. While engendering heightened volatility in global financial markets, these have also caused apprehensions about the slowdown in global growth. Amidst these challenges, the Indian economy continues to demonstrate resilience as evident in the robust performance of the agriculture sector and improving consumption. The reverberations of a tumultuous external environment, however, are being reflected in sustained foreign portfolio outflows. India’s macroeconomic strength to face these challenges is bolstered by a decline in headline CPI inflation to a seven-month low of 3.6 per cent in February 2025 on account of a further correction in food prices.

    II. Spatial Distribution of Monsoon and Agricultural Production

    By Abhinav Narayanan and Harendra Kumar Behera

    This article analyses the impact of spatial variation of rainfall across districts on production of Kharif crops. It also examines how deficient or excess rainfall during specific periods impact the production of specific crops.

    Highlights:

    • Extreme weather events such as excessive or insufficient rainfall cause significant crop damages leading to disruptions in production resulting in reduced yields or lower quality of produce.

    • The timing of extreme weather events is crucial, as crop production cycles vary.

    • Insufficient rainfall in the months of June and July negatively impacts cereal and pulses production, while oilseeds are particularly vulnerable to excessive rainfall during the harvesting period (August-September).

    III. Changing Dynamics of India’s Remittances – Insights from the Sixth Round of India’s Remittances Survey

    By Dhirendra Gajbhiye, Sujata Kundu, Alisha George, Omkar Vinherkar, Yusra Anees, Jithin Baby

    This article analyses the results of the sixth round of India’s remittances survey conducted for 2023-24. It captures various dimensions of inward remittances to India – country-wise source of remittances, state-wise destination of remittances, transaction-wise size of remittances, prevalent mode of transmission, cost of sending remittances and share of remittances transmitted through the digital modes vis-à-vis cash.

    Highlights:

    • India’s inward remittances have more than doubled during 2010-11 to 2023-24 and have been a stable source of external financing during this period. Following a pandemic-led contraction during 2020-21, remittances to India in the post pandemic period recorded a significant surge.

    • The survey results indicate that the share of inward remittances from advanced economies has risen, surpassing the share of Gulf economies in 2023-24, reflecting a shift in migration pattern towards skilled Indian diaspora.

    • Maharashtra, followed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu, continue to be the dominant recipient of remittances.

    • The cost of sending remittances to India has moderated significantly, driven by digitalisation, but remains higher than the SDG target of 3 per cent.

    • Additionally, on an average, 73.5 per cent of total remittances received by the money transfer operators in 2023-24 were through digital mode.

    • Furthermore, fintech companies offer affordable cross-border remittance services, fostering competition among different remittance service providers.

    IV. Decoupling Economic Growth from Emissions: A LMDI Decomposition Analysis

    By Madhuresh Kumar, Shobhit Goel, Manu Sharma, Muskan Garg

    This article examines the drivers behind India’s CO₂ emissions growth from 2012 to 2022 using the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) decomposition method. It breaks down total emissions into key contributing factors, including the impact of GDP growth (activity effect), improvements in energy efficiency (energy intensity effect), shifts in the economic structure (structural effect), changes in the composition of fuel (fuel mix effect), and the growing share of renewable energy in electricity generation, which reduces the carbon intensity of electricity (emission factor effect).

    Highlights:

    • During 2012-22, energy-related CO2 emissions increased by 706 million tons. The main contributor was economic growth (+1073 Mt), with a smaller impact from the change in fuel mix of the economy (+78 Mt). However, gains in energy efficiency (-399 Mt), structural changes (-15 Mt), and improvements in emission intensity of electricity due to increased use of renewables (-30 Mt) helped curb emissions.

    • India’s energy efficiency improved by 1.9 per cent annually, exceeding the global average.

    • India’s growth decoupled from emissions, with a decoupling elasticity of 0.59, comparable to other lower-middle-income countries.

    • Renewables have had a small but significant impact on emission reduction over the past decade, with solar and wind accounting for 2.1 percent of total primary energy in 2022-23.

    • Going ahead, the emission factor effect is expected to play a more prominent role as renewables increasingly replace fossil fuels and green hydrogen usage expands in industries.

    V. Market Access and IMF Arrangements: Evidence from Across the Globe

    By Shruti Joshi and PSS Vidyasagar

    The article analyses loans availed by various countries from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during 2000-2023 and finds a negative relation between market access and dependence on IMF’s loan for those countries which resorted to IMF loans.

    Highlights:

    • During 2000-2023, dependence of Emerging Market and Developing Economies (EMDEs) on IMF resources increased on account of their limited access to international financial markets and alternate sources of funding. Several fast growing large EMDEs, including India and China, however, did not have to take recourse to the IMF loans.

    • During the crisis periods, especially the Global Financial Crisis and Euro-Zone Crisis, some Advanced Economies also resorted to IMF loans due to their reduced market access on account of sovereign rating downgrades.

    • Among countries that resorted to IMF loans, those which faced a larger country risk premium availed larger funding.

    • Access to alternative sources of funding such as Regional Financing Arrangements (RFAs) and swap lines reduces the dependence on IMF loans.

    The views expressed in the Bulletin articles are of the authors and do not represent the views of the Reserve Bank of India.

    (Puneet Pancholy)  
    Chief General Manager

    Press Release: 2024-2025/2418

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chancellor’s National Wealth Fund to deliver growth and boost security

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Chancellor’s National Wealth Fund to deliver growth and boost security

    Chancellor sets new strategy for National Wealth Fund to reflect our Plan for Change, unlocking billions of pounds of private investment into the UK.

    • New strategic steer will see National Wealth Fund take on higher risk projects as government goes further and faster to kickstart economic growth, make Britain a clean energy superpower and boost security.
    • Government also launches recruitment for a new National Wealth Fund CEO to build on the £1.8 billion unlocked in private investment since July.

    The National Wealth Fund will unlock over £70 billion in private investment to help deliver economic growth, make Britain a clean energy superpower, and strengthen the defence sector, the Chancellor has confirmed today [19 March]. 

    The new strategic direction sets clean energy, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, and transport as new priority sectors for the National Wealth Fund. Money will be invested across the United Kingdom in projects like carbon capture, green hydrogen, gigafactories, green steel, and ports.  

    Crucially, the Chancellor’s steer will help direct investment to the industries our defence sector relies on – advanced manufacturing and digital and dual-use technologies – working with industry to keep Britain safe and building on the Government’s commitment to increase spending on defence and national security to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027.   

    The National Wealth Fund’s economic capital limit will also be increased from £4.5 billion to £7 billion, allowing it take on greater risk. This means it has more flexibility over its investments and can support more projects that struggle to access private finance.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, said:

    My number one mission is kickstarting economic growth through our Plan for Change to make Great Britain a stronger, more resilient country and put more money into the pockets of working people.

    I am determined to go further and faster to get our economy growing. By directing tens of billions of pounds into the UK’s industrial strengths, we’ll deliver the high-skilled, high-paid jobs of the future in every corner of the country.

    Since July last year, the National Wealth Fund has unlocked 9,900 jobs and nearly £1.8 billion of private investment in growth-driving industries like green energy and technology. 

    Investment has already started flowing into priority sectors including £55 million for Connected Kerb to increase coverage of EV charging networks and a £28.6 million investment into Cornish Metals. 

    The Chancellor’s strategic steer comes as a new £9.6 million National Wealth Fund investment was announced today for Solihull Council to improve the area’s heating infrastructure and reduce bills, providing low carbon heating, hot water and power to town centre buildings. 

    To lead this new chapter for the UK’s flagship public investor, the Government has also launched a recruitment campaign for the National Wealth Fund’s next CEO. 

    John Flint will step down from the role of CEO in the summer after successfully seeing through the National Wealth Fund’s transition from the UK Infrastructure Bank. 

    The Chancellor will also establish a new UK Strategic Public Investment Forum joining up the UK’s leading policymakers and public financial institutions including the CEOs of the National Wealth Fund, British Business Bank, UK Export Finance, Homes England, Innovate UK, and Great British Energy and The Crown Estate. 

    The forum – the first of its kind – will cooperate on delivering investments to the priority areas set out by the Chancellor and will be tasked with ensuring the Government is getting maximum impact for its investments.  

    Stemming from this, the National Wealth Fund will work closely with Great British Energy to support its quick establishment as a publicly owned clean energy company that will boost Britain’s energy security making it a clean energy superpower, lower bills, create jobs, and grow the economy.

    Investing in homegrown clean energy industries is an essential part of the government’s drive to replace the UK’s dependency on fossil fuel markets controlled by petrostates and dictators with clean, homegrown power.

    Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, said:

    Clean power is the economic opportunity of the 21st century – and through the National Wealth Fund we will seize this opportunity to invest in British industries and workers.

    We are delivering our clean energy superpower mission to make our country energy secure and deliver the good jobs that the British people deserve.

    More details on Great British Energy’s developer mandate have also been released today.

    The partnership between Great British Energy and the National Wealth Fund will see the former bringing project development expertise as well as investment, and the latter providing finance, a model already being deployed in Japan and Denmark. 

    Harnessing private investment via the National Wealth Fund is part of the Government’s wider efforts to kickstart economic growth and deliver a new era of security and renewal through our Plan for Change. 

    Cutting red tape so major infrastructure projects can progress, removing unnecessary hurdles in the planning system so more homes can be built, and progressing new economic partnerships with international partners like Japan and India is part of the work being undertaken to grow the economy and put more money in people’s pockets.

    More information

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Members consider trade agreements involving Australia, Cambodia, China, India, Nicaragua

    Source: World Trade Organization

    The India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement , covering trade in goods and services, came into force on 29 December 2022. Australia will eliminate customs duties on 98.3% of its tariff lines by the end of the implementation period in 2026, while India will do so for 69.8% by 2031. For trade in services, both parties have enhanced sectoral commitments beyond those under the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), including the movement of natural persons.

    Australia said the landmark Agreement represents a significant development in the economic relationship between Australia and India and supports both countries’ deeper integration into the global economy. Australia added that the Agreement includes provisions on strengthening investment certainty, promoting regulatory cooperation and enhancing mobility for skilled professionals.

    India said the Agreement has driven mutual growth and showcases the complementarity of both economies. The Agreement has significantly advanced trade ties and created new opportunities for business and employment. India added that both countries are committed to building on the momentum to deepen economic integration.

    The Free Trade Agreement between China and Nicaragua,  goods and services, entered into force on 1 January 2024. At the end of the transition period in 2038, 95.2% of tariff lines of China and 94.8% of tariff lines of Nicaragua will be duty-free under the Agreement. Each party will retain tariffs on approximately 5% of tariff lines after full implementation.  On trade in services, the Agreement follows a negative list approach and adds new or improved commitments compared to the parties’commitments under the GATS in a number of areas including business services and health services. Moreover, the Agreement includes, among other things, provisions on the environment, competition, dispute settlement, small and medium enterprises, and e-commerce.

    China said the Agreement establishes a high level of openness between both economies in terms of trade in goods and services and for investment. China noted that both economies are highly complementary and that there is a great potential for trade and investment cooperation.

    Nicaragua said the Agreement, which builds upon the July 2022 Early Harvest Agreement, will produce mutual benefits for both countries. Nicaragua added that the Agreement provides an opportunity to transform the country’s structure of production, trading and investment.

    The Free Trade Agreement between China and Cambodia, covering trade in goods and services, came into force on 1 January 2022. Under the Agreement, China has committed to eliminating customs duties on 97.3% of its tariffs by 2041, while Cambodia has committed to eliminating 90% of its tariffs during the same period. Much of the tariff elimination has been “front loaded” by both parties, with most tariff reductions already applied since 2022. For trade in services, Cambodia’s sectoral commitments remain the same as in its GATS commitments, except for a limited number of sectors, while China’s existing GATS commitments are further enhanced for a number of sectors under the Agreement. The Agreement also contains provisions on cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

    China said the Agreement is its first bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) signed with a least-developed country (LDC), noting that this sets a good example of cooperation with LDCs. China said it is also the first FTA that sets an independent chapter on cooperation under the BRI and that it will enhance value chains between the two countries.

    Cambodia said the Agreement is consistent with WTO commitments as it eliminates duties on a substantial amount of trade between the two countries. Cambodia noted the Agreement provides benefits beyond the economic aspect as it also contributes to Cambodia’s broader development strategies.

    Implementation of the RTA Transparency Mechanism

    The Committee also took note of one new notification of an RTA, as well as five notifications of changes since its last session in November 2024. The signature of one Agreement was also the subject of an early announcement.

    The outgoing chair, Ambassador Salomon Eheth (Cameroon), noted that there are 30 RTAs involving only WTO members and 38 involving non-members for which a factual presentation has to be prepared, counting goods and services separately. In addition, there are at least 58 RTAs currently in force that have not been notified to the WTO, with an updated list of these circulated prior to the Committee meeting and available on the RTA database. A number of delegations encouraged members to notify these agreements as soon as possible, while noting that delays may be due to constrained capacities of small delegations.

    The Committee took note of the updated schedule for the submissions of  implementation reports on RTAs. It noted that as of 1 March 2025, such reports were due for 223 RTAs with an additional 15 becoming due in 2025.

    Election of new Chair

    Members elected Ambassador José Valencia of Ecuador as the new Committee Chair. He replaces Ambassador Eheth.

    Next meeting

    The next Committee meetings for 2025 are scheduled for 17 June and 10 November.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Members Connect 2025: A Galaxy AI-Powered Experience at SRI-Noida

    Source: Samsung

     
    The 2025 edition of Samsung Members Connect at Samsung R&D Institute India, Noida (SRI-Noida) brought together 74 passionate Galaxy users for an immersive journey into the world of Galaxy AI and the Galaxy S25 Series. This exclusive event offered a deep dive into AI-driven personalization, seamless productivity, enhanced gaming, and next-gen camera experiences, making it an unforgettable day for Samsung Members.
     
    A Day of Learning, Fun & Innovation
    The day kicked off with a welcome address by Samsung leaders, setting the stage for an insightful exploration of Samsung’s latest innovations. Participants got an exclusive first look at One UI 7.x, learning how it enhances personalization, convenience, and security across devices.
     
    “Samsung Members Connect is more than just an event—it’s a unique platform where our engineers and passionate users come together, exchange ideas, and experience the future of technology firsthand. Their feedback drives us to keep pushing boundaries,” said Kyungyun Roo, Managing Director, SRI-Noida.
     

     
    To keep the energy high, engaging energizer sessions were woven throughout the event, creating an interactive and exciting atmosphere.
     
    “Being part of Samsung Members Connect is always special, but this time, the focus on AI-powered personalization and seamless device integration truly blew my mind!” shared Ashutosh Singhal, a thrilled participant.
     
    The Multi-Device Experience segment showcased Samsung’s connected ecosystem, emphasizing seamless transitions between the Galaxy S25 series, Galaxy Watch, and Galaxy Buds for an effortless productivity and entertainment experience.
     

     
    Next-Gen Gaming & Creative Camera Innovations
    For gaming enthusiasts, the Enhanced Game Performance session provided insights into how AI optimizations in the Galaxy S25 series are delivering smoother gameplay, faster response times, and immersive visuals.
     
    “As a mobile gamer, I was amazed to see the AI-powered improvements in gaming performance. The live demos truly showcased how the S25 series is redefining mobile gaming,” said Ravi Joshi, another Samsung Member.
     
    Samsung’s Creative Camera Experience was a major highlight, featuring hands-on photography workshops where users explored advanced AI-powered editing tools and pro-grade photography features on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The event also included a contest, challenging participants to capture the best creative shots using their devices.
     
    A Celebration of Innovation & Community
    Beyond the tech, Samsung Members Connect was filled with fun activities, a facility tour, contests, and a lucky draw. The day concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony, group photo, and hi-tea, celebrating the shared passion for innovation.
     
    With an outstanding 95% positive feedback, the event was a resounding success, reaffirming Samsung’s commitment to delivering meaningful innovation and building a thriving community of Galaxy enthusiasts.
     
    Until next time, keep exploring the endless possibilities with Galaxy AI!

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PARLIAMENT QUESTION: ISROs PROGRAMMES FOR STUDENTS

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:06PM by PIB Delhi

    The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today approved the ‘Incentive Scheme for promotion of low-value BHIM-UPI transactions Person to Merchant (P2M)’ for the financial year 2024-25 in the following manner:

                 i.        The incentive scheme for promotion of low-value BHIM-UPI transactions (P2M) will be implemented at an estimated outlay of 1,500 crore, from 01.04.2024 to 31.03.2025.

                ii.        Only the UPI (P2M) transactions upto 2,000/- for Small Merchants are covered under the scheme.

     

    Category

    Small Merchant

    Large Merchant

    Up to Rs. 2k

    Zero MDR / Incentive (@0.15%)

    Zero MDR / No Incentive

    Over Rs. 2k

    Zero MDR / No Incentive

    Zero MDR / No Incentive

     

               iii.        Incentive at the rate of 0.15% per transaction value will be provided for transactions upto Rs.2,000 pertaining to category of small merchants.

              iv.        For all the quarters of the scheme, 80% of the admitted claim amount by the acquiring banks will be disbursed without any conditions.

                v.        The reimbursement of the remaining 20% of the admitted claim amount for each quarter will be contingent upon fulfilment of the following conditions:

    a)    10% of the admitted claim will be provided only when the technical decline of the acquiring bank will be less than 0.75%; and

    b)    The remaining 10% of the admitted claim will be provided only when the system uptime of the acquiring bank will be greater than 99.5%.

     

    Benefits:

    i.      Convenient, secure, faster cash flow, and enhanced access to credit through digital footprints.

    ii.     Common citizens will benefit from seamless payment facilities with no additional charges.

    iii.    Enable small merchants to avail of UPI services at no additional cost. As small merchants are price-sensitive, incentives would encourage them to accept UPI payment.

    iv.    Supports the Government’s vision of a less-cash economy through formalizing and accounting the transaction in digital form.

    v.     Efficiency gain- 20% incentive is contingent upon banks maintaining high system uptime and low technical decline. This will ensure round-the-clock availability of payment services to citizens.

    vi.    Judicious balance of both the growth of UPI transactions and the minimum financial burden on the Government exchequer.

     

    Objective:

    ·        Promotion of indigenous BHIM-UPI platform. Achieving the target of 20,000 crore total transaction volume in FY 2024-25.

    ·        Supporting the payment system participants in building a robust and secure digital payments infrastructure.

    ·        Penetration of UPI in tier 3 to 6 cities, especially in rural & remote areas by promoting innovative products such as feature phone based (UPI 123PAY) & offline (UPI Lite/UPI LiteX) payment solutions.

    ·     Maintain a high system uptime & minimize technical declines.

    Background:

    Promotion of digital payments is an integral part of the Government’s strategy for financial inclusion and provide wide-ranging payment options to the common man. The expenditure incurred by the digital payment industry while providing services to its customers / merchant is recovered through the charge of Merchant Discount Rate (MDR).

    As per RBI, MDR upto 0.90% of transaction value is applicable across all card networks. (for Debit cards). As per NPCI, MDR upto 0.30% of transaction value is applicable for UPI P2M transaction. Since January 2020, to promote digital transactions, MDR was made zero for RuPay Debit Cards and BHIM-UPI transactions through amendments in section 10A in the Payments and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 and section 269SU of the Income-tax Act, 1961.

    In order to support the payment ecosystem participants in effective delivery of services, “Incentive scheme for promotion of RuPay Debit Cards and low-value BHIM-UPI transactions (P2M)” has been implemented with due approval by the Cabinet. Year-wise incentive payout by the Government (in Rs. crore) during the last three financial years:

    Financial Year

    Gol Payout

    RuPay Debit Card

    BHIM-UPI

    FY2021-22

    1,389

    432

    957

    FY2022-23

    2,210

    408

    1,802

    FY2023-24

    3,631

    363

    3,268

    The incentive is paid by the Government to the Acquiring bank (Merchant’s bank) and  thereafter shared among other stakeholders: Issuer Bank (Customer’s Bank), Payment Service Provider Bank (facilitates onboarding of customer on UPI app / API integrations) and App Providers (TPAPs).

    *****

    MJPS/BM

    (Release ID: 2112772) Visitor Counter : 6

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Cabinet approves Incentive scheme for promotion of low-value BHIM-UPI transactions (P2M)

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:05PM by PIB Delhi

    The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today approved the ‘Incentive Scheme for promotion of low-value BHIM-UPI transactions Person to Merchant (P2M)’ for the financial year 2024-25 in the following manner:

                 i.        The incentive scheme for promotion of low-value BHIM-UPI transactions (P2M) will be implemented at an estimated outlay of 1,500 crore, from 01.04.2024 to 31.03.2025.

                ii.        Only the UPI (P2M) transactions upto 2,000/- for Small Merchants are covered under the scheme.

     

    Category

    Small Merchant

    Large Merchant

    Up to Rs. 2k

    Zero MDR / Incentive (@0.15%)

    Zero MDR / No Incentive

    Over Rs. 2k

    Zero MDR / No Incentive

    Zero MDR / No Incentive

     

               iii.        Incentive at the rate of 0.15% per transaction value will be provided for transactions upto Rs.2,000 pertaining to category of small merchants.

              iv.        For all the quarters of the scheme, 80% of the admitted claim amount by the acquiring banks will be disbursed without any conditions.

                v.        The reimbursement of the remaining 20% of the admitted claim amount for each quarter will be contingent upon fulfilment of the following conditions:

    a)    10% of the admitted claim will be provided only when the technical decline of the acquiring bank will be less than 0.75%; and

    b)    The remaining 10% of the admitted claim will be provided only when the system uptime of the acquiring bank will be greater than 99.5%.

     

    Benefits:

    i.      Convenient, secure, faster cash flow, and enhanced access to credit through digital footprints.

    ii.     Common citizens will benefit from seamless payment facilities with no additional charges.

    iii.    Enable small merchants to avail of UPI services at no additional cost. As small merchants are price-sensitive, incentives would encourage them to accept UPI payment.

    iv.    Supports the Government’s vision of a less-cash economy through formalizing and accounting the transaction in digital form.

    v.     Efficiency gain- 20% incentive is contingent upon banks maintaining high system uptime and low technical decline. This will ensure round-the-clock availability of payment services to citizens.

    vi.    Judicious balance of both the growth of UPI transactions and the minimum financial burden on the Government exchequer.

     

    Objective:

    ·        Promotion of indigenous BHIM-UPI platform. Achieving the target of 20,000 crore total transaction volume in FY 2024-25.

    ·        Supporting the payment system participants in building a robust and secure digital payments infrastructure.

    ·        Penetration of UPI in tier 3 to 6 cities, especially in rural & remote areas by promoting innovative products such as feature phone based (UPI 123PAY) & offline (UPI Lite/UPI LiteX) payment solutions.

    ·     Maintain a high system uptime & minimize technical declines.

    Background:

    Promotion of digital payments is an integral part of the Government’s strategy for financial inclusion and provide wide-ranging payment options to the common man. The expenditure incurred by the digital payment industry while providing services to its customers / merchant is recovered through the charge of Merchant Discount Rate (MDR).

    As per RBI, MDR upto 0.90% of transaction value is applicable across all card networks. (for Debit cards). As per NPCI, MDR upto 0.30% of transaction value is applicable for UPI P2M transaction. Since January 2020, to promote digital transactions, MDR was made zero for RuPay Debit Cards and BHIM-UPI transactions through amendments in section 10A in the Payments and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 and section 269SU of the Income-tax Act, 1961.

    In order to support the payment ecosystem participants in effective delivery of services, “Incentive scheme for promotion of RuPay Debit Cards and low-value BHIM-UPI transactions (P2M)” has been implemented with due approval by the Cabinet. Year-wise incentive payout by the Government (in Rs. crore) during the last three financial years:

    Financial Year

    Gol Payout

    RuPay Debit Card

    BHIM-UPI

    FY2021-22

    1,389

    432

    957

    FY2022-23

    2,210

    408

    1,802

    FY2023-24

    3,631

    363

    3,268

    The incentive is paid by the Government to the Acquiring bank (Merchant’s bank) and  thereafter shared among other stakeholders: Issuer Bank (Customer’s Bank), Payment Service Provider Bank (facilitates onboarding of customer on UPI app / API integrations) and App Providers (TPAPs).

    *****

    MJPS/BM

    (Release ID: 2112771) Visitor Counter : 17

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: NIDAAN PORTAL

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:03PM by PIB Delhi

    Government has taken various information technology driven initiatives in the field of Drug Law Enforcement. Some of the initiatives are as under: –

    1. Narco Coordination (NCORD) Portal accessible at https://narcoordindia.in/ is a gateway for all drugs and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) related information for all four tiers of stakeholders starting from district level to state level and Central Ministries including all Drug Law Enforcement Agencies (DLEAs).
      1. To assist all DLEAs/other investigation agencies for investigation and proactive policing, National Integrated Database on Arrested Narco-Offenders (NIDAAN) portal is developed. It provides data of narcotics offenders involved in narcotics offences under Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
      1. CCTNS (Crime & Criminal Tracking Network System) is aimed to inter-link all police stations under a common application software for the purpose of investigation, data analytics, research, policy making and providing Citizen Services such as reporting & tracking of complaints, request for antecedent verifications, etc.
      1. A task force on Darknet and Crypto-Currency has been set up under the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) mechanism with a focus on monitoring all platforms facilitating Narco-trafficking, sharing of inputs on drug trafficking amongst Agencies/MAC members, interception of drug networks, continuous capturing of trends, modus operandi & nodes with regular database updates and review of related rules & laws.
    1. The Government has launched MANAS Helpline No. 1933 designed as a unified platform for citizens to report the drug-related issues via multiple communication.

    NIDAAN portal is exclusively meant for use of Drugs Law Enforcement Agencies. The portal has emerged as an effective tool for the Drug Law Enforcement Agencies. It has helped them in connecting dots, previous involvements, fingerprint search, working inter-linkages, busting the network, monitoring habitual offenders, financial investigation and making proposals for detention under Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS), 1988. It also helps in monitoring status of current cases, bail, parole, handlers, etc.

    This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

    *****

    RK/VV/ASH/RR/PR/PS

    (Release ID: 2112770) Visitor Counter : 6

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government engages services of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences to enhance Psycho-Social Support for Distressed Women

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Government engages services of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences to enhance Psycho-Social Support for Distressed Women

    Govt launches ‘Mission Shakti Portal’ to empower women, enhance accessibility to services and to build capacity of functionaries and duty holders under various scheme and legislations

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 3:57PM by PIB Delhi

    The Protection of Women From Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA), 2005 has been enacted keeping in view the rights guaranteed under Article 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution of India to provide for a remedy under the civil law which is intended to protect the women from being victims of domestic violence and to prevent the occurrence of domestic violence in the society.

    In India domestic violence is governed by the Protection of Women From Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA), 2005 and it is defined under Section 3, which states that any act, omission or commission or conduct of a person harms or injures or endangers the health or safety of a women, whether mentally or physically, it amounts to domestic violence. It further includes any harm, harassment or injury caused to any women or any person related to her to meet any unlawful demand would also amount to domestic violence.

    The said Act covers those women who are or has been in a relationship with any person, where both parties have lived together in a shared household and are related by consanguinity, marriage or through a relationship in the nature of marriage or adoption.

    The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes data on crimes, including crimes against women, in its publication titled “Crime in India,” which is available on the NCRB’s official website (https://ncrb.gov.in). This report is available up to the year 2022. As per the data of NCRB, the number of cases registered under the PWDVA, was 507 in 2021 and 468 in 2022.

    The latest report of National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5 ), provides data for the period 2019-2021, which reveals that the percentage of ever-married women aged 18-49 years who have ever experienced spousal violence (physical and/ or sexual violence) has reduced to 29.3% as compared to 31.2% reported in NFHS-4 for the period 2015-2016.

    “Police‟ and “Public Order‟ are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibility to maintain law and order, protection of life and property of the citizens including investigation and prosecution in crimes against women and children rests primarily with the respective State Governments and they are competent to deal with it. Section 8 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA), 2005 mandates the States/ UTs to appoint such number of Protection Officers in each district as it may consider necessary and also to notify the area or areas within which a Protection Officer shall exercise the powers and perform the duties conferred. It is the duty of the Protection Officer to report the cases of domestic violence to the Magistrate upon receipt of complaints and to assist the Magistrate in the discharge of his functions. However, conviction of an accused person is done by the competent court after careful consideration of factual positions, evidence and all related legal aspects as per the provisions of law. The PWDVA provides to women remedies such as protection order, residence order etc. under it.

    Nevertheless, the Central Government gives highest priority to ensuring safety and security of women and has undertaken various legislative and schematic interventions in this regard. These include legislations such as “Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita“, “Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita“, “The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005‟, “The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961‟ etc. Besides these legal provisions there are multiple schemes and projects implemented by the Government which include One Stop Centres (OSCs); Universalisation of Women Helplines (WHL), Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) which is a pan-India single number (112)/ mobile app based system for emergencies; capacity building in community through awareness programmes, setting up/ strengthening of Women Help Desks (WHDs) at Police Stations etc.

    One Stop Centre (OSC) component of Mission Shakti Umbrella Scheme, which is fully funded by the central government is implemented across the country since 1st April, 2015. It provides integrated support and assistance under one roof to women affected by violence and those in distress, both in private and public spaces. It also provides an integrated range of services including medical aid, legal aid and advice, temporary shelter, police assistance, psycho-social counselling to needy women. 802 OSCs are operational across the country and over 10.80 lakh women have been assisted upto 31st January, 2025.

    To ensure that the Police Stations are more women friendly and approachable, as they would be the first and single point of contact for any woman walking into a police station, 14,658 Women Help Desks (WHDs) have been set up, of which 13,743 are headed by women police officers. To provide help and support to needy women and women in distress, Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112) has been established in all 36 States and UTs for various emergencies, with computer aided dispatch of field/ police resources. Since its launch, over 43 crore calls have been handled so far. In addition to ERSS, a fully functional dedicated Women helpline (WHL-181) is operational in 35 States/ UTs except West Bengal. The WHL has also been integrated with ERSS. So far, Women Helplines have handled over 2.10 crore calls and assisted over 84.43 lakh women.

    A National dashboard has been developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) for monitoring calls across all States/UTs implementing the Women Helpline. This dashboard enables real-time monitoring of calls received and women assisted. Through this system, the Central Government is able to maintain centralized data on violence faced by women across India, categorized by types of cases, including instances of domestic violence.

    Recognizing the need for psycho-social counseling to women affected by violence and those in distress, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has engaged the services of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) for providing basic and advanced training under the project named “Stree Manoraksha‟ to the staff of One Stop Centres (OSCs) across the country on handling psycho-social and mental health care needs to support to such women. The Ministry also undertakes awareness exercise for safety and security of women and children from time to time. Further, the Government, through institutions like the National Commission for Women (NCW) have been spreading awareness through seminars, workshops, audio- visual, print and electronic media etc. to sensitize the people about the safety and security of women and children and also about various provisions of law. In addition, Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Home Affairs have issued advisories to States/ UTs from time to time on various issues pertaining to safety and security of women and children.

    Under Nirbhaya Fund, Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) has also undertaken several initiatives, which, inter-alia include training and skill development programs for Investigation Officers, Prosecution Officers and Medical Officers. BPR&D has also prepared Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for “Women Help Desk at Police Stations‟ to ensure their smooth functioning by focusing on four critical components, viz. infrastructure, training, human resource development and response mechanism. A book titled “Women’s Safety and Security- a Handbook for First Responders and Investigators in the Police‟ has also been prepared for the purpose of prevention and investigation of crime against women with specific reference to the crime of sexual assault, which includes investigation, victim compensation and rehabilitation. Emphasis has been laid upon inculcating appropriate behavioural and attitudinal skills in the police force for prevention and detection of crimes against women and children and for proper interaction with the victims of crime. Webinars on women safety with sensitivity, gender sensitization of police personnel etc. have also been organized by BPR&D.

    The Ministry has launched the ‘Mission Shakti Portal’ with all functional features on January 22, 2025. This portal aims to enhance accessibility of various government services for women, establish quality mechanisms for rescue, protection, and rehabilitation, and build the capacity of functionaries and duty holders under various schemes and legislations.

    This information was given by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur in Rajya Sabha in reply to a question today.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Cabinet approves implementation of revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission with enhanced allocation for the years 2024-25 and 2025-26

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:19PM by PIB Delhi

    The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has today approved the Revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) to boost growth in livestock sector.  Implementation of revised RGM, as Central Sector component of Development Programmes scheme is being done with an additional outlay of Rs.1000 crore that is total outlay of Rs.3400 crore during 15th Finance Commission cycle from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

    Two New activities added are: (i) One-time assistance of 35% of the capital cost for establishment of Heifer Rearing Centres to Implementing Agencies for creation of 30 housing facilities having total 15000 heifers and (ii) To encourage farmers to purchase High genetic merit (HGM) IVF heifers to provide 3% interest subvention on loan taken by the farmer from milk unions / financial institutions/ banks for such purchase.  This will help in systemic induction of high yielding breeds.

    The revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission is approved with an allocation Rs.3400 crore during 15th Finance Commission cycle (2021-22 to 2025-26).

    The scheme is for continuation of ongoing activities of Rashtriya Gokul Mission- strengthening of semen stations, Artificial Insemination network, implementation of bull production programme, accelerated breed improvement programme using sex sorted semen, skill development, farmer awareness, support for innovative activities including establishment of Centre of Excellence, strengthening of Central Cattle Breeding Farms and strengthening of Central Cattle Breeding Farms without any change in the pattern of assistance in any of these activities.

    With the implementation of the Rashtriya Gokul Mission and other efforts of the Government, milk production has increased by 63.55% in the last ten years, along with the availability of milk per person, which was 307 grams per day in 2013-14, has increased to 471 grams per day in 2023-24. Productivity has also increased by 26.34% in the last ten years.

    The Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme (NAIP) under the RGM provides free of cost Artificial Insemination (AI) at the farmer’s doorstep in 605 districts across the country where the baseline AI coverage was below 50%. Till date, over 8.39 crores animals have been covered and 5.21crores farmers have been benefitted. RGM has also been at the forefront in bringing the latest technological interventions in breeding to the farmer’s doorstep. A total of 22 in vitro fertilization (IVF) labs have been set up across the country under the State Livestock Boards (SLBs) or in Universities and over 2541 HGM calves have been born. Two path breaking steps in Atmanirbhar technology are the Gau Chip and Mahish Chip, genomic chips for indigenous bovines developed by National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and ICAR National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) and Gau Sort indigenously developed sex sorted semen production technology developed by NDDB.

    The scheme is set to significantly boost milk production and productivity, ultimately increasing farmers’ incomes. It focuses on the protection and preservation of India’s indigenous bovine breeds through systematic and scientific efforts in bull production and the development of indigenous bovine genomic chips. Additionally, in Vitro Fertilization (IVF) has become an established technology, due to the initiatives taken under the scheme. This initiative will not only enhance productivity but also improves livelihoods of 8.5 crores farmers engaged in Dairying.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Redefining energy storage with photo-assisted, self-charging energy storage devices

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:14PM by PIB Delhi

    Researchers have unveiled a novel air-chargeable battery for a sustainable power solution. This technology traps the oxygen from the environment to drive the charging process for energy storage and is a step towards a carbon-neutral future.

    In a world racing toward renewable energy solutions, a photo-assisted battery offers great promise as they combine the best of two worlds– the light-capturing capability of solar cells and the robust energy storage of conventional batteries. Generally, solar panels convert sunlight into electricity, but they rely on separate battery systems to store the energy for later use. In contrast, photo-assisted batteries merge these functions into a single device, creating a seamless synergy between solar energy conversion and storage.

    Photo-assisted batteries enhance the capacity of the batteries in the presence of light. However, it needs an external power supply to charge the battery.  To overcome this limitation, there is an urgent requirement to develop energy storage devices with self-rechargeability.

    Recent research has explored the “air-assisted self-charging” concept of aqueous ZIBs, aiming to utilize oxygen from the air to replenish the charge of the battery.

    Researchers from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), an autonomous institution under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in Bengaluru, India, have developed a photo-assisted self-chargeable energy storage device that enhances the charge storage capacity in the presence of light. It can charge by its own in the presence of oxygen from the atmosphere.

    A team led by Dr. Ashutosh Kumar Singh presented their study on these smart energy storage devices, titled “Photo-assisted self-chargeable aqueous Zn-ion energy storage device.” This work published in the Chemical Engineering Journal explores the integration of photo-assisted and self-chargeable features into zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs), utilizing vanadium oxide (VO2) and tungsten trioxide (WO3) as the primary cathode material.

    This work introduces a novel approach utilizing VO2 as an active material, blended with WO3 as a charge-separating layer, to design a photoelectrode for air-photo-assisted self-charged zinc ion energy storage. In addition, this work reports the utilization of WO3 as a charge-separating layer in photo-assisted self-chargeable energy storage device for the first-time. The device shows a significant increment in the charge storage capacity (170%) at a constant current density of 0.02 mA/cm2. Additionally, the VO2 layer works as an air cathode electrode that can help air-assisted self-charging. It demonstrates an open circuit potential (OCP) of 1 V. This shows the superiority of photo-assisted self-charged energy storage performance.

    The findings pave the way for integrating these devices into self-reliable electronics, potentially powered by renewable energy sources. This marks a major step forward in the pursuit of sustainable energy solutions and demostrates the practical utility of energy storage devices in modern technology.

     

    Figure: Schematic representation of the combination of photo-assisted (left) and air-assisted (right) energy storage devices. Schematic configuration of the device (left), a visual representation of the device in a charged state and which is powering an LCD device (right).

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PALIAMENT QUESTION: INCLINATION OF GIRLS TOWARDS SCIENCE

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:13PM by PIB Delhi

    The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is implementing Vigyan Jyoti programme to encourage meritorious girls to pursue higher education and careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields since 2019-20. The program aims to promote gender parity in STEM by sustaining the talent pool in science and technology through various year-round activities like hands-on experiential learning sessions, interactions with scientific role models, visits to R&D and industrial labs, career guidance workshops and student-parent counselling sessions that provide exposure to increase the interest and inclination of girls towards science. Since its inception, Vigyan Jyoti programme has benefitted over 80,000 high-achieving girls from 300 districts across 35 States/UTs. To strengthen its impact, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has engaged with over 250 premiers national institutions, including universities, science and technology institutes, CSIR labs, and other reputed organizations, which serve as knowledge partners, contributing significantly to the program’s mission of fostering more girls participation in STEM.

    The details of girl students encouraged to pursue science during the last three years, state-wise is given below:

     

    State/UTs

    2022-23

    2023-24

    2024-25

    Total

    Andaman and Nicobar

    100

    100

    115

    315

    Andhra Pradesh

    692

    880

    889

    2461

    Arunachal Pradesh

    277

    233

    347

    857

    Assam

    925

    970

    1276

    3171

    Bihar

    694

    912

    1243

    2849

    Chandigarh

    100

    100

    103

    303

    Chhattisgarh

    739

    1066

    1397

    3202

    Dadar, Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu

    200

    200

    188

    588

    Delhi

    197

    195

    200

    592

    Goa

    93

    98

    100

    291

    Gujarat

    785

    1703

    1567

    4055

    Haryana

    583

    891

    1580

    3054

    Himachal Pradesh

    711

    856

    972

    2539

    Jammu and Kashmir

    366

    589

    939

    1894

    Jharkhand

    713

    1017

    1265

    2995

    Karnataka

    846

    1030

    1278

    3154

    Kerala

    686

    810

    975

    2471

    Ladakh

    88

    99

    200

    387

    Madhya Pradesh

    961

    1273

    1385

    3619

    Maharashtra

    1001

    1496

    1709

    4206

    Manipur

    291

    289

    463

    1043

    Meghalaya

    222

    300

    394

    916

    Mizoram

    47

    90

    87

    224

    Nagaland

    82

    104

    97

    283

    Odisha

    776

    1082

    1280

    3138

    Puducherry

    341

    399

    396

    1136

    Punjab

    653

    1091

    1480

    3224

    Rajasthan

    920

    1263

    1712

    3895

    Sikkim

    199

    167

    187

    553

    Telangana

    491

    745

    771

    2007

    Tripura

    213

    233

    299

    745

    Uttarakhand

    664

    861

    900

    2425

    Uttar Pradesh

    1285

    1502

    2566

    5353

    West Bengal

    925

    998

    1083

    3006

     

    This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

     

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Cabinet approves construction of 6- lane access controlled Greenfield Highway starting from JNPA Port (Pagote) to Chowk (29.219 km) in Maharashtra on BOT (Toll) mode

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:13PM by PIB Delhi

    The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of 6- lane access controlled Greenfield High Speed National Highway starting from JNPA Port (Pagote) to Chowk (29.219 km) in Maharashtra. The project will be developed on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) mode at a total capital cost of Rs. 4500.62 Crore.

    Development of road connecting infrastructure to major and minor ports in India is one of the main focus areas of integrated infrastructure planning under PM Gatishakti National Master Plan principles. With increasing container volume in JNPA port and the development of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, a need was identified for augmenting National highway connectivity in the region.

    Currently, it takes 2-3 hours for vehicles to move from JNPA Port to the arterial Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) section of NH-48 and Mumbai – Pune Expressway due to heavy congestion in urban areas like Palaspe Phata, D-Point, Kalamboli junction, Panvel with traffic ~1.8 Lakh PCU/day. After the operationalization of Navi Mumbai airport in 2025, the need for direct connectivity is expected to increase further.

    Accordingly, this project is designed to address these connectivity requirements and for improving the logistic efficiency of connecting JNPA port and Navi Mumbai International Airport.

    The project alignment starts at JNPA port (NH 348) (Pagote village) and ends at Mumbai-Pune Highway (NH-48) while also linking Mumbai Pune Expressway and Mumbai Goa National highway (NH-66).

    Two tunnels passing through Sahayadri are provided for ease of movement for commercial vehicles instead of ghat section in hilly terrain ensuring high speed and ease in movement for large container trucks.

    The new 6 lane green field project corridor will lead to better port connectivity help in safe and efficient freight movement. The project will open new avenues of growth, development and prosperity in developing regions in and around Mumbai and Pune.

    Map of Corridor

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PALIAMENT QUESTION: RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN S &T

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:12PM by PIB Delhi

    The Research and Development (R&D) measures increased the exposure of the students in academic institutions to real-world problems and created opportunities for working on the state-of-the-art R&D infrastructure created in the Country. These measures cultivated critical thinking and innovation skills, bridged the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical applications and helped in building a very strong academia-industry ecosystem wherein research lead to technology transfer. R&D in academic institutions thus increased the exposure of students beyond the confines of traditional education and propelled them to the forefront of global competitiveness, positioning them for cutting-edge research, interdisciplinary collaboration, intellectual contributions and preparing them for the demands of a knowledge-driven society.

    The impact of R&D measures taken by the Government in increasing exposure of students in academic institutions is given below:

    The total Ph.D. enrolment in India has increased to 81.2% in 2021-2022 (2.13 lakh) from 2015-2016 (1.17 lakh). In 2021-22, female enrolment in PhD programs in India doubled to 99,000 (0.99 lakh) from 48,000 (0.48 lakh) in 2014-15, representing a significant increase in women’s participation in higher education, especially at the PhD level. In the year 2021-22, Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education for the age group 18-23 years is estimated as 28.4, as compared to 23.7 in 2014-15. Female GER has increased to 28.5 in 2021-22 from 22.9 in 2014-15. Of the total enrolment in 2021-22, the number of Student enrolment in STEM for UG, PG, Ph.D. and M.Phil. levels is 98,49,488 (25.6%).

    The details of various measures taken by the Government to collaborate with academic institutions to foster research and innovation in science and technology, thereby increasing exposure of students in academic institutions to Research and Development is given in Annexure – I.

     

    ANNEXURE – I

    1. Department of Biotechnology (DBT)

    (a) Fellowship Programmes: DBT has taken significant steps to collaborate with academic institutions to foster research and innovation in science and technology. The Department has established several fellowship programs and initiatives that enhance collaboration between researchers and academic institutions. The DBT – Junior Research Fellowship Programme, DBT-RA Program in Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Ramalingaswami Re-entry Fellowship, Biotechnology Career Advancement and Re-orientation (BioCARe) Fellowship, and M K Bhan Fellowship programs represent significant initiatives by the Department to foster collaboration with academic institutions. These programs enhance exposure to research environments by creating pathways for researchers to engage with academic institutions, establish research groups, mentor students, and contribute to India’s scientific advancement.

    (b) R&D Infrastructure: DBT has been supporting the development of research infrastructure at universities and research institutes across the country under Research Resource, Service Facility and Platform (abbreviated as RRSFP) Programme through the following components

    • DBT- Boost to University Interdisciplinary Life Science Departments for Education and Research Programme (DBT-BUILDER) which focuses on upgrading the post-graduate teaching and training laboratories by enabling interdisciplinary advanced research and teaching capacity emphasizing discovery and innovation in proposed research areas, addressing emerging technologies with inter-disciplinary cross talk. In the DBT-BUILDER programme a total of 45 Universities and Institutes were supported, comprising 9 Central University, 14 State University, and 22 Private Universities or Postgraduate Colleges. Across these institutions, 177 departments received support, with 34 in central universities, 56 in state universities, and 87 in private institutions.
    • DBT – Scientific Infrastructure Access for Harnessing Academia University Research Joint Collaboration (DBT-SAHAJ) aims at creating “national” service facility/research resource/platform to provide access to resources that could not be provided by any single researcher’s laboratory or scientific department. The Unified Online Booking Portal under the DBT-SAHAJ lists available equipment, user charges, and availability, allowing users to book facilities in advance.

    (c) Star College Programme: The Star College Programme was initiated by DBT in 2008 to support colleges and universities offering undergraduate education to improve science teaching across the country. This Programme was launched for improving critical thinking and encouraging ‘hands on’ experimental science at undergraduate level in basic science subjects. On a larger perspective, the programme was initiated envisioning that it shall encourage more students to take up higher education in science. Through this programme the Department identifies colleges with potential for excellence and provides support for developing infrastructure for academics and laboratory activities. This support is in turn expected to invigorate teaching and provide unique exposure of students to experimental science.

    (d) DBT-BIRAC Amrit Team Grant: is a new program of Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to support new and innovative collaborative research programs involving academia, the clinic and start-ups.

     

    2. Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR)

     

    1. and Postdoctoral fellowships: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology through its “Capacity Building and Human Resource Development Scheme” carried out by National S&T Human Resource Development Group (HRDG) has been providing doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships to young budding researchers through its various fellowship programmes. These young researchers are basically involved in science and technology development. The main objective of the programme is to nurture the budding scientific talent and to nourish the objective of pursuit of scientific research. The CSIR supported research fellows are working in more than 650 academic and R&D institutions. Apart from doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships, CSIR provides financial assistance to academic and R&D institution to carry out basic and applied research in the frontier and emerging areas of science and technology. These research projects of CSIR awarded to academic and R&D institutions are also a source of S&T human resource development as the principal investigators of these research projects are a guiding force and train young researchers in recent trends of science and technology research. These researchers contribute in the scientific publications, patents, technology, processes and overall development of S&T in the country. It is an established fact that the number of research articles published from an academic institute are proportional to the number of research scholars. This is the pool of young researchers being utilised by universities and R&D institutions for their research and development work/activities and is a precious S&T asset of the country. The research activities such as doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships and research grants are contributing in the scientific development of the country as India has attained 3rd position in terms of publishing the Science and Engineering research articles, contributed in increase in researchers per million populations from India which has now reached to 260 in 2020 compared to 215 in 2015.

     

    3. Department of Science and Technology (DST)

     

    DST is making several efforts through its various schemes and programmes to collaborate with academic institutions to foster research and innovation in science and technology, thereby increasing exposure of students in academic institutions to Research and Development. Details of significant initiatives are given below.

     

    (a) Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE): The Scheme aims at attracting young talent toward pursuing research as a career by leveraging the existing educational structure for talent identification, without conducting any competitive exams. Covering meritorious youth from school to university levels, the scheme supports those interested in studying science and choosing scientific research as a career. It facilitates human capacity building through scholarships, fellowships, and research exposure, enabling students to develop their skills and pursue opportunities in scientific research. The Scheme has the following components to create a robust ecosystem for cultivating future leaders in scientific research:

    • INSPIRE Internship: Provides exposure to the top 1% of students at the Class X Board level by organizing Science Camps during summer or winter. These camps allow students to interact with renowned scientists, including Nobel Laureates, fostering curiosity and inspiring them to pursue science at an early age (16-17 years).
    • Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE): Offers 12,000 scholarships annually to meritorious students aged 17-22 years, encouraging them to study basic and natural sciences at the undergraduate level with additional scholarship and mentorship support.
    • INSPIRE Fellowship: Awards 1,000 fellowships annually to students aged 22-27 years for pursuing Ph.D. in basic and applied sciences, including engineering, medicine, agriculture, and veterinary sciences.
    • INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship: Provides 100 fellowships annually to young researchers aged 27-32 years with a Ph.D. qualification, offering them the opportunity to carry out research in both basic and applied science areas for a duration of 5 years, helping them establish themselves as independent researchers.

     

    (b) Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure (FIST): The Schemes supports basic infrastructure and enabling facilities for promoting R&D activities in new and emerging areas and attracting fresh talents in universities & other educational institutions. It is considered as complimentary support for enabling Departments/ Centres/ Schools/ Colleges to pursue research activities more effectively and efficiently It was launched in 2000 under the Department of Science & Technology (DST). The duration of support for each FIST Project will be 5 years and will have 4 levels – Level-0, Level-1, Level-2, and Level-3. The programme has played a crucial role in fostering academic and research growth by providing financial support to a vast network of 3072 departments and PG colleges with an allocated budget of approximately Rs 3130.82 crores. This consistent support has significantly contributed to the advancement of scientific and technological endeavours across various universities and colleges, fuelling innovation and progress in India’s educational landscape.

     

    (c) Sophisticated Analytical and Technical Help Institutes (SATHI) Centres: These Centres organizes training program for researchers, MSME and start-ups for sensitization and utilization of high-end equipment and provides appropriate level platform for networking and to explore possibilities for collaborative research and sharing of data, among the participants.

     

    (d) Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence” (PURSE): The Scheme aims to bolster the Research and Development (R&D) foundation of universities nationwide. The primary objective is to enhance the research capabilities of Indian universities, fostering a robust research ecosystem and strengthening their R&D bases.

     

    (e) Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE-KIRAN): ensures the participation of women in the field of Science and Technology (S&T) through various gender-enabling programmes. The various components of the Scheme for improving the exposure of women to Research and Development are given below.

    • The WISE Fellowship Programme aims to provide support to women who want to pursue a Ph.D and Post Doctorate
    • Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovations (WIDUSHI): WIDUSHI Programme aims to encourage and support senior women scientists to conduct research in interdisciplinary areas of Science & Technology
    • WISE Internship in Intellectual Property Rights (WISE-IPR) – WISE-IPR programme provides one-year training to women in the area of Intellectual Property Rights in order to develop a core professional skill in this domain
    • Women International Grant Support (WINGS): WINGS Programme provides opportunities to Indian Women scientists to undertake research in the International research labs and academic institutions
    • Consolidation of University Research for Innovation and Excellence (CURIE): CURIE Programme provides support to women institutions for establishing State-of-the art research infrastructure to enhance research facilities and improving R&D activities in order to create excellence in Science & Technology (S&T) domain
    • VigyanJyoti programme aims to encourage girls to pursue higher education and career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) especially in the areas where women participation is low in order to balance gender ratio across the streams

     

    (f) The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), erstwhile Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) provides a wide range of fellowship which had increased the exposure of students to foster research and innovation in science and technology.

     

    4. Department of Higher Education:

     

    (a) The Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) Scheme: PMRF was introduced in 2018, with the objective to attract top talent to doctoral research in India, particularly in Science and Technology, by offering attractive fellowships at institutions like IITs, IISc, and IISERs. The PMRF scheme aims to improve the quality of research in higher educational institutions and foster innovation. The scheme is offered at all IITs, IISERs, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, and some top Central Universities/NITs that offer science and/or technology degrees. The fellowship covers a research grant of Rs. 2 lakhs per year (up to Rs. 10 lakhs for five years). A new version of the PMRF scheme, PMRF 2.0, was announced in the current budget with the introduction of 10,000 fellowships over the next 5 years to boost R&D and provide enhanced PhD fellowships. Industry participation in the PMRF program is explored through CSR funding or otherwise to enable industry to sponsor Fellows.

     

    (b) University Grants Commission (UGC): The UGC supports research and innovation in educational institutions through schemes like “Teaching and Research in Interdisciplinary and Emerging Areas,” encouraging innovative proposals and specialized courses, and promoting Research Development Cells (RDCs) to foster a strong research ecosystem.

     

    (c) All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE): AICTE supports research and innovation in technical education through various schemes, including the AICTE-Research Promotion Scheme (RPS), AICTE AURA, and by promoting infrastructure development, faculty development, and industry-institute interaction.

     

    This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

     

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PALIAMENT QUESTION: INDIAN BIOLOGICAL DATA CENTRE (IBDC)

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:11PM by PIB Delhi

    Department of Biotechnology has created the national resource data of whole genome sequencing of 10,074 healthy individuals from 83 heterogeneous populations from 99 different sites, under the “Genome India” project, to create a library of genetic variations. This data aims to serving both scientific and medical community, fostering genomic research. Hence, the data has been archived at the Indian Biological Data Center (IBDC), a National Repository set up by this Department. The data can be used for developing indigenous chips, diagnostics and therapeutics, benefiting healthcare system of the country and thus will contribute to the bioeconomy of the country. The Department has planned to fund translational research in which this dataset will serve as a template, thus maximizing the benefits of the data generated under ‘Genome India’ project. This data will be disseminated to the researchers under the provisions of the Biotech-PRIDE (Promotion of Research and Innovation through Data Exchange) Guidelines and ‘Framework for Exchange of Data (FeED) Protocols.

    Under the ‘Genome India’ project, the study has been carried out throughout the length and breadth of the country and ensured equitable sampling across linguistic, social, and regional groups in India. Approximately, 36.7% of the samples were collected from rural, 32.2 % from urban and 31.1 % from the tribal populations. It is imperative that maximum benefit should be accrued from the large data base already created. Hence the Department initially focuses on translational research using the already available dataset, for which proposals are being sought throughout the country and the process is still on; hence state wise data in this regard is not available. 

    This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

     

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Cabinet approves setting up of a new Brownfield Ammonia-Urea Complex Namrup IV Fertilizer Plant within the existing premises of Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited (BVFCL), Namrup, Assam

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:09PM by PIB Delhi

    The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has today approved the proposal for setting up of a new Brownfield Ammonia-Urea Complex of 12.7 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) annual capacity of Urea production within the existing premises of Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited (BVFCL), Namrup Assam, with an estimated total project cost of Rs.10,601.40 Crore with Debt Equity ratio of 70:30 through a Joint Venture (JV), under the New Investment Policy, 2012 read with its amendments on 7th October, 2014. The tentative overall time schedule for commissioning of Namrup-IV Project is 48 months.

    Additionally, the Cabinet also approved the National Fertilizers Limited (NFL)’s equity participation of 18% in relaxation to the limits prescribed in Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) guidelines; and constitution of an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) to oversee the process of setting up of Namrup-IV Fertilizer Plant.

    In the proposed JV, equity pattern will be as under:

    (i)     Government of Assam:                                                            40%

    (ii)    Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited (BVFCL):    11%

    (iii)   Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL):                       13%

    (iv)  National Fertilizers Limited (NFL):                                           18%

    (v)    Oil India Limited (OIL):                                                             18%

    BVFCL’s share of equity shall be in lieu of tangible assets.

    The project will increase the domestic Urea production capacity in the country especially in the North-Eastern region. It will meet the growing demand of Urea fertilizers of North East, Bihar, West Bengal, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand. The establishment of Namrup-IV unit will be more energy efficient. It will also open avenues for additional direct and indirect employment opportunity to the people of the area. It shall help achieve the vision of self-reliance in Urea in the country.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: WELFARE OF CAPFs PERSONNEL

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:08PM by PIB Delhi

    The details of the various schemes and the initiatives being taken by the Government for the welfare of Central Armed Police Force personnel are annexed.

    • Ayushman CAPF as an initiative was launched on January 23, 2021 for providing cashless and paperless medical treatment at empaneled private and government hospitals across India to the serving personnel of Central Armed Police Forces, Assam Rifles, National Security Guard & National Disaster Response Force and their dependents.
    • 41,79,361 Ayushman CAPF Cards (ID) have been generated.

    ******

    ANNEXURE

    The Government of India has taken several welfare initiatives for the personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and their families. These initiatives encompass financial assistance, educational support, housing, and rehabilitation services.

    • Ayushman CAPF: It is an initiative launched by the Government of India under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) specifically for personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and their families. It provides cashless and paperless medical treatment at empanelled private and government hospitals across India
    • Ex-Gratia Payments: In the unfortunate event of death due to accidents during duty, CAPF personnel’s next of kin receive ₹25 lakh. For deaths resulting from acts of violence by terrorists or during enemy action, the compensation is ₹35 lakh.
    • Accidental death insurance coverage under CAPF salary package scheme: This policy offers financial support to the families of personnel who lose their lives in the line of duty.
    • Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme (PMSS): Launched to encourage higher technical and professional education among the wards and widows of CAPF and Assam Rifles personnel, the scheme offers 2,000 scholarships annually (1,000 for boys and 1,000 for girls). The scholarship amounts are ₹3,000 per month for girls and ₹2,500 per month for boys, disbursed annually as ₹36,000 and ₹30,000, respectively.

    ANNEXURE

    • Contributory Welfare Fund:- Necessary guidelines issued to bring uniformity in payout to the Next of Kins (NoKs) of deceased CAPF personnel from Contributory Welfare Fund.
    • Quota for wards of CAPF:- 26 seats in MBBS & 03 seats in BDS have been reserved for the wards of serving/deceased CAPFs & AR personnel.
    • CAPF e-Awas Portal: A dedicated online platform facilitates the registration and allotment of residential quarters to CAPF personnel. The portal also provides services such as retention and regularization of accommodations.
    • Welfare and Rehabilitation Board (WARB): Established to oversee the welfare and rehabilitation of retired CAPF personnel and their families, including the next of kin of deceased or disabled personnel, WARB operates through State and District Welfare Officers across the country.
    • “CAPF Punarvaas” scheme: – A “CAPF Punarvaas” scheme was launched by linking Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act (PSARA) website with WARB website where the data of retired and willing Ex- CAPF/AR personnel is made available to Private Security Agencies on PSARA website for re-employment in Private Security Agencies.
    • Medical Facilities: Retired personnel and their spouses receive medical facilities from CGHS/CPMF Hospitals or a medical allowance of ₹1000 per month.

    ANNEXURE

    • Risk and Hardship Allowances: Enhancements have been made to the existing risk and hardship allowances for CAPF personnel deployed in Jammu and Kashmir and Left-Wing Extremism affected districts.
    • Kendriya Police Kalyan Bhandar (KPKB): Formerly known as the Central Police Canteen, KPKB provides quality products to CAPF personnel at discounted rates through direct negotiations with suppliers.
    • Liberalized Pension Awards (LPA) and Extraordinary Family Pension (EFP): There are special pension schemes designed for the families of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel who suffer death or disability due to operational hazards, ensuring financial security for their dependents.
    • Bharat Ke Veer: It is an initiative launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to support the families of deceased Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel. It enables citizens to contribute financially to the families of soldiers who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.

    This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: ‘WATAN KO JANO’ PROGRAMME

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:06PM by PIB Delhi

    The ‘Watan Ko Jano’ programme, organized by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir under the funding from Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, is aimed at fostering national integration by exposing children of the age less than 18 years from government-run homes to the cultural, historical, and technological advancements of other parts of the country. The ‘Watan Ko Jano’ programme has been successful in promoting national integration, fostering unity among India’s youth, and helping create a more inclusive, harmonious society. The Government of Jammu and Kashmir is implementing various vocational training and skill development programmes including two flagship programs namely, Mission Youth and Mission Yuva. These missions have been specifically mandated to empower and enhance the skills of the youth in the region, providing them with the necessary tools and opportunities to excel in various sectors.

    Further, under ‘Kashmiri Youth Exchange Programme (KYEP)’ various activities are being organized for school students/youth of Jammu and Kashmir with the other states/UTs through interactions, seminars, panel discussions, skill development, visit to Industries, exhibition of artefacts and local products of Kashmir valley, food festival, sharing of best practices, culture and customs, career guidance, patriotism and nation building programme, cultural programs, etc. by Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS).

    This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: GAGANYAAN-1 MISSION

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:01PM by PIB Delhi

    Gaganyaan Programme is currently approved with a financial sanction of ~20,193 Crores. The envisaged expenditure is categorised into Revenue (~ 341 Crores) and Capital (~19852 Crores) elements catering to necessary technology development activities and undertaking uncrewed/ crewed flight missions. (Total: 8 Nos.).

    There has been a revision in the scope and financial sanction of Gaganyaan Programme. The vision for space in the Amrit kaal envisages including other things, creation of an operational Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035 and Indian Crewed Lunar Mission by 2040. Towards building these new capabilities to enable longer duration Indian human space missions, various technologies have to be developed and validated. As per the revised scope, demonstration of these technologies is planned through eight missions (2 Crewed+ 6 Uncrewed) in a phased manner.

    ISRO together with collaborating national agencies is responsible for development of various technologies which are planned to be demonstrated in this mission. Private enterprises are contributing enormously to the programme specifically in areas such as realization of launch vehicle systems, sub-systems and critical structures (simulated Crew Module/ Crew Module) for ground/ flight test program, Crew Module Recovery Models, Virtual reality based training simulators, realization of various subsystems of indigenous Environment Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) as well as avionics packages for ground simulations. Some of these contributing private enterprises are Tata Advanced Systems Limited, Tata Elxsi, Larsen & Toubro, Walchand nagar Industries, Manjira Machine Builders, Godrej Aerospace, Data Patterns India, Centum Electronics etc.

    The Government of India has announced reforms, on June, 2020, in the space sector towards enabling the private players to provide end-to-end services towards enhancing the Indian space economy to a significant level. Indian Space Policy-2023 was released in April 2023 as an overarching, composite and dynamic framework to implement the space reform vision. It helps to promote greater participation of Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs) in the value chain of space economy in order to develop robust, innovative and competitive space ecosystem aiming for a larger share of India in global space economy. It also enables the NGEs to make use of infrastructure created through public funds. Further, amendment was made to the Foreign Direct Investment policy for space sector, enabling higher threshold of foreign investments in various space domains. Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre {IN-SPACe), a single-window agency, was formed under Department of Space, to promote, regulate and authorize space activities of Non-Governmental Entities {NG Es). Further, in order to carry out space activities, the facilities across various ISRO centres will also be permitted for use by private sector through IN-SPACe. New Space India Ltd (NSIL}, a CPSE under the Department of Space will transfer the matured technologies developed by ISRO to Indian industries. ISRO will also nurture Indian space industries by sharing its experiences on quality and reliability protocols, documentation, testing procedures etc. Announcement of Opportunities and initiatives like ‘Atmanirbharta in development of space technologies/ products/ systems through Indian industry’ are also being undertaken offering challenges in new domains of space technology.

    This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PARLIAMENT QUESTION: CHANDRAYAN-4 MISSION

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 3:59PM by PIB Delhi

    The primary objective of Chandrayaan-4 is to collect Lunar samples from southern high latitudes and return the samples to Earth for scientific study. Towards this, various critical technologies would be demonstrated that would also pave the way for the landing of an Indian on the Moon by 2040.

    The mission is targeted to be launched during October 2027. The total cost of the said mission is Rs. 2104 Crores and has been sanctioned.

    The department has been systematically exploring the Lunar surface through the past missions and advancing various technologies. The Chandrayaan-4 mission is the nextmission to be realized for exploration of the moon and has the following advantages:

    1. To demonstrate key first level technologies for future crewed mission to Moon.
    2. To provide opportunities to study the lunar samples in greater detail, scientifically, compared to which the lander and rover mission could do in-situ.
    3. To inform and gain valuable experience to undertake future planetary missions including crewed missions.
    4. To further the strides achieved in advancing lunar science within the country.
    5. To enhance the technological and scientific capability of the country and aid tocement international presence in such prestigious endeavours.

    This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Admission campaign for foreign citizens has started

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    The Polytechnic University held Open Day for international applicants online. The event was dedicated to the start of the admissions campaign. Representatives of SPbPU international services spoke about the admissions process, educational opportunities and answered questions from future students.

    For more than a century of history, Polytechnic University has established itself as one of the leading engineering universities in Russia and the world. We are proud of our graduates — talented engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs and government officials who contribute to the development of technology, economy and society. We invite you to become part of our energetic and multifaceted community. Polytechnic University is a place where you can unleash your potential, find friends from all over the world and take the first step towards a successful career. We are looking forward to seeing you at Polytechnic University. Let’s create the future together, — Vice-Rector for International Affairs Dmitry Arsenyev greeted future students.

    Students from the Institute of Computer Science and Cybersecurity, the Civil Engineering Institute, the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport, and the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade shared their impressions of studying at the university.

    Learning the language and adapting were difficult at first, but over time they opened up new opportunities. I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the teachers who create additional materials to help students in their studies. The atmosphere at the university is inspiring: the polytechnics are incredibly responsive and always ready to support, – said Marvin Bethel, a student from Botswana.

    ISI student Mustafa Ibrahim is from Ethiopia. He chose Polytechnic University because of its high international rankings, its status as one of the best universities in Russia, and its campus with modern infrastructure.

    The academic environment at the university is conducive to development. The teachers are always ready to help and share knowledge in their field. Here I met students from Russia, India, Egypt, China and other countries, which significantly expanded my cultural and educational experience. The training at the Polytechnic is intensive, with an emphasis on practical skills and research, – shared Mustafa Ibrahim.

    Activists from PolyUnion, the Council of Fellowships and Tutor Forces spoke about communities and extracurricular activities for international students at the Polytechnic University.

    Useful links:

    Admission procedure

    Personal Account of a Foreign Applicant

    Polunion

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government adopts comprehensive strategy for Women’s Empowerment, focusing on Political Participation and Local Governance

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Government adopts comprehensive strategy for Women’s Empowerment, focusing on Political Participation and Local Governance

    Government launches Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats Initiative with an aim to establish at least one Model Gram Panchayat in each District in the country

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 3:56PM by PIB Delhi

    The Government of India has adopted a “whole-of-government” and “whole-of-society” approach to address issues on a life-cycle continuum basis for the holistic empowerment of women from all sections of the society, and this includes political empowerment of women. Through various policies, the Government of India is promoting greater participation of women in local governance and political leadership roles.

    In 2023, Parliament of India passed the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, “Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam”, marking a historic milestone in its national journey to foster equitable representation of women in public life at all levels of the federal structure. This landmark legislation rotationally reserves one-third of all seats for women in the Lower House of Parliament, Lok Sabha, and in all federal State Legislative Assemblies, including Legislative Assembly of National Capital Territory of Delhi, thus institutionalizing representation of women in politics at the highest levels of public decision-making.

    This recent landmark is built on the foundation of more than three decades of honing women’s leadership affirmative action at grassroots level by reserving one-third (33 percent) of the seats in in the rural and urban bodies of local governance, i.e., Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Municipal bodies, through the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments (1992). Keeping with decentralized federal structure, over two-third states (21 states / and 2 UTs with PRIs) have made provisions of 50% reservation for women in their Panchayati Raj Institutions. As a result, today, out of approximately 31 lakh elected representatives in local governments, nearly half (46 percent), comprising 14.5 lakh, are women – a scale of representation unparalleled anywhere else in the world.

    The Government has launched the “Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan”, a comprehensive and targeted capacity-building initiative aimed at strengthening Women Elected Representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions across the nation. It focuses on sharpening their leadership acumen, enhancing their decision-making capabilities, and reinforcing their role in grassroots governance. The Government has prepared specialized training modules designed specifically for capacity building of Women Elected Representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions. Recognizing the on-ground challenges faced by women duty bearers and women leaders contesting elections, a comprehensive “Primer on Law Addressing Gender Based Violence and Harmful Practices” for Panchayat Elected Representatives has also been prepared.

    Recently, the Government has launched Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats Initiative with an aim to establish at least one Model Gram Panchayat in each District in the country that is both women and girl friendly, reinforcing the commitment to gender equality and sustainable rural development.

    The Government also aims to engage 01 lakh youth, including young women, in politics without political affiliations and provide them a national platform to make their ideas for Viksit Bharat, a reality.

    Further, there are a number of schemes being implemented by various Ministries and Departments of the Government of India for holistic educational, economic, social, political empowerment of women. The Government is moving with a saturation approach through saturation of essential services for the poor and marginalised such as affordable housing, incentivizing women’s property ownership, and universal health coverage, linkages to formal credit, insurance and banking services, as well as financial support to pregnant women and lactating mothers to rest and recover after childbirth, tracking nutrition and well-being of children and mothers, amongst others.

    Envisioning Self Help Groups as vehicles of change, today 10 crore women are transforming the rural landscape economically, and taking greater leadership at grassroots level.

    This information was given by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur in Rajya Sabha in reply to a question today.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Over 53.76 Lakh Beneficiaries Covered Under PMMVY Scheme in FY 2023-24

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 3:55PM by PIB Delhi

    The National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) provides that subject to such schemes as may be framed by the Central Government, every Pregnant Women & Lactating Mother (PW&LM), except those who are in regular employment with the Central Government or State Government or Public Sector Undertaking or those who are in receipt of similar benefits under any law for the time being in force, shall be entitled to maternity benefit of not less than rupees six thousand, in such instalments as may be prescribed by the Central Government.

    The Ministry of Women and Child Development has notified Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana Rules, 2022 (PMMVY Rules) under sub-section 3 of Section 39 of NFSA on 22nd December, 2022. The PMMVY Rules were also laid on the Table of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on 3rd February, 2023 and 8th February, 2023 respectively.

    Under Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), maternal benefit of ₹5,000/- is provided to eligible Pregnant Women & lactating Mothers (PW&LM) during the period of pregnancy and lactation. The eligible beneficiary also receives the remaining cash incentive as per approved norms towards maternity benefit under Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) after institutional delivery so that on an average, a woman gets ₹6,000/-.

    Normally, the first pregnancy of a woman exposes her to new kinds of challenges and stress factors. Hence, the scheme provides support to the mother for safe delivery and immunization of her first child. Under Mission Shakti, w.e.f. 01.04.2022, to promote positive behavioural change towards girl child, the maternity benefits of ₹6000 is also provided to beneficiaries for second child subject to condition that the second child is a girl.

    Every pregnant women & lactating mother is entitled to meal, free of charge, during pregnancy and six months after child birth through the Anganwadi, so as to meet the nutritional standards specified in schedule of NFSA Act. These foodgrains are being allocated to the states through the Wheat Based Nutritional Programme (WBNP) wherein foodgrains (Wheat/Rice/Coarse grains (Millets)) are allocated to the States/UTs through the Department of Food & Public Distribution for use as Supplementary Nutrition at NFSA rates.

    As per information in the PMMVY Portal, during the FY 2023-24, the number of beneficiaries covered under the PMMVY scheme was 53,76,728.

    This information was given by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur in Rajya Sabha in reply to a question today.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Projects under PM-DevINE

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 3:29PM by PIB Delhi

    The projects sanctioned under PM-DevINE are executed by the State Governments/Implementing Agencies (IAs) concerned in the North Eastern Region (NER) and the primary responsibility of monitoring of these projects lies with the concerned State Governments/IAs.

    The MDoNER also closely monitors the progress of the ongoing projects under PM-DevINE at different levels. The officials of Ministry of DoNER/NEC carry out inspection of the select projects on a regular basis.

    The Field Technical Support Units (FTSU) have been set up by the Ministry in all the 08 NE States, who regularly interact with project Implementing Agencies and maintain and update the database of projects on Gati Shakti Portal of MDoNER, and also carry out inspections of the ongoing projects.

    In order to further strengthen the monitoring mechanism and to ensure quality control of the ongoing projects under the various schemes of MDoNER inter-alia including PM-DevINE, the Project Quality Monitors/Third Party Technical Inspection (PQM/TPTI) Units have been engaged.

    Sanctioning of projects under PM-DevINE requires vetting of the DPR of a project by institute of repute like IIT, NIT etc. and subsequently recommended by SLEC and EIMC. This ensures that the project contains sustainability plan, targeted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Statutory clearances like environment and forest clearance etc. so that the projects sanctioned under PM-DevINE are sustainable and eco-friendly.

    Projects sanctioned under PM-DevINE include those relating to education, health, tourism, connectivity and livelihood, which directly or indirectly improve employment generation and economic development in the NER.

    This information was given by the Minister of State of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region Dr. Sukanta Majumdar in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CONTROLLING OF SPAM CALLS BY TRAI

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 3:27PM by PIB Delhi

    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has amended the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR), 2018 on 12.02.2025 which has, inter-alia, following provisions:

    1. A customer can now make a complaint about spam/ Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC) within 7 days of receiving spam as compared to earlier 3-day time limit.
    2. Time limit for taking action by the access providers against the UCC from unregistered senders has been reduced from 30 days to 5 days.
    3. To ensure prompt action against the senders of UCC, the criterion for taking action against them has been revised and made more stringent. As compared to earlier criterion of ‘having 10 complaints against the sender in last 7 days’ to trigger action, it has been modified to ‘having 5 complaints against the sender in last 10 days’.

     

    These amendments shall come into force after thirty days from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette except regulation 8, regulation 17; sub-clauses (a) and (b) of regulation 20; and sub-clause (b) of regulation 21, which shall come into force after sixty days of publication of these regulations in the Official Gazette. Moreover, TRAI issued directions on 13.08.2024 to disconnect all telecom resources of unregistered Senders/ Unregistered Telemarketers (UTMs) which are being used for making spam calls and to blacklist such Senders. Access Providers have taken widespread actions which has led to a significant reduction in the complaints against UTMs from 1,89,419 in August 2024 to 1,34,821 in January 2025. More than 1150 Number of entities/individuals have been blacklisted & more than 18.8 lakh telecom resources have been disconnected. 

    This information was given by the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: DATA-VISUALIZATION HACKATHON

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 3:27PM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) in collaboration with MyGov is organising a data visualization hackathon titled ‘Innovate with GoIStats’ during the period 25.2.2025 to 31.03.2025. Students enrolled in undergraduate (UG)/ postgraduate (PG) degrees/ diploma or equivalent courses, research associates currently enrolled in recognized and bonafide Indian universities, colleges and institutions or completed the above degrees in financial year 2024-25 are eligible to participate in the hackathon.

    The hackathon is organised aiming to create awareness about the data being generated by the Ministry and encourage students and researchers to utilize the data for analysis to create any data visualization by using technology which may include AI/ML. The visualizations would aid dissemination of insights derived from the data for further use by researchers and policy makers.

    MoSPI has taken the following measures to promote data literacy and statistical analysis among students and researchers in India:

    1. The official statistics being generated by the Ministry are published on the website of the Ministry and also disseminated through social media handles of the Ministry for use by students and researchers.
    2. MoSPI provides internship opportunities to students pursuing or completed graduate/post-graduate or research scholars in recognized institutes / universities / research institutes under the ‘National Internship in Official Statistics’ programme.
    3. MoSPI promotes research in official statistics by way of providing financial assistance under the Grant-in-Aid component of the Capacity Development scheme of the Ministry.
    4. The National Statistical Systems Training Academy (NSSTA) organizes one-week awareness programme on official statistics for Heads of the Departments and UG/PG Students of Departments of Statistics / Economics / Social Science of Central and State Universities.
    5. NSSTA also organises one-day awareness workshop on official statistics for UG/PG students of Departments of Statistics/ Economics/Social Science at the campuses of the Universities/ Colleges.

    This information was given by Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Planning, and Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture, Rao Inderjit Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government steps to increase 5G connectivity in the country

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 3:26PM by PIB Delhi

    Government of India has undertaken following projects, with funding from Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), to increase telecommunication connectivity in remote areas :-

    1. Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan (CTDP) for mobile connectivity in the North Eastern Region, Andaman & Nicobar islands and Lakshadweep islands with projects costing over ₹4,050 crore.

    2. Scheme for providing mobile services in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas and Aspirational Districts with projects costing over ₹13,179 crore.

    3. 4G Saturation Project for providing 4G mobile services in uncovered villages with projects costing over ₹26,300 crore.

    4. Amended BharatNet project to provide broadband connectivity to the Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages.

     

    The Government has taken several steps to increase 5G connectivity in the country, including in remote and tribal areas. These initiatives are listed as below:-

    i.          Auction of spectrum for 5G mobile services.

    ii.         Financial reforms to rationalize Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR), Bank Guarantees (BGs) and interest rates.

    iii.        Removal of Spectrum Usage Charges for spectrum acquired in auction of 2022 and thereafter.

    iv.        Simplification of procedure for SACFA (Standing Advisory Committee on Radio Frequency Allocations) clearance.

    v.         Launch of PM GatiShakti Sanchar portal and RoW (Right of Way) Rules to streamline RoW permissions and clearance of installation of telecom infrastructure.

    vi.        Time-bound permission for use of street furniture for installation of small cells and telecommunication line.

     

    Since its launch in October 2022, 4.69 lakhs 5G Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) have been installed across the country which is one of the fastest roll out of 5G mobile services in the world. At present, 5G mobile services are available in 99.6% of the districts in the country. Further, 2.95 lakh 5G BTSs have been set up in the last financial year (2023-24).

    This information was given by the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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