Category: KB

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Building a Stronger Workforce Building Stronger Employment Foundations
Source: Government of India

Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 2:32PM by PIB Delhi

Introduction

India has seen significant employment growth, with a 36% increase and around 170 million jobs added between 2016-17 and 2023-24. This reflects the country’s strong economic trajectory and job creation across various sectors. Schemes like e-Shram, Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana and the National Career Service have been key drivers, supporting rural employment and providing training and career opportunities. These initiatives are essential for strengthening India’s workforce and ensuring sustainable job creation.

e-Shram

Launch: 21st October, 2024

Objective: The eShram portal, was launched on 26 August 2021 to register and support unorganised workers by providing them with a Universal Account Number (UAN) and for the creation of a comprehensive National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW).

eShram– “One-Stop-Solution” was launched on 21st October 2024, which entails the integration of different social security/ welfare schemes on a single portal, i.e., eShram. This enables unorganised workers registered on eShram to access social security schemes and see benefits availed by them so far through eShram.
1. Key Achievements:
2. As of 27 January 2025, over 30.58 crore unorganised workers have already registered on the eShram portal
3. So far, 12 schemes of different central ministries/departments have been integrated/mapped with eShram.
Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY)

Launch: 1^st October, 2020

Objective: To incentivize employers for creation of new employment and restoration of loss of employment during Covid-19 pandemic.

Key Achievements:
1. As of March 31, 2024, a total of Rs. 10,188.50 crore has been disbursed to 60.49 Lakh beneficiaries through 1.52 Lakh establishments.
National Career Service (NCS)

Launch Date: 20th July, 2015.

Objective: NCS has become a ‘one stop platform’ for career related services including jobs from private and government sectors, information on online & offline job fairs, skill/training programmes etc. It works towards bridging the gap between jobseekers and employers, candidates seeking training and career guidance, agencies providing training and career counselling.

Key Achievements:
1. From January 1 to December 15, 2024, 1.89 Crores vacancies were available on the NCS portal, bringing the total to 3.89 crore vacancies since inception.
2. A total of 8,263 job fairs were organized on the NCS portal, with 43,874 employers participating, leading to the provisional selection of 2.6 Lakh candidates.
3. The portal saw 17.23 Lakh new employers and 1.38 Crores new job seekers registering during the year.
Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PM-SVANidhi)

Launch: 1^st June, 2020

Objective: To facilitate collateral free working capital loan to street vendors to restart their businesses, which were adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Achievements:
1. No. of Beneficiaries 6,801,644
2. Sanctioned amount 14,332.1 Cr
3. Disbursed amount 13,736.14 Cr from 2020 till 28.01.2025
National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS)

Launch Date: August, 2016

Objective: Aims to promote apprenticeship training in the country by providing stipend support to the apprentices, undertake capacity building of the apprenticeship ecosystem and provide advocacy assistance to support rapid growth.

Key Achievements:
1. Training Status: As of August 31, 2024, 367,170 apprentices are engaged for the 2024-25 financial year, with a total of 780,000 apprentices undergoing training across 47,708 establishments.
2. DBT Progress: Since its launch on August 11, 2023, the number of apprentices under DBT has risen from 172,542 in July 2023 to 295,011 in July 2024. The Government of India has also disbursed ₹468.27 crore in stipends through DBT.
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)

Launch: 2005

Objective: It is a demand driven wage employment Scheme which provides for the enhancement of livelihood security of the households in rural areas of the country by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

Key Achievements:
1. In FY 2013-14, the minimum average notified wage rate for Mahatma Gandhi NREGA was ₹155, while in FY 2024-25, the minimum average notified wage rate is ₹279.
2. In FY 2024-25, attendance for 20.35 lakh worksites (95.66%) has been captured and uploaded on the portal.
3. The total person days generated between FY 2006-07 to FY 2013-14 were 1660 crore, whereas, the total person days between FY 2014-15 to FY 2024-25 has been 2923 crore.
In addition to these efforts the government has implemented various initiatives for employment welfare, including the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme and support for Gig and Platform Workers all aimed at further enhancing job security and opportunities for the workforce.

Click here to see in PDF:

***

Santosh Kumar/ Binoykumar C V/ Kamna Lakaria

(Release ID: 2098444) Visitor Counter : 26

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –
February 3, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Energy Security in India

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 2:30PM by PIB Delhi

Advancing Renewable Energy and Sustainability through Key Government Initiatives

India’s energy security is a cornerstone of its economic and environmental strategy, with a strong push toward renewable energy and self-reliance. As of January 2025, the country’s non-fossil fuel energy capacity has reached 217.62 GW. The CCDC Wind Initiative has significantly enhanced wind energy development, leading to 48.16 GW of installed capacity. The National Green Hydrogen Mission, launched in 2023, is positioning India as a global leader in hydrogen energy with investments exceeding ₹8 lakh crore. The National Solar Mission has propelled solar energy growth, with installed capacity rising from 9.01 GW in 2016 to 97.86 GW in 2025. Additionally, PM-KUSUM and PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana are accelerating solar adoption among farmers and households. These efforts, supported by substantial government funding and policy measures, highlight India’s commitment to achieving energy security while reducing carbon emissions. By leveraging technological advancements and strategic investments, India is on a path toward a cleaner, more resilient energy future.

Introduction

India’s energy security is a critical component of its economic growth and sustainability goals. The government has launched various schemes aimed at promoting renewable energy, enhancing grid stability, and reducing carbon emissions. Key initiatives such as the National Bio Energy Mission, National Green Hydrogen Mission, PM-KUSUM, and PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, reflect the nation’s commitment to a cleaner and self-reliant energy future. As of January 2025, India’s total non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity has reached 217.62 GW.

INSTALLED RENEWABLE ENERGY CAPACITY (MW)

Sector	Cumulative Achievements (till 31.03.2014)	2014-15	2023-24	2024-25 (01.04.2024 – 31.12.2024)	Cumulative Achievements (till 31.12.2024)
Wind Power	21,042.58	2,311.77	3,253.38	2,276.65	48,163.16
Solar Power	2,821.91	1,171.62	15,033.24	16,051.10	97,864.72
Small Hydro Power	3,803.68	251.68	58.95	97.30	5,100.55
Biomass (Bagasse) Cogeneration	7,419.23	295.67	0.00	372.86	9,806.42
Biomass (Non-bagasse) Cogeneration	531.82	60.05	107.34	0.00	921.79
Waste to Power	90.58	0.00	1.60	0.00	249.74
Waste to Energy (Off-grid)	139.79	9.71	30.17	34.13	370.20
Total	35,849.59	4,100.50	18,484.68	18,832.04	162,476.58

CCDC Wind Initiative

About the Scheme:

Launched in June 2020, the Centralized Data Collection and Coordination (CCDC) Wind Initiative aims to advance India’s wind energy development by improving wind resource assessment through accurate data collection and research. The initiative provides valuable insights for project developers, helping them identify the most promising locations for wind energy projects. It supports the efficient implementation of large-scale wind energy projects and encourages investments in the wind sector. The Government, through National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE), has installed over 800 wind-monitoring stations all over country and issued wind potential maps at 50m, 80m and 100m above ground level. As on 30 January 2024, India’s cumulative wind power capacity stands at 48.16 GW.

Objective:

Facilitate wind energy development through centralized data collection and research.
Provide accurate wind resource assessment for better site identification.
Promote private sector investments and public-private partnerships in wind energy projects.

Key Achievements:

Enhanced wind resource mapping has contributed to the successful identification of over 50 potential wind energy sites nationwide.
Contributed to the development of over 10 GW of new wind energy capacity from 2020-2024, increasing India’s wind energy capacity by 30%.
Significant growth in wind energy capacity, from 1.86 GW in March 2004 and 21.04 GW in December 2014 to 48.16 GW in January 2025, reflecting the initiative’s impact.
In 2024, the Union Cabinet approved a Rs. 7,453 crore Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme to set up India’s first offshore wind energy projects. The scheme includes Rs. 6,853 crores for 1 GW of offshore wind capacity (500 MW each off the coasts of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu) and Rs. 600 crores for port upgrades to support logistics for these projects.

National Green Hydrogen Mission

About the Scheme:

Launched in January 2023, the National Green Hydrogen Mission is an ambitious initiative aimed at transitioning India towards a hydrogen-based economy. The scheme focuses on the development of indigenous technology for green hydrogen production, infrastructure for storage, transportation, and utilization. By promoting hydrogen as a clean energy source, the mission aims to position India as a global leader in green hydrogen production and export, thereby driving sustainability and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. With over Rs. 8 lakh crores in total investments, green hydrogen capacity is expected to reach 5 million metric tons by 2030. This is expected to create 6 lakh jobs by 2030.

Objective:

Making India a leading producer and supplier of Green Hydrogen in the world.
Creation of export opportunities for Green Hydrogen and its derivatives.
Reduction in dependence on imported fossil fuels and feedstock.
Development of indigenous manufacturing capabilities.
Attracting investment and business opportunities for the industry.
Creating opportunities for employment and economic development.
Supporting R&D projects.

Key Achievements:

₹19,744 crore allocated for the mission’s implementation, with a focus on infrastructure development and technology innovation. The Mission has an outlay of ₹600 crore for FY 2024-25.
Establishment of 3 hydrogen production hubs in key locations across the country.
Tenders awarded to companies for 4.12 lakh tonnes per annum green hydrogen production.
Development of key policies and financial incentives, with 50% subsidy on electrolyser manufacturing and hydrogen production. Selection of manufacturers for 1,500 MW electrolyser capacity was also conducted in 2024.
The International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH – 2023) took place in New Delhi from 5th to 7th July, 2023, featuring global participation from industry, academia, and government.
From 18th to 22nd March, 2024, India hosted the 41^st International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE) Meeting in New Delhi, fostering collaboration on clean hydrogen technologies.
From September 11-13, 2024, the 2nd International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH) in New Delhi emphasized advancements in green hydrogen technology and India’s leadership in the sector.
The year 2024 also witnessed India’s innovative renewable energy solutions being showcased on international platforms such as the World Hydrogen Summit 2024 in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

National Solar Mission (NSM)

About the Scheme:

Launched in January 2010, NSM is a major initiative to promote ecological sustainable growth while addressing India’s energy security challenges. It is also a major contribution by India to the global effort to meet the challenges of climate change. In order to achieve the above target, Government of India have launched various schemes to encourage generation of solar power in the country like Solar Park Scheme, VGF Schemes, CPSU Scheme, Defence Scheme, Canal bank & Canal top Scheme, Bundling Scheme, Grid Connected Solar Rooftop Scheme etc.

Objectives:

Establish India as a global leader in solar energy by creating the policy conditions for solar technology diffusion across the country as quickly as possible.
Achieve the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) target to achieve about 50 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources and to reduce the emission intensity of its GDP by 45 percent from 2005 level by 2030.

Off-Grid Solar PV Programme:

Off-grid Solar PV Applications Programme is one of the oldest programmes of the Ministry aimed at providing solar PV-based applications in areas where grid power is either not available or is unreliable. Applications such as solar home lighting systems, solar street lighting systems, solar power plants, solar pumps, solar lanterns and solar study lamps are covered under the programme.

Solar Grid Connected Programme:

Government of India have launched various schemes to encourage generation of solar power in the country like Solar Park Scheme, VGF Schemes, CPSU Scheme, Defence Scheme, Canal bank & Canal top Scheme, Bundling Scheme, Grid Connected Solar Rooftop Scheme etc. Various policy measures are also undertaken to promote the grid connected solar power plants. By 2023, India achieved 5th rank in the world in solar power deployment.

Key Achievements:

Parameter	2016 (By March 2016)	2024 (By March 2024)
Total Installed Solar Capacity	9.01 GW	*96.86 GW
Number of Solar Parks	34	58
Total Capacity of Solar Parks	20 GW	40 GW
Rooftop Solar Capacity	90.8 MV	11,503 MV
Number of Solar Home Lights	13.96 lakh	17.23 lakh
Number of Solar Street Lights	4.42 lakh	9.44 lakh
Installed Capacity of Power Plants	172.45 GW	216.86 GW

In March 2016, the total installed solar capacity was 9.01 GW and by March 2024, the total installed solar capacity stood at 81.81 GW. *As of 28 January 2025, the total installed solar capacity is 97.86 GW.
As of March 2024, the total estimated solar potential of the country stood at 748.98 GW.
As of March 2024, there are a total of 58 solar parks in India with a sanctioned capacity of 40 GW, in contrast to March 2016, when there were only 34 solar parks with 20 GW sanctioned capacity.
In March 2016, there was only 90.8 MV installed solar capacity under the Rooftop PV and Small Solar Power Generation Programme (RPSSGP). In March 2024, the total installed capacity has reached 11,503 MV.
In 2024, for off-grid projects, India has 17.23 lakh solar home lights, 84.59 solar lamps, 9.44 lakh solar street lights and an installed capacity of 216.86 GW from solar power plants. This has increased from 2016, when 13.96 lakh solar home lights, 4.42 lakh solar street lights and 172.45 GW of installed solar capacity from power plants.

PM-KUSUM Scheme: (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan)

About the Scheme:

Launched in March 2019, the PM-KUSUM Scheme supports farmers by offering financial assistance for installing solar-powered irrigation systems, including solar pumps and grid-connected solar power plants. By shifting to solar energy, the scheme also helps to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy access in rural agricultural areas. Under the Scheme, central government subsidy upto 30% or 50% of the total cost is given for the installation of standalone solar pumps and for the solarization of existing grid-connected agricultural pumps.

Objective:

Promote solar energy adoption among farmers by subsidizing solar-powered irrigation.
Reduce dependency on diesel pumps, leading to lower fuel costs and improve energy access in rural agricultural areas.
Enhance income generation through surplus solar energy sales.

Key Achievements:

Over 6.1 lakh solar pumps installed nationwide by December 2024, as compared to 3.3 lakh solar pumps installed by December 2021.
35 lakh grid-connected agriculture pumps solarized.
As of June 2024, more than 4 lakh farmers nationwide have benefited from the PM-KUSUM scheme.

Under Components B and C of PM-KUSUM: 30% CFA provided (or 50% for North Eastern/Hilly regions/Islands) for installing standalone agriculture pumps and solarizing grid-connected pumps.
About 11.34 GW of solar energy capacity has been installed during January to November 2024.

PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana

About the Scheme:

Launched in February 2024, the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, the world’s largest domestic rooftop solar initiative, is designed to promote rooftop solar energy adoption in residential areas. By providing financial incentives and subsidies for solar panel installation, the scheme enables households to generate their electricity, reducing their dependence on the national grid and lowering electricity bills. The initiative has a bold vision to supply solar power to one crore households by March 2027.

Objective:

Encourage rooftop solar adoption in residential sectors.
Provide financial incentives and subsidies for solar panel installation.
Enable households to generate their own electricity, reducing dependency on the grid.
Reduce electricity bills by allowing households to generate and sell surplus solar energy to the grid.

Key Achievements:

Increased participation in the distributed solar energy ecosystem, with over 1 lakh homes installing rooftop panels in the first year.

Households benefiting from 20-30% reduction in electricity bills due to self-generated solar power.
Within just 10 months of PMSGMBY, 7 lakh installations have been achieved—an average of 70,000 per month. This marks a ten-fold increase in monthly installations compared to the average of 7,000 per month prior to the launch of the scheme in February 2024.
States such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Uttar Pradesh have demonstrated exceptional progress, reflecting robust infrastructure and stakeholder collaboration.
Issuance of Operational Guidelines for the ‘Model Solar Village’ scheme, with a total outlay of ₹800 crore, granting ₹1 crore grant for the winning village in each district. It aims to promote solar energy adoption and make villages self-reliant in energy. Villages with populations over 5,000 (or 2,000 in special states) can compete based on their renewable energy capacity.

References

MNRE Annual Reports (2016-2024)

https://npp.gov.in/dashBoard/cp-map-dashboard

https://mnre.gov.in/en/year-wise-achievement/#

https://www.india.gov.in/spotlight/national-green-hydrogen-mission

https://mnre.gov.in/en/national-green-hydrogen-mission/

https://pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=151902

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2089056

https://ccdcwind.gov.in/potential_of_wind_energy_in_india.html

https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3716e1b8c6cd17b771da77391355749f3/uploads/2024/05/20240524405410771.pdf

https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3716e1b8c6cd17b771da77391355749f3/uploads/2023/08/2023080324.pdf

https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3716e1b8c6cd17b771da77391355749f3/uploads/2024/10/20241029512325464.pdf

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2094992

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1943905

https://mnre.gov.in/en/bio-gas/

https://pmkusum.mnre.gov.in/

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2081250

https://www.pmsuryaghar.gov.in/

https://cag.gov.in/uploads/download_audit_report/2015/Union_Civil_Performance_Renewable_Energy_Report_34_2015_chap_8.pdf

https://powermin.gov.in/sites/default/files/uploads/ar03_04.pdf

Click here to download PDF

*****

Santosh Kumar | Sarla Meena | Rishita Aggarwal

(Release ID: 2098441) Visitor Counter : 33

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PRESIDENT DROUPADI MURMU INAUGURATES NEW DELHI WORLD BOOK FAIR 2025

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 2:23PM by PIB Delhi

The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu inaugurated New Delhi World Book Fair 2025 in New Delhi today (February 1, 2025).

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that reading books is not just a hobby; it is a transformative experience. Reading books from different languages and cultures builds bridges among regions and communities. She was happy to note that New Delhi World Book Fair has many stalls representing India’s different languages, and languages of other countries. She expressed confidence that this Book Fair will enable book-lovers to access literature from around the world at one place.

The President said that apart from reading the books prescribed as part of the syllabus, school children should read different kinds of books on diverse subjects. She stated that it will help them discover their potential and capabilities and will help them become good human beings.

The President urged everyone to give special importance to creation and promotion of books for children. She said that one of the best habits we can develop in our children is the love for reading books. She stated that every elder should take it up as an important duty.

Click here to see the President’s speech

***

MJPS/SR/SKS

(Release ID: 2098438) Visitor Counter : 61

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Driving Financial Empowerment
Source: Government of India

Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 2:22PM by PIB Delhi

Transformative schemes boost financial inclusion, insurance, and entrepreneurship

Synopsis

Key government initiatives have significantly advanced financial inclusion and entrepreneurship, benefiting millions across India. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has opened over 54.58 crore accounts, with deposits rising to ₹2.46 lakh crore by January 2025. The Atal Pension Yojana (APY) has seen a surge in enrolments, reaching 7.33 crore by January 2025, with more than 89.95 lakh new enrolments in FY 2024-25. The Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) has enrolled 22.52 crore individuals, with ₹17,600 crore disbursed for 8.8 lakh claims. The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) has covered 49.12 crore people, processing ₹2,994.75 crore against accident claims. The Stand-Up India Scheme has sanctioned ₹53,609 crore in loans for 2.36 lakh entrepreneurs, with a focus on SC/ST and women. Finally, the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) has sanctioned ₹32.36 lakh crore for 51.41 crore loans, with 68% of the loans benefiting women and 50% going to SC/ST/OBC categories. These initiatives are instrumental in promoting financial empowerment and inclusive growth.

Introduction

Financial inclusion remains a key government priority, striving to provide banking, credit, and insurance services to the unbanked and underserved. Through initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana, and others, the government is working to empower individuals, secure financial futures, and promote entrepreneurship. The motto, “From Jan Dhan to Jan Suraksha,” encapsulates the vision of financial security and inclusive growth for all.

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)

Launched in August 2014, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) aimed to bring the unbanked into the formal financial system by expanding access to savings accounts, credit, remittance, insurance, and pensions. Over the decade, it has empowered weaker sections and low-income groups, playing a key role in financial inclusion and economic integration. According to the World Bank’s Global Findex Database 2021, bank account ownership in India more than doubled in the past decade, rising from 35 percent in 2011 to 78 percent in 2021.

Key Achievements:
1. Accounts Opened: Grew from 14.72 crore in March 2015 to 54.58 crore by January 15, 2025.
2. Deposits: Increased from ₹15,670 crore in March 2015 to ₹2,46,595 crore by January 2025.
3. RuPay Cards: 37.29 crore cards issued to PMJDY accountholders as of January 15, 2025, enhancing digital transactions.
Atal Pension Yojana (APY)

Launched on May 9, 2015, Atal Pension Yojana (APY) provides social security to unorganised sector workers. It ensures financial stability for the poor and underprivileged. The scheme was operationalised on June 1, 2015. APY is regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). It functions under the National Pension System (NPS) framework.

Key Achievements:
1. Growth of APY: The Atal Pension Yojana surged from 1.54 crore enrolments in March 2019 to 7.33 crore by January 2025. Its predecessor, the Swavalamban scheme, had 3.01 Lakh enrolments as of 2010-11.
1. FY 2024-25 Progress: Over 89.95 lakh enrolments in the current Financial Year 2024-25.
Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY)

Launched on May 9, 2015, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) is a government-backed life insurance scheme. Proposed in the 2015 budget, it aimed to expand insurance coverage beyond the then 20% of the population. The scheme provides one-year renewable life insurance covering death from any cause.

Key Achievements:
1. Enrolments: Grew from 3.1 crore in FY 2016-17 to 22.52 crore as of January 15, 2025.
2. Claims Disbursed: ₹17,600 crore disbursed against 8,80,037 claims from a total of 9,13,165 claims received.
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY)

Launched on May 9, 2015, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) is an accident insurance scheme covering death and disability. It is a one-year renewable policy aimed at increasing insurance penetration. The scheme provides coverage to individuals aged 18-70 with a savings or post office account, benefiting the poor and underprivileged.

Key Achievements:
1. Enrolments: 49.12 crore cumulative enrolments as of January 15, 2025.
2. Claims Processed: ₹2,994.75 crore disbursed against 1,50,805 claims from a total of 1,98,446 claims received.
Stand-Up India Scheme

Launched on April 5, 2016, the Stand-Up India Scheme promotes entrepreneurship among women, SCs, and STs. It provides bank loans from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore for greenfield enterprises in manufacturing, services, trading, and allied agriculture. The scheme aims to empower aspiring entrepreneurs by easing financial barriers.

Key Achievements:
1. Progress: Loan amount sanctioned increased from ₹3,683 crore in March 2018 to ₹53,609 crore by July 2024.
2. Beneficiaries: 2.36 lakh loans granted to SC/ST and women entrepreneurs as of July 2024.
Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY)

Launched on April 8, 2015, Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY) supports small and micro enterprises with loans up to ₹10 lakh. In Union Budget 2024-25, the loan limit was increased to ₹20 lakh. MUDRA facilitates financial inclusion by refinancing micro units and empowering aspiring entrepreneurs.

Key Achievements:
1. Loans Sanctioned: ₹32.36 lakh crore sanctioned for 51.41 crore loans (as of Jan 2025)
2. Borrower Distribution: 68% loans to women and 50% to SC/ST/OBC categories
Category-Wise Breakup

Category

No. of Loans

Amount Sanctioned

Shishu

79%

36%

Kishor

19%

40%

Tarun

2%

24%

Tarun Plus

–

–

Total

100%

100%

Data Source: Ministry of Finance

Click here to download PDF

*****

Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/ Saurabh Kalia

(Release ID: 2098435) Visitor Counter : 75

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –
February 3, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: NZ’s gene technology reform carries benefits and risks – a truly independent regulator will be vital

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sylvia Nissen, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Policy, Lincoln University, New Zealand

Getty Images

Genetic modification is back on the political agenda in New Zealand. The issue may not be as hotly contentious as it once was, but big questions remain about the way forward.

Last year, the National-led coalition government signalled its intent to reform genetic modification laws to provide more “enabling” and “modern” regulation. The subsequent gene technology bill was introduced in December and is currently before select committee.

The bill comes on the back of growing calls for New Zealand’s regulatory frameworks to become less restrictive.

One of the arguments often made is that the current system, in place since the 1990s, is holding back gene technology research by restricting it largely to laboratory-based experiments. By this account, New Zealand is falling behind in knowledge and expertise, while missing out on the benefits of these technologies.

Those benefits are said to span a wide range of areas, including agriculture, health, conservation and climate change.

There are some applications of genetic modification that have potential long-term public benefit and few or no alternatives. These includes the control of invasive wasps or the production of insulin. But plenty of challenges remain for many emerging forms of gene technology, not least the technical complexities.

There are also difficult questions that must be asked. Who benefits and who carries the risks of harm? What might be other hard-to-anticipate implications, spanning health, social, cultural, ethical, environmental, economic and trade concerns?

In conservation, for instance, questions need to be asked about how interventions might spread or interact with ecosystems that are already under strain or beyond our shores.

Genetic modification is a controversial political topic for good reason. As with many other technologies, the devil is in the detail. We should not fall for overly simple narratives that it is all about benefits, with little to no risk. Context matters, as does robust and responsible governance.

The production of insulin is among the gene technology applications with potential long-term public health benefits.
Getty Images

A not-so-independent regulator

It is important to take a close look at how decisions about genetic modification might be made under the proposed bill.

The suggested model is loosely based on Australia’s approach of a single gene technology regulator, which has been in place for two decades and is widely considered to be successful.

But there are crucial – and troubling – differences between the Australian model and what is proposed for New Zealand.

In Australia, the regulator is fully independent. The law is clear: the regulator “is not subject to direction from anyone” in making decisions about genetic modification.

The regulator has a charter which frames decisions, an office and biosafety committees that support their work, and they report to parliament as a whole (not just the government of the day).

In contrast, the proposed New Zealand bill claims the regulator is independent, but also says they are “subject to general policy directions given by the minister”.

It is worth looking deeper into what this means. The bill’s coversheet explains:

Government needs a mechanism to intervene if the regulator acts contrary to its policy objectives.

These objectives would be provided through general policy directions and would “ensure the regulator acts consistently with reform objectives”, including by changing risk tolerance.

Although a minister cannot intervene in decisions about specific applications, they would have the ability to change the parameters of the regulator’s decisions, with no apparent requirements for wider consultation.

This is not true independence by any stretch of the imagination – and a long way from the Australian approach.

A note of caution

If a minister is able to change the parameters of a regulator’s decisions at will, it is important to consider what doors might be opened that we may wish, in retrospect, remained shut.

For example, the recently released first report of the Science System Advisory Group calls for “attracting multinational corporations to undertake research and development in New Zealand”. The report alludes to genetic modification research as a key area to expand.

Put this together with the decision-making model proposed under the bill. It is not a stretch to see how a regulator, who was subject to the general policy direction of a minister, could be provided with a scope that facilitated multinational genetic modification research in New Zealand.

There is ample reason to be cautious of opening New Zealand to this. Numerous international scholars have highlighted that genetic modification research is “firmly dominated” by elite US-based or European science teams.

It is also increasingly funded by private philanthropists, corporations and the military, who often implement their experiments in distant countries or islands with relatively minimal regulation.

This practice has been given a specific term: “ethics dumping”.

Science might progress, but local communities are left with the unpredictable and unintended consequences of these experiments, usually without meaningful prior consultation.

It is therefore important that any changes to New Zealand’s genetic modification regulation ensure truly independent decision-making. There can be benefits of these technologies, but a system that can be changed at short notice to suit the government of the day could set the scene for more harm than good.

The devil really is in the detail. To have responsible governance, a few changes in the new law will make a significant difference.

Sylvia Nissen receives funding as a researcher on the MBIE Endeavour-funded project ‘Whatu raranga o ngā koiora: Weaving cultural authority into gene-drives targeting wasps’.

– ref. NZ’s gene technology reform carries benefits and risks – a truly independent regulator will be vital – https://theconversation.com/nzs-gene-technology-reform-carries-benefits-and-risks-a-truly-independent-regulator-will-be-vital-248535

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: “The reforms in the mining sector, especially with respect to critical minerals will mark a major step toward realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, building an Atmanirbhar, future-ready Bharat”: G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Coal and Mines

Source: Government of India

“The reforms in the mining sector, especially with respect to critical minerals will mark a major step toward realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, building an Atmanirbhar, future-ready Bharat”: G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Coal and Mines

Today’s Budgetary announcements continue our government’s steadfast commitment towards the growth and modernization of the mining sector

In line with the spirit of competitive federalism, the introduction of the State Mining Index is a transformative step that will enhance professionalization of State mining departments

The announcement of a Tailings Policy further bolsters the objectives of the National Critical Mineral Mission

The elimination of import duties on non-ferrous metal scraps and critical mineral scraps, including cobalt powder and lithium-ion battery (LIB) scraps, is a game-changer

The allocation of 300 crores for Coal and lignite gasification will provide pathways to lower emissions, carbon capture and Hydrogen production

From being a corruption laden and litigation ridden sector prior to 2014, today India’s mining sector is aspiring to be a global player in sustainable mining and critical mineral value chain

Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 5:45PM by PIB Delhi

“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Hon’ble Finance Minister for the progressive and visionary announcements in the Union Budget 2025-26. Hon’ble Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitaraman emphasised that this Budget aims to initiate transformative reforms across six domains in which mining plays a significant role. This also signals India’s major push towards energy transition and sustainable development, strengthening our global competitiveness over the next five years. The reforms in the mining sector, especially with respect to critical minerals will mark a major step toward realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, building an Atmanirbhar, future-ready Bharat.

The series of reforms in the coal and mining sector will drive production and innovation at home and at the same time position India as a key player in the global minerals market. The reforms also come at an opportune time of the launch of National Critical Mineral Mission, giving it a massive thrust and will accelerate its implementation.

As India continues to majorly rely on coal for meeting the energy demands of a growing and aspirational nation, the focus is to strike a balance between energy security and energy transition goals. The allocation of 300 crores for Coal and lignite gasification will provide pathways to lower emissions, carbon capture and Hydrogen production. This will give a huge impetus to India’s energy transition goals and boost our capabilities to produce clean coal while ensuring energy security for the country.

In line with the spirit of competitive federalism, the introduction of the State Mining Index is a transformative step that will enhance professionalization of State mining departments, encouraging them to innovate and adopt best practices in mineral exploration, auctioning, and sustainable mining. This will drive efficiency, attract investments, and unlock the immense potential of our mineral resources.

The announcement of a Tailings Policy further bolsters the objectives of the National Critical Mineral Mission. By enabling the recovery of valuable critical minerals from mining tailings, this policy will enhance domestic availability thereby strengthening our strategic industries, including clean energy, semiconductors, defense, and space. Investing in research and development for efficient recovery processes will strengthen India’s self-reliance in critical mineral supply chains.

Building on the series of tax relief measures for the mining sector of last year’s Budget, particularly concerning critical minerals, this year’s budget also introduces a range of progressive tax proposals. These measures will significantly enhance the competitiveness of the entire mining sector, especially as India begins to solidify its position in the critical mineral industry. The elimination of import duties on non-ferrous metal scraps and critical mineral scraps, including cobalt powder and lithium-ion battery (LIB) scraps, is a game-changer. These measures will enhance the competitiveness of our secondary metal and critical mineral recycling industries, reduce production costs, and stimulate new investments in advanced recycling technologies. This will lead to a major boost in supply chain resilience and promote India as a global leader in critical minerals processing.

Over the last 10 years, under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, India’s mining sector has witnessed unprecedented reforms. From being a corruption laden and litigation ridden sector prior to 2014, today India’s mining sector is aspiring to be a global player in sustainable mining and critical mineral value chain. Today’s budgetary announcements continue our government’s steadfast commitment towards the growth and modernization of the mining sector.

India’s coal and mining sector stands as one of the largest sources of employment in the country, these reforms will further enhance the ambit of the mining sector and create new employment opportunities and enable skill development in next-gen technology.

As we strive to achieve the goal of Net Zero emissions by 2070 and lead the global energy transition race, the mining sector will play a critical role in securing the critical minerals required for this transformation. India is working on war footing to develop a sound domestic infrastructure for addressing climate change and advancing clean energy solutions. With this approach and continued reforms in the sector, India is set to emerge as a global player in sustainable mining, shaping the future of both our economy and the world.” Union Minister Shri G Kishan Reddy on mining proposals in the Budget 2025-26.

****

Shuhaib T

(Release ID: 2098653) Visitor Counter : 30

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Budget 2025-26 Proposes Framework For Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries from Indian EEZ and High Seas

Source: Government of India (2)

Budget 2025-26 Proposes Framework For Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries from Indian EEZ and High Seas

Budget Announcement Targets Approx 2.5 Lakh Tonnes of Untapped Fisheries Potential in Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands

Basic Custom Duty reduced from 30% to 5% on Frozen Fish Paste (Surimi); 15% to 5% on Fish Hydrolysate

Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 5:08PM by PIB Delhi

In the Union Budget, tabled today in the Lok Sabha for the year 2025-2026, proposed the highest ever total annual budgetary support of Rs. 2,703.67 crores for the fisheries sector. This overall allocation for the financial year 2025-26 has increased by 3.3% in comparison to the allocation of Rs. 2,616.44 crore (BE) made during last year 2024-25. This includes the allocation of Rs. 2,465 crore for Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana during the year 2025-26 that has increased by 4.8% in comparison to the allocation made for the scheme during the year 2024-25 (Rs. 2,352 crore). Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in her budget speech, highlighted India’s achievement as a leader in aquaculture and seafood exports. The budget announcement strategically focuses on enhancing financial inclusion, reducing financial burden on farmers by reducing custom duties and furthering development of the marine fisheries.

The Budget 2025-26 highlights enabling a framework for sustainable harnessing of fisheries from Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and High Seas with special focus on Lakshadweep and A&N Islands . This will ensure sustainable harnessing of the untapped potential of the marine fish resources in the Indian EEZ and adjacent High Seas for growth in the marine sector. As India has an EEZ of 20 lakh sq. km and a long coastline of 8,118 km with estimated marine potential of 53 lakh tonnes (2018) and dependence of 50 lakh people for their livelihoods on the marine fisheries sector. This offers an enormous scope and potential for harnessing of high valued tuna and tuna like species in the Indian EEZ, especially around the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands. Government will promote Deep Sea Fishing with capacity development and support acquisition of Resource-Specific Fishing Vessels.

Development of fisheries in Andaman & Nicobar Islands will target harnessing of its EEZ area of 6.60 lakh sq. km (1/3^rd of Indian EEZ) with marine fisheries potential of 1.48 lakh tonnes including potential of 60,000 tons for tuna fisheries. For this purpose, development of Tuna Cluster has been notified and activities such as establishment of on-board processing & freezing facilities in tuna fishing vessels, licensing for deep-sea tuna fishing vessels and single window clearances by the Andaman & Nicobar Administration, harnessing opportunities in sea cage culture, seaweed, ornamental and pearl cultivation have been undertaken. The Development of Fisheries in Lakshadweep Islands will target harnessing of its EEZ area of 4 lakh sq. km (17% of Indian EEZ) and lagoon area of 4200 sq mt with potential of 1 lakh tonnes including potential of 4,200 tonnes for tuna fisheries. For this purpose, development of Seaweed Cluster has been notified and activities such as island-wise area allocation and leasing policy with end-to-end value chain by Lakshadweep Administration, formation of women Self Help Group (SHGs) and capacity building through ICAR Institution in collaboration with private entrepreneurs and Lakshadweep Administration, harnessing opportunities in tuna fishing and ornamental fish farming have been undertaken.

In the Union Budget 2025, the Government of India increased the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) lending limit from ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh to enhance credit accessibility for fishers, farmers, processors and other fisheries’ stakeholder. This move aims at streamlining the flow of financial resources ensuring that necessary funds are easily accessible for fulfilling working capital requirements of the sector. Enhanced credit availability will support adoption of modern farming techniques and strengthen rural development and economic stability, reinforcing the government’s commitment to making institutional credit more inclusive and accessible.

To enhance Indias competitiveness in global seafood market and to increase the share of value -added products in our export basket, Union Finance Minister proposed to reduce Basic Custom Duty (BCD) on frozen fish paste (surimi) from 30% to 5% for manufacturing and export of value-added seafood products like Imitation Crab Meat Sticks, Surimi Crab Claw Products, Shrimp analogue, lobster analogue and other surimi analogue or Imitation products etc. Further, to strengthen the Indian shrimp farming industry globally, import duty reduction from 15% to 5% on fish hydrolysate an important input for manufacturing of aquafeed has been announced. This is expected to lower production costs and increase revenue and profit margins for farmers, thereby improving and increasing exports.

Background

Termed as one of the key ‘sunrise sectors’ of the Indian economy, the Indian Fisheries sector continues to make its mark and grow at a very healthy pace registering the highest average annual decadal growth of 9.08% in value of output (FY 2014-15 to 2022-23) amongst allied sectors under Agriculture (Niti Aayog Report 2024). This growth story is marked by India’s global ranking as 2nd largest fish producing country with ~8% share in global fish production and a record high fish production of 184.02 lakh tonnes (2023-24). India also stands 2nd in aquaculture production with 139.07 lakh tonnes in 2023-24 and is one of the top shrimp producing and seafood exporting nations in the world with a total export value of Rs 60,524 crore (2023-24). The sector provides sustainable livelihoods to over 30 million people within the marginalized and vulnerable communities. With the motto of ‘SabkaSaath, SabkaVikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’, Government of India continues to prioritise the development of the fisheries sector as a key driver towards Viksit Bharat by 2047.

▪️India ranks second largest globally in fish production and aquaculture.

▪️Seafood exports are valued at 60,000 Crore Rupees.

▪️To unlock the untapped potential of the marine sector, the government will bring in an enabling framework for sustainable harnessing of fisheries… pic.twitter.com/bAXVxjDAB9

— PIB India (@PIB_India) February 1, 2025

Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries

🔹 To unlock the untapped potential of the marine sector

🔹 Enabling framework for sustainable harnessing of fisheries from Indian Exclusive Economic Zone and High Seas

🔹Special focus on the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands… pic.twitter.com/CMkq27pZcy

— PIB India (@PIB_India) February 1, 2025

****

Aditi Agrawal

(Release ID: 2098615) Visitor Counter : 70

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Budget boosts Shipbuilding with New Mega Clusters in India: Sonowal

Source: Government of India

Union Budget boosts Shipbuilding with New Mega Clusters in India: Sonowal

Budget Sets Up Maritime Development Fund (MDF) of ₹25,000 crores, propels India’s Maritime Sector

SBFAP 2.0 revamped to optimise cost disadvantages, boost capacity of Indian Shipyards & spur domestic shipbuilding production

New Credit Note Scheme for Ship Breaking in Indian Yards – Incentivises buying of new ships in India

₹6100 crores to upgrade, modernise & automate Indian Ports operations to upscale efficiency

Basic Customs Duty (BCD) exemption on inputs for Shipbuilding & Ship Breaking extended for 10 years

Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 4:39PM by PIB Delhi

The Union Budget has placed strong impetus to realise the huge potential of India’s shipping sector. The forward-looking document aims at further enabling India’s shipbuilding industry with spurring & innovative initiatives to drive investment, generate income for the economy, train and employ human capital and create value for the future of the country. The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal welcomed the budget and termed it progressive policy statement towards realising the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

On the occasion, Shri Sonowal said, “I welcome the Union Budget presented in Parliament today. This budget serves as a catalyst for economic growth, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji’s vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat, Atmanirbhar Bharat.’ I congratulate Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman ji for presenting a forward-looking budget that embodies the principles of good governance, progressive reforms, and innovative policymaking. This budget not only strengthens business and trade sentiment but also acts as a springboard for economic expansion, capacity building, and solution-driven holistic development of the society and growth of the economy. By unlocking value and enriching national assets, it lays the foundation for sustained progress and people-centric development. The budget aims to generate wealth, drive welfare initiatives, and foster public participation in nation-building. It safeguards the interests of future generations while elevating the quality of life for the people of Bharat.”

The Union Budget proposes to set up Maritime Development Fund (MDF) to support India’s Maritime sector by providing financial assistance, via equity or debt securities. The initial corpus of the fund is pegged at ₹25,000 crores – where the Government contribution will be 49%. The remaining balance will be contributed by Major port authorities, other government entities, Central PSEs, Financial Institutions as well as private sector. This fund will directly benefit in financing for ship acquisition. It aims at boosting Indian flagged ships share in the global cargo volume upto 20% by 2047. Further, indigenous fleet will reduce dependability of foreign ships, improve Balance of Payment and secure Strategic interests of the country. By 2030, MDF is aiming at generating upto ₹1.5 lakh crore investment in the shipping sector.

Speaking on the initiatives for spurring the India’s Maritime sector, the shipping minister, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, “It is reassuring to see that the budgetary initiatives for India’s marine sector are focused on unlocking its vast potential and enhancing existing assets through upgrades, modernisation, and automation. A key highlight is our ministry’s development of new shipbuilding clusters of 1.0 to 1.2 Million Gross Tonnage (GT) each. This strategic push is crucial in realising India’s vision of becoming a $30 trillion economy by 2047. By leveraging the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, the scheme is designed to attract private investment, promote modernisation, and advance green technologies. These efforts will enhance India’s global competitiveness, drive sustainable growth, and solidify its position as a leading Global Maritime Hub.”

The Union Budget provided a shot-in-the-arm to India’s domestic shipbuilding industry after it announced new mega shipbuilding clusters in the country. This scheme will provide direct capital support in the form of creating the breakwater along with capital dredging. It also proposes a 10-year rent holiday for the land, if not provided at a nominal rate. Investment is also designed to support creation of trunk infra like roads, utilities, sewage treatment among others. The proposed allocation of ₹6,100 crore aims to support India’s existing shipyards in upgrading, modernising, and automating their operations, enhancing efficiency, utilisation, and overall output.

The Union Budget has also extended the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Policy (SBFAP) 2.0, aimed at providing direct financial subsidies to Indian shipyards. This initiative seeks to help in securing orders by offsetting operational cost disadvantages, thereby strengthening the domestic shipbuilding industry. To be financed via Budgetary support, the total outlay of the scheme is ₹18,090 crores.

Another innovative scheme announced in the budget is the Shipbreaking Credit note. This scheme incentivises Ship Scrapping by issuing a Credit Note of 40% of the scrap value which can be reimbursed to buy new Made in India ships.

Adding further, Shri Sonowal said, “India’s maritime sector has witnessed significant progress since 2014, and with the latest announcements by the Finance Minister, we are confident that the shipbuilding industry will serve as a catalyst for economic growth. While the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Policy (SBFAP) is designed to provide financial incentives to Indian shipyards, the Ship-breaking Credit Note further strengthens the domestic industry by encouraging investment and expansion. These measures are expected to drive capital inflows, create employment opportunities, and enhance sectoral competitiveness. Additionally, a renewed focus on training and human capital development will ensure a skilled workforce, equipping professionals with expertise in modern shipbuilding technologies, automation, and sustainable maritime practices. This holistic approach will not only support industry growth but also position India as a global leader in shipbuilding and maritime innovation.”

Highlighting the need to develop trained professionals in the sector, the budget allocated specific funds for training and development of human resources in order to leverage India’s position as a global leader in maritime human capital. The budget provided for Shipbuilding Capability Development Centres (SCDC) is aimed propping up platform for development of innovative ship design and engineering solutions as well as testing & evaluation of Shipping projects. An outlay of ₹1200 crores have been earmarked for this. Additional provision of ₹1040 crores have been announced for providing capital and operational assistance to the existing and upcoming shipbuilding design and training centres from the private sector. A budgetary allocation of ₹610 crores is proposed for a support scheme for Research & Development (R&D) and innovation in ship technology. This initiative will foster development of new and improved shipbuilding technologies. New incentives are projected to generate 11 lakhs of direct or indirect employment.

In a welcome move for the shipping industry, the Union Budget also proposes include Large Ships of certain size in to the Infrastructure Harmonised Master List (HML). This will make them eligible for benefits such as easier access to long-term financing and tax incentives. This will also attract private investment and enhance fleet modernisation.

In a boost to the inland waterways in the country, the Tonnage Tax Scheme is now extended to Inland vessels. This will encourage more cargo movement as the vessels will avail tax benefit from its capacity, instead of profit. This will further incentivises shipping companies to invest in inland waterways vessels as it becomes financially more viable. The extension of PM GATI SHAKTI Portal to private players will further bring efficiency in cargo movement via multi modal infra planning at a more economical rate.

*****

G.D. Hallikeri/Henry

(Release ID: 2098573) Visitor Counter : 53

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Firefighting state championships a chance for skills to shine

Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

Anthony Rhodes at state championships

CFA is encouraging brigades across the state to compete in this year’s CFA/VFBV State Firefighter Championships in March.

CFA is encouraging brigades across the state to compete in this year’s CFA/VFBV State Firefighter Championships in March.

The events are once again being held at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve across two weekends.

Urban Junior State Championships will kick off on the 22nd and 23rd of March. The Senior Urban, Junior Rural, and Senior Rural events are being held at the same site the following weekend, 29th and 30th of March.

CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said the State Championships have always been an integral part of CFA since they began in 1874.

“The Championships are a great way to show the endurance and reliability of brigades as well as promoting leadership, mental wellbeing, and physical fitness with all competitors celebrated for having a go,” Jason said.

“The Championships are one of the most exciting events on the CFA calendar and a a great opportunity for our members to engage in friendly competition with their brigade and fellow firefighters.

“It’s also a great way for the community to see what we do and hopefully we can inspire them to join their local brigades.

“I highly recommend brigades to get involved in the event which includes practical firefighting activities utilising hoses, hydrants and other equipment. It’s also fantastic for teamwork and comradeship.”

Captain of the Melton Fire Brigade, Anthony Rhodes, has been competing and coaching teams in the state championships since he was a teenager and said he loves the family aspect of the event.

Not only does he compete and coach alongside his sons he said other members become like your family too.

“I love the camaraderie,” Anthony said.

“It doesn’t matter where you’re from it is a real family feeling.

“It gives you a good opportunity to socialise and meet people and then you run into them on strike teams or just out and about and you really feel connected.”

Anthony competed in the junior division before becoming a senior competitor. He also spent many years as a coach for both junior and senior teams at his Brigade in Melton.

“I used to coach the juniors but when my two sons came along and I decided to step back from that and just be a dad,” he said.

This year he is both competing in the senior open running team and coaching the senior women’s teams, he said he can’t wait to share the event with his boys and extended firefighting family.

“Champs allow members and family to have an outlet and have a little bit of fun.

To anyone thinking of signing up Anthony said, “today is the day”.

“When people go to fires, we don’t always deal with great things, this is a great outlet because it isn’t life or death, it is just a bit of fun,” he said.

Submitted by CFA Media

MIL OSI News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Streamlining infrastructure between government and industry
Source: Allens Insights

The NSW Government’s new plan 9 min read

Since releasing the NSW Government Action Plan: A ten point commitment to the construction sector (the Ten Point Commitment) in 2018, the construction sector has undergone significant change. Having met the challenges of unpredictable external factors like COVID-19, extreme weather and geopolitical instability, the construction sector continues to grapple with supply chain constraints, rising material costs, labour shortages and skills gaps, increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions and adapting to technological change.

In recognition of this, at the end of last year, Infrastructure NSW published the NSW Government Principles for Partnership with the Construction Industry (the Principles), which will replace the Ten Point Commitment.

The Principles aim to streamline the delivery of infrastructure projects by bolstering cooperation between the NSW Government and construction industry participants to face these challenges together. The refreshed Principles signal an increased government focus on local industry, growing a skilled and diverse Australian construction workforce and embedding decarbonisation into procurement processes.

In this Insight, we cover:
- what the seven Principles are;
- how they compare against the Ten Point Commitment; and
- how these Principles can be used to secure success for your projects.
Key takeaways
- While the Ten Point Commitment focused on government action to improve the delivery of NSW’s infrastructure pipeline, the new Principles invite greater collaboration between government and industry.
- The Principles place a sharper focus on social and environmental policy objectives than the Ten Point Commitment, including in relation to gender equality, workforce flexibility and decarbonisation.
- Given that the policy objectives promoted by the Principles are likely to become explicit tender requirements and performance benchmarks for future NSW Government projects, industry partners will need to consider how to adhere to the Principles. Steps may involve, for example, implementing workplace flexibility plans, changing work, health and safety requirements in supply chains and downstream contractor arrangements, and meeting new carbon reporting requirements.
The story so far: why were the Principles introduced?
In 2018, through the Ten Point Commitment, the NSW Government made the following commitments in relation to the procurement and delivery of the NSW infrastructure pipeline:
1. procure and manage projects in a more collaborative way;
2. adopt partnership-based approaches to risk allocation;
3. standardise contracts and procurement methods;
4. develop and promote a transparent pipeline of projects;
5. reduce the cost of bidding;
6. establish a consistent NSW Government policy on bid cost contributions;
7. monitor and reward high performance;
8. improve the security and timeliness of contract payments;
9. improve skills and training; and
10. increase industry diversity.
In the six years since then, the construction sector has been heavily impacted by evolving market conditions, including:
- a surge in construction insolvencies – the twelve months prior to June 2024 witnessed the highest number of construction insolvencies in the past decade;¹
- rising labour shortages and skills gaps in the construction sector, especially in residential construction and the roles of construction managers, carpenters, and civil engineering professionals;
- fiscal and labour capacity constraints, which limit delivery of concurrent major projects in the infrastructure pipeline – the Infrastructure Australia Market Capacity report anticipates a shortfall of almost 98,000 skilled construction workers in NSW for public infrastructure in 2025.² However, in counterpoint, tapering public infrastructure spending is rumoured to have led to layoffs across the construction sector as a whole;
- a reduced ability to attract investment;
- increased focus on environmental, sustainability and social policy objectives; and
- technological advancements.
The Principles seek to refresh the Ten Point Commitment in light of these changing market conditions. Infrastructure NSW and its member agencies are also devising an implementation plan to ensure that the Principles are implemented effectively, although a release date for this plan is yet to be announced.

The next chapter: the Principles for Partnership with the Construction Industry
Before diving into the detail of the Principles, there are two key differences between the Ten Point Commitment and Principles in the NSW Government’s approach to setting down principles for partnership with the construction industry:
- While the Ten Point Commitment focused on government commitments, the Principles place a much greater focus on collaboration between government and industry. Each principle has three components: (1) the objectives to be achieved, (2) the actions that the NSW Government commits to, and (3) the actions that industry partners are invited to take. As such, the Principles go further than its predecessor by inviting actions for participants, not just government.
- While the Ten Point Commitment focused on streamlining and optimising the procurement and delivery process for infrastructure projects in NSW, the Principles have a much broader focus on the general health of the construction supply chain in NSW, with four of the seven Principles geared towards developing a healthy, sustainable, local industry and a workforce that can attract and retain employees. The Principles also integrate other social and sustainability goals, including in relation to housing and decarbonisation.
Turning to the detail, the seven Principles are:
The NSW Government has committed to promoting the local construction industry by signalling early opportunities for local manufacturing, establishing new functions to boost participation (such as the Future Jobs and Investment Authority), mandating tender weighting towards local content, job creation, SME participation and ethical supply chains, expanding the Industry Capability Network portal and providing opportunities to the local workforce. It remains to be seen how mandating tender weighting towards local content at the state level will interact with Australia’s obligations under its free trade agreements.

The Principles also prioritise the development of local off-site and prefabricated manufacturing to support the delivery of the NSW Government’s housing objectives.

The Principles aim to support worker safety and wellbeing by improving safety and culture in the construction industry. Notably, the Principles include a government promise to update the WHS Management Guidelines for Construction to reflect the need to protect psychosocial safety, in addition to physical safety. This Principle seems particularly germane given the Federal Government’s decision to place the construction arm of the CMFEU into administration after allegations of corruption and bullying resurfaced in August last year.

The Principles also request that industry partners update their subcontract and supply chain arrangements to include safety and wellbeing expectations. The NSW Government will consider a company’s performance against this metric when awarding future work opportunities.

This principle seeks to simplify procurement processes, and in turn, boost productivity, by committing to:

enhancing tender processes to reduce the cost of bidding (for example, by allowing reliance on technical documents);

involving stakeholders earlier in project development to avoid over-engineering (which may involve capping the amount of pre-tender, internal design at, for example, 30%);

streamlining government processes by harmonising requirements and standards with other jurisdictions (for example, in the area of trade qualifications) and promoting whole-of-government GC21 (D&C) standard form contracts; and

encouraging innovation in contractual arrangements and exploring uses for modern methods of construction (eg prefabrication).

It will be particularly interesting to see which NSW Government departments, if any, allow reliance on tender documents and choose to cap pre-tender design, given this has been a point of discussion between government and industry for some time now.

This principle also focuses on opportunities to harness digitisation to increase productivity by streamlining data creation and management, and deploying digital tools in project design, procurement and delivery.
The NSW Government has committed to improving diversity and ensuring high-quality training across the construction industry. Practically, this will be implemented by prioritising construction skills in the 2024-2028 NSW Skills Plan and supporting vocational training courses, amongst other things.

This Principle aligns with a nationwide push to increase skills in the construction industry – the Federal Government committed $90.6 million towards upskilling the construction and housing sector in the 2024-25 Federal Budget, and is considering the implementation of a National Energy Workforce Strategy after receiving submissions during August and September 2024 on the same.

The Principles’ overall focus on investing in skills and jobs is made explicit in Principle 5, which aims to enhance industry culture and diversity (and therefore retention). Women only constitute 2% of qualified construction trade workers in Australia – this is a marginal improvement from the ‘1-2%’ recorded in the Ten Point Commitment (but less than the ‘doubling’ that was targeted in that Commitment). The NSW Government proposes to introduce a Culture in Construction Taskforce and pilot programs under a draft Culture Standard for the Construction Industry to collate data and implement measures to improve diversity. It will be interesting to see how this Principle will play out in the NSW market, given the rolling back of similar diversity, equality and inclusion programs in the US federal and private sectors.

The NSW Government is also proposing a whole-of-government Contractor Performance Reporting system to deliver enhanced insights into culture and diversity in the industry. In an effort to promote work-life balance, industry partners have been asked to adopt workforce flexibility plans, with a view to achieving working weeks of ≤50 hours per week and a five-day work week where possible, or a 5 in 7 day work week. While this is a noble ambition, the Principle does not explain how industry partners will be supported to achieve this ambition in light of the increasing prevalence of painshare/gainshare models and the long-staying ‘stick’ of liquidated damages for late delivery, which incentivise timely completion.
Like the Ten Point Commitment, the Principles reiterate the NSW Government’s focus on achieving value for money, and delivering projects on time and on budget. However, the Principles also acknowledge that contractors have been facing increased financial capacity constraints and, as such, seek to foster collaborative risk allocation and transparency in relation to financial capacity to ensure the sustainability of each project throughout its lifecycle.

To achieve this, the NSW Government has committed to:

monitoring the financial capacity of its contractors, with a view to identifying and mitigating capacity risks;

sizing its contract packages to accommodate a diverse range of contractors;

improving the guidance available to contractors in relation to financial capacity assessments; and

tailoring its security requirements to contractors’ financial capacity risk profiles and revising payment frequencies, where appropriate, to assist with cashflow.

At this stage, there are still open questions about whether ‘tailored’ security means that contractors will be required to put up less security (to alleviate financing costs) or more security (to guard against contractor insolvencies). However, a shift in government payment frequencies would certainly support the construction industry by improving cash flow and reducing reliance upon (and the cost of) lines of credit. A new gold standard in public infrastructure contracts may lead to a shift away from monthly payment terms more broadly.
The Principles acknowledge that decarbonising infrastructure delivery will be critical to the NSW Government realising its commitment to net zero by 2050, and its interim emission reduction targets of 50% and 70% by 2030 and 2035. As such, the NSW Government has committed to considering the carbon impact of each project in its existing infrastructure decision-making processes and challenging the need for new infrastructure, where possible.

The NSW Government will also provide a consistent approach to measuring carbon across different asset types and will mandate a measurement of embodied carbon emissions to be included in the business case, planning approval, design and procurement and practical completion requirements of each project. These commitments sit alongside the measures in the Decarbonising Infrastructure Delivery Policy and Measurement Guidance, released by the NSW Government in April 2024, and join the groundswell of momentum towards better carbon reporting and transparency in both the government and private sectors (see our Insight on mandatory climate-related financial disclosures).
Renewed commitments: the similarities between the Ten Point Commitment and the Principles

Some aspects of the Principles reiterate or build upon the NSW Government’s existing commitments under the Ten Point Commitment. For example:
- Collaborative contracting: while the Principles do not explicitly discuss collaborative contracting, they promote innovative contractual arrangements and benefit-sharing arrangements to improve productivity. Given the market trajectory, we expect that collaborative contracting is here to stay for a while yet (see our Insights here and here on the rising trend of collaborative contracting);
- Sizing of contract packages: both the Principles and the Ten Point Commitment recognise the need to offer contract packages that are accessible to a diverse range of contractors, including small and medium-sized firms. This echoes the move towards split and disaggregated procurements for Original Equipment Manufacturer (‘OEM’) supply and Balance of Plants (‘BOP’) civil works in the energy sector, whereby projects are divided into smaller packages to allow for greater flexibility (see our Insight on the split contracting trend in the batteries space);
- Standardisation of contracts and procurement methods: both the Principles and the Ten Point Commitment encourage the standardisation of contracts and procurement methods, including by publishing ‘best practice’ guidance materials to assist tenderers and contractors;
- Local skills development and manufacturing capacity: both the Principles and the Ten Point Commitment emphasise the importance of upskilling local workers and local manufacturing to address the ongoing skills shortages. The requirement to mandate tender weightings to support local content, local job creation and ethical supply chains in the Principles takes this even further than the Ten Point Commitment.
Shifting priorities: the differences between the Ten Point Commitment and the Principles
On the other hand, the Principles also herald some new areas of focus, with much stronger commitments around decarbonisation and workforce culture. The key differences between the Ten Point Commitment and the Principles include:
- Decarbonisation: while the Ten Point Commitment is silent on decarbonisation, the Principles set out specific measures that the NSW Government will implement to track and report on embodied carbon within its infrastructure projects. This shift reflects the broader changes in global environmental commitments, regulation and stakeholder expectations in the last six years.
- Gender diversity and equity:while the Ten Point Commitment acknowledged the need to boost diversity within the workforce, the Principles particularly focus on women’s participation in the construction industry. For example, the NSW Government has committed to considering a company’s progress towards citation by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) as a ‘Gender equitable employer of choice’ as part of the tender process.
- Workforce culture: whereas the Ten Point Commitment sought to reward ‘high performing’ contractors exhibiting ‘key behaviours and values expected of good clients and contractors’, the Principles go beyond that by explicitly calling out the need to improve psychosocial safety and wellbeing on construction sites. Industry participants are asked to incorporate these expectations within their downstream and supply chain arrangements, and will be assessed on their performance in respect of future opportunities for work.
- Financial sustainability: with the rise in contractor insolvencies in the last six years, the Principles purport to have a much greater focus on assessing and improving the financial capacity of contractor entities than the Ten Point Commitment.
- Innovation and digital practices: the Principles have embraced the potential for digital tools to improve productivity much more explicitly than the Ten Point Commitment (which did not mention technology or digital practices at all). The Principles push for standardised data and baseline productivity metrics to be developed, alongside accelerated implementation of digital practices and tools across the lifecycle of the project.
What’s next?

While there is some overlap between the Ten Point Commitment and the Principles, the Principles demonstrate a clear shift in priority towards addressing some of the more structural issues facing the Australian construction industry (particularly around skills shortages, workforce retention and financial capacity).

Collaboration between industry and government (at both the state and federal levels) will be imperative in achieving a coordinated response to these structural issues and bolstering the local construction industry. Decarbonisation has also emerged as a key priority for partnership with the construction industry. This priority aligns with the increasing focus more generally on reducing emissions in hard-to-abate industries as corporations and governments chase down their decarbonisation targets.

Infrastructure NSW will track progress against the Principles for Partnership in its annual Progress Report, as it has previously done with the Ten Point Commitment.

MIL OSI News –
February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Weather News – A sunny start before brief rain for the South Island – MetService

Source: MetService

Covering period of Monday 3 – Thursday 6 February – MetService is forecasting a mostly settled start to the week before a brief spell of rain moves over the South Island in time for Waitangi Day. This will bring a cooler day for the island, while sunny skies are on the cards for other parts of the country. Meanwhile, activity continues to develop in the tropics.

Monday and Tuesday offer sunny and dry weather for many parts of the country, thanks to a ridge of high pressure. While some areas may experience cloud cover at times or an isolated shower, particularly in the northern half of the North Island, as well as the lower and eastern South Island, most places can expect a summery couple of days.

Temperatures climb in the lower South Island on Wednesday, with highs in the mid to upper 20s. However, this warmth will be short-lived as a weather system approaches from the west, bringing rain at night.

MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane says, “Brief rain spreads up the South Island on Thursday, bringing a cooler day for many. For the rest of the country, Waitangi Day is shaping up to be mostly settled, including in Waitangi itself.”

At the same time, MetService continues to keep a close watch on the tropics, where a couple of low-pressure systems between Australia and Vanuatu have the potential to develop into tropical cyclones. These systems may bring heavy rain to parts of Vanuatu and New Caledonia, along with strong winds and large waves across the region, including waters near Australia’s east coast.

“At this early stage, these systems appear likely to remain north of Aotearoa New Zealand as they move eastwards, but our meteorologists will continue to monitor their development,” Makgabutlane says. Further details on these systems can be found on the websites of the Fiji Meteorological Service and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.

Back home, a new month means the latest Monthly Outlook for February is out. In short, the month is starting off on the drier side, but be watchful of any northerly lows as we approach mid-month, with the month ending on a more seasonal flavour. For the full outlook, check it out here: https://metservice.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=63982abb40666393e6a63259d&id=eba4f3adbc&e=852c839bf9

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Land Information Minister to tour Antarctic monitoring sites

Source: New Zealand Government

Land Information Minister and Associate Defence Minister Chris Penk will travel to Antarctica this week to see New Zealand’s scientific and international cooperation efforts on the ice.

“Our scientists carry out globally significant research in one of the most challenging environments in the world, alongside essential conservation work,” Mr Penk says.

The Minister will meet with teams from Antarctica New Zealand and the New Zealand Defence Force who support our scientific programmes.

“I will visit monitoring sites in Antarctica where there is critical instrumentation that informs navigation systems, topographical maps, and nautical charts. I’ll also observe active research that helps us understand land movement,” Mr Penk says.

The visit coincides with the HMNZS Aotearoa’s fuel resupply mission to McMurdo Station, an important contribution by New Zealand to the US-NZ Joint Logistic Pool.

Mr Penk will meet with NZDF staff assisting the mission and offloading the ship, and our closest neighbours, the United States, at McMurdo Station.

“The US is a critical partner in supporting New Zealand’s operations at Scott Base, and we work closely to preserve the region for future generations as a place for peace and science.”

Mr Penk is scheduled to depart from Christchurch on Thursday 8 November and is expected to return to New Zealand on Tuesday February 11.

He is the third Minister to visit Antarctica in recent months, following visits from Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts in November 2024.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mining Identified in the Union Budget 2025-26 as One of the Six Domain Areas for Transformative Reforms

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 4:36PM by PIB Delhi

In the Union Budget 2025-26 presented by the Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt Nirmala Sitharaman today, Mining has been identified along with five other domain areas, namely Taxation; Power Sector; Urban Development; Financial Sector; and Regulatory Reforms, for transformative reforms, which will augment India’s growth potential and global competitiveness during the next five years.

To encourage mining sector reforms in States, including those for minor minerals, sharing of best practices and the institution of a State Mining Index has been announced. Further, a policy for recovery of critical minerals from tailings has been announced. Good tailings management will increase domestic availability of critical minerals and also promote the domestic processing industry.

The budget has also announced the elimination of customs duty on several scrap items, which will promote the recycling industry in the country. The elimination of copper, brass, lead and zinc scraps will benefit the domestic secondary producers by reducing their costs. This will also provide a level playing field vis-à-vis international secondary producers, and enable Indian players to compete globally and increase exports of secondary/downstream products. Duty elimination on scraps of 12 critical minerals (including copper), cobalt powder and lithium ion battery scrap will provide feedstock to the critical mineral recycling industry at a lesser cost, making this industry more competitive, and also promote investments in newer capacity.

****

Shuhaib T

(Release ID: 2098568) Visitor Counter : 73

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Security Bureau responds to enquiries on rescue of Hong Kong resident detained in Southeast Asian country

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     â€‹In response to media enquiries about the progress of cases of Hong Kong residents being detained for illegal work in Southeast Asian countries, the Security Bureau (SB) today (February 2) confirmed that one more Hong Kong resident who had been detained for illegal work in Myanmar has been rescued and smoothly arrived in Thailand. The SB’s dedicated task force has been maintaining communication with the Thai authorities and the rescued Hong Kong resident, and will arrange for the individual’s return to Hong Kong as soon as possible.

     The SB attaches great importance on cases where Hong Kong residents are suspected of being lured to Southeast Asian countries and detained for illegal work. The Under Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Cheuk, led the dedicated task force comprising members from the SB, the Hong Kong Police Force and the Immigration Department to Bangkok, Thailand last month. They met with senior officials including the Minister of Justice (MoJ) of Thailand, Mr Tawee Sodsong, who is a member of the Anti Trafficking-in-Persons Committee chaired by the Prime Minister of Thailand, and the heads of the enforcement departments under the MoJ, to follow up on related cases. Meanwhile, the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, also met and maintained communication with the Consuls-General of Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia in Hong Kong.

     In addition, members of the dedicated task force were sent again to Thailand in late January to co-ordinate with various units, and held meetings with the Deputy Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau of the Royal Thai Police, Mr Phanthana Nutchanart, and the Director of Special Investigation and the Director of Human Trafficking under the MoJ of Thailand, with a view to arranging the return of the rescued Hong Kong resident as soon as possible. They will continue to actively assist and follow up on all relevant request-for-assistance cases of Hong Kong residents who have yet to return, striving for their return to Hong Kong as soon as possible.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: World Wetlands Day 2025, themed ‘Protecting Wetlands for our Common Future’, celebrated at Parvati Arga Ramsar Site, in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh

Source: Government of India

World Wetlands Day 2025, themed ‘Protecting Wetlands for our Common Future’, celebrated at Parvati Arga Ramsar Site, in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh

The celebration of World Wetlands Day here will give Parvati Arga an international recognition: UP CM Yogi Adityanath

A new nature-culture tourism corridor will be developed between Ayodhya and Devi Patan: MoS (MoEFCC) Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh

Posted On: 02 FEB 2025 6:40PM by PIB Delhi

It was a historic day for Gonda (Uttar Pradesh), as the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) organised the World Wetlands Day 2025 celebrations at the Parvati Arga Ramsar Site, on 2nd February, 2025. The event was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath and the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, in the presence of senior dignitaries from both the Union and State Governments.

The event highlighted the critical role of wetlands in environmental conservation, biodiversity, and sustainable livelihoods, aligning with this year’s theme of ‘Protecting Wetlands for our Common Future’. This year’s theme underscores the need for collaboration and foresight, as it calls for valuing and protecting these richly biodiverse, productive ecosystems and taking inspiring action on their behalf – together, we can safeguard our common future and wellbeing.

Addressing the event, UP CM Yogi Adityanath appreciated Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh’s dedicated efforts towards preservation and conservation of ecology of Gonda District, which is blessed with Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary, and Tikri forest area. He mentioned that due to their proximity to Ayodhya, both the sites have the potential to be developed as eco-tourism hub attracting large number of tourists, providing an opportunity to them to connect to the nature. He also welcomed the initiative of linking the wetland with Sarayu canal for sustaining water flow in the wetland. He pointed out that Parvati Arga has long been known for its rich biodiversity, and now, it is gaining global recognition. Talking about the importance of Ramsar Sites in the country he explained the importance of migratory birds, which travel thousands of kilometers to Parvati Arga, playing a vital role in environmental balance.

वनस्पतियों, वन्य प्राणियों और स्थानीय पक्षियों के संरक्षण के साथ-साथ भोजन, औषधि और आजीविका के संसाधन उपलब्ध करवाने में वेटलैंड्स की बड़ी भूमिका होती है।

विश्व वेटलैंड्स दिवस-2025 के उपलक्ष्य में आज जनपद गोण्डा के पार्वती अरगा पक्षी विहार में ‘हम सभी के भविष्य के लिए… pic.twitter.com/1TjaZHTqRc

— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) February 2, 2025

On the occasion of World Wetlands Day 2025, reaffirming Government’s commitment to protect Wetlands for the future, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav took to social media and expressed gratitude towards PM Shri Narendra Modi for his unprecedented emphasis on preserving wetlands. “It is because of this approach that our tally of Ramsar sites has reached 89. With a consistent rise in Ramsar sites, India is showing the commitment to both conserve and enrich nature”, the Minister stated.

https://x.com/byadavbjp/status/1885951859904675897?t=_0eVPnMO1B6kGwIjN0C1og&s=08

Addressing the august gathering in Gonda, Union Minister Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh emphasized that the comprehensive development of Parvati Arga is progressing under CM Yogi Adityanath’s leadership. He announced plans for a new nature-culture tourism corridor between Ayodhya and Devi Patan, which will boost employment opportunities. He highlighted the importance of Parvati Arga for aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity and explained that Indian culture has always valued nature conservation. He further mentioned that Gonda district with over 100 wetlands, has strong potential to be recognized as a ‘Wetland City’. He further mentioned that to promote eco-tourism, UP government is developing Tikri Jungle as an open safari zone, which will enhance tourism in the Awadh region.

आर्द्रभूमि का भविष्य-हमारा भविष्य

आज विश्व आर्द्रभूमि दिवस के अवसर पर पार्वती अरगा पक्षी विहार, उत्तर प्रदेश,गोंडा में राष्ट्रीय स्तर के आयोजित कार्यक्रम में प्रदेश के आदरणीय मुख्यमंत्री श्री @myogiadityanath जी की गरिमामयी उपस्थिति ने जनपद गोंडा को गौरवान्वित किया। उन्होंने… pic.twitter.com/330bSGK6gq

— Kirti Vardhan Singh (@KVSinghMPGonda) February 2, 2025

During the event the dignitaries on the dais launched four publications including the ‘Integrated Management Plan of Parvati Arga Ramsar Site’, ‘Factbook of India’s 85 Ramsar Sites’, ‘Development of Van Taungya Villages’. The Integrated Management Plan of Parvati Arga Ramsar Site outlines a comprehensive strategy for biodiversity conservation, sustainable wetland management, and community engagement, ensuring an adaptive management approach for wise use of the wetland. The ‘Factbook of India’s 85 Ramsar Sites’ provides information on the values, benefits and threats of 85 Ramsar Sites of India including information about the species of conservation significance.

During the event, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with Amazon and ARGA, an initiative of the Government of Uttar Pradesh, to empower women entrepreneurs in and around Gonda district. As part of the MoU, Amazon will support women-led businesses associated with ARGA through its Saheli program. This includes providing training in digital and performance marketing, product listing optimization, and advertising methods. Women entrepreneurs from the region will also gain access to data-driven insights and metrics to better understand customer expectations and market opportunities. The dignitaries also launched a video on the World Wetlands Day with a call to save the unique ecosystems, the Amrit Dharohars (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ1dm7FRoPQ)

The winners of the Painting, Quiz and Nukkad Natak competitions on the theme of ‘Protecting wetlands for our common future’ were also felicitated. The winning team of the Nukkad Natak competition, AP Inter College, Mankapur, Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, performed their skit in front of the dignitaries. The Ramsar Site managers of the newly designated four Ramsar Sites of India namely, Udhwa Lake in Jharkhand, Theerthangal and Sakkarakottai in Tamil Nadu and Khecheopalri in Sikkim were also congratulated and were presented with the Ramsar certificates of these sites.

The event kicked-off with the inauguration of an exhibition by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh. The exhibition saw participation from over 25 exhibitors representing different States, technical organisations, Government departments. The exhibition included stalls focusing on water hyacinth and bamboo-based products, Mission LiFE, Green Skill Development Programme by the Government, EIACP centres and wetland conservation efforts in India by MoEFCC and knowledge partners. It also showcased the outreach activities conducted by the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) under the ‘Save Wetlands Campaign’. To showcase the efforts of young minds the winning paintings of the Nation-wide painting competition were also exhibited.

Regional Workshop for Northern States:
On the eve of World Wetlands Day, on 1st February, 2025, the Ministry organized a regional workshop for Northern states, with participation from nine States and Union Territories. The workshop brought together knowledge partners and private sector organizations. This was the fourth regional Sahbhagita workshop of 2024-25, after Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Gangtok. The workshop served as a platform to enhance collaborative efforts and highlight innovative approaches to wetland conservation and management. (Press Release: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2098813 )

About World Wetlands Day (WWD):
World Wetlands Day is observed on 2nd February every year worldwide to commemorate the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance in 1971. India is a party to the Convention since 1982. India has recently increased its tally of Ramsar sites (Wetlands of International Importance) to 89 by designating four more wetlands as Ramsar sites. Udhwa Lake in Jharkhand, Theerthangal and Sakkarakottai in Tamil Nadu and Khecheopalri in Sikkim. These are the first Ramsar Sites of Sikkim and Jharkhand. With the addition of these wetlands to List of Wetlands of International Importance, the total area covered under Ramsar sites is now 1.358 million ha. Tamil Nadu continues to have maximum number of Ramsar Sites (20 sites) followed by Uttar Pradesh (10 sites).

About Amrit Dharohar initiative:
Amrit Dharohar initiative, part of the 2023-24 budget announcement, was launched by MoEFCC during June 2023 to promote unique conservation values of the Ramsar Sites in the country while generating employment opportunities and supporting local livelihoods. This initiative is to be implemented over three years in convergence with various Central Government ministries and agencies, State Wetland Authorities, and a network of formal and informal institutions and individuals, working together for a common cause. The initiative focuses on four key components, Species and Habitat Conservation, Nature Tourism, Wetlands Livelihood and Wetlands Carbon.

*****

VM

(Release ID: 2098981) Visitor Counter : 36

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Houses of Worship and Other Nonprofits May Apply for Federal Public Assistance

Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

Headline: Houses of Worship and Other Nonprofits May Apply for Federal Public Assistance

Houses of Worship and Other Nonprofits May Apply for Federal Public Assistance

LOS ANGELES – FEMA Public Assistance (PA), which supports the repair and replacement of publicly owned infrastructure and buildings damaged in disasters, also assists private nonprofit (PNP) organizations, including houses of worship and other faith-based organizations that provide certain social services. Private nonprofits and faith-based groups that were impacted by the Los Angeles County Wildfires may be eligible for Public Assistance to help restore their damaged or destroyed facilities. To apply, they need to submit a Request for Public Assistance, or RPA, by Sunday, March 9, 2025. Organizations are also advised to apply with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for a low-interest disaster loan.Request for Public Assistance (RPA) If a PNP wishes to request reimbursement for costs related to damage and losses from the wildfires, it must submit a RPA to FEMA online via the FEMA Grants Portal by March 9. Follow these steps:Obtain a unique entity identifier, or UEI, at SAM.com, the official website for entities registering to do business with or apply for grants or loans from the federal government. For information on obtaining a UEI: visit SAM.gov or FSD.gov. Go to the FEMA Grants Portal at grantee.fema.gov, and click on “Register your Organization and Request Public Assistance” (at the bottom of the opening page). Fill in the requested information about the organization.After the RPA is submitted, FEMA evaluates a PNP’s nonprofit status and the services it provides to determine whether it is eligible. After the state and FEMA have approved a request, the applicant receives a system-generated email that the RPA has been approved. The organization then may submit projects requesting FEMA PA reimbursement for eligible work. Applicant Briefings will be held prior to the RPA deadline of March 9, to acquaint applicants and potential applicants with the PA program. Cal OES and Los Angeles County will send invitations to new and potential applicants. Once scheduled, the date(s), time(s), and location(s) of the applicant briefings will be posted on the Cal OES website under Applicants’ Briefings. Which Nonprofits and Faith Groups are Eligible to Apply for Public Assistance?Not all groups will be eligible. FEMA classifies PNP applicants as either “providers of critical services” or “providers of essential non-critical social services.” Providers of critical services, such as hospitals, other healthcare facilities, utilities and various other entities, can submit a RPA with the state and await FEMA’s decision. Entities that offer essential non-critical social services must take a few more steps. They need to submit a RPA, and also apply for a low interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), whose deadline to apply is March 10. If they are turned down for an SBA loan, or if the loan amount does not cover the cost of all repairs, FEMA may provide funds to pay for what SBA or insurance does not cover. Examples of essential non-critical social services include senior citizen or community centers, educational enrichment, daycare, services for people with disabilities, assisted living, low income housing, homeless shelters, rehabilitation services, and community and arts centers.For PNPs with facilities that provide essential noncritical social services, FEMA provides PA funding for eligible debris removal and emergency protective measures. However, FEMA may provide funding for permanent work costs that a SBA loan will not cover. Houses of worship and other nonprofits are encouraged to file a Request for Assistance, or RPA, as soon as possible, For the latest information about California’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4856. Follow FEMA Region 9 @FEMARegion9 on X or follow FEMA on social media at: FEMA Blog on fema.gov, @FEMA or @FEMAEspanol on X, FEMA or FEMA Espanol on Facebook, @FEMA on Instagram, and via FEMA YouTube channel. California is committed to supporting residents impacted by the Los Angeles Hurricane-Force Firestorm as they navigate the recovery process. Visit CA.gov/LA Fires for up-to-date information on disaster recovery programs, important deadlines, and how to apply for assistance.
barbara.murien…
Sat, 02/01/2025 – 02:36

MIL OSI USA News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: INAUGURAL EDITION OF INDIAN NAVY HALF MARATHON

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 02 FEB 2025 6:26PM by PIB Delhi

The inaugural edition of the Indian Navy Half Marathon was conducted on 02 Feb 25 in New Delhi. The event witnessed more than 10,000 participants competing across three race categories: 21.1 km, 10 km and 5 km runs, making it an inclusive event for runners of all calibres and backgrounds.

The flagship races – 21.1 km and 10 km runs were flagged off by Hon’ble Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, Dr Mansukh L Mandaviya in the presence of Chief of the Defence Staff, Chief of the Naval Staff, Chief of the Air Staff and senior services and civilian dignitaries.

The event was hosted at the iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, with the race route covering India Gate and the historic Kartavya Path and delivered a well-planned and unforgettable experience for all participants. In addition, the event was also graced by Senior management of the main partner IDFC First Bank, associate partners IOCL and Titan Watches. The presence of distinguished sportspersons made the event more memorable.

This landmark event aimed to promote health and fitness amongst participants from all walks of life, encouraging them to embrace physical activity and adopt an active lifestyle for overall well-being. The event also fostered a sense of camaraderie and competition, bringing people together to forge stronger bonds with the Indian Navy. It further aimed to inspire the youth to consider joining the Indian Navy, a career synonymous with courage, discipline and service to the nation.

The resounding success of the Indian Navy Half Marathon was further amplified by the remarkable performances of the participants. Athletes from different age groups and professional backgrounds demonstrated their endurance, determination, and sportsmanship, making the event an inspiring spectacle for everyone. The winners in each category showcased outstanding physical and mental resilience, setting an example for future participants.

The winner’s (List of first 03 position in each category attached Indian Navy Half Marathon Winners 2025.pdf) are as follows: –

Indian Navy Half Marathon Winners 2025.pdf

21.1 km (Half Marathon)

Men (Open Category): Kulbir Singh (1:04:52)

Women (Open Category): Vrinda Bhandari (1:37:08)

10 km

Men (Open Category): Prakash Deshmukh (0:30:22)

Women (Open Category): Kavita (0:35:36)

5 km

Men (Open Category): Gaurav Kasana (0:14:14)

Women (Open Category): Anjali (0:17:37)

_____________________________________________________________

VM/SKY 28/25

(Release ID: 2098968) Visitor Counter : 45

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Debris Removal Right of Entry Forms Available for Los Angeles County Residents Impacted by Wildfires

Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

Headline: Debris Removal Right of Entry Forms Available for Los Angeles County Residents Impacted by Wildfires

Debris Removal Right of Entry Forms Available for Los Angeles County Residents Impacted by Wildfires

LOS ANGELES – Debris cleanup for the catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles County started this week. FEMA assigned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps of Engineers) to survey, remove, and dispose of debris from properties burned by the wildfires.As part of this effort, Los Angeles County established a Debris Removal website for fire-impacted residents to obtain information and resources regarding debris clearance. Although most hazardous materials will be removed from private property by the EPA in Phase 1, full clearance of properties in Phase 2 by USACE will require a Right of Entry (ROE) form which is provided on the county website. Signing up for the debris removal program via the ROE will NOT impact a survivor’s ability to receive other FEMA disaster assistance programs. If a survivor opts-out of the ROE program, they become responsible for all costs, permits, inspections and other associated debris removal costs. Coverage for debris and hazardous tree removal may be provided under your insurance policy. For information about insurance reimbursement, visit pages 3 and 4 on the ROE form.Although hazardous debris will be removed by EPA without any action from the homeowner, general debris removal must be selected by the property owner by signing a ROE form. The ROE form allows property owners to give permission for USACE to access their property for cleanup activities.What is the Debris Removal Program?The Debris Removal Program has two phases: removal of household hazardous material followed by removal of other fire-related debris and trees that a certified arborist determines are dead or likely to die within five years due to the fire.Phase 1: Removing Hazardous MaterialsOn January 16, teams of experts from California’s Department of Toxic Substance Control and EPA began assessing properties in the burn areas to remove any household hazardous material that may pose a threat to human health, animals, and the environment such as batteries, paint, cleaners and solvents, oils, and pesticides. These teams specialize in identifying and removing hazardous substances from properties for safe disposal. This phase is automatic and is done at no cost to residents.EPA will only remove hazardous materials. This includes lithium-ion batteries from vehicles, homes, and other products. Examples of household items with lithium-ion batteries include electric/hybrid vehicles, power tools, power banks, home alarms, drones, and tablets.For more information, please visit: 2025 California Wildfires | US EPAPhase 2: Debris RemovalOnce the EPA clears properties of hazardous materials, the Corps of Engineers, alongside FEMA, will coordinate to remove fire damaged metal, ash, and other fire debris to help foster reconstruction. The Corps of Engineers will also remove foundations when property owners opt to include foundation removal on the ROE. Phase 2 will generally occur concurrent to Phase 1 as ROEs are collected, validated by the County and FEMA, and given to the Corps of Engineers to begin Phase 2 debris removal. One of the critical components of Phase 2 will be the collection of ROEs as residents opt into the program which can be done by visiting the county website. For the latest information about California’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4856. Follow FEMA Region 9 @FEMARegion9 on X or follow FEMA on social media at: FEMA Blog on fema.gov, @FEMA or @FEMAEspanol on X, FEMA or FEMA Espanol on Facebook, @FEMA on Instagram, and via FEMA YouTube channel.California is committed to supporting residents impacted by the Los Angeles Hurricane-Force Firestorm as they navigate the recovery process. Visit CA.gov/LAFires for up-to-date information on disaster recovery programs, important deadlines, and how to apply for assistance.
barbara.murien…
Sat, 02/01/2025 – 00:15

MIL OSI USA News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Prime Minister congratulates the Indian team on winning the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025

Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 02 FEB 2025 6:16PM by PIB Delhi

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today congratulated the Indian team on winning the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025.

In a post on X, he said:

“Immensely proud of our Nari Shakti! Congratulations to the Indian team for emerging victorious in the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025. This victory is the result of our excellent teamwork as well as determination and grit. It will inspire several upcoming athletes. My best wishes to the team for their future endeavours.”

Immensely proud of our Nari Shakti! Congratulations to the Indian team for emerging victorious in the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025. This victory is the result of our excellent teamwork as well as determination and grit. It will inspire several upcoming athletes. My best… pic.twitter.com/Z2nbGaolSg

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 2, 2025

***

MJPS/SR

(Release ID: 2098961) Visitor Counter : 34

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NASA to Talk Science, Tech Aboard Next Intuitive Machines Moon Flight

Source: NASA

NASA will host a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EST Friday, Feb. 7, to discuss the agency’s science and technology flying aboard Intuitive Machines’ second flight to the Moon. The mission is part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign to establish a long-term lunar presence.
Audio of the call will stream on the agency’s website at:

NASA Live

Briefing participants include:

Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
Niki Werkheiser, director, technology maturation, Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
Trent Martin, senior vice president, space systems, Intuitive Machines

To participate by telephone, media must RSVP no later than two hours before the briefing to: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online.
Intuitive Machines’ lunar lander, Athena, will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The four-day launch window opens no earlier than Wednesday, Feb. 26.
Among the items on Intuitive Machines’ lander, the IM-2 mission will be one of the first on site, or in-situ, demonstrations of resource utilization on the Moon. A drill and mass spectrometer will measure the potential presence of volatiles or gases from lunar soil in Mons Mouton, a lunar plateau near the Moon’s South Pole. In addition, a passive Laser Retroreflector Array on the top deck of the lander will bounce laser light back at any orbiting or incoming spacecraft to give future spacecraft a permanent reference point on the lunar surface. Other technology instruments on this delivery will demonstrate a robust surface communications system and deploy a propulsive drone that can hop across the lunar surface.
Launching as a rideshare with the IM-2 delivery, NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer spacecraft also will begin its journey to lunar orbit, where it will map the distribution of the different forms of water on the Moon.
Under the CLPS model, NASA is investing in commercial delivery services to the Moon to enable industry growth and support long-term lunar exploration. As a primary customer for CLPS deliveries, NASA is one of many customers for these flights.
For updates, follow on:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis
-end-
Alise Fisher / Jasmine HopkinsHeadquarters, Washington202-358-2546alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov / jasmine.s.hopkins@nasa.gov
Natalia Riusech / Nilufar RamjiJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111nataila.s.riusech@nasa.gov / nilufar.ramji@nasa.gov
Antonia JaramilloKennedy Space Center, Florida321-867-2468antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov

MIL OSI USA News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HKETO, Brussels supports Hong Kong comics industry at AngoulÃªme International Comics Festival (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

HKETO, Brussels supports Hong Kong comics industry at Angoulême International Comics Festival (with photos)
HKETO, Brussels supports Hong Kong comics industry at Angoulême International Comics Festival (with photos)
******************************************************************************************

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (HKETO, Brussels) is supporting the participation of Hong Kong’s comics industry in the 52nd Angoulême International Comics Festival, being held in France from January 29 to February 2 (Angoulême time). A Hong Kong pavilion has been set up at the festival, showcasing 38 outstanding works by Hong Kong comic artists. Drawing demonstrations, talks and networking events have been organised to showcase the creativity of the participating artists and to connect Hong Kong talent with international publishers and industry professionals. Speaking at a networking reception on February 1, Deputy Representative of HKETO, Brussels Miss Grace Li reaffirmed the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s commitment to nurturing the comics and animation sectors. She also emphasised Hong Kong’s robust and effective system of intellectual property protection, which plays a pivotal role in maintaining the city’s status as a thriving hub of creativity and innovation. The Angoulême International Comics Festival, founded in 1974, is one of Europe’s best-known comic festivals. Hong Kong’s participation was supported by HKETO Brussels in collaboration with Comix Home Base, which is curated by the Hong Kong Arts Centre, and the Hong Kong Comics and Animation Federation.

Ends/Sunday, February 2, 2025Issued at HKT 20:30

NNNN

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Celebrating India’s Musical Heritage: Akashvani and Ministry of Culture join hands for the launch of Classical Music Series: ‘Har Kanthh Mein Bharat’.

Source: Government of India

Celebrating India’s Musical Heritage: Akashvani and Ministry of Culture join hands for the launch of Classical Music Series: ‘Har Kanthh Mein Bharat’.

Cultural Harmony on AIR: 21 Stations to broadcast this special series everyday at 9:30 am till the 16th of February, 2025

Posted On: 02 FEB 2025 4:43PM by PIB Delhi

On the pious occasion of Basant Panchami, Pt. Ravishankar Music Studio at Broadcasting House, Akashvani came alive to a special function, organized to mark the launch of a new radio programme sereis, ‘Har Kanthh Mein Bharat’, specially curated to showcase myriad shades of Indian Classical Music on the airwaves.

Jointly presented by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and Public Service Broadcaster, Akashvani, this series will be broadcast at 9:30 A.M. simultaneously from 21 stations across India effectively covering almost all parts of the country, everyday till the 16^th of February, 2025.

The function formally commenced at 10:30 A.M., with floral offering to goddess Saraswati, by Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India, Shri Aruneesh Chawla, CEO, Prasar Bharati, Shri Gaurav Dwivedi, Director General, Akashvani, Dr. Pragya Paliwal Gaur, Joint Secretary Culture, Ms. Ameeta Prasad Sarbhai and Director General, Doordarshan, Ms. Kanchan Prasad.

In her welcome address, DG, Akashvani, Dr. Pragya Paliwal Gaur highlighted the celestial significance of the occasion of Basant Panchami this year, that symbolizes the rare confluence of Saraswati and Lakshmi, as the spring season ushers in. Enumerating the concept and the broadcast schedule of ‘Har Kanthh Mein Bharat’, she expressed the hope that this collaborative effort proves fruitful.

The series ‘Har Kanthh Mein Bharat’ was digitally jointly inaugurated by Shri Aruneesh Chawla and Shri Gaurav Dwivedi amid a standing ovation. In his special inaugural remarks, CEO Prasar Bharti highlighted the stellar, historical role of Akashvani, throughout the country, over the decades. He expressed optimistically that such creative partnership could help new avenues blossom.

Performing art forms in the age of AI

In his keynote speech, Secretary, Ministry of Culture listed minute details of the vision behind this collaboration. He referred to the various initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Culture, and the need to conserve and preserve performing art forms in the present AI age. According to him, involving gen-next with such projects was a solution towards that end. He also remarked that the Ministry of Culture was looking forward to extrapolating this joint presentation.

Intermittently, there were live musical performances on stage. While Saraswati Vandana and a vocal rendition in Raag Basant held the audience spellbound, Raag Des played on the Sarod enthralled everyone present in the studio.

*****

Dharmendra Tewari/Kshitij Singha

(Release ID: 2098933) Visitor Counter : 30

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Gene therapy promises individualised management of disease for each patient: Dr. Jitendra Singh

Source: Government of India

Gene therapy promises individualised management of disease for each patient: Dr. Jitendra Singh

India’s Bio-Economy Soars from $10B to $130B Under PM Modi’s Leadership, Aims for $300B,Says the Minister

Dr. Jitendra Singh Inaugurates Centre for Advanced Genomics & Precision Medicine

Posted On: 02 FEB 2025 4:38PM by PIB Delhi

JAMMU, February 2 : “Gene therapy promises individualised management of disease for each patient. Even if two individuals suffer from the same condition—be it cancer, kidney disease, or any other ailment—the treatment could be different in each case, guided by the individual’s unique genetic makeup, pre-existing susceptibilities and inherited vulnerabilities.”, stated Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, while inaugurating the Centre for Advanced Genomics & Precision Medicine at AIIMS Jammu.

Set up in collaboration with 4 base Care, the Centre aims to usher in a new era of personalised medicine, leveraging cutting-edge genomic research to provide targeted treatment based on individual genetic profiles.

Underscoring the transformative potential of gene therapy, the Minister emphasised that with genomic advancements, doctors would no longer rely on a one-size-fits-all approach but would tailor treatments to maximise efficacy and specificity for each individual.

The newly launched Centre for Advanced Genomics & Precision Medicine places AIIMS Jammu among the frontrunners in India’s medical research landscape. By integrating genomic data with AI-driven diagnostics, the centre aims to enhance early disease detection, optimise treatment strategies, and reduce the trial-and-error approach in medical prescriptions. Experts at the event noted that this facility would play a pivotal role in advancing precision oncology, cardiovascular genomics, and genetic screening for rare disorders.

Dr. Jitendra Singh pointed out that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India has prioritised technology-driven progress in the healthcare sector. He cited the government’s efforts in promoting indigenous research and biotechnology, highlighting the exponential growth in India’s bio-economy—from a mere $10 billion in 2014 to nearly $130 billion today, with an ambitious target of $300 billion in the near future. He further stated that with over 9,000 biotech startups compared to just 50 in 2014, India is rapidly emerging as a global leader in medical innovation.

The Minister stressed the need for an India-specific genomic database, highlighting the country’s unique genetic diversity. “India is a subcontinent in itself, with over 4,600 distinct demographic groups. Our gene sequencing efforts, which have already mapped 10,000 healthy individuals across 99 communities, will help create a robust dataset tailored to Indian-specific health challenges,” he said. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to completing one million genome sequences in the coming years to enable more accurate disease prediction and personalised interventions.

Dr. Jitendra Singh also pointed out the resurgence of infectious diseases alongside the rise in non-communicable diseases, urging a hybrid approach combining traditional diagnostics with genetic insights. “India has already proven itself in preventive healthcare, pioneering innovations like the world’s first DNA-based COVID-19 vaccine and the HPV vaccine. With this new centre, we will further strengthen our ability to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases using cutting-edge technology,” he said.

A key objective of the centre is to make precision medicine affordable and accessible to the masses. While personalised treatments have traditionally been costly, AIIMS Jammu aims to leverage indigenous research and government-backed biotech initiatives to bring down costs and integrate precision medicine into public healthcare programs.

The Minister highlighted initiatives like Ayushman Bharat, which has provided health coverage to millions, and the recently launched Bio-E3 policy, which focuses on biotechnology for economic growth, environmental sustainability, and employment generation. He stated that the government’s National Research Foundation (Anusandhan) will play a crucial role in funding next-generation research in genomics and personalised medicine.

Dr. Jitendra Singh elaborated on how Precision Medicine could be a game-changer for cancer treatment, enabling doctors to design targeted therapies instead of relying solely on conventional chemotherapy and radiation. He cited India’s recent success in conducting the first-ever genetic therapy trial for haemophilia at CMC Vellore, where patients showed a 60% improvement in clotting factor production, with zero bleeding episodes. The trial, acknowledged globally and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, underscores India’s rising stature in genetic research.

He also noted that genomic medicine would play a crucial role in tackling lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, which is now affecting younger age groups in India. A recent study found that the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in Jammu is slightly higher than the national average, making AIIMS Jammu’s research even more critical in developing effective intervention strategies.

Dr. Jitendra Singh concluded his address by reaffirming the government’s vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, where healthcare is not only curative but also predictive and preventive. “This is just the beginning. The future of medicine is personalised, and India is well on its way to leading the world in genomic healthcare,” he said.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Director AIIMS Jammu, Dr Shakti Gupta was all praise for Dr Jitendra Singh for the setting up and continuous upgradation of AIIMS Jammu.

Dr YK Gupta President AIIMS and Dr V Srinivas Director AIIMS New Delhi also spoke on the occasion.

*****

NKR/PSM

(Release ID: 2098931) Visitor Counter : 47

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s remarks during Maha Kumbabhishegam of Shri Sanathana Dharma Aalayam in Jakarta, Indonesia

Source: Government of India

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s remarks during Maha Kumbabhishegam of Shri Sanathana Dharma Aalayam in Jakarta, Indonesia

The relationship between India and Indonesia is not just geo-political, but is rooted in thousands of years of shared culture and history: PM

The cultural values, heritage, and legacy are enhancing people-to-people connections between India and Indonesia: PM

Posted On: 02 FEB 2025 3:47PM by PIB Delhi

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi delivered his remarks during Maha Kumbabhishegam of Shri Sanathana Dharma Aalayam in Jakarta, Indonesia via video message today. He extended warm greetings to His Excellency, President Prabowo Subianto, Chairman of the Murugan Temple Trust Pa Hashim, Managing Trustee Dr. Kobalan, dignitaries, priests and Acharyas of Tamil Nadu and Indonesia, members of the Indian diaspora, all the citizens from Indonesia and other nations who were part of the auspicious occasion, and all the talented artists who had turned this divine and magnificent temple into reality.

Expressing his fortune to be part of the ceremony, Shri Modi remarked that the presence of His Excellency President Prabowo made the event even more special for him. Although physically distant from Jakarta, the Prime Minister said, he felt emotionally close to the event, reflecting the strong India-Indonesia relationship. He highlighted that President Prabowo recently carried the love of 140 crore Indians to Indonesia, and he believed that through him, everyone in Indonesia could feel the best wishes of every Indian. He extended his congratulations to all devotees of Lord Murugan in Indonesia and around the world on the occasion of the Maha Kumbhabhishegam of the Jakarta Temple. The Prime Minister expressed his wish for the continued praise of Lord Murugan through the hymns of Tiruppugazh and the protection of all people through the mantras of Skanda Shasti Kavacham. He congratulated Dr. Kobalan and his team for their hard work in realizing the dream of constructing the temple.

“The relationship between India and Indonesia is not just geo-political but is rooted in thousands of years of shared culture and history”, exclaimed the Prime Minister. He emphasized that the bond between the two nations is based on heritage, science, faith, shared beliefs, and spirituality. This connection includes Lord Murugan, Lord Ram, and Lord Buddha. He highlighted that when someone from India visits the Prambanan Temple in Indonesia, they experience the same spiritual feeling as in Kashi and Kedarnath. He noted that the stories of Kakawin and Serat Ramayana evoke the same emotions as Valmiki Ramayana, Kamba Ramayana, and Ramcharitmanas in India. He mentioned that Indonesian Ramleela is also performed in Ayodhya, India. Shri Modi stated that hearing “Om Swasti-Astu” in Bali reminds Indians of the Vedic scholars’ blessings in India. He pointed out that the Borobudur Stupa in Indonesia reflects the same teachings of Lord Buddha as seen in Sarnath and Bodh Gaya in India. The Prime Minister mentioned that the Bali Jatra festival in Odisha celebrates the ancient maritime voyages that once connected India and Indonesia culturally and commercially. He added that even today, when Indians travel by Garuda Indonesia Airlines, they see the shared cultural heritage.

Prime Minister remarked that the relationship between India and Indonesia is woven with many strong threads. He mentioned that during President Prabowo’s recent visit to India, they cherished many aspects of this shared heritage. He highlighted that the new grand Murugan Temple in Jakarta adds a new golden chapter to the centuries-old heritage. He expressed confidence that this temple will become a new center for both faith and cultural values.

Noting that the Murugan Temple in Jakarta houses not only Lord Murugan but also various other deities, Shri Modi emphasized that this diversity and plurality form the foundation of our culture. In Indonesia, this tradition of diversity is called “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika,” while in India, it is known as “Unity in Diversity”, he said. The Prime Minister highlighted that this acceptance of diversity is the reason why people of different faiths live with such harmony in both Indonesia and India. He stated that this auspicious day inspires us to embrace Unity in Diversity.

“The cultural values, heritage, and legacy are enhancing people-to-people connections between India and Indonesia”, said Shri Modi. He highlighted the joint decision to preserve the Prambanan Temple and the shared commitment to the Borobudur Buddhist Temple. He mentioned the Indonesian Ramleela in Ayodhya and emphasized the need to promote more such programs. The Prime Minister expressed confidence that, with President Prabowo, they will advance rapidly in this direction. He stated that the past will form the foundation of a golden future. He concluded by extending his gratitude to President Prabowo and congratulating everyone on the Maha Kumbhabhishegam of the temple.

[embedded content]

***

MJPS/SR

(Release ID: 2098915) Visitor Counter : 34

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: KEY HIGHLIGHTS: Gender Budget Allocations in Union Budget of 2025-26

Source: Government of India

KEY HIGHLIGHTS: Gender Budget Allocations in Union Budget of 2025-26

Gender Budget allocation in the total Union Budget increases to 8.86% in FY 2025-26 from 6.8% in 2024-25

Rs. 4.49 lakh crore allocated for welfare of women and girls in the gender budget statement of FY 2025-26, an increase of Rs. 37.25% over the Gender budget allocation of Rs. 3.27 lakh crore in FY 2024-25

Posted On: 02 FEB 2025 3:36PM by PIB Delhi

Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025-26 in Parliament on 1^st February,2025. The share of Gender Budget allocation in the total Union Budget has increased to 8.86% in FY 2025-26 from 6.8% in FY 2024-25.

An allocation of Rs. 4.49 lakh crore has been reported for welfare of women and girls in the gender budget statement of FY 2025-26. This is an increase of Rs. 37.25% over the GBS allocation of Rs. 3.27 lakh crore in FY 2024-25.

This year a total of 49 Ministries/Departments and 5 UTs have reported allocations as against 38 Ministries/Departments and 5 UTs in FY 2024-25. This is the highest number of reporting by the Ministries/Departments in the GBS since its inception. Twelve new Ministries/Departments have reported allocations in the GBS 2025-26 are Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Department of Biotechnology, Department of Food & Public Distribution, Department of Financial Services, Department of Fisheries, Department of Land Resources, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Department of Water Resources, RD & GR, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, and Ministry of Railways.

These 49 Ministries/Departments and 5 UTs have reported allocations in Part A, Part B and Part C of the Gender Budget Statement. Rs. 1,05,535.40 crore (23.50% of total GBS allocation) have been reported by 17 Ministries/Departments and 5 UTs in Part A (100% women specific schemes); Rs. 3,26,672.00 crore (72.75%) have been reported by 37 Ministries/Departments and 4 UTs in Part B (30-99% allocation for women) and Rs. 16,821.28 crore (3.75%) have been reported by 22 Ministries/Departments in Part C (below 30% allocation for women).

Top 10 Ministries/Departments that have reported more than 30% of their allocations in the Gender Budget for FY 2025-26 are Ministry of Women & Child Development (81.79%), Department of Rural Development (65.76%), Department of Food & Public Distribution (50.92%), Department of Health & Family Welfare (41.10%), Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (40.89%), Department of Social Justice & Empowerment (39.01%), Department of Higher Education (33.94%), Department of School Education & Literacy (33.67%), Ministry of Home Affairs (33.47%) and Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (31.50%).

*****

SS/MS

(Release ID: 2098912) Visitor Counter : 73

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: BSNL’s uninterrupted Communication Services providing relief to pilgrims and security forces at the Mahakumbh 2025 in Prayagraj

Source: Government of India

BSNL’s uninterrupted Communication Services providing relief to pilgrims and security forces at the Mahakumbh 2025 in Prayagraj

Free SIM distribution and state-of-the-art communication facilities provided in the Mela area

Posted On: 02 FEB 2025 3:23PM by PIB Delhi

Under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is playing a key role in strengthening the communication infrastructure at the Mahakumbh 2025, to ensure reliable connectivity. BSNL has set up a dedicated customer service center in the Mela area, where pilgrims and devotees are receiving on-site assistance, complaint resolution, and uninterrupted communication services.

At the Kumbh Mela, pilgrims from different parts of the country are being provided with free SIM cards from their respective circles. If any pilgrim loses or damages their SIM card, they will not need to return to their home state. BSNL has arranged to supply SIM cards from all circles across the country to the Mela area. This service is completely free, ensuring that pilgrims can easily stay in touch with their family and friends. BSNL has set up a camp office at Lal Road Sector-2, from where all communication services are being managed.

There has been a significant increase in demand for services like fiber connections, leased line connections, and mobile recharges in the Kumbh area. Keeping in mind the convenience of the public, SIM cards from different states have been made available, benefiting not only the pilgrims but also the security forces stationed there. BSNL’s Chief General Manager for the Prayagraj commercial area, Shri B. K. Singh, mentioned that during Amrit snans on Makar Sankranti and Mauni Amavasya, the quality of communication services remained intact, and despite heavy crowds, the network did not experience any disruptions.

To ensure uninterrupted communication services during Mahakumbh 2025, a total of 90 BTS towers have been activated in the Mela area. These include 30 BTS (700 MHz 4G band), 30 BTS (2100 MHz band), and 30 BTS (2G-enabled). Additionally, internet leased lines, Wi-Fi hotspots, high-speed internet (FTTH), webcasting, SD-WAN, bulk SMS service, M2M SIMs, and satellite phone services have also been provided in the Mela area. Through this initiative, BSNL is ensuring seamless communication for millions of pilgrims, administrative officers, security forces, and volunteer organizations, helping in the smooth operation of the event.

*****

AD/VM

(Release ID: 2098907) Visitor Counter : 56

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: DG (Central Bureau of Communication) reviews exhibition showcasing Central government schemes at Mahakumbh 2025

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 02 FEB 2025 3:21PM by PIB Delhi

Shri Yogesh Kumar Baweja, Director General of the Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, visited the multimedia exhibition themed ‘Janbhagidari se Jankalyan’, set up at Mahakumbh, Prayagraj. The exhibition showcases the programmes, policies, schemes and achievements of the Government of India over the past 10 years.

After visiting the exhibition, the Director-General said that the exhibition effectively presents the Indian Government’s schemes and achievements. Developed using new technologies like anamorphic walls, LED TV screens, and holographic cylinders, this multimedia exhibition provides the public with better information about various schemes. He added that the goal of the exhibition is to inform people about the government’s efforts and initiatives, so they can benefit from these policies, programmes and schemes.

During the visit, the Director-General assessed the work being carried out by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at the Mahakumbh 2025, and held a review meeting with CBC and PIB officials. He instructed them to coordinate effectively and manage communication and promotional activities efficiently.

This digital exhibition has been an innovative platform for informing devotees and visitors about the government’s major schemes, policies, and efforts for national unity. Running from January 13 to February 26, the exhibition is based on the theme ‘Unity is the Strength of Society’, showcasing government initiatives like ‘One Nation, One Tax’, ‘One Country, One Power Grid’ and ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’, to unite the country.

Additionally, the exhibition highlights schemes related to entrepreneurship, self-employment, and economic empowerment, embodying the spirit of public participation for public welfare. Through LED screens, digital displays, and audio-visual media, this exhibition not only promotes economic and social empowerment but also serves as a medium for connecting the masses using modern technology. Devotees are not only gaining detailed information about government schemes but are also becoming more aware of their role in nation-building.

*****

AD/VM

(Release ID: 2098906) Visitor Counter : 69

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 250+ Cyclists led by Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Come Together to Support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Message to Fight Obesity

Source: Government of India (2)

250+ Cyclists led by Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Come Together to Support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Message to Fight Obesity

Theme of this week’s Fit India ‘Sundays On Cycle’ Event is ‘Obesity Free India’

Posted On: 02 FEB 2025 3:17PM by PIB Delhi

Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya led a diverse group of cyclists here on Sunday, taking forward Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s call to fight obesity in India. This week’s Fit India Sundays on Cycle event at the Major Dhyanchand Stadium saw participation a from myriad group of doctors and nutritionists, who took forward the message.

Also present was Paris Paralympics medalist Rubina Francis as well as several youngsters from the Bharati College Delhi and the Soniya Vihar Water Sports Club.

Obesity मुक्त, सेहत युक्त भारत!

प्रधानमंत्री श्री @NarendraModi जी के Obesity Free India के आह्वान के संदेश को आगे बढ़ाते हुए आज #SundayOnCycle में युवाओं के साथ साइकिलिंग की।

Obesity देश में आज नागरिकों के समक्ष एक चैलेंज है, अगर हम एक Healthy LifeStyle अपनाएं, Oil का… pic.twitter.com/aAx6lZRYGt

— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) February 2, 2025

“Obesity is a major issue and a big challenge for the youth. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says one out of eight people are obese. Therefore, exercise and playing sports is very important these days. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi mentioned about the same at the 38th National Games in Dehradun. We have to lessen our oil consumption and be very conscious of our diet. Cycling consistently will play a beneficial role in this fight against obesity. Through Fit India, we can win this fight,” mentioned Dr Mandaviya on Sunday morning.

Rubina Francis expressed how the Fit India Sundays on Cycle event is a great step in moving towards this fight against obesity. “Initiatives like this makes the country move towards good health and fight against obesity. Not only will cycling or doing yoga early in the morning bring a lot of positivity in life but also help in the mission towards an obesity-free India. As an athlete, this morning routine has helped me a lot and I feel adapting the same will help the general public as well,” said Rubina, bronze medalist in the P2 10m air pistol SH1 event at Paris 2024.

Dr Tribhuvan Gulati, Diabetes and Obesity specialist, who was a part of the group of riders, shed light on several health risks obesity plays, “Obesity brings along with it 130 different diseases like osteoarthritis, kidney diseases, liver diseases, fatty liver, pre-diabetes, diabetes, PCOD in women, sexual dysfunction in both men and women, and more. WHO has labelled obesity as a disease in 2016. It is not an aesthetic or cosmetic problem. India labelled obesity as a disease in 2018 that should not be left untreated. This is a big health issue.”

Dr Piyush Jain, senior paediatrician and a member of Indian Medical Association (IMA), mentioned that cycling is a positive step in combating obesity. “There has been a lot of inactivity among the kids today because of mobile phones and no outdoor games. Sensitising the public on this through the cycling movement is very important. Right now, 20% Indian people are diabetic and by 2030, it will be 35%. We are getting away from healthy food and exercise. Once you start cycling or any other exercise, it increases the metabolism of the body. Energy is consumed and from the moment we start losing weight, the person also becomes more motivated,” said Dr Jain.

Sports nutritionists from SAI National Centre for Sports Science and Research (NCSSR) were also part of the group of riders. Anshu Malik, Sports Nutritionist, SAI NCSSR said, “When we cycle regularly, our heart rate increases. Once it happens, the overall body toning takes places and the overall BMR also increases. When BMR increases, the weight automatically normalises. Therefore, weight management is also taken care of. Apart from that, as a nutritionist I can say that cycling will make you look young forever.”

Dr Mandaviya launched this unique cycling drive at the same venue on December 17 last year and several cycling drives have been conducted pan-India every week thereafter. The event has been staged at more than 3500 locations across the country with the participation of more than 3 lakh riders. Events are simultaneously held nationwide at SAI Regional Centres, National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs) and the Khelo India centres (KICs).

The Fit India Sundays on Cycle, organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), in collaboration with the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) and MY Bharat, promotes cycling as a sustainable, healthy and environment-friendly mode of transportation.

****

Himanshu Pathak

(Release ID: 2098905) Visitor Counter : 10

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Lauds Historic Budgetary Allocation for Labour Welfare; Says Social Security for Gig Workers a Transformative Step

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 02 FEB 2025 2:44PM by PIB Delhi

The Union Budget 2025 marks a landmark initiative in India’s labour welfare landscape with a comprehensive framework to extend formal recognition and social security benefits to gig workers. Lauding the decision, Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, hailed the Government’s commitment to ensuring the well-being of over 1 crore gig workers across the country.

Gig Workers to Get Social Security Benefits

Expressing his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman for this announcement, Dr. Mandaviya said “The gig workforce is a vital pillar of India’s new-age economy, driving innovation and efficiency across digital platforms. Recognizing their contribution, the Government’s decision to provide them with identity cards, e-Shram registration, and healthcare security under PM Jan Arogya Yojana is a transformative step towards their social security and well-being. This initiative will empower nearly 1 crore gig workers. Beyond this, the Government remains committed to extending social security benefits to workers in other unorganised sectors as well, ensuring dignity, security, and prosperity for every worker in the country,” said Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya.

The rise of digital platforms has revolutionized employment, creating new opportunities for flexible work arrangements. India’s gig and platform economy has witnessed rapid expansion, with NITI Aayog’s report ‘India’s Booming Gig and Platform Economy’ projecting that the workforce in this sector will cross 1 Crore in 2024-25 and grow to 2.35 crore by 2029-30.

Recognizing this transformation, the Code on Social Security, 2020 (CoSS, 2020) for the first time, defined ‘aggregator’, ‘gig worker’ and ‘platform worker and introduced legal provisions for gig and platform workers for the first time, ensuring their inclusion in social security measures. This framework laid the groundwork for structured welfare initiatives tailored to the needs of this dynamic workforce.

The Union Budget 2025-26 marks a significant milestone in this journey, with a comprehensive initiative to extend formal recognition and social security benefits to platform-based gig workers. The Hon’ble Finance Minister has announced measures to facilitate their identification through unique identity cards, streamline their registration on the e-Shram portal, and ensure access to healthcare under PM Jan Arogya Yojana. These steps will further strengthen the safety net for over 1 crore gig workers across sectors.

A pilot initiative has already been undertaken by the Ministry of Labour & Employment to register platform workers and aggregators on the e-Shram portal. An Aggregator Module has also been piloted enabling digital platforms to onboard themselves and their workforce onto India’s national database for unorganised workers. As part of this pilot, four leading aggregators—Urban Company, Zomato, Blinkit, and Uncle Delivery—have already registered.

The Budget 2025 announcement marks a significant expansion of this initiative, enabling a massive scale-up and institutionalizing these efforts. With enhanced resources, the initiative will ensure that every gig and platform worker has access to essential social security benefits through eShram portal, reinforcing the Government’s commitment to safeguarding the interests of this workforce.

The Ministry remains focused on the seamless execution of these initiatives, addressing any operational challenges, and strengthening collaboration with digital platforms. By combining early groundwork with large-scale policy support, the Government aims to create a robust safety net for gig workers, ensuring their security and well-being in India’s evolving employment landscape.

Record Budget Allocation for Labour Welfare & Employment Generation

Continuing the Government’s focus on labour welfare and employment generation, the Union Budget has allocated a record ₹32,646 crore for the Ministry of Labour & Employment in FY 25-26—the highest ever and almost 80% higher than last year’s revised estimates. Dr. Mandaviya highlighted the significance of this historic allocation, stating:

“I thank Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji for this historic budget which is the highest ever and almost 80% higher than last year’s revised estimates. Our focus is firmly on the newly announced Employment Generation Scheme (ELI), for which the budgetary allocation has been doubled from ₹10,000 crore to ₹20,000 crore. The allocation under the Employees’ Pension Scheme has been increased by ₹300 crores and under the PM Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana by 37% compared to last year.”

******

Himanshu Pathak

(Release ID: 2098901) Visitor Counter : 39

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: College of Defence Management Concludes National Seminar on Future-Ready Military Leadership

Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 02 FEB 2025 12:54PM by PIB Delhi

The College of Defence Management (CDM), Secunderabad, hosted its annual National Seminar from January 30-31, 2025, on ‘Developing Military Strategic Authentic Leaders (MISAL): Re-Imagining Concepts and Strategies,’, bringing together senior military officials, strategic experts, and leading academicians to explore evolving leadership frameworks in modern warfare. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan delivered the keynote address, emphasising the critical need for adaptive leadership in an era of disruptive technologies and complex geopolitical shifts.

A key highlight of the seminar was the session on ‘Strategies for Developing Military Strategic and Authentic Leaders,’ where Vice Adm Biswajit Dasgupta (Retd) and Lt Gen Ajay Chandpuria led discussions on the impact of disruptive technologies, shifting geopolitical dynamics, and the evolving role of strategic military leadership. The seminar featured discussions by various academicians on subjects including leadership evolution, lessons from the Ancient Indian Knowledge System, and competencies required for integrated, cross-service leadership. Senior veterans provided critical insights into modern military challenges and leadership models essential for shaping future-ready armed forces. Commandant CDM Major General Harsh Chhibber, underscored the necessity of re-evaluating military leadership strategies in light of increasing global conflicts, diminishing control mechanisms, and the socio-economic diversity of the Armed Forces.

The seminar reinforced the urgent need for military leadership to align with national security objectives, leveraging technological advancements and structural reforms within the Armed Forces. The seminar provided a common platform to delve deeply into the construct, concepts and strategies that shape military leadership & explored theoretical frameworks as well as examined real-world experiences in a military context.

The College of Defence Management (CDM), established in December 1970, remains a premier tri-service institution dedicated to equipping senior military leadership with contemporary management thought, concepts, and best practices. Over the years, its National Seminars have addressed crucial themes ranging from strategic challenges and self-reliance to geopolitical power shifts and leadership transformation, cementing CDM’s role in shaping India’s military future.

SR/KB

(Release ID: 2098888) Visitor Counter : 54

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 3, 2025

Category-Wise Breakup
Category	No. of Loans	Amount Sanctioned
Shishu	79%	36%
Kishor	19%	40%
Tarun	2%	24%
Tarun Plus	–	–
Total	100%	100%

Category: KB

A not-so-independent regulator

A note of caution

Budget 2025-26 Proposes Framework For Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries from Indian EEZ and High SeasBudget Announcement Targets Approx 2.5 Lakh Tonnes of Untapped Fisheries Potential in Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands

Union Budget boosts Shipbuilding with New Mega Clusters in India: SonowalBudget Sets Up Maritime Development Fund (MDF) of ₹25,000 crores, propels India’s Maritime Sector

CFA is encouraging brigades across the state to compete in this year’s CFA/VFBV State Firefighter Championships in March.

The NSW Government’s new plan 9 min read

World Wetlands Day 2025, themed ‘Protecting Wetlands for our Common Future’, celebrated at Parvati Arga Ramsar Site, in Gonda, Uttar PradeshThe celebration of World Wetlands Day here will give Parvati Arga an international recognition: UP CM Yogi Adityanath

Celebrating India’s Musical Heritage: Akashvani and Ministry of Culture join hands for the launch of Classical Music Series: ‘Har Kanthh Mein Bharat’.Cultural Harmony on AIR: 21 Stations to broadcast this special series everyday at 9:30 am till the 16th of February, 2025

Gene therapy promises individualised management of disease for each patient: Dr. Jitendra SinghIndia’s Bio-Economy Soars from $10B to $130B Under PM Modi’s Leadership, Aims for $300B,Says the Minister

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s remarks during Maha Kumbabhishegam of Shri Sanathana Dharma Aalayam in Jakarta, IndonesiaThe relationship between India and Indonesia is not just geo-political, but is rooted in thousands of years of shared culture and history: PM

KEY HIGHLIGHTS: Gender Budget Allocations in Union Budget of 2025-26Gender Budget allocation in the total Union Budget increases to 8.86% in FY 2025-26 from 6.8% in 2024-25

BSNL’s uninterrupted Communication Services providing relief to pilgrims and security forces at the Mahakumbh 2025 in PrayagrajFree SIM distribution and state-of-the-art communication facilities provided in the Mela area

250+ Cyclists led by Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Come Together to Support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Message to Fight ObesityTheme of this week’s Fit India ‘Sundays On Cycle’ Event is ‘Obesity Free India’

Budget 2025-26 Proposes Framework For Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries from Indian EEZ and High Seas

Budget Announcement Targets Approx 2.5 Lakh Tonnes of Untapped Fisheries Potential in Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands

Union Budget boosts Shipbuilding with New Mega Clusters in India: Sonowal

Budget Sets Up Maritime Development Fund (MDF) of ₹25,000 crores, propels India’s Maritime Sector

World Wetlands Day 2025, themed ‘Protecting Wetlands for our Common Future’, celebrated at Parvati Arga Ramsar Site, in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh

The celebration of World Wetlands Day here will give Parvati Arga an international recognition: UP CM Yogi Adityanath

Celebrating India’s Musical Heritage: Akashvani and Ministry of Culture join hands for the launch of Classical Music Series: ‘Har Kanthh Mein Bharat’.

Cultural Harmony on AIR: 21 Stations to broadcast this special series everyday at 9:30 am till the 16th of February, 2025

Gene therapy promises individualised management of disease for each patient: Dr. Jitendra Singh

India’s Bio-Economy Soars from $10B to $130B Under PM Modi’s Leadership, Aims for $300B,Says the Minister

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s remarks during Maha Kumbabhishegam of Shri Sanathana Dharma Aalayam in Jakarta, Indonesia

The relationship between India and Indonesia is not just geo-political, but is rooted in thousands of years of shared culture and history: PM

KEY HIGHLIGHTS: Gender Budget Allocations in Union Budget of 2025-26

Gender Budget allocation in the total Union Budget increases to 8.86% in FY 2025-26 from 6.8% in 2024-25

BSNL’s uninterrupted Communication Services providing relief to pilgrims and security forces at the Mahakumbh 2025 in Prayagraj

Free SIM distribution and state-of-the-art communication facilities provided in the Mela area

250+ Cyclists led by Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Come Together to Support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Message to Fight Obesity

Theme of this week’s Fit India ‘Sundays On Cycle’ Event is ‘Obesity Free India’