‘Durga Puja in Kolkata’ inscribed on ‘Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ by UNESCO.
The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage inscribed ‘Durga Puja in Kolkata’ on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during its 16th session, taking place virtually from 13 to 18 December this year.
I would like to offer warm congratulations to India, its people and especially all those who worked on the nomination dossier. I am confident that this inscription will offer encouragement to the local communities that celebrate Durga Puja, including all the traditional craftspeople, designers, artists, and organizers of large-scale cultural events, as well as tourists and visitors who partake in the inclusive festivity that is Durga Puja.
Eric Falt, Director, UNESCO New Delhi
As a ten-day celebration, Durga Puja represents the collective worship of the Hindu Goddess Durga. During this time, masterfully designed clay models of the Goddess are worshipped in “pandals” or pavilions where communities get together and celebrate. Several folk music, culinary, craft, and performing arts traditions add to the dynamism of this celebration.
While Durga Puja is one of the most important festivals of West Bengal, India, it is widely observed across the country and in major cities of the world by the Bengali diaspora. Over the years, the Indian city of Kolkata has emerged as the geographical and cultural heart of the national and global celebrations of the festival.
The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity currently has 492 elements. It includes forms of expression that testify to the diversity of intangible heritage and raises awareness of its importance. By enhancing the visibility of communities’ cultural practices and know-how, UNESCO aims to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage of communities globally.
The 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage promotes the protection of knowledge and skills necessary for traditional artisanship and cultural practices transmitted from generation to generation, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals and festive events, and knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe.
8th Indian Ocean Dialogue jointly hosted by External Affairs Ministry and Indian Council of World Affairs.
Key Facts
The dialogue was jointly hosted by the External Affairs Ministry and Indian Council of World Affairs.
Dialogue was hosted under the theme- “Leveraging Digital Technologies for Health, Education, Development, and Trade in Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Member States”.
Highlights of the address
During the dialogue, Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh noted the need for greater collaboration among IORA Member States in order to recover from the pandemic.
He also highlighted the critical role of new and emerging technologies and re-affirmed India’s readiness to collaborate on it.
Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)
IORA was formerly known as Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) and Indian Ocean Rim Initiative. It is an international organisation of 23 states which share borders with the Indian Ocean. It is a regional forum, tripartite in nature. It brings together representatives of Government, Academia and Business to promote cooperation and closer interaction between them.
Principles of IORA
IORA is based on the principles of Open Regionalism to strengthen Economic Cooperation, especially on Trade Facilitation & Investment, Promotion and Social Development of the region.
Secretariat of IORA
The Coordinating Secretariat of IORA is situated at Ebene in Mauritius.
History of IORA
IORA was first established in March 1995, as Indian Ocean Rim Initiative. It was formally launched in March 1997 with the conclusion of a multilateral treaty called “Charter of the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation”.
Columbia Journalism School alumni award for The Hindu Group chairperson Malini Parthasarathy.
The Columbia Journalism School on Tuesday named The Hindu Group chairperson Malini Parthasarathy as one of its alumni award recipients for 2022.
In a statement, the Columbia Journalism School Office of Alumni and Development said the award is presented every year to distinguished graduates who "exemplify the best of the Journalism School's high standards of journalism."
Cabinet approves India-Poland treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Government of the Republic of India and the Republic of Poland with a view to enhance capability and effectiveness of both countries in investigation and prosecution of crimes, including crimes related to terrorism through mutual legal assistance.
Benefits of mutual work:
The Treaty aims to enhance effectiveness of both the countries in investigation and prosecution of crime, through cooperation and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. In the context of transnational crime and its linkages to terrorism, the proposed Treaty will provide a broad legal framework for bilateral cooperation with Poland in investigation and prosecution of crime as well as in tracing, restrain and confiscation of proceeds and instruments of crime as well as the funds meant to finance terrorist acts.
After signing and ratification of the Treaty, suitable Gazette Notifications will be issued under the relevant provisions of Cr.P.C. 1973 to give effect to the provisions of the Treaty in India. The Gazette notification is accessible to the general public outside the Government domain and it will provide increased awareness and transparency on mutual cooperation between India and Poland in the field of mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved an incentive scheme worth Rs 1,300 crore to promote RuPay debit cards and low-value BHIM-UPI transactions ((up to Rs 2,000).
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved an incentive scheme worth Rs 1,300 crore to promote RuPay debit cards and low-value BHIM-UPI transactions ((up to Rs 2,000).
Under the scheme, the acquiring banks will be incentivised by the government, by way of paying a percentage of value of transactions (person to merchants-P2M) done through RuPay debit cards and low-value BHIM-UPI modes of payments.
Cabinet approves implementation of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana for 2021-26.
The Cabinet has approved implementation of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana for 2021-26. The scheme will benefit about 22 lakh farmers, including 2.5 lakh Scheduled Caste and two lakh Scheduled Tribe farmers.
Speaking to reporters, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said, an outlay of over ninety three thousand crore rupees will be spent. Terming the decision as historic, the Minister said, out of ninety three thousand crore rupees, thirty seven thousand four hundred fifty four crore rupees will be central assistance to States.
Cabinet approves Programme for Development of Semiconductors and Display Manufacturing Ecosystem in India.
In furtherance of the vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat and positioning India as the global hub for Electronic System Design and Manufacturing, the Union Cabinet chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the comprehensive program for the development of sustainable semiconductor and display ecosystem in the country.
The program will usher in a new era in electronics manufacturing by providing a globally competitive incentive package to companies in semiconductors and display manufacturing as well as design. This shall pave the way for India’s technological leadership in these areas of strategic importance and economic self-reliance.
The programme aims to provide attractive incentive support to companies / consortia that are engaged in Silicon Semiconductor Fabs, Display Fabs, Compound Semiconductors / Silicon Photonics / Sensors (including MEMS) Fabs, Semiconductor Packaging (ATMP / OSAT), Semiconductor Design.
broad incentives have been approved for the development of semiconductors and display manufacturing ecosystem in India.
In the current geopolitical scenario, trusted sources of semiconductors and displays hold strategic importance and are key to the security of critical information infrastructure. The approved program will propel innovation and build domestic capacities to ensure the digital sovereignty of India. It will also create highly skilled employment opportunities to harness the demographic dividend of the country.
NTPC awards India’s first green hydrogen-based microgrid project at Simhadri (AP).
Highlights
The project has been awarded at the Simhadri plant of NTPC Ltd. in Andhra Pradesh.
NTPC will involve in “Standalone Fuel-cell based Microgrid along with hydrogen production using electrolyzer” project at NTPC Simhadri.
India has also planned to call bids to build 4 gigawatt (GW) of electrolyzer capacity under its energy security strategy.
Green Hydrogen Mobility project
For a green hydrogen mobility project, NTPC Renewable Energy Limited (NTPC REL) has also signed a pact with Union territory of Ladakh.
This project will be executed by NTPC in association with the NVVN.
How Green Hydrogen is produced?
Green hydrogen is produced by separating water into hydrogen and oxygen using an electrolyzer, which is powered by renewable energy sources like wind and solar.
Significance of the project
This project will act as a precursor to large scale hydrogen energy storage projects. It will also be useful to study and deploy multiple microgrids in several off-grid and strategic locations in India.
This project has been designed in-house by NTPC.
It would open doors for decarbonising the far-off regions in India like Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K).
Project has been implemented in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to become carbon neutral by 2070 and make Ladakh a carbon-neutral territory.
Installed Capacity of NTPC
Across 70 power projects, NTPC has an installed capacity of around 67.907 GW. 18 GW projects are under construction. NTPC has aimed to generate 60 GW renewable energy capacity by 2032 from the current capacity of 4.7 GW.
Simhadri Super Thermal Power Plant
It is a coal-fired power plant, established in Visakhapatnam city of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the coal fired power plants of NTPC. Coal for this power plant is sourced from Kalinga Block of Talcher Coal fields in Odisha. It is a national asset, and power generated is shared between multiple states.
SBI, Indian Army renew MoU to offer benefits to army personnel, their families.
To offer benefits to all serving, retired Army personnel through its Defence Salary Package Scheme.
SBI has renewed its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Army to offer benefits to all serving as well as retired Army Personnel and their families through its Defence Salary Package (DSP) Scheme.
Under this MoU, SBI offers zero-balance Savings Bank accounts with complimentary benefits and waiver of service charges.
WhatsApp starts a pilot to adopt 500 villages in India for access to digital payments.
The pilot was successful with villagers adopting WhatsApp as a mode of payment
WhatsApp on Wednesday announced its pilot program of adopting 500 villages across Karnataka and Maharashtra aiming to empower villagers with access to digital payments through ‘payments on WhatsApp’.
Started from October 15 this year, the pilot was called ‘Digital Payments Utsav’ launched in Kyathanahalli village in Mandya district of Karnataka, wherein on-ground facilitators familiarised villagers with various aspects of digital payments including - signing up for UPI, setting up a UPI account and safety best practices of using digital payments.
President Ram Nath Kovind holds delegation level talks with Bangladesh’s President Md Abdul Hamid in Dhaka; participates in 50th Victory Day celebrations of Bangladesh.
President Kovind presented a small-scale model of MIG 21 used in 1971 as a token of friendship between the two countries.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh and Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen called on President Ram Nath Kovind in Dhaka in the afternoon on Wednesday.
President Kovind and Prime Minister Hasina discussed several issues of mutual interest and bilateral cooperation between the two countries. They also reviewed progress in the multifaceted and comprehensive bilateral ties. The spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said in a tweet that the two leaders recalled the spirit of 1971 liberation War and expressed satisfaction at the joint celebration of Maitri Diwas marking the recognition granted by India to Bangladesh on 6th December 1971.
Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen apprised President Kovind of the excellent progress in the bilateral cooperation and of future joint projects including in the area of connectivity.
India, Iran and Uzbekistan hold a joint use of Iran’s Chabahar Port.
The participants underlined the important role played by Chabahar Port during humanitarian crises as well as in enhancing regional connectivity. They also took note of the increase in transit traffic between Central Asia and South Asia through the Shahid Beheshti Terminal, Chabahar Port and discussed further development of the transportation corridor.
Chabahar Port also provides direct access to India's Farkhor Air Base in Tajikistan. The Chabahar route will result in 60% reduction in shipment costs and 50% reduction in shipment time from India to Central Asia.
Chabahar Port is a seaport in Chabahar located in southeastern Iran, on the Gulf of Oman. It serves as Iran's only oceanic port, and consists of two separate ports named Shahid Kalantari and Shahid Beheshti, each of which has five berths.
NASA-launched spacecraft ‘Parker Solar Probe’ enters the Sun's corona for the first time in history.
Three years after its launch, the Parker Solar Probe has finally "touched" the sun.
In April, the probe became the first known spacecraft to soar into our nearest star's upper atmosphere – known as the corona – where it sampled particles and magnetic fields, NASA announced on Tuesday.
"Not only does this milestone provide us with deeper insights into our Sun's evolution and [its] impacts on our solar system, but everything we learn about our own star also teaches us more about stars in the rest of the universe," Thomas Zurbuchen, the associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said in a press release.
Officials said Parker's journey into the sun's atmosphere was intended to produce discoveries that weren't possible before.
The space administration said that on April 28 Parker crossed the Alfvén critical surface, where the solar wind ends and the sun's atmosphere begins.
The solar probe is able to travel so close to the sun – about 6.5 million miles away at one point – because it was constructed to withstand temperatures of more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
