Kathmandu witnessed two significant international events, underscoring the country's growing focus on economic development and sustainability. The fourth edition of Plast Nepal 2024 and the second edition of GeoMandu 2024 brought together professionals, businesses, and policymakers to explore advancements in their respective fields.
The three-day Plast Nepal 2024 exhibition, held at Bhrikutimandap and organised under India's Plastic Export Promotion Council, showcased 45 stalls from Indian companies alongside more than 150 participants from five countries. The event aimed to foster business-to-business connections in the plastic sector across South Asia.
the second edition of GeoMandu 2024, organised by the Nepal Geotechnical Society, brought together geotechnical engineers, geoscientists, researchers, and professionals from across the globe. The two-day international conference focused on 'Geotechniques for Sustainable Infrastructure,' and addressed the urgent need for resilient, environmentally conscious infrastructure in the face of climate change.
GAIL India Signs Long-term Charter Deal with K-Line for New LNG Ship
State gas utility GAIL (India) Ltd signed an agreement with Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd for long-term charter hire of a newly built LNG ship.
The pact was signed through the ship-owning company established in Singapore.
The contract was signed in the presence of R K Jain, GAIL Director (Finance), Sanjay Kumar, GAIL Director (Marketing), and R. K. Singhal, GAIL Director (Business Development) by S. Bairagi, GAIL Executive Director (Marketing - Shipping & International LNG) and Satoshi Kanamori, Managing Executive Officer (LNG, Carbon Solution Business), K-Line.
The 13th National Seed Congress (NSC) 2024, organised by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, was inaugurated by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan via virtual address. The three-day event hosted at the International Rice Research Institute South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC), Varanasi, brought together over 700 delegates from various sectors. The Congress focused on innovation, collaboration, and actionable strategies to enhance the Indian and global seed sectors.
Centre Receives 28 Proposals from 23 States for New City Development
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs received 28 proposals from 23 states for the development of new cities, as part of the central government's initiative to meet the growing demand for urban expansion. This marks a significant step in fulfilling the commitment made in February 2021 to develop eight new cities. The proposals are under scrutiny, with a focus on ensuring quality and adherence to eligibility criteria set by the 15th Finance Commission.
In line with the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission, the central government has allocated Rs. 8,000 crore for the development of eight new cities across different states. Each city will receive Rs. 1,000 crore. States are eligible to propose only one city each, and the proposals are being reviewed by an expert committee formed for finalising bid parameters.
Three-Member Judicial Inquiry Commission to Probe Sambhal Violence
The Supreme Court ordered the trial court in Sambhal not to proceed with the mosque survey case till the Shahi Idgah committee of the Jama Masjid moves the High Court. The court also said that the report of the mosque survey should be kept in a sealed cover and not to be opened in the meantime.
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government formed a three-member judicial inquiry commission to investigate the November 24 violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, which killed four people during clashes over a court-ordered mosque survey in a Mughal-era mosque.
The panel is headed by Justice Devendra Kumar Arora, a retired judge of the Allahabad High Court. The other members include Amit Mohan Prasad, a retired IAS officer, and Arvind Kumar Jain, a retired IPS officer.
According to the government, the commission will investigate whether the violence in Sambhal was a planned conspiracy or a sudden incident. It will also investigate the role of people behind the clashes and submit a report in two months.
PM Attends Three-day All-India Security Conference in Odisha
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the all-India conference of Director Generals/Inspector Generals of Police in Bhubaneswar. This conference was held at Lok Seva Bhawan for three days.
The conference was attended by key dignitaries, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, among others.
Director Generals of Police and heads of security agencies from across the country also attended the meet in Odisha for the annual DGP conference. The conference focused on national security challenges and the evolving responsibilities of police forces.
World AIDS Day is a globally commemorated healthcare event observed every year on the 1st of December for the past 33 years (since 1988). On this day, various awareness campaigns and activities that promote the disease awareness are conducted by several organisations across the world, unite to show solidarity for people living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), reminisced those who have died from an AIDS-related disease, and rally against the spread of the virus.
The theme for World AIDS Day 2024 is 'Take the Rights Path.' This theme emphasizes the importance of upholding human rights to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic effectively.
Border Security Force Raising Day
The 60th Raising Day of the Border Security Force was celebrated on December 1 at the BSF Meghalaya Frontier Headquarters where a grand 'Barakhana' was organised bringing together personnel from all units under the Frontier.
The event was marked by great enthusiasm and fervour.
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the Border Security Force on their Raising Day. He lauded the BSF for standing as a critical line of defence, embodying courage, dedication and exceptional service.
Delhi Schools to Conduct Parakh Rashtriya Sarvekshan
The Delhi government will conduct Parakh Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 on December 4 at sampled government and private schools. The Sarvekshan will involve students from Classes 3, 6, and 9.
The survey is a nationwide initiative that aims to comprehensively analyse India's educational progress in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The Department of Education (DoE) has issued specific guidelines for school heads to ensure that there is smooth implementation of the survey.
Women in Aviation India Celebrates the 3rd Edition of the Iconic 'Giving Wings to Dreams - Awards 2024'
Women in Aviation India (WAD held its third edition of the iconic Awards - Giving Wings to Dreams 2024 at Roseate House New Delhi, felicitating 37 women achievers who have contributed significantly to the aviation sector. The award ceremony took place in the distinguished presence of Vumlunmang Vualnam, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India and other eminent dignitaries.
These Awards recognise excellence in diverse fields of aviation and help build a value chain where achievers inspire the next generation.