G20 Summit: StartUp Bridge between India and Saudi Arabia Announced
Following the announcement of a Saudi Arabian investment facilitation centre in India, Prince Fahad Bin Mansour Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia spoke about a StartUp Bridge initiative between the two nations.
After congratulating India for successfully hosting the 2023 G20 Summit, Prince Fahad Bin Mansour spoke about the initiative that aims to foster entrepreneurship ecosystems in both nations and foster a climate of collaboration and innovation that StartUp India and Invest Saudi would facilitate.
The StartUp Bridge, a joint endeavour between the two countries, is expected to pave the way for numerous initiatives to solve pressing issues.
Rajasthan Congress Leaders Jyoti Mirdha, Sawai Singh Choudhary Join BJP
Rajasthan Congress leaders Jyoti Mirdha and Sawai Singh Chaudhary switched to the BJP ahead of assembly elections due later this year.
While the BJP claimed that the development reflected a wave in its favour in Rajasthan, the Congress downplayed it saying leaders leaving or joining any party is a usual occurrence before any election and the departure of the two will not impact the ruling party in the state.
Mirdha, a former MP from Nagaur in Rajasthan, and Chaudhary joined the BJP in the presence of senior leaders including Rajasthan BJP chief C. P. Joshi at the party headquarters in Delhi.
Sep 11, 2023
PM Modi Chairs a Session on the Theme - One Future in G20 Summit
In a significant victory for India's G-20 presidency, the member nations unanimously adopted the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration. On the first day of 18th G-20 Summit in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the adoption of the declaration by the bloc of world-leading economies during the second session of the G20 summit, titled One Family.
Inclusive growth, accelerating actions to deal with climate change and increasing medical supplies to be future ready for health emergencies among others are the focus areas of the G-20 New Delhi Leaders' Declaration. The member countries expressed their commitment to accelerate sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth with effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They also expressed commitment to accelerate action to address the issue of climate challenges by pursuing low carbon emissions, climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable development pathways.
The Declaration while referring to the Ukraine war, underscored that all states must act in a manner consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in its entirety. It added that in line with the UN Charter, all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state. It also added that the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that history has been created with the adoption of the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration. He added that united in consensus and spirit, we pledge to work collaboratively for a better, more prosperous and harmonious future. He expressed his gratitude to all fellow G20 members for their support and cooperation.
On the second and final day of the G20 Leaders' Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the session based on the theme- One Future. The Prime Minister held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and also do a pull-aside meeting with Canadian leaders, and bilateral meetings with leaders of Comoros, Türkiye, UAE, South Korea, European Union, European Commission, Brazil and Nigeria.
PM Modi Launches Global Biofuels Alliance at G20 Summit in New Delhi
The Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) was formally launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the presence of leaders of a number of partner countries on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi. The GBA has been in the works for some time now and is a key initiative and priority under India's G20 presidency. The alliance is aimed at facilitating international cooperation and intensifying the use of sustainable biofuels, along with facilitating global biofuels trade and technical support for national biofuel programmes.
The GBA, the effort for which was spearheaded by India, the United States, and Brazil, was launched with nine initiating members–India, the US, Brazil, Argentina, Bangladesh, Italy, Mauritius, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates–while Canada and Singapore are observer countries. In all, 19 countries and 12 international organisations have already agreed to join the GBA.
Seven of the 19 countries are from the G20, four are among the G20 invitee countries, while eight are neither G20 members nor invitees. The World Bank, Asian Development Bank, World Economic Forum, International Energy Agency, International Energy Forum, International Renewable Energy Agency, and International Civil Aviation Organization are among the organisations that have agreed to join the alliance.
India, Bangladesh Sign 3 MoUs ahead of G20
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina held a bilateral talk in New Delhi, the two countries also signed three memorandum of understanding (MoUs), including one on cooperation in Digital Payment mechanisms. The MoU on cooperation in Digital Payment mechanism was signed between National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Bangladesh Bank.
Another MoU focused on the renewal of the Cultural Exchange Program (CEP) between India and Bangladesh for 2023-2025. The third MoU was signed between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council (BARC).
PM Modi, Sheikh Hasina also looked forward to beginning of negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), covering trade in goods, and services, and protecting and promoting investment.
Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya Vadodara and Airbus Sign MoU
Indian Railways' Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV) Vadodara and Airbus, a global aviation giant, embarked on a strategic collaboration aimed at fortifying the Indian aviation sector. This partnership, sealed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed at Rail Bhawan, New Delhi, signifies a significant milestone in fostering industry-academia alliances to propel India's aviation industry to new heights.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Communications, Electronics, and IT, who also serves as the First Chancellor of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya.
Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV) Vadodara, established through an Act of Parliament in 2022, is dedicated to nurturing top-tier manpower and talent for the transportation and logistics sectors. GSV aims to fulfill the mandates of key national development plans, including the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan 2021 and the National Logistics Policy 2022.
The collaboration between Airbus and Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya encompasses several key aspects:
Co-development of Skilling Courses: The partnership will result in sector-relevant skilling courses and programs tailored for both regular students and working professionals.
Joint Research and Industry Experiences: Faculty members from both institutions will engage in joint research endeavors and gain valuable industry experience.
Internships and Placements: GSV students will have the opportunity to undertake internships and secure placements within Airbus and related industries, ensuring they are well-prepared for careers in the aviation sector.
Scholarship Programs: The collaboration includes initiatives to provide scholarships to deserving students, fostering equal access to quality education.
Chandrababu Naidu Arrested
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Chief Chandrababu Naidu was arrested for alleged corruption. The former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister was taken into custody by the Crime Investigation Department (CID).
Naidu was arrested in a multi-crore Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) scam. Several other TDP leaders were also put under house arrest following the arrest of Naidu.
Sep 10, 2023
Jharkhand Government to Give Rs 1,000 Pension to Transgenders
With an aim to provide social security and bring them into the mainstream of society, Jharkhand government decided to add the transgender community under its universal pension scheme.
The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The government also decided to include them under backward class category and provide them the benefits.
To avail the benefit of the pension scheme, transgenders need to get a certificate from the deputy commissioner's office. Those who are 18 years of age or above and have voter ID cards will be eligible for the scheme.
Telangana Partners with Tabreed for Cooling Infrastructure at Pharma City, Industrial Parks
The Telangana government and UAE-based leading cooling utility player Tabreed partnered for developing cooling infrastructure in industrial parks, including the proposed Hyderabad Pharma City, as well as a few other places.
Under their partnership, Tabreed, the name by which the National Central Cooling Company PJSC is traded on Dubai Financial Market, will over time develop 1.25 lakh refrigeration tonnes (RT) of district cooling plants and networks with up to $200 million investment in Telangana.
Sep 09, 2023
BJP-JDS Alliance for Lok Sabha Polls, Seat-sharing Finalised
The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (Secular) have 'in principle' agreed to join hands in Karnataka for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, former Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa said.
As per reports, JD(S) supremo H. D. Deve Gowda met BJP chief J. P. Nadda and Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the structure of the alliance.
According to the seat-sharing formula agreed upon by Gowda and the BJP's top brass, the JD(S) will contest in four Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, which has a total of 28 constituencies.
West Bengal Assembly Resolution on 'Poila Baisakh' As State Foundation Day
The West Bengal assembly made a significant decision by passing a resolution to officially observe Bengali New Year's Day, known as Poila Baisakh, as the state's foundation day on April 15.
This decision came amid controversy and disagreements over the date chosen for this celebration. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been a strong advocate for this change, emphasising that the day will be observed irrespective of the approval of the state's governor.
The resolution, put forth under Rule 169, proposes the observance of Poila Baisakh as 'Bangla Diwas' and seeks to declare Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore's masterpiece, 'Banglar Mati, Banglar Jol' (Bengal's soil, Bengal's water), as the official state song. This historic decision was passed with a majority vote of 167 members in favour out of a total of 294 members in the House. However, not everyone in the assembly was in agreement.
Sep 07, 2023
Neeraj Mittal Takes Charge as DoT Secretary
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) appointed Neeraj Mittal, a seasoned 1992 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer as the secretary in the Department of Telecommunications.
Neeraj Mittal presently holds the position of principal secretary in the information technology department of Tamil Nadu. Prior to this role, he worked as a senior advisor at the World Bank Group and also served as a joint secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. He is set to take over from K. Rajaraman, who has been designated as the chairman of the International Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA) in Gujarat.
Union Cabinet Approves Additional Allocation of Rs. 1,164 crore for Industrial Development Scheme...
The Cabinet approved additional allocation of Rs. 1,164.53 crore for an industrial development scheme 2017 for Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The additional fund was required to meet the committed liabilities under the scheme up to 2028-29.
Under this scheme, the total financial outlay was Rs. 131.90 crore, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said.
The decision in this regard was taken in the meeting of Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur said that 774 units were registered under the scheme and the additional fund will go to them.
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