First ever India-Russia Webinar on Use of Natural Gas as a Motor Fuel organized, An Initiative is to Distributes Mobile Khadi Selling Units to Divyang People, Two more States successfully implement reforms, Vaishwik Bhartiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) Summit 2020
First ever India-Russia Webinar on Use of Natural Gas as a Motor Fuel organized
- The first ever India-Russia webinar on the use of natural gas as motor fuel was organized under the aegis of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India and the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation.
- The webinar included two Technical sessions on LNG as Transport Fuel and CNG as Transport Fuel, wherein perspectives from Indian and Russian sides were presented and saw the attendance of dignitaries, speakers and participants from both India & Russia.
- During the webinar, Indian speakers highlighted the growth potential of LNG and CNG as a transport fuel.
- It is mentioned that LNG is being promoted as a transport fuel because of its low carbon emission.
- India is likely to have 120,000 LNG vehicles by 2030.
- By then, road transport is forecast to account for 1.2-3 MMTPA LNG demand which is likely to go up to 4.5 MMTPA by 2035.
- City Gas distribution network expansion is the Backbone for CNG growth.
- Now CGD coverage is being expanded to over 400 districts across 27 states and Union Territories.
- There is a huge market potential in the CNG sector in India with expected investment of USD 3-4 billion in CNG equipment, USD 50-60 billion through CNG vehicles and USD 1-1.5 billion via service market till 2030.
An Initiative is to Distributes Mobile Khadi Selling Units to Divyang People
- A noble initiative of associating Divyang people with Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan was launched by Minister of MSME Shri Nitin Gadkari with distribution of mobile Khadi selling units in his Parliamentary Constituency of Nagpur on Gandhi Jayanti.
- These beneficiaries will be able to sell various Khadi products like Khadi fabric, readymade clothes, food items, food spices and other locally made products in nearby villages.
- However, E-rickshaws to 5 divyang people through video-conference has been distributed.
- This would empower the Divyang people by creating sustainable livelihood opportunities.
- This will also increase the sale of Khadi and thus prompt higher production by Khaid artisans.
- The efforts will be made to distribute at least 500 such mobile selling units to divyang people in every district of India.
- This is the first-of-its-kind initiative in the country by KVIC.
- As they go to different villages selling Khadi products, it will also increase the reach of Khadi to a larger population.
- In another initiative that will create local employment to Khadi Silk artisans, Minister of State for MSME, Shri Pratap Chandra Sarangi laid the foundation of a Silk Production cum Training Center at Choudwar in Odisha.
- This is the first such unit in the Sate that will produce high quality Tussar Silk yarn.
- This is a major step towards empowering the local artisans and increasing the silk production in Odisha.
- Odisha is known for producing high quality Silk.
- However, for want of a local Silk production and training center, the raw material had to be procured from outside.
- This will not only be helpful in training our artisans but create sustainable employment too.
- The Silk production cum training unit will give a big boost to the Silk activities in the State and assured that the unit will start functioning in the next two to three months
Two more States successfully implement reforms
- Ministry of Finance has granted additional borrowing permission to two more States, Uttar Pradesh & Andhra Pradesh for successfully undertaking reforms in the Public Distribution System (PDS) and Ease of Doing Business.
- This will make an additional amount of Rs. 7,376 crore available to these States.
- Uttar Pradesh has become the 6th State to complete the reform process in PDS to implement One Nation One Ration Card System.
- This has made the State eligible to raise an amount of Rs. 4,851 crorethrough Open Market Borrowings (OMBs).
- This amount will help the State in mobilizing additional financial resources required to fight COVID-19.
- One Nation One Ration Card System ensures availability of ration to beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and other welfare schemes, especially to the migrant workers and their families, at any Fair Price Shop (FPS) across the country.
- It also enables better targeting of beneficiaries, elimination of bogus/ duplicate/ineligible card holders.
- Thus,One Nation One Ration Card enhances welfare and reduces leakage.
- To ensure seamless inter-state portability of a ration card, Aadhar seeding of all ration cards as well as biometric authentication of beneficiaries through automation of all Fair Price Shops (FPSs) with installation of electronic point of sale (e-PoS) devices are essential.
- Department of Food and Public Distribution is the nodal Ministry to assess reform claims of the States and recommend release of additional borrowing limit of 0.25 percent of GSDP.
- The Department of Food and Public Distribution has confirmed that the States of Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Goa, Karnataka and Tripura have successfully carried out aforesaid reforms in PDS and implemented One Nation One Ration Card System.
- Andhra Pradesh has became the 1st State in the country to successfully undertake “Ease of Doing Business” reforms.
Ease of Doing Business is an important indicator of an investment friendly business climate in the country.
Improvement in the ease of doing business will enable faster future growth of the state economy.
Therefore, in order to incentivize implementation of district level and licensing reforms for ease of doing business, an additional borrowing facility of 0.25 per cent of GSDP has been allowed to States on the recommendation of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
The reform envisages undertaking all of the following actions by the State Governments:
- The State will complete the first assessment of ‘District Level Business Reform Action Plan’ as intimated by DPIIT.
- The State will eliminate the requirements of renewal of certificates/ approvals/ licences obtained by businesses for various activities from the authorities at the State level as per list circulated by DPIIT. Collection of reasonable fees with automatic non-discretionary deemed renewal will also be permissible as reform if done in a transparent online, non-discretionary & automatic manner.
- The State will implement computerized central random inspection system under the Acts as per list circulated by DPIIT wherein allocation of inspectors is done centrally, the same inspector is not assigned to the same unit in subsequent years, prior inspection notice is provided to the business owner, and inspection report is uploaded within 48 hours of inspection.
Vaishwik Bhartiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) Summit 2020
- VAIBHAV Summit 2020 celebrates Science and Innovation from India and World.
- It is a true sangam or confluence of great minds.
- Through this gathering we sit to form our long lasting association for empowering India and our planet.
- Government of India has taken numerous measures to boost scientific research and innovation as science is at the core of its efforts towards socio-economic change.
- However, Vaishvik Bhartiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) Summit, a global virtual summit of overseas and resident Indian Researchers and Academicians.
- VAIBHAV presents a great opportunity to connect and contribute when India prospers, the world also takes a lead.
- Calling VAIBHAV as a confluence of great minds.
- These efforts will help create an ideal research ecosystem, merging tradition with modernity to create prosperity.
- These exchanges will certainly be useful and will also lead to useful collaborations in teaching and research.
- These efforts of the scientists and researchers will help create an ideal research ecosystem.
- Indian diaspora are the excellent ambassadors of India at the world stage.
- The summit should look forward to realising the dream of building a secure and prosperous future for the coming generations.
- India wants top-class scientific research to help our farmers.
- This summit will lead to useful collaborations in teaching and research.
- The efforts of the Indian diaspora will help create ideal research ecosystem.
- In VAIBHAV summit, more than 3000 overseas Indian origin academicians and scientists from 55 countries and about 10,000 from India are taking part and it is being organized by 200 Indian academic institutes and S&T departments, led by Principal Scientific Advisor, Government of India.
- Around 700 overseas panelists from 40 countries and 629 resident panelists from eminent Indian academia and S&T departments will deliberate on 18 different verticals with 80 sub-topics in 213 sessions.
- The summit will conclude on the occasion of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Jayanti i.e. 31st October 2020.
- The initiative involves multiple levels of interactions among the overseas experts and Indian counterparts over a month-long series of webinars and video conferences.
- The broad S&T areas that will be discussed during the summit includes computational sciences, electronics & communication, quantum technologies, photonics, aerospace technologies, medical sciences, biotechnology, agriculture, material & processing technologies, advanced manufacturing, earth sciences, energy, environmental sciences, and management.
- The aim of the summit is to bring out a comprehensive roadmap leveraging the expertise and knowledge of global Indian researchers for addressing emerging challenges for universal development.
- The summit will reflect on the collaboration and cooperation instruments with academia and scientists in India and abroad.
- The goal is to create an ecosystem of Knowledge and Innovation in the country through global outreach.
