National News Dec – 23
Union Minister Parshottam Rupala to inaugurate Global Fisheries Conference India 2023
Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala will inaugurate the Global Fisheries Conference India 2023 in Ahmedabad. The conference is based on the theme of ‘Celebrating Fisheries and Aquaculture Wealth’, with an aim to bring together key stakeholders on one platform for fruitful discussions, market insights and networking.
Airgun Surrender Abhiyan initiative selected as India’s best success story on wildlife conservation
The Airgun Surrender Abhiyan initiative of Arunachal Pradesh Government has been selected as India’s best success story on wildlife conservation to present in the UNESCO’s International Conference on Biosphere Reserves held at Sabah, Malaysia. The Airgun Surrender Abhiyan is an initiative of the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of the state Government. Under the scheme people were invited to voluntarily surrender their Airguns and licensed guns to stop the use of these guns to kill birds and other wild animals. The programme was officially launched on March 17, 2021 at Lumdung in East Kameng District where in 46 air guns were surrendered and Lumdung was declared first Airgun free village of Arunachal Pradesh.
PM Modi to launch PVTG Development Mission
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch Pradhan Mantri Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) Development Mission, a 24 thousand crore rupees scheme, on the occasion of third Janjaatiya Gaurav Diwas from Khunti district in Jharkhand. The mission will benefit 75 PVTGs in 18 states and UTs, living in 22,544 villages in 220 districts having a population of around 28 lakhs. Mr Modi will also launch ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ to ensure saturation of flagship govt schemes; release the 15th installment of about 18000 crore rupees under PM-KISAN and dedicate to nation and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth around 7200 crore rupees in Jharkhand on this occasion.
PM Modi announces 5-year extension of PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that his government’s free ration scheme Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana for 80 crore poor will be extended for next five years. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) was introduced during the Covid pandemic in 2020, under which the government supplied 5 kg of food grain free of cost to individuals. This was in addition to the regular quota of food grains given under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). The Department of Food and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution operate the program. But the nodal ministry is Ministry of Finance. The Union Budget 2022-23 allocated a sum of Rs. 2 Lakh Crores for the scheme in fiscal year 2022-23.
Sarbananda Sonowal to launch International Cruise Liner ‘COSTA SERENA’ in Mumbai
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal will launch the domestic sailing of the first International Cruise Liner ‘COSTA SERENA’ in India at Mumbai. At the recently concluded Global Maritime India Summit 2023 organised by the Ministry, discussions revolved around reaching the target of 50 million cruise passengers in India by 2047. Costa Cruises is expected to carry approximately 45,000 passengers in its next 2 months voyages. Such cruise initiatives are part of ‘Dekho Apna Desh’, launched on Prime Minister’s appeal to the middle class to prefer domestic tourism over international.
Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurates Country’s first Nano DAP plant in Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Country’s first Nano DAP plant by IFFCO near Kalol in Gandhinagar. Unlike the solid DAP and Urea, the liquid nano DAP will not affect the nutrients in the soil and will have zero harmful metal particles. The Nano liquid dap plant in Kalol has been set up by IFFCO at the cost of 300 crore rupees. While one bag of conventional DAP costs around 1300 rupees, the farmers can get one bottle of nano liquid DAP for just 600 rupees which can be carried by farmers in their pockets. The plant will lead to a significant reduction in imports of DAP and also will bring down the logistics and warehousing costs. The plant will produce 5 crore bottles of Nano dap liquid equivalent to 25 tons of DAP.
