1. Amit Shah chairs the Eastern Zonal Council meeting in Kolkata
Tags: Summits State News
Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council in Kolkata on 17th December.
Important facts
In the meeting issues like security along the inter-state borders, smuggling along the India-Bangladesh border, and connectivity were discussed.
It was attended by chief ministers, ministers, chief secretaries, principal secretaries, and senior officers of the member states and senior officers of central government.
The Eastern Zonal Council comprises West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
The Central government has been regularly holding meetings of the zonal councils as a part of its strategy to strengthen and promote cooperative and competitive federalism in the country.
Zonal councils provide a forum for discussion on issues affecting one or more states or issues between the Center and the states.
2. Narendra Singh Tomar chairs 32nd meeting of Board of Directors of NHB
Tags: Summits National News
The 32nd meeting of the Board of Directors of the National Horticulture Board (NHB) was held in New Delhi on 14th December under the chairmanship of the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Chairman of the Board, Narendra Singh Tomar.
Important facts
It was decided in the meeting that the process of approval of horticulture projects would be simplified for the farmers.
Instead of two stages, now the process of approval of these projects will be completed in one go and it will be completely digital, as well as minimum documents will be required, due to which the farmers will not face any kind of trouble.
It is noteworthy that many projects which used to be approved in a time period of about 6 to 8 months, will now be approved in just 45 days.
The scheme framework, application filing system, documentation and approval process have been further simplified.
The new simple design will come into effect from January 1, 2023.
This process will make the system more transparent and efficient, promote ease of doing business for the benefit of the farming community and generate more hi-tech commercial projects for NHB funding.
Under NHB, a new vertical has been created to promote organic and natural farming, which will oversee planning, monitoring, area expansion-market promotion for production, value chain development and infrastructure development.
Swachh Plant Programme
The meeting also discussed in detail the new initiative of NHB- Swachh Plant Programme.
Under the programme the problem of availability of planting material to the farmers will be solved by spending Rs 2100 crore with the assistance of Asian Development Bank (ADB).
This will largely solve the problem of planting material, especially for many commercially important fruits.
This programme will go a long way in providing a major contribution to the much needed quality planting material for horticulture crops in the country.
National Horticulture Board (NHB)
It was set up by the Government of India in 1984 as an Autonomous organisation under the administrative control of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
It is registered as a society under Societies Registration Act with its headquarters at Gurugram.
Its main objective is to improve the integrated development of the horticulture industry and help in maintaining and coordinating the production and processing of fruits and vegetables.
3. Union Minister For Jal Shakti To Inaugurate India Water Impact Summit 2022
Tags: Summits National News
The Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will inaugurate the 7th India Water Impact Summit (IWIS 2022) on 15th December, 2022 in New Delhi.
Important facts
The summit is being organized from 15th to 17th December, 2022 at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi by National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and Center for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (cGanga).
Its aims to impart impetus towards developing water and environmental infrastructure to protect rivers and water bodies in India.
The theme of the Summit (IWIS 2022) is ‘Restoration and Conservation of Small Rivers in a Large Basin’ with emphasis on the ‘Mapping and Convergence of 5Ps’ - People, Policy, Plan, Programme and Project.
Experts from the country and abroad will discuss ways in which small rivers facing near-extinction in large river basins can be protected.
Summit aims to give insight into potential causes for divergence and formulate strategy to achieve convergence.The 5 broad themes of the summit are Science and Policy, Finance and Economics, Technology and Innovation, International and Implementation Challenges.
In the 5th edition of the India Water Impact Summit, understanding the concept and nuances of Arth Ganga was the key focus.
4. Rajeev Chandrasekhar attends the India Global Forum at Dubai
Tags: Economy/Finance Summits International News
Union Minister of state for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar attended the India Global Forum at Dubai on 13-15 December, 2022.
Important facts
He attended the ministerial roundtable – globalization of Indian tech and innovation talent.
He put forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision on creating reliable corridors of technologies and innovation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision is to build credible corridors for technologies and innovation with various countries in collaboration with young Indian innovators.
The objective of these discussions is to assess avenues of collaborations with entrepreneurs who are aspirational of expanding their footprint in India.
About India Global Forum
It is the agenda-setting forum for international business and global leaders.
It selects platforms that international corporate and policy makers can leverage to interact with stakeholders in their sectors and geographies of strategic importance.
5. G-20 finance and central bank representatives meeting held in Bengaluru
Tags: Economy/Finance Summits National News
The first G-20 Finance and Central Bank Deputies meeting and the first Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting began in Bengaluru on 13 December.
Important facts
The Bank Governors meeting began in Bengaluru on 13 December.
The three-day meeting, which will mark the beginning of discussions on the 'Finance Track' agenda under India's G20 chairmanship, will be jointly organised by the Ministry of Finance and the Reserve Bank of India.
There will be 40 such meetings on Finance across the country.
The first Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting will be held between February 23-25, 2023 in Bengaluru.
What is the G20 Finance Track?
It is led by the finance ministers and central bank governors of the G20 countries and focuses on economic and financial issues.
It provides an effective forum for global economic discourse and policy coordination.
The G20 Finance Track discusses key issues of relevance for the global economy, encompassing the global economic outlook, the international financial architecture, infrastructure development and financing, sustainable finance, global health, international taxation and financial sector issues, including financial inclusion.
Discussions in the Bengaluru meeting will focus on the agenda of the finance track under India's G20 chairmanship.
During the meeting, a panel discussion on 'Strengthening Multilateral Development Banks to Address the Common Global Challenges of the 21st Century' will be held.
A seminar on the 'Role of Central Banks in Green Financing' will also be held.
6. Four day Meeting of G20 Development Working Group under India's Presidency begins in Mumbai
Tags: National Summits National News
The G20 Development Working Group (DWG) under India's Presidency began in Mumbai on 13 December.
Important facts
The meeting will take place in Mumbai on 13-16 December. G20 Members, guest countries and invited international organisations would be attending the meeting in person.
India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant addressed the delegates at the inaugural session.
He said, the Government of India has tried to bring better data governance and has launched several initiatives like Data Governance Quality Index.
The group is part of the G20’s sherpa track and is one of the first working groups to be created in 2010.
The Indian presidency will hold two events - “Data for Development: Role of G20 in advancing the 2030 Agenda" and “Infusing new LiFE into Green Development" - before the official meeting of the working group.
Review of SDG progress and G20’s efforts to achieve the SDG targets would be discussed at the DWG meeting.
In the context of green development, focus areas would include climate finance and technology, as well as just energy transitions for developing countries.
With a human-centred approach to technology, tech-enabled development in sectors ranging from agriculture to education will also be discussed.
The meeting will highlight women's empowerment and representation including efforts to bring women forward and in key positions to promote socio-economic development and achievement of SDGs.
7. PM Modi inaugurates three National Ayush Institute of eminence in Ayurveda, Homoeopathy and Unani
Tags: place in news National Summits
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated virtually three National Institutes of eminence in Ayurveda, Homoeopathy and Unani on 11 December 2022. The PM inaugurated the All India Institute of Ayurveda in Goa, National Institute of Unani Medicine in Ghaziabad, and National Institute of Homoeopathy at Delhi from Goa. All the three institutes will be under the Union Ministry of Ayush.
PM Modi was in Panaji, Goa to participate in the Valedictory ceremony of the 9th World Ayurveda Congress. The 9th World Ayurveda Congress was organised by the Union Ministry of Ayush in Panaji from 8-11 December 2022.
The theme of the 9th World Ayurveda Congress was: Ayurveda for All
According to the Ministry of Ayush, these satellite institutes will further strengthen the research, international collaborations and facilitate affordable Ayush services for a larger community. These institutes will help to provide affordable healthcare to every citizen and every region of the country.
National Institute for Ayurveda
All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) is an apex institute for Ayurveda which is being set up in New Delhi. It has been set up to make Ayurveda an evidence based treatment and standardize the Ayurveda drugs.
National Institute for Ayurveda Goa is the branch of the AIIA, New Delhi.
National Institute of Unani Medicine
The National Institute of Unani Medicine (NIUM) was set up in Bengaluru in 2004 as an autonomous institute under the Ministry of AYUSH,
The National Institute of Unani Medicine, Ghaziabad will be the satellite center of the NIUM Bengaluru. It will be the first such institute in Northern India and cater to patients around Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and other states of India.
National Institute of Homoeopathy at Delhi
National Institute of Homoeopathy (NIH), Delhi is the first of its kind to be established in Northern India for developing the Homeopathic system of medicine and to provide health care facilities.
It will be the satellite center of the National Institute of Homoeopathy, Kolkata. The National Institute of Homoeopathy, Kolkata was set up in 1975 as a premier research and academic institution for Homoeopathy.
AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy)
- The Ministry of AYUSH was set up on the 9th of November 2014 to revive the knowledge of traditional Indian systems of medicine.
- It focuses on education and research in the fields of Ayurveda, Yoga Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy.
- Minister of AYUSH: Sarbananda Sonowal
8. Bengaluru will host the 1st G20 Finance Track meeting under Indian Presidency
Tags: place in news Economy/Finance Summits State News
According to the Union Ministry of Finance the first meeting under the Finance track agenda of the G-20 meeting will take place in Bengaluru from 13th to 15th December 2022. It will be hosted jointly by the Union Finance Ministry and the Reserve Bank of India. All the 20 members of the G-20 Finance and Central Bank Deputies will participate in the meeting.
India is currently the President of the G-20 and it will hold the G-20 summit meeting in September 2023 in New Delhi.
G20 Finance track and Sherpa track meeting
Before the annual summit meeting of the G-20 countries leaders, there is a series of preparatory meetings held under the Finance Track and Sherpa track to work out the agenda of the annual summit meeting of the leaders of G 20.
Finance Track meeting
The Finance Track meeting is organised by the Union Ministry of Finance and it will organise a number of such meetings on the areas of international financial architecture, financial inclusion and sustainable finance, financing for infrastructure, climate finance and tax matters.
The Sherpa track
The Sherpa track meeting is organised by the Union External Affairs ministry and is chaired by the Indian Sherpa to G 20, Amitabh Kant. Around 100 meetings will be held on issues such as employment, health, digital economy, trade, investment & industry, environment & climate etc.
The first G-20 meeting was held at Udaipur from 4-7 December 2022.
First Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of the G-20 meeting
The first Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of the G-20 meeting will be held during 23-25 February 2023 in Bengaluru. According to the Union Finance Ministry the Indian G-20 Presidency’s theme of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth One Family One Future’ “will guide the G-20 Finance Track discussions.
G-20 is a multilateral organisation consisting of the world's major developed and developing countries. It consists of 19 countries and the European Union. The 19 member countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United States.
It was set up in 1999.
9. Universal Health Coverage day 2022 to be celebrated at Varanasi
Tags: place in news Summits
As a precursor to the “International Universal Health Coverage Day’ which is observed on 12th December , the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is organising a two days conclave ”“Universal Coverage Day (UHC) 2022” on 10th and 11th December 2022 at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Health Ministers of all the states are expected to participate in the event.
The Varanasi event will be inaugurated by the Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel in the presence of Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya. Chief Minister Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath.
During the event at Varanasi, the 1st Regional Community Health Officers (CHO) Conference for Northern India will be held .Concerned government officials from the medical field from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand will take part in the regional conference.
Universal Health Coverage (UHC) aims that ‘all people have access to needed promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative health services, of sufficient quality to be effective, while also ensuring that people do not suffer financial hardship when paying for these services’.
10. 9th World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo 2022 inaugurated in Goa
Tags: place in news Summits
The 4 day (8-11 December ) 9th World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) was inaugurated on 8 December 2022 at Panaji, Goa in the presence of Union Minister of State for Tourism and Shipping, Ports and Waterways Shripad Naik and the Chief Minister of Goa Dr Pramod Sawant.
The main objective of the conference is to provide a global platform for all the stakeholders, including industry leaders, practitioners etc to strengthen the Ayurveda sector, envision its future, and facilitate interaction between professionals and consumers to boost Ayurveda commerce.
Theme of the 9th World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo 2022: Ayurveda for One Health.
A MoU was signed between All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) and Rosenberg’s European Academy of Ayurveda, Germany to facilitate advanced studies in traditional Indian medicine systems.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the valedictory function of WAC on 11 December.
Every year 23 October is observed in India as Ayurveda Day.
