1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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
4. 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.
5. 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’.
6. 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.
7. Packmach Asia 2022 held in Mumbai
Tags: place in news Summits
An International conference for processing and packaging “PackMach Asia Expo 2002” is being held in Mumbai from 7-9 December 2022. The “PackMach Asia Expo 2002” is being organized by the Institute of Packaging Machinery Manufacturers of India (IPMMI) and Messe Muenchen India with the support of PHD Chamber of Commerce (PHDCCI) as industry partner.
During the “PackMach Asia Expo 2002 the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSME) organised a buyer seller meet with PHDCCI to promote the export of packaging solution made by MSME companies .
The exhibition showcased new-to-market products and technologies additionally hosting segments such as packaging, processing, logistics and supply chain among others.
8. U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity, COP 15 commences in Montreal, Canada
Tags: Environment place in news Summits International News
The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, known as Conference of Parties (COP-15) commenced in Montreal, Canada on 7 December 2022. The two weeklong conference (7-19 December 2022) was originally scheduled to be held in Kunming, China in October but was shifted to Montreal, Canada due to covid situation in China.
This is the second part of the COP15. The first part was hosted by China on 18 August 2021 virtually and the second part was to be held in a face to face conference but it has been shifted from China to Canada. However the host of the COP15 in Montreal is still China.
The Conference focuses on saving the nature
The Biological diversity conference focuses on nature. It is different from the UNFCCC (United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change ) organised Conference of Parties(CoP) which focuses on the problem of global warming and climate change due to emission of greenhouse gasses.
The Biological Diversity conference will focus on nature and how to stop and reverse the degradation of our nature by 2030.
Main issues that will be discussed at the Montreal conference are;
- One of the most notable draft targets is to conserve 30% of land and sea areas globally by 2030.
- It will aim to adopt a global framework for biodiversity to halt and reverse losses of the world's plants, animals, and ecosystems.
- Fair and equitable sharing of the benefits of natural genetics resources.
United Nation Convention on Biological Diversity
It is a multilateral treaty which was signed by the countries at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. It came into force on 29 December 1993. At present 194 countries are its signatories.
It has 3 main objectives:
- The conservation of Biological diversity
- The sustainable use of the components of biological diversity
- The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.
Conferences of the Parties/COP
- Countries which have signed the conventions are called Conferences of the Parties. The meeting of the Conferences of the Parties is also called COP
- The first COP -1 was held in Nassau, Bahamas 1994.
- The 14th meeting was held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt (17-19 November 2018)
- It is held after every two years but due to covid it was held in 2021.
9. Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Inaugurates FAI Annual Seminar at New Delhi
Tags: Summits National News
Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, and Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated Fertiliser Association of India (FAI) Annual Seminar 2022 (Fertilizer Sector by 2030) at New Delhi on 7 December.
Important facts
Arun Singhal, Secretary Department of Fertilizers, Arvind Chaudhary, DG FAI, KS Raju, Chairman FAI and representatives of Industries and other senior officials of the Ministry were also present on the occasion.
Dr Mansukh Mandaviya stated that one of the important components for ensuring food security is fertilizers.
There has been a huge increase in the prices of fertilizers and raw materials during the last three years.
The government has made various reforms and has ensured that fertilizers are made available to Indian farmers at affordable prices.
The Government has increased the amount of fertilizer subsidy from US dollars 10 Billion for the pre-pandemic year 2019-20 to almost US dollars 27 Billion in the current year.
Government has signed various MoUs between Indian fertilizer companies and foreign suppliers to ensure stability in fertilizer supply to farmers.
On this occasion, the Union Minister also released three FAI publications and FAI Data portal.
This portal will create a uniform database and avoid manual input of data by FAI.
Theme of FAI Annual Seminar
Seminar is devoted to the theme ‘Fertilizer Sector by 2030’.
In the seminar there will be a presentation on technologies for green fertilizers, worldwide developments in sustainability area, sustainable agriculture, green financing and optimising cost of logistics.
About Fertiliser Association of India
It is a non-profit and non-trading company representing mainly the fertiliser manufacturers, distributors, importers, equipment manufacturers, research institutes and suppliers of inputs.
The Association was established in 1955 with the objective of bringing together all concerned with the production, marketing and use of fertilisers.
10. NSA Doval meet counterparts from Central Asian countries in Delhi
Tags: Summits National News
NSA Ajit Doval welcomes dignitaries to the first India-Central Asia meeting of the National Security Advisers/Secretaries of Security Councils on 6 December in New Delhi.
Important facts
This was the first time that the NSAs of the Central Asian countries were in the national capital Delhi for a security meeting amid the humanitarian and security situation arising in Afghanistan.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually hosted the first India-Central Asia Summit on 27 January, which was attended by the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
During the Summit, Prime Minister Modi and the Central Asian Leaders discussed the next steps in taking India-Central Asia relations to new heights.
The leaders had agreed to institutionalise the Summit mechanism by deciding to hold it every two years.
They also agreed on regular meetings of Foreign Ministers, Trade Ministers, Culture Ministers and Security Council Secretaries to prepare a plan of action for the summits.
An India-Central Asia Secretariat will be set up in New Delhi to support the new mechanism.
The leaders discussed far-reaching proposals for cooperation in trade and connectivity, development cooperation, defense and security, cultural and people-to-people contacts.
These include the Round Table on Energy and Connectivity, the Joint Working Group at Senior Official Level on Afghanistan and the use of Chabahar Port, the display of Buddhist exhibitions in Central Asian countries and joint counter-terrorism exercises.
They also agreed on annual 100-member youth delegations from Central Asian countries to India and special courses for Central Asian diplomats.
