1. G20 Second Digital Economy Working Group meeting begins in Hyderabad
Tags: Summits National News
The G20 Second Digital Economy Working Group meeting began on April 17 in Hyderabad, India, with 140 representatives from member and invited countries and international organisations.
An Overview of the News
The three-day meet focused on digital public infrastructure, cyber security and skills.
Highlighted the government's objective of bridging the digital divide and providing broadband facilities to all villages in the country by 2025.
The meeting stressed the importance of multi-stakeholder participation in creating an inclusive and robust digital economy and the use of digital technologies and the empowerment of vulnerable sections in the digital economy.
Indian Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology - Dev Singh Chauhan
Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment - A Narayanaswamy
About Telangana
It is a state located in south-central India on the high Deccan Plateau.
It is the eleventh largest state of India by area.
Telangana was carved out of the northwestern part of Andhra Pradesh on 2 June 2014 and became the newly formed state of Telangana with Hyderabad as the capital.
Telangana is bordered by Maharashtra to the north, Chhattisgarh to the northeast, Karnataka to the west, and Andhra Pradesh to the east and south.
Formed (by split) - 2 June 2014
Capital - Hyderabad
District - 33
Governor - Tamilisai Soundararajan
Chief Minister - K Chandrasekhar Rao (BRS)
State Legislature - Bicameral
Rajya Sabha - 7 seats
Lok Sabha - 17 seats
High Court - Telangana High Court
2. Second Health Working Group meeting begins in Goa
Tags: Summits National News
The second Health Working Group meeting under the chairmanship of the Indian G20 began in Goa on 17 April and will conclude on 19 April.
An Overview of the News
The meeting was attended by over 180 delegates from 19 G20 member states, 10 invited states and 22 international organisations.
Prevention, preparedness and response to health emergencies, including strengthening cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector, were discussed at the second G20 health working group meeting.
Which will focus on access to safe, effective, quality and affordable medical interventions and digital health innovations and solutions to aid universal health coverage and improve healthcare delivery.
Cultural programs infused with flavours of Goan culture were planned to showcase the rich diversity and culture of India based on the Indian philosophy of 'Atithi Devo Bhava'.
Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare - Mr. Lav Agarwal
About the G20
It is an international forum of the world's leading economies established in 1999.
Its primary objective is to promote international financial stability and sustainable economic growth.
The G20 serves as a forum to discuss and coordinate policies related to a wide range of economic and financial issues such as trade, investment, employment, energy and climate change.
About Goa
It is a state located on the west coast of India, bordering the Arabian Sea.
It is the smallest state of India by area.
Formation (as a state) - 30 May 1987
Capital - Panaji (Executive Branch)
State Legislature - Unicameral
Accession to the Union - 19 December 1961
Official Animal - Gaur
Official Bird - Yellow Throated Bulbul
Official Sport - Football
Official Tree - Terminalia elliptica
Rajya Sabha - 1 seat
Lok Sabha - 2 seats
High Court - Bombay High Court
Governor - PS Sreedharan Pillai
Chief Minister - Pramod Sawant
3. CII and Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare organises Digital Health Summit 2023
Tags: Summits
The Digital Health Summit 2023 was organized jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on 16 April in Goa.
An overview of the news
The theme of the event was ‘Building One Health together – Improving Health equity’.
The aim of the summit was to bring together policy makers, industry leaders and global health experts and thought leaders to deliberate on the key issues faced by the digital health sector.
The event aligns with the agenda of India's G20 health working group on digital health innovations.
It aims to assist in universal health coverage and improve healthcare delivery for One Earth, One Family, One Future.
Digital innovations including 3D printing, point-of-care diagnostics, robotics, bioinformatics, genomics are proving to be game changers in exponential medicine.
The goal of a "citizen-centric" digital health system must remain the same with equal access to high-quality treatments.
About Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
CII is a non-profit and non-governmental organisation.
The objective of CII is to achieve a conducive environment for the development of industry and civil society in India.
It was established in 1895.
It has over 8,000 members from both the public and private sectors.
Headquarter : New Delhi
President : Sanjiv Bajaj
4. Army Commanders’ Conference to be organized in Hybrid format
Tags: Summits National News
The first Army Commanders’ Conference (ACC) for the year 2023 will be held on the 17th of April in Hybrid format.
An overview of the news
The conference is scheduled from 17 to 21 April 2023.
For the first time, the ACC is being held in a hybrid format using available technology for secure communication, with the Army Commander and other senior officers meeting virtually on the first day.
On the first day of the conference, the agenda points sponsored by various Command Headquarters will be discussed.
The Forum will also review the progress on the Agneepath plan, digitization and automation initiatives, Combat Engineers tasks and budget management as well as activities drawn up as part of the 'Year of Transformation-2023'.
The top leadership will also brainstorm on the current and emerging security scenarios and review the operational preparedness of the Indian Army.
Defense MinisterRajnath Singh will address the conference on 19 April.
He will also review the performance of equipment focused on niche technology, innovation, solutions for surveillance, artificial intelligence, training, robotics and operational logistics.
About Army Commanders' Conference (ACC)
It is an apex-level biannual program which is an institutional platform for conceptual level discussions.
In this, important policy decisions are taken for the Indian Army.
5. Global Conference on Compressed Biogas (CBG)
Tags: Summits National News
According to the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas a two-day Global Conference on Compressed Biogas will be held in New Delhi from 17 April.
An overview of the news
The theme of the conference is - Towards Progressive Policy Framework for a Robust CBG Foundation and Growth.
The conference will be held on 17-18 April 2023 at Silver Oak, Indian Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
IFGE- CBG Producers Forum is organizing this global conference.
The objective of the conference is to appraise the industry about the initiatives taken by the Central Government for the development of compressed biogas industry and identify areas where policy amendments are required.
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri will inaugurate the conference.
The topics discussed in the conference are- Feedstock Availability, CBG Uptake, Fermented Organic Manure, Carbon Credits, Incentives, Investment and Financing for CBG Industry and Biofuel Policies of Various States.
About Indian Federation of Green Energy (IFGE)
It is an umbrella organization representing the interests of the national renewable energy sector in its totality including bio-energy, solar, wind, mini hydro, tidal, geothermal etc.
It is a partnership of visionary and committed groups of stakeholders from diverse industries, trade and services to create a sustainable energy ecosystem and mitigate challenges and concerns.
It focuses on green energy with a mission to promote energy security in a sustainable manner in every area of economic development.
About IFGE : CBG Producer Forum
This is a dedicated platform for CBG producers.
It aims at training and awareness programs for LOI holders, stakeholders, potential investors including policy support for industry members.
6. IMF/World Bank high-level meeting on Sri Lankan debt issue
Tags: Summits
The Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 14 April 2023 in Washington D.C. Participated in a high-level meeting on the Sri Lankan debt issue during the Spring Conferences of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank.
An Overview of the News:
- The meeting was attended by Japanese Finance Minister Suzuki Shunichi, French Treasury Department Director General Emmanuel Molin and Sri Lankan Minister of State for Finance Shehan Semasingha.
- Sri Lankan President and Finance Minister Ranil Wickremesingha participated in the meeting through virtual medium.
- Objective of the meeting: To bring multilateral cooperation regarding the debt restructuring process in respect of the debtor countries including Sri Lanka.
- In this meeting, the ministers announced the launch of Sri Lanka's debt restructuring negotiation process.
- Three countries India, Japan and France have been made co-chairs to lead the coordination of debt restructuring in Sri Lanka.
International Monetary Fund (IMF):
- Establishment: 1944 (Formally came into existence in December 1945)
- Members: 190 (India joined the IMF on December 27, 1945)
- Headquarters: Washington DC
World Bank:
- Establishment: 1944 (Founded as the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) together with the IMF, later the IBRD became the World Bank).
- Headquarters: Washington DC
- Members: 189
7. Two-day SCO Young Writers' Conference concludes in New Delhi
Tags: Summits
A two-day (April 12-13) Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Young Writers' Conference on the theme "Civilizational Dialogue among SCO Member States" with representatives of SCO member states concluded on April 13, 2023 at The Leela Palace, New Delhi.
An Overview of the News:
- Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs and Education, presided as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the SCO Young Writers' Conference on 13 April.
- It was organized by the Ministry of Education at The Leela Palace, New Delhi with National Book Trust as the implementing agency.
Theme:
- "Civilizational Dialogue among SCO Member States".
Main Session of SCO Youth Summit:
- The SCO Youth Conference was organized in six sessions focusing on history and philosophy, economy, religion, culture, literature and science and medicine respectively.
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO):
- Establishment: 2001
- Official languages: Russian and Chinese.
- Secretariat: Beijing.
- Executive Committee of the regional anti-terrorist structure in Tashkent.
- Chairmanship: It is done after one year through rotation by the member countries.
- Origin: Prior to the formation of the SCO in 2001, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan were members of the Shanghai Five.
- Members: Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan.
8. W-20 International meeting begins in Rajasthan's Jaipur
Tags: Summits
The second Women 20 (W20) international meeting was held on 13 April in Jaipur, Rajasthan and the meeting was attended by 120 women leaders from 18 G20 countries.
An Overview of the News
- The purpose of this meeting is to address the issues of gender inequality and promote economic empowerment of women globally.
- The Women-20 is an official G20 engagement group, and the meeting focuses on the theme of "Women-led development: Leveraging the untapped potential of women to accelerate an inclusive and sustainable future".
- W20 was established in 2015 under the Turkish Presidency with the primary objective of women empowerment, advocacy of women's rights and creating a common platform for them to voice their opinion.
- The agenda of the two-day meeting focuses on five key priorities: women entrepreneurship, grassroots women leadership, bridging the gender digital divide, education and skill development and climate change.
About the G20
- It is an international forum of the world's leading economies established in 1999.
- Its primary objective is to promote international financial stability and sustainable economic growth.
- The G20 serves as a forum to discuss and coordinate policies related to a wide range of economic and financial issues such as trade, investment, employment, energy and climate change.
About Rajasthan
- It is a state located in northwestern India and it is the largest state of India by area.
- Chief Minister - Ashok Gehlot
- Capital - Jaipur (Executive Branch)
- Governor - Kalraj Mishra
9. International Conference on Defence Finance and Economics
Tags: Summits National News
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the three-day International Conference on Defense Finance and Economics in New Delhi on April 12, 2023.
An overview of the news
The conference is organized by the Ministry of Defence.
It will provide a platform to eminent policy makers, academicians and government officials from home and abroad to share their insights and experiences on defense finance and economics in the context of emerging security challenges and policies globally.
Delegates from USA, UK, Japan, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Kenya are participating in the conference.
Objective of the Conference
To promote dialogue and cooperation among the participants and contribute to the defense preparedness of the country with optimum financial resources and effective implementation of the defense budget.
Participating in global discussions on defense finance and economics and proposing a sustainable roadmap on the subject.
To disseminate the best practices, experiences and expertise of various countries and align processes in the Indian context with international standards.
The topics of discussion
Current challenges and opportunities in the areas of Defence Finance and Economics, such as how to allocate and use resources efficiently & effectively.
Different models and practices of finance and economics related to Defence Acquisition around the world.
Latest developments and innovations in Defence Research and Development.
Best practices on managing human resources in Defence, including issues related to pay, pensions and welfare of Defence Personnel and the role & functions of oversight mechanisms within defence ecosystems.
10. Second meeting of G20 Development Working Group held in Kumarakom
Tags: Summits National News
The second meeting of the G20 Development Working Group was held in Kumarakom, Kerala on 7 April and in this meeting the delegates emphasised the importance of digital technologies to achieve the 2030 Agenda and bridge the digital divide.
An Overview of the News
The formal proceedings were inaugurated by Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs.
The session focused on "Transformative Change through Data for Development".
Presentations were made by experts from the International Telecommunications Union, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and the United Nations Office of the Special Envoy on Technology.
Another session on "Transformative Change" discussed the role of women in accelerating the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and stressed the need for women's empowerment and leadership.
The session on "Just Green Development" highlighted the importance of balancing the green transition with social and development dimensions.
About the G20
It is an international forum of the world's leading economies established in 1999.
Its primary objective is to promote international financial stability and sustainable economic growth.
The G20 serves as a forum to discuss and coordinate policies related to a wide range of economic and financial issues such as trade, investment, employment, energy and climate change.
State Health Minister of Kerala - Veena George
Chairperson of G20 Empower - Dr. Sangita Reddy
