1. Indian Council of Agricultural Research developed new variety of wheat named HD-3385
Tags: Science and Technology National News
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed a new variety of wheat which is 'HD-3385'.
An overview of the news
It is capable of meeting the challenges arising due to climate change and rising heat.
This new variety is suitable for early sowing. It can survive the wrath of heat and its crop can be harvested before the end of March.
The Central Government had recently announced setting up of a committee to monitor the situation arising out of rise in temperature and its impact on the current wheat crop.
ICAR has registered the news variety HD-3385 with the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority (PPVFRA).
ICAR has also granted a license to Bioseed owned by DCM Shriram Limited to conduct multi-location trials and seed multiplication.
About Indian Council of Agricultural Research
It is an autonomous body formerly known as the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research.
Headquarters - New Delhi
Established - 1929
The Union Minister of Agriculture serves as its president. Presently its president is Narendra Singh Tomar.
ICAR is the largest network of agricultural research and education institutes in the world.
2. University of Auckland, Tata Memorial Hospital sign MoU for cancer care
Tags: National National News
Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH), Mumbai and Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 22 February to engage in long-term cooperation in cancer care.
An overview of the news
Tata Memorial Hospital is the largest and the most renowned cancer care hospital and research centre in India.
The University's Deputy Vice Chancellor Research, Professor Frank Bloomfield met TMH representatives led by TMH Director Dr Rajendra Badwe and Professor Dr Vanita Noronha.
The MoU aims to explore ways to enhance cancer care using digital health.
The two countries have a long history of cooperation in healthcare and this partnership builds on an already strong relationship.
The University of Auckland is strongly committed to finding solutions to some of the most pressing global health issues in partnership with leading institutions.
3. Cabinet approves the extension of the term of the Twenty-second Law Commission of India
Tags: committee National National News
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The Union Cabinet has approved the extension of the tenure of the 22nd Law Commission of India which has been extended till August 31, 2024.
22nd Law Commission
The Union ministry of Law and Justice constituted the 22nd Law Commission on 7 November 2022 and appointed former Karnataka High court chief justice Rituraj Awasthi as the chairperson of the Law Commission.
The five member 22nd Law Commission will have a term of three years.
Justice BS Chauhan was the chairman of the 21st Law Commission whose term expired in August 2018.
Other members
Former Kerala High Court judge Justice KT Sankaran, Prof. Anand Paliwal, Prof. DP Verma, Prof.(Dr) Raka Arya and M Karunanithi have been appointed members of the Law Commission.
Law Commission of India
Law commission is a non-statutory body which is set up by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice for suggesting reform in laws in India.
Its recommendations are not binding on the government.
The provision for the Law commission was made in the Charter act 1833 and the first Law commission was set up in 1834 under the chairmanship of Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay.
The Indian Penal Code 1860 is based on the recommendation of the Macaulay commission.
The First Law commission in Independent India was set up in 1955 and M.C Setalvad who was also the first Attorney General of India was the chairman of the Law Commission.
4. Cabinet approves Air Services Agreement between India and Guyana
Tags: National National News
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Union Cabinet on 22 February approved the signing of the Air Services Agreement between the Government of India and Guyana.
An overview of the news
The Air Services Agreement will come into force after the exchange of Diplomacy Notes.
The Diplomacy Notes shall confirm that both sides have completed the necessary internal procedures for the entry into force of this Agreement.
The signing of the Air Services Agreement with Guyana will create a framework for the provision of air services between the two countries.
The agreement will give a boost to the aviation market and aviation sector in India.
To strengthen international air connectivity, India has so far signed air service agreements with many countries.
India and Guyana are signatories to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention).
There is a significant Indian presence in Guyana and according to the 2012 census Indians constitute about 40% of the population.
What is an Air Services Agreement?
Air Services Agreement (ASA) provides the legal framework for air operations between two countries.
It is based on the sovereignty of the nations, the nationality of the carriers and the commercial opportunity for each side's designated airlines.
Prior to this there was no Air Services Agreement between the Government of India and the Government of Guyana.
About Guyana
Prime Minister: Mark Phillips
President: Mohamed Irfaan Ali
Capital: Georgetown
Currency : Guyanese dollar (G$)
5. Nitin Gadkari lays Foundation Stone of the world's largest and unique Divyang Park
Tags: National National News
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on 20 February laid the Foundation Stone of the world's largest and unique Divyang Park - Anubhuti Inclusive Park in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
An overview of the news
This park is being developed keeping in mind the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to build an inclusive society.
Instead of sympathy, this park will show empathy, hence this park has been named Anubhuti Divyang Park.
In 2016, the central government passed the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act for the rights of persons with disabilities.
This law gives the disabled the right to live with dignity.
About Anubhuti Inclusive Park
This park is being built for disabled children and common citizens in Pardi campus of Nagpur.
Its purpose is to give the message of inclusion in the country and the whole world.
It is the world's first inclusive disabled park.
Nodal Ministry - Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.
The park will have adapted facilities for all 21 types of disabilities, including touch and smell gardens, hydrotherapy units, water therapy, independent rooms for mentally challenged children, etc.
6. Govt forms cabinet secretary-led panel to monitor Mission Karmayogi
Tags: committee National News
Anapex panel comprising seven secretaries has been constituted under the leadership of Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba to oversee the implementation of the Karmayogi programme, the government's ambitious mission for training government employees.
An overview of the news
It is the coordination committee of the Cabinet Secretariat that will oversee Mission Karmayogi.
It will review the progress of the program and guide the government to train and upgrade the competencies of all civil servants to match the role.
A Cabinet Secretariat Coordination Unit (CSCU) was recently set up under the National Program for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB) or Mission Karmayogi.
The CSCU will have nominees from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Secretary (Coordination), Cabinet Secretariat, Department of Personnel and Training Secretary, Home Secretary, Expenditure Secretary, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Secretary, Higher Education Secretary and Revenue Secretary as members.
About Mission Karmayogi Scheme
Mission Karmayogi Yojana was launched on 2nd September 2020.
This scheme is operated under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The main objective of the Mission Karmayogi scheme is to develop the capabilities of government employees.
Under the Mission Karmayogi scheme, a budget of Rs 510.86 crore has been set by the government for a period of 5 years for about 46 lakh central employees.
For the successful operation of the scheme iGOT Karmayogi platform has also been formed through which online contact is made available.
7. Pangong Tso lake marathon registered as world's highest Frozen Lake Marathon in the Guinness Book
Tags: National National News
The Frozen Lake Marathon at Pangong Tso Lake in the Union Territory of Ladakh has been officially included in the Guinness Book of World Records as the Highest Frozen Lake Marathon for the first time.
An overview of the news
It was organised on 20 February at the world-famous Pangong Lake, situated at an altitude of 4,350 metres above sea level.
The Frozen Lake Marathon is being organised for the first time in the country and is considered to be one of the toughest because of the high altitude and cold.
The theme of this marathon is 'The Last Run' and it is organised with the aim of creating awareness about climate change in Ladakh and promoting border tourism.
It was organised under the Vibrant Village Program to accelerate the pace of development in border villages.
The 21 km long marathon that started at Luking village was organised by the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councilin association with the Adventure Sports Foundation of Ladakh.
Pangong Tso lake
It is a long narrow, deep landlocked lake situated at an altitude of over 14,000 feet in the Himalayas.
The western end is located 54 km to the south-east of Leh.
This salt water lake freezes in winter.
It is about 135 km long, of which more than two-thirds is under Chinese control.
The Line of Actual Control passes through the middle of this lake.
8. India and Singapore launch joint digital payment mechanism
Tags: Economy/Finance International News
India and Singapore on 21 February launched a joint digital payment mechanism to enable residents of both countries to make easier and faster cross-border transactions.
An overview of the news
The facility was jointly launched by Shaktikanta Das, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India and Ravi Menon, Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Singapore's PayNow have entered into an agreement in this regard to facilitate these transactions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong participated in the virtual launch of Real Time Payment Linkage.
This will add a new chapter in fintech connectivity. Now people can make cost effective and fast money transfers from their mobile phones.
This real-time payment system will help the Indian diaspora in Singapore, especially migrant workers and students.
9. Union Minister of Food Processing Industry inaugurates India Pavillion at Dubai
Tags: International News
India Pavilion’ at Gulfood, Dubai was inaugurated by Pashupati Kumar Paras, Minister of Food Processing Industries, Government of India in the presence of Sunjay Sudhir, Ambassador of India to the UAE on 20 February.
An overview of the news
The 'India Pavilion' is the largest pavilion at Gulfood 2023.
The 'India Pavilion' has 306 companies, including leading SMEs and startups, participating on one platform.
Indian companies are exhibiting in all sectors of Gulffood including beverages, pulses, cereals, food, meat and poultry, dairy, fats and oils etc.
Major Indian companies participating include Amul, MDH, Parle, Rasna, Bikanerwala, Bikaji, Everest Foods, Markfed, Safal and Red Fort.
In the 'India Pavilion', special promotion and branding of millets superfoods will be done as the United Nations celebrates the International Year of Millets 2023.
APEDA will sign an MoU with Lulu Group International for in-store promotion of millets in its supermarkets in the UAE.
Food Processing Industry of India
India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables, rice, fish and tea.
India ranks first in terms of production of milk, millets, spices, pulses.
India has agricultural exports of US$ 46.1 billion and 23 operational mega food parks and 12 agro-processing clusters.
India has shown renewed interest in millets because of their nutritional value and sustainability.
10. India to host Permanent Mission Roundtables at UN Head Quarter as Chair of G- 20
Tags: National National News
India as the Chair of the G-20 will host the Permanent Mission Roundtable at the UN Headquarters ahead of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit to be held in New York this year.
An overview of the news
A series of round table conferences have been lined up for the next few months.
A roundtable titled ‘Gandhian Trusteeship: A panel discussion on Sustainable Lifestyles and Enduring Pace’ will be held.
This will be followed on March 9 by a roundtable on 'The world we women and girls want: Technology-driven social and economic advancement'.
On March 16, a roundtable on ‘Grassroots leadership and transformation: Charting the path of empowerment through technology and skill development’ will take place.
A special program has been planned to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar on 14th April.
During the event, the focus will be on India's growth story and achievements.
The 2023 SDG Summit will be held in September 2023 under the auspices of the United Nations General Assembly.
