Odisha Chief minister "Naveen Patnaik" on Wednesday(23rd Nov 2022) launched AMLAN — Anaemia Mukta Lakhya Abhiyan — in the state. AMLAN is a multipronged approach for accelerated reduction of anaemia among targeted groups.

 

* The programme will be rolled out in 55,000 government and government-aided schools and 74,000 Anganwadi Centres across the state.

 

* The programme will be carried out by several departments, including Health and Family Welfare, School and Mass Education, Women and Child Development, Mission Shakti and ST & SC Development Department.

 

* Launching the programme on a virtual platform,  Naveen Patnaik said that it’s our own programme for making the state free from anaemia, especially for women and children.

 

* “The programme will benefit about 1.37 crore people, which includes pregnant women, lactating mothers, women of reproductive age group, adolescents and children,” Naveen said..

Source : Telegraph India

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is observed on November 25, every year.

It is a day to pay tribute to the Mirabal sisters, the Dominican Republic activists who were murdered at the order of Rafael Trujilllo in 1960. The United Nations aims to raise awareness about gender-based violence against women.

 

This year’s(2022) campaign is a 16-day initiative starting on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women and concluding on International Human Rights Day on December 10, 2022. 

 

International Day For The Elimination Of Violence Against Women 2022 Theme : The 2022 theme of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is ‘UNITE! Activism to End Violence against Women and Girls.’ 

 

AIM : The campaign “will aim to mobilize all society to become activists for the prevention of violence against women, to stand in solidarity with women’s rights activists and to support feminist movements around the world to resist the rollback on women’s rights and calling for a world free from VAWG.”

 

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women Significance : According to the United Nations’ official website, Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in the world today.

* Furthermore, it still remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it. The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is commemorated to raise public awareness about the issues surrounding gender-based violence.

 

* It is also a day to spread awareness about how this gender-based violence manifests itself in physical, sexual and psychological forms. The United Nations hopes to raise awareness about the adverse consequences of VAWG for women of all ages.

 

International Day For The Elimination Of Violence Against Women History : The UN General Assembly in 1979, adopted the Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Yet violence against women and girls is a problem that can still be seen worldwide. To tackle this issue, the General Assembly issued resolution 48/104, to lay the foundation of a world free of gender-based violence.

 

* Since 1981, November 25 has been commemorated as a day to raise voices against gender-based violence. This date honours the Mirabal sisters, three political activists from the Dominican Republic who were brutally murdered on the order of former President Rafael Trujillo in 1960.

 

* The General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women through resolution 48/104 on 20 December 1993.

 

* Furthermore, the UNGA adopted resolution 54/134, officially designating November 25 as the International day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on February 7, 2000..

Source : News18

India has strengthened protection to Leith’s Soft-shelled Turtle under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species(CITES). 

 

* India’s proposal for transferring Leith’s Softshell Turtle from Appendix II to Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora, has been adopted by the Conference of Parties to CITES in its 19th Meeting at Panama. 

 

* This will ensure that legal international trade in the species does not take place for commercial purposes. It will also ensure that international trade in captive-bred specimens only takes place from registered facilities and higher penalties are provided for illegal trade of the species.

 

* The proposal was introduced by Director General of Forests and Special Secretary in the Environment Ministry, "Chandra Prakash Goyal" on 23rd November when the Committee I of CoP took up the proposal for consideration..

Source : AIR

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Thursday(24th Nov 2022) inaugurated the Post Harvest Management Center and Rural Collection Center in Golaghati and aimed at benefitting more than 500 farmers, especially weekly traders.

 

* "Post Harvest Management store will benefit more than 500 farmers, especially weekly traders. Farmers use to suffer huge financial losses due to the wastage of unsold vegetables & fruits. As they have no other alternative arrangements for the same.”

 

* Apart from this, CM Manik Saha also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts and said that the present state government is working under the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 

* While detailing about Tripura government’s farmer-centric policies, CM Saha said that the state government is continuously working for the development of farmers in different parts of the state. farmers so far 17-grain storage centres, farmer education at various places for self-reliance..

Source : The Print

QatarEnergy announced a 27-year natural gas supply deal with China on Monday(21st Nov 2022), calling it the "longest" ever seen as it strengthened ties with Asia at a time when Europe is scrambling for alternative sources.

 

* The state energy company will send four million tonnes of liquefied natural gas annually from its new North Field East project to China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec).

 

* The deal "marks the longest gas supply agreement in the history of the LNG industry", said Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Qatar's Energy Minister and QatarEnergy's chief executive.

 

* Asian countries led by China, Japan and South Korea are the main market for Qatar's gas, which is increasingly being sought by European countries since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

 

* Negotiations with European countries have struggled as Germany and others have baulked at signing the sort of long-term deals made with Asian nations.

 

* North Field is at the centre of Qatar's expansion of its liquefied natural gas production by more than 60% to 126 million tonnes a year by 2027.

 

* China is the first country to seal a deal for North Field East..

Source : The Hindu

India participated in the 22nd Council of Ministers meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) held at Dhaka in Bangladesh on Thursday(24th Nov 2022).

* The Indian delegation was led by Minister of State for External Affairs Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh.

 

* During his remarks, Mr. Singh reaffirmed the country's strong commitment to strengthening IORA to promote peace, security and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region as well as in the Indo-Pacific.

* He highlighted the country's contributions as coordinator of the IORA priority areas of Disaster Risk Management and Science, Technology and Innovation towards capacity building and strengthening of IORA Secretariat.

* On the challenges posed by climate change, the Minister highlighted the initiatives of LiFE - Lifestyle for Environment and International Year of Millet in 2023.

 

* IORA is the largest and pre-eminent organization in the Indian Ocean Region with 23 Members and 10 Dialogue Partners. The Council of Ministers adopted the IORA’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific' which would guide enhancement of IORA's engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. Dhaka Communique was adopted as the Outcome Document of the 22nd Meeting..

Source : AIR

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday(21st Nov 2022) announced a National Suicide Prevention Strategy, the first of its kind in the country, with time-bound action plans and multi-sectoral collaborations to achieve reduction in suicide mortality by 10% by 2030.

 

* The strategy broadly seeks to establish effective surveillance mechanisms for suicide within the next three years, establish psychiatric outpatient departments that will provide suicide prevention services through the District Mental Health Programme in all districts within the next five years, and to integrate a mental well-being curriculum in all educational institutions within the next eight years.

* It envisages developing guidelines for responsible media reporting of suicides, and restricting access to means of suicide.

 

* The stress is on developing community resilience and societal support for suicide prevention. While the strategy is in line with the WHO’s South East-Asia Region Strategy for suicide prevention, it says it will remain true to India’s cultural and social milieu.

 

* In India, more than one lakh lives are lost every year to suicide, and it is the top killer in the 15-29 years category.

* In the past three years, the suicide rate has increased from 10.2 to 11.3 per 1,00,000 population, the document records. The most common reasons for suicide include family problems and illnesses, which account for 34% and 18% of all suicide-related deaths..

Source : The Hindu

The Uttarakhand high court on Tuesday(22nd Nov 2022) banned all construction activities in the dry area around the Sukhatal lake, a rain-fed water body that recharges the Naini lake.

 

* A division bench of Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice R.C. Khulbe imposed the ban while hearing suo motu a PIL against the beautification and rejuvenation work going on around Sukhatal.

 

* The State Environment Impact Authority and the State Wetland Management Authority have also been made parties and notices have been issued to them in this regard.

 

* During the hearing, amicus curiae (friend of the court) Kartikeya Hari Gupta told the court citing hydrological studies that the Sukhatal lake recharges the Naini lake up to 40% and 50%.

 

* However, concrete is being laid at the base of the lake, which is a threat to both the lakes, Gupta said.

 

* The state government did not conduct any environmental survey before starting the beautification of the area, he said.

 

* IIT-Roorkee did conduct a study but the institute does not have the expertise to determine the environmental impact of the constructions around the lake, Gupta said.

 

* Nainital resident G.P. Sah and others had written a letter to the chief justice of the high court, saying the ongoing beautification of the lake will lead to a closure of its natural water source.

 

* Sukhatal recharges the Naini lake and construction activities are being carried out around the water body in an unscientific manner, they had contended..

Source : The Wire

The 3-day long celebrations of the 400th birth anniversary of Ahom commander "Lachit Barphukan" began in New Delhi. 

 

Union Finance minister "Nirmala Sitharaman" inaugurated the exhibition on the occasion highlighting the life and achievement of the Ahom dynasty and Lachit Barphukan among others.

 

Sitharaman has urged the Assam government to hold such exhibitions across the country to let people know about the achievement of the Ahom kingdom and the valor of Lachit Barphukan.

 

She has also requested the Ministry of Culture to join hands with the Assam government in its endeavor. Ms. Sitharaman said that the heroics of Lachit Barphukan inspired and motivated her.

 

Assam Chief Minister "Himanta Biswa Sarma" informed that Indian history ignored the heroism of Ahoms and Lachit Barphukan and other similar dynasties.

 

He also that this initiative would help people to know the real heroes of the country and a slew of measures is being taken to establish the valor of Lachit Barphukan from a national perspective.

 

He said that Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the documentary on Lachit Barphukan tomorrow while Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the closing ceremony..

Source : News on Air

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), India’s best-performing Port, in association with the Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras, developed a Continuous Marine Water Quality Monitoring Station (CMWQMS) & launched an Electric Environmental Monitoring Vehicle (EV) on November 21, 2022 at the Port. 

 

The monitoring station and vehicle were inaugurated by Shri Sanjay Sethi, IAS, Chairman, JNPA, in the presence of Shri Unmesh Sharad Wagh, Dy. Chairman, JNPA, along with all the HoDs of JNPA.

 

Speaking at the occasion, Shri Sanjay Sethi said  “JNPA is committed to achieving leadership in sustainability and creating value for the trade – depicted across the economic, social, and environmental parameters. JNPA always thrives on being an environmentally responsible port. The Continuous Marine Water Quality Monitoring Station and launch of E- Vehicles is yet another step towards commitment to sustainable development.”

 

The Continuous water quality system and electric monitoring vehicle will assist in managing the marine water and air quality in the port area, regulating the environmental quality within the port area.

Through this, JNPA will be able to reduce the greenhouse gas footprint of vehicles, in addition to checking compliance with Environmental Quality around the port estate through water quality stations data, such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, conductivity, nitrate, salinity, turbidity, and TDS of marine water a database on marine water quality is essential for maintaining hygienic standards in the marine environment. The E- Vehicle also substantiates the ongoing ambient air and noise monitoring activities at JNPA..

Source : PIB