Kerala Affairs
Need development plan of 25 years for Kerala: Kodiyeri Balakrishnan
CPM state secretaryKodiyeri Balakrishnansaid that the party conference will be discussing an outline for the development of the state. Factors which can contribute to the making ofNava Keralamwill be the key component of the outline,Kodiyerisaid, while speaking to the media in Kochi on Sunday.
In 1956 also, the state conference had discussed such a report on the states development agenda, said Balakrishnan. It is for the first time that the CPM-led front gets SUCCESSION in the government. This reflects the hope people have placed on the party and LDF. Despite all these factors, the partys mass base will have to be further increased, said Balakrishnan.
The current report on development outline will consider green issues as well, he said. Stress will be given for designing sustainable projects which may not cause damage to the Environment, he added.
National and International Affairs
Swadesh Darshan Awards
The Awards will be given to recognize best practices like innovative approach, achievement of planned objectives, the adoption of sustainability principles in design, planning, and operations, ability to attract private investments in peripheral development, efficient project monitoring, and efforts undertaken to ensure optimal operations and maintenance, etc.
The government has approved 76 projects worth over Rs 5500 crore across 31 Indian states and union territories under this scheme. At more than 500 tourist destinations, tourism-related has been developed.
It has been decided by the Ministry to invite entries under various categories such as Best Log Hut Facility, Best Tourist Interpretation Centre, Best Cafeteria, Best MICE Facility, Best Sound and Light Show, Best Craft Haat/ Souvenir Shop facility, and Best Waterfront Development (Beach/ River/ Lake, etc.).
Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Parshottam Rupala outlined that the Sagar Parikrama initiative will be aimed at understanding challenges, experiences and aspirations of fishermen community, look at the scope of seafood exports, as well as to popularise schemes that the fishing community in coastal areas can avail of.
The department of fisheries of the Ministry of Fisheries, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRY and National Fisheries Development Board along with Gujarat governments department of fisheries, INDIAN COAST GUARD, Fishery Survey of India, Gujarat Maritime Board and fishermen representatives will be organising Sagar Parikrama, with the voyage being flagged off from Mandvi on March 5 and concluding at Porbandar on March 6, via Okha in Devbhoomi Dwarka.
While the programme is planned to be held in states that have a coastline, Gujarat will mark the first state as part of this initiative.
Naval exercise MILAN concludes in Visakhapatnam
Indian Navys largest multilateral exercise Milan 2022, which saw the participation of over 40 countries, ended on Friday. The sea phase of the 11th edition saw the participation of 26 ships, one submarine and 21 aircraft.
The sea phase commenced with a series of exercises to enhance the interoperability amongst the participating navies.
The exercise, held amid tensions between the West and Russia and the crisis in Ukraine, saw the warships of the Quad countries; France; Myanmar; South Korea and Vietnam and among others practice completing drills. Russia, Iran, Israel and Saudi Arabia among others are participating in the exercise without ships.
Digital transactions earned dividends for the nation
Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Prahlad Joshi has said that with more people adapting digital transactions, a saving of 1.75 lakh crore had been possible and the menace of middlemen had also been checked.
The country had performed over 20 lakh crore digital transactions, which was 60% more than the digital transaction of China. He said that with the introduction of Jan Dhan accounts, 45 crore zero balance new bank accounts were opened and in these zero balance accounts, there were deposits to the tune of 1.65 lakh crore in the last seven years.
India-ITU Host Country Agreement (HCA)
HCA was signed in a virtual ceremony during the World Telecommunications Standardization Assembly-20 (WTSA-20) being held in Geneva, Switzerland.
HCA provides the legal and financial framework for the establishment and operations of the Area Office and innovation center of ITU in New Delhi, India.
ITU is the United Nations specialized agency responsible for information and Communication technologies (ICTs).
India has taken many initiatives to develop telecom standards. ITU recognized 5Gi standards developed in India.
Pakistan remains on FATFs grey list: Report
The global laundering and terrorist financing watchdog FATF has retained Pakistan on its terrorism financing grey list and asked Islamabad to address at the earliest the remaining deficiencies in its financial system, according to a media report.
Pakistan has been on the grey list of the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) since June 2018 for failing to check money laundering, leading to terror financing, and was given a plan of action to complete it by October 2019.