PM Modi Inaugurated the 2nd Edition of ‘World Food India’ in New Delhi
Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi inaugurated the 2nd edition of World Food India (WFI 2023), the
biennial Mega Food Event, on November 3, 2023, at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
The event held from November 3-5, 2023 was
organised by the Ministry of Food Processing
Industry(MoFPI).
PM Modi also inaugurated Food Street as part of
World Food India 2023.
Mascot: MillInd, a probot/foor processing robot, is
the Mascot for WFI 2023
Key Points:
- During the inaugural event, PM Modi announced
a seed capital aid of Rs 380 crore to support over
1 lakh Self-Help Group (SHG) members.
- The Agricultural and Processed Food Products
Export Development Authority (APEDA), under
the Ministry of Commerce, GoI, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lulu
Hypermarket LLC, a global retail giant, to enhance the export of Indian agricultural products, including
millets, to the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCCs).
- Ahmedabad, Gujarat-based HyFun Foods has signed a MoU with Lulu Group International to produce
and supply an exclusive range of frozen food products under the private label brand ‘Lulu.’
About Ministry of Food Processing Industries(MOFPI):
Union Minister– Pashupati Kumar Paras (Constituency – Hajipur, Bihar)
Minister of State (MoS)– Prahlad Singh Patel
India hosts the 6th Assembly of the International Solar Alliance
India hosted the 6th Assembly of the International
Solar Alliance (ISA) at Bharat Mandapam, in New
Delhi, Delhi. Union Minister Raj Kumar Singh
(RK Singh) Ministry of Power (MOP) and Ministry
of New & Renewable Energy(MNRE), President of
ISA presided over the 6th Assembly of ISA
Key Points:
- Chile has officially joined the ISA as its 95th
member
- ISA released 3 flagship reports to provide insights
into the current state of solar energy: World Solar
Technology Report 2023; World Solar Market Report
2023 and World Solar Investment Report.
- The ISA announced that the Global Solar Facility
(GSF), a payment guarantee fund formed by ISA to stimulate investments into solar power projects, is set to
receive a capital contribution of USD 35 million.
- The 6th Assembly of ISA has decided to increase the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for solar projects
across its member countries to 35% from the existing 10%.
About International Solar Alliance(ISA):
Director General– Ajay Mathur
Headquarters– Gurugram, Haryana
Formed in 2015
Member– 95 Members and 116 signatories
REC signs MoU with RailTel, to Finance Infrastructure Projects in Telecom, IT and
Railway Signalling
REC Limited (Formerly Rural Electrification
Corporation Limited) signed a memorandum
of understanding (MoU) with RailTel to
provide financial assistance upto Rs 30,000
crore for infrastructure developmental
projects in next 5 years.
These projects encompass a wide range of
areas, including Data Center products and
services, Telecom & IT products and
services, Railways & Metro projects, and the
KAVACH Train Collision Prevention System
Key Points:
- The MoU will also explore possibility of financing overseas ventures related to High-Speed Rail, metro, IT
network, and the Upgradation of Railway Network, as part of bilateral country discussions and
Infrastructure Projects in Southeast Asia and Eastern Africa where RailTel is currently focusing
- During the signing, discussions were held on the opportunities for collaboration and explored new areas of
renewable energy, smart metering where RailTel and REC (through its wholly owned subsidiary REC Power
Development and Consultancy Limited /RECPDCL) can join hands.
About REC Limited:
It is a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE)
Parent Ministry– Ministry of Power
Headquarter– New Delhi, Delhi
Establishment– 1969
About RailTel Corporation of India Limited:
It is a “Mini Ratna (Category-I)” PSU and one of the largest neutral telecom infrastructure providers.
Headquarter– New Delhi, Delhi
Established – 2000
IIS Kanpur signed MoUs with IIT Kanpur, HAL & DASI to Empower India’s Youth
Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh-UP) has signed Memorandum of Understandings
(MoUs) with Indian Institute of Technology
(IIT) Kanpur; Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited (HAL); and Dassault Aircraft
Services India Private Limited(DASI).
These MoUs aims to empower and prepare
the youth of UP for the aerospace and
defence sector, particularly to support the
Defence Industrial Corridor in UP.
Key Points:
- Under the partnership with Dassault
Aviation, a course in Aeronautical
Structure and Equipment Fitter (AS&EF)
will be started at IIS.
- This will offer long-term training in the aviation sector in Kanpur.
- Under this partnership, Dassault Aviation Centre of Excellence is being established in the IIS Kanpur
Campus to offer Aeronautical Vocational Training.
- Under a strategic partnership, HAL will develop a training infrastructure for a Computer Numerical
Control (CNC) lab at IIS Kanpur.
- This is a part of HAL’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
- This aims to offer IIS Kanpur’s faculties and trainees exposure to advanced CNC machining technology.
Flying Wedge is First Company to Secure DGCA Certification for UAS
- Bengaluru(Karnataka) based Flying Wedge Defence
and Aerospace Technologies Private Limited has
become the first Indian private company to receive a
type certification from the Directorate General of
Civil Aviation (DGCA).
- The type certificate was given for their indigenous
Unmanned Aircraft System(UAS) called
“FWDA10”.
- FWDA10 was certified for its proper design,
material, specification, construction and
performance for safe operations.
- The certification of this UAS is based on the
recommendation of UL India Private Limited
National Ayurveda Day 2023- November 10
National Ayurveda Day is annually observed across India aimed at generating awareness among people
about health issues as well as the potential role of Ayurveda in their prevention and treatment.
The day aligns with Dhanvantari Jayanti, to honour Lord Dhanvantari, the God of Ayurveda, and coincides
with Dhanteras, seeking blessings for robust health.
The National Ayurveda Day 2023 falls on 10
November 2023 and marks the observance of the
8th National Ayurveda Day.
The focal theme for Ayurveda Day 2023 is,
“Ayurveda for One Health” .
Key Points:
- The Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy,
Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH)
announced Dhanvantari Jayanti as national
Ayurveda day in 2016 intending to further promote
Ayurveda into the mainstream.
- The initiative is supported by the Ministry of
Ayush, and the Indian Council for Cultural
Relations (ICCR).
- The first ever National Ayurveda Day was observed in India on the 28th October 2016
About Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH):
Union Minister– Sarbananda Sonowal (Rajya Sabha Assam)
Minister of State– Dr. Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai (Constituency- Surendranagar, Gujarat)
Chandigarh Smart City launches AI-driven Chatbot ‘BIRBAL’
- Anindita Mitra, Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of
Chandigarh Smart City Limited (CSCL), launched an
Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven chatbot “BIRBAL”
to provide a one-stop platform for citizens to access
information and services.
- The BIRBAL is developed using CoRover.ai, a
generative AI-powered conversational AI platform.
- The chatbot provides accurate information and guide
citizens to the appropriate resources.
- It is incorporated with various features such as voice
assistance, live agent support, and AI-based response
updates