NGHM:
- NGHM was launched in 2023 with a total budgetary outlay of Rs. 19,744 crores.
- The mission aims to make India as a global hub for the production, use, and export of green hydrogen andits derivatives.
- MNRE will be responsible for the overall coordination and implementation of the Mission while all theconcerned Ministries, Departments, agencies and institutions of the Central and State Governments willwork towards the achievement of the Mission objectives.
About Ministry of New and Renewable Energy(MNRE):
Union Minister – Raj Kumar Singh (Constituency – Arrah, Bihar)
Minister of State(MoS) – Bhagwanth Khuba (Constituency – Bidar, Karnataka)
State of the World’s Migratory Species Report released at CMS COP14 in Uzbekistan
On February 12, 2024, the first-ever ‘State of the World’s Migratory Species‘ report was launched at the14th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Speciesof Wild Animals (CMS COP14), also known as Bonn Convention in Samarkand, Uzbekistan from February12-17, 2024.
The CMS COP14 is convened under the slogan,“Nature knows no borders”.
It is also the first COP of any global environmentaltreaty to take place in Central Asia.
i.It is prepared by the conservation scientists incollaboration with United Nations EnvironmentProgramme World Conservation MonitoringCentre (UNEP-WCMC) and CMS.
ii.Human activities are the primary cause of thedecline in migratory species.
About United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP):
Executive Director– Inger Andersen
Headquarters– Nairobi, Kenya
Establishment- 1972
Members – 193 Member States
RBI & Nepal Rastra Bank signed ToR to integrate UPI and NPI for Cross-BorderRemittances
The central banks of India & Nepal namely theReserve Bank of India (RBI) and Nepal Rastra Bank(NRB) have signed Terms of Reference (ToR) tointegrate the fast payment systems of both countries.
As per ToR, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) ofIndia and the National Payments Interface (NPI) ofNepal will be integrated to facilitate cross-borderremittances.
This integration aims to streamline cross-borderremittances between the two countries by allowingusers of both systems to conduct instant, costeffectivefund transfers.
National Women’s Day 2024- February 13
National Women’s Day is annually observed across India on 13 February to commemorate the birthanniversary of Sarojini Naidu, popularly known asthe “Nightingale of India” or “Bharat Kokila.”
National Women’s Day celebrates the contributionmade by Sarojini Naidu for establishing women’srights in the patriarchal Indian society.
The Day aims to recognise the cultural, political, andeconomic contributions of women in India and alsocelebrates the achievements of women across variousdomains.
13 February 2024 marks the 145th birth anniversaryof Sarojini Naidu.
International Childhood Cancer Day 2024- February 15
International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is annually observed across the globe on 15 February to raiseawareness about childhood cancer and its uniquechallenges, and to express support for children andadolescents battling cancer, the cancer survivors, andtheir families.
The campaign theme of ICCD 2024 is “UnveilingChallenges.”
Symbol: The Gold Ribbon is the universal awarenesssymbol of Childhood Cancer.
Background:
- ICCD, an annual event was created in 2002 byChildhood Cancer International (CCI), an umbrellaorganisation of childhood cancer grassroots andnational parent organisations.
- ICCD campaign is a joint effort by CCI and theInternational Society of Pediatric Oncology or Société Internationale d’oncologie Pédiatrique (SIOP).
- The 1st ever ICCD was observed on 15 February 2002.
About Childhood Cancer International (CCI):
President– Rodney Wong
Headquarters– Amsterdam, Netherlands
Founded in– 1994
Bihar Introduced ‘Patna Declaration’ to Strengthen Bird Conservation Initiatives inSouth Asian region
The Bihar government has brought out the ‘Patna Declaration’ to strengthen bird conservation initiativesand address the challenges posed by illegal hunting in the South Asian region.
The declaration was finalised at the international workshop organised by the Department of Environment,Forest and Climate Change (DEFCC) of Bihar and the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).
About the Patna Declaration:
- The Patna Declaration aims to increasecollaboration between countries andorganisations along the Central AsianFlyway (CAF) and East AsianAustralasian Flyway (EAAF) in birdconservation activities and combat illicithunting and trading of wild birds.
- It also aims to implement theConvention on International Trade inEndangered Species (CITES) at thegrassroots level through the WildlifeProtection Action Act of 1972 (asamended in 2022).
- Task force: The declaration recommends to set up a task force on illegal killing, taking, and trade ofmigratory birds in the South Asian region.This will facilitate the implementation of guidelines and action plans and consider the necessity of newrecommendations to respond to specific problems
About the Workshop:
- The three-day workshop on ‘Bird Conservation Initiatives in India with a special focus on illegal hunting,taking and trade of birds-conservation and management issues and concerns – South Asian RegionalPerspective’ was held from 5th to 7th February 2024 in Patna, Bihar.
- Delegates from national and international wildlife organisations participated in the workshop. Around 15delegates from 8 countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Singapore, andthe Netherlands attended the workshop.
Arunachal Pradesh becomes the first North-Eastern state to achieve 100% householdtap water connections
Chief Minister (CM) of Arunachal Pradesh (AR), PemaKhandu announced that AR has achieved 100% household tapwater connections under the centrally sponsored Jal JeevanMission (JJM).
With this, AR has become the first state in North-East Indiaand as the 10th state/Union territory in overall India to achieve100% saturation of Har Ghar Jal (tap water in every household)under JJM.
JJM was launched in 2019 by the Ministry of Jalshakti (MoJ)to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individualhousehold tap connections to all households in rural India by 2024.
Tirap was the first district to achieve 100% Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) in AR.