THE HEADLINES:-
- Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says India seen as trusted value chain partner focused on inclusive growth.
- Fifteen Maoists including top leader with 1 crore bounty killed in Jharkhand.
- Ten Army soldiers killed and 11 others injured as vehicle plunges into gorge in Jammu and Kashmir.
- Government brings four additional carbon-intensive sectors under Carbon Credit Trading Scheme to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar calls for stronger India-EU relations to de-risk world economy through resilient supply chains.
- US President Donald Trump unveils ‘Board of Peace’ a charter for resolving international conflicts.
- Ryan Coogler’s vampire epic ‘Sinners ‘sets new record with 16 nominations at 98th Academy Awards.
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Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw today said that India is seen as a trusted value chain partner and as a country that is focused on inclusive growth. In an interview with a private media channel on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mr Vaishnaw informed that India is working on all five layers of Artificial Intelligence, including AI architecture, application, model, chip, infra and energy.
Speaking on the country’s semiconductor ecosystem, Mr Vaishnaw noted that out of ten semiconductor and chip manufacturing plants approved by the government, four plants have already begun pilot production in recent months. He added that one of these is going to start commercial production in the last week of February.
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The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Economic Forum to collaborate on strengthening India’s skills and Technical and Vocational Education and Training ecosystem. The Ministry said that through this MoU, it will collaborate with the World Economic Forum to launch and implement a Skills Accelerator in the country. It added that this initiative will significantly benefit the nation by bridging critical skill gaps, enhancing the global employability of country’s youth.
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In Jharkhand, 15 Maoists were killed in an anti-Naxal operation in the Saranda forest of West Singhbhum district following an encounter with CPI (Maoist) insurgents today. We have more from our Correspondent:-
“Security forces achieved a major success in the anti-Naxal operation in the Saranda forest of Chaibasa under the joint leadership of the Jharkhand DGP and the CRPF Director General. The special “Medhaburu” operation was carried out by joint teams of 209 CoBRA, Jharkhand Jaguar, CRPF and district police in the Kiriburu police station area. So far, the bodies of 15 Naxalites have been recovered and 11 of the deceased have been identified. Along with that a large cache of weapons and daily-use materials have been recovered. Those killed include Central Committee Member Anil alias Patiram Manjhi, who carried rewards of ₹1 crore in Jharkhand and ₹1.20 crore in Odisha, along with several senior Maoist leaders. Jharkhand Police has appealed to the remaining extremists to surrender under the state’s Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy, while search operations are still underway. Mahvish Rahman, Akashvani News, Ranchi.
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Ten soldiers lost their lives and 11 others injured in an road accident in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir today. An Army truck skidded off the road at the nine thousand-foot-high Khanni top along Bhaderwah-Chamba interstate road and plunged into a deep gorge. A joint rescue operation by Army and police was immediately launched. Four soldiers were found dead on the spot and six soldiers succumbed to injuries later. One of the injured soldier is under observation in Bhaderwah sub-district hospital while 10 soldiers were airlifted to Udhampur command hospital for specialised treatment while one soldier is under observation in Bhaderwah Sub-district hospital. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have expressed grief over the loss of lives of army personnel. In a social media post, the Prime Minister said that their service to the nation will be remembered forever.
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The Government has notified Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity (GEI) targets for additional carbon-intensive sectors under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS). The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said that a total of 208 obligated entities across these sectors will now be required to meet specified emission intensity reduction targets. It added that with this expansion, the compliance mechanism of the Indian Carbon Market now covers 490 obligated entities across India’s most emission-intensive industries.
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Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has emphasised that VB G RAM G is introduced to plug loopholes that existed in MGNREGA scheme. Addressing media persons in Bengaluru today the minister said that the new scheme assures of 125 days employment instead of 100 earlier, assures of unemployment allowance, uses technology to prevent corruption and commission and allows the Gram Panchayat to execute the programme. Speaking about the allocation of funds under the scheme, the minister informed that the UPA government had released 8,739.32 crore rupees in 10 years, whereas the NDA Government has released 8,48,000 crore rupees under the employment guarantee programme to Karnataka.
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Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah has said that India’s reconstruction is essential not only for the country but also for the welfare of the entire world. Mr Shah said that those who understand Sanatan Dharma, Indian culture and the country’s history firmly believe that solutions to the world’s problems lie within India’s ancient traditions. He was addressing the centenary celebrations of the All World Gayatri Pariwar in Haridwar, Uttarakhand.
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External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar today highlighted that stronger India-EU relations will de-risk the world economy by cooperating on resilient supply chains and stabilise the global order through stronger trade, mobility and security partnership. Interacting with the Ambassadors from EU countries in New Delhi, Dr Jaishankar spoke to them about the current state of the world with volatility and instability as the new normal. In a social media post, Dr Jaishankar stated that he made a case for stronger India EU relations which will reassure the international community by providing public goods like Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief HADR, anti-piracy operations, and development projects.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today spoke to President of Brazil Lula da Silva and and reviewed the strong momentum in the India-Brazil Strategic Partnership. In a social media post, Mr Modi said the partnership is poised to scale new heights in the year ahead. He added that close cooperation between India and Brazil is vital for advancing the shared interests of the Global South. Prime Minister Modi said India is looking forward to welcoming the Brazil President to India soon.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kerala tomorrow. During the visit, Mr Modi will lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and flag off various developmental projects in Thiruvananthapuram. He will also address the gathering on the occasion. The projects span key sectors including rail connectivity, urban livelihoods, science and innovation, citizen-centric services, and advanced healthcare, reflecting the Prime Minister’s continued focus on inclusive growth, technological advancement and improved quality of life for citizens.
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Prime Minister’s flagship platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, PRAGATI, has marked a significant milestone with the successful conduct of its 50th meeting. Today, in this special series, we take a look at the Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project. A report:
“The Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project Phase-I represents a transformative leap in sustainable urban mobility for Gujarat’s largest metropolitan region. Implemented under the aegis of Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, the project spans 40.03 kilometres, with a total approved cost of 12,924.5 crore rupees. The project was first reviewed under the PRAGATI mechanism on 25th April 2018, at an early stage with around 25 percent physical progress. Through clear directions and sustained monitoring by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, inter-agency coordination was strengthened. By the PRAGATI review on 23rd December 2020, physical progress had reached approximately 62 percent. With continued execution supported by PRAGATI-level oversight, most of Phase-I – including the Blue and Red Lines – was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on 30th September 2022 and opened for public service in early October 2022. The remaining sections were subsequently completed, resulting in the entire Ahmedabad Metro Phase-I network becoming fully operational. Suparna Saikia, Akashvani News, Delhi.
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The tableau of Information and Broadcasting Ministry at the Republic Day parade will showcase India’s storytelling traditions and the Vision of WAVES. The Ministry said in a statement that its tableau, “Bharat Gatha: Shruti, Kriti, Drishti,” presents a powerful visual narrative of India’s civilisational journey. A report:
“Shruti symbolises India’s rich oral legacy, depicted through a Guru imparting knowledge to disciples under a Peepal tree, accompanied by sound-wave motifs representing the cosmic resonance of Aum and the origins of knowledge. Kriti marks the evolution of written expression, with Lord Ganesha inscribing the Mahabharat. It is also showcased through visuals of manuscripts, performing arts and early communication traditions that shaped India’s intellectual heritage. Drishti captures India’s media evolution through print, cinema, television and digital platforms. The tableau stands as both a cultural timeline and a forward-looking vision statement, uniting India’s ancient wisdom with its digital future. Akshit Vaidyan, Akashvani News, Delhi.”
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Air Commodore of Directorate of Ceremonies, Imran Zaidi today said the Indian Air Force , IAF will be leading this year’s Republic Day parade among the defence forces. Briefing media in New Delhi, Air Commander Zaidi informed that the IAF homage ceremony will be led by Squadron Leader Hemant Singh Kanyar in this year’s Republic Day parade. He said the marching contingent will comprise four officers along with 144 air warriors.
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US President Donald Trump today signed the charter to formally launch Board of Peace initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos, describing it as a major step towards global conflict resolution. Mr. Trump called it a exciting day saying that there is going be peace in the world. In his opening remarks, the US President said, one year ago the world was actually on fire, but many good things are happening and threats worldwide are really calming down.
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The nominations for the 98th Academy Awards or the Oscars have been announced. Ryan Coogler’s vampire epic Sinners leading the field after setting a new Oscars record with 16 nominations, breaking the record for the most Oscar nominations, which was previously held by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997) and La La Land (2016).
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN :-
- Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says India seen as trusted value chain partner focused on inclusive growth.
- Fifteen Maoists including top leader with 1 crore bounty killed in Jharkhand.
- Ten Army soldiers killed and 11 others injured as vehicle plunges into gorge in Jammu and Kashmir.
- Government brings four additional carbon-intensive sectors under Carbon Credit Trading Scheme to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar calls for stronger India-EU relations to de-risk world economy through resilient supply chains.
- US President Donald Trump unveils ‘Board of Peace’ a charter for resolving international conflicts.
- Ryan Coogler’s vampire epic ‘Sinners ‘sets new record with 16 nominations at 98th Academy Awards.
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