In order to encourage the Spatial Planning by the Gram Panchayat, Ministry of Panchayati Raj had launched the Geographic Information System (GIS) application “Gram Manchitra” (https://grammanchitra.gov.in). This application facilitates and supports Gram Panchayats to perform planning at Gram Panchayat level using geo-spatial technology. It provides a single/ unified Geo Spatial platform to better visualize the various developmental works to be taken up across the different sectors and provide a decision support system for Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP).

Further, Ministry has launched mActionSoft, a mobile based solution to help in capturing photos with Geo-Tags (i.e. GPS Coordinates) for the works which have asset as an output. Geo-tagging of the assets is done in all three stages viz. (i) before start of the work, (ii) during the work and (iii) on completion of work. This would provide a repository of information on all works and assets related to natural resource management, water harvesting, drought proofing, sanitation, agriculture, check dams and irrigation channels etc. Assets geo-tagged using the m-ActionSoft application is available on Gram Manchitra, enhancing the visualization of various developmental works in the Gram Panchayats.

Jithesh John, a 2001 batch Indian Economic Service Officer, has taken charge as Executive Director of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI), according to a release. Earlier, John served as an economic adviser in the Ministry of Power.

"Jithesh John took charge as Executive Director, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI)," a release dated December 1 by the IBBI said.

John has a postgraduate degree in Economics. He has completed more than 21 years in Government of India in various capacities. He has worked in various sectors such as financial, energy, infrastructure and small and medium enterprises.

The Government of India has approved several high-profile appointments, including the elevation of Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi to the position of Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, according to people aware of the matter. Vice Admiral Tripathi, currently serving as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command, is set to take on the crucial role of Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, effective early January 2024.

His extensive experience and leadership in the naval domain make him a strategic choice for this pivotal position. The highly-rated officer has earlier served as chief of personnel Indian Navy, fleet commander and commanded front-line destroyers.

The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) will launch a revamped - "DIGI-PHARMed" application on December 1 with four integrated services having an objective to regulate the Pharmacy education in the country by enrollment/registration of Pharmacy institutions/Pharmacist/Pharmacy student/Pharmacist jobseeker across India.

President of PCI, Dr. Montu Kumar M Patel will inaugurate the revamped "DIGI-PHARMed" Portal as the earlier iteration of the application was limited in scope, where Pharmacy institutions/Faculties/Pharmacy students could avail full benefits of PCI digital services.

The revamped "DIGI-PHARMed" Portal is cloud-based application to provide end-to-end services to Pharmacy institutions/Pharmacist/Pharmacy student/Pharmacist jobseeker, the PCI release stated.

The Asian Hajj and Umrah Expo 2024 stands as a testament to the commitment to creating an unparalleled platform for pilgrimage-related businesses, professionals, and enthusiasts.

In a groundbreaking achievement, the Asian Arab Trade Chamber of Commerce (AATCOC) proudly declares the Asian Hajj and Umrah Expo 2024 as Asia's Largest Pilgrimage Expo, set to unfold from the 16th to the 18th of January at the India Expo Mart in Greater Noida, Delhi NCR.

With a vision to transcend boundaries and foster cultural understanding, AATCOC, under the visionary leadership of Managing Director Abdul Musaddiq, has curated an expo that goes beyond the ordinary. The Asian Hajj and Umrah Expo 2024 stands as a testament to the commitment to creating an unparalleled platform for pilgrimage-related businesses, professionals, and enthusiasts.

Artist-curator Bose Krishnamachari, co-founder and president of Kochi-Muziris Biennale, has been included in the list of the world’s most influential personalities in the field of art by Art Review, an internationally renowned magazine. Krishnamachari has been ranked 38th on the list titled 'Power 100’, which includes personalities from all spheres of contemporary art such as artists, thinkers, curators, museum directors and collectors.

The magazine specifically mentions the progressive distinctiveness in the approaches of Krishnamachari, the driving force behind the Kochi Biennale that embodies a regional synthesis of global art. According to the publication, the democratisation of art is his uncompromising stance, and terms the exhibitions curated by him as part of the 'Keraleeyam' event organised by the state government as a testimony to this. It also makes a special mention of the Neurodiverse project, an art show of neurodiverse artists curated by Krishnamachari.

Kanchan Devi, an IFS officer from the 1991 batch of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, was appointed as director general of Dehradun-based Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) on Friday. With over three decades of service, she became the first woman officer to hold this position.

With expertise in various domains of forest, wildlife and their policies, Devi specialises in forest management, policies and administration.

She is among the few Indian IFS officers in the country who played a key role in setting up the Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Land Management and implementation of the World Bank-funded Ecosystem Services Improvement Project (ESIP) at ICFRE.

Before assuming this posting, Devi served as deputy director general (education) for the past four years at ICFRE. Her contributions span her tenure in Madhya Pradesh and the central government, including her role as a faculty member at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy. She has been instrumental in promoting forest education in the country, accrediting forestry courses and conducting research on forest policy, fostering human resource development.

The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is a multi-stakeholder platform bringing together representatives from various groups, considering all to be at par to discuss public policy issues related to the Internet. India Internet Governance Forum 2023 (IIGF-2023) is a hybrid event, being convened on 5th December from 09:00 – 18:30 (IST). After successfully convening the first two edition of the IIGF in 2021 and 2022, the third edition of the IIGF is being conducted under the overarching theme “Moving Forward – Calibrating Bharat’s Digital Agenda”.

The event is an effort to delve deeper into issues such as building a secure, trusted & resilient cyberspace for Bharat, Enabling Innovation for India’s Developmental Goals, Bridging Divides and Calibrating Bharat’s Digital Agenda – on Leadership for Global Digital Governance & Cooperation. For attendees in person the event is being held at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

The link to register for the event and view the detailed agenda is: https://indiaigf.in/agenda-2023/

Vaishali Rameshbabu has become India’s 84th grandmaster after surpassing 2500 rating during the 2023 IV Elllobregat Open on Saturday.

Vaishali is now the third female grandmaster from India after Koneru Humpy and Harika Dronavalli.

Vaishali and her younger brother R. Praggnanandhaa is now the first sister-brother pair to be grandmasters.

She defeated Turkish FM Tamer Tarik Selbes (2238) in the second round to surpass rating and has started the tournament with two consecutive wins.

The 22-year-old had three GM norms - Xtracon Open 2019, Fischer Memorial 2022, and Qatar Open 2023 - and only needed 4.5 ratings to go past the 2500-mark.

She is now the current world number 11 in women’s ranking with a live rating of 2501.5 and India’s number two.

The Indian Railways will be installing an AI-based surveillance system to prevent elephant deaths on railway tracks. These surveillance system will be installed on 700 kilometres of route passing through forest areas.

Announcing this, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday said, “We have identified forest areas in Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala, Jharkhand and some parts of Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu which are home to elephants." The Minister also said that the technology, which was created by the railroads in association with a few start-ups, was implemented on a 150-kilometer section of Assam last year and has shown to be quite beneficial.

Asked if the railways has officially named the system, the minister said, "You can call it 'Gajraj System'." The minister, during his interaction with reporters, referred to the introduction of the system in the NFR.