Marking the deepening defence ties between India and Oman, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is all set to participate in the seventh edition of Exercise Eastern Bridge. The Indian contingent, comprising MiG-29s, Jaguars, and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, is scheduled to take part in this strategic bilateral exercise from September 11-22, 2024. The exercise, being hosted at Masirah Air Force Base in Oman, underscores the long-standing defense cooperation between the two nations.

Exercise Eastern Bridge is designed as a platform for enhancing interoperability and operational readiness between the Indian Air Force and the Royal Oman Air Force (ROAF). This bilateral event, now in its seventh edition, showcases the increasing defense collaboration between the two countries. As the Indian government stated, the exercise aims to provide a platform for joint training missions that will improve tactical and operational capabilities in a range of combat scenarios.

The Ayush Ministry has resolved more than 1300 public grievances under the Special Campaign 3.0. The Ministry said that the campaign was aimed at improving and maintaining cleanliness in the workplace. It also disposed various pending issues, including 33 references from Members of Parliament, 18 Parliamentary Assurances and 187 public grievance appeals.

The Ministry is now gearing up for the Special Campaign 4.0. Under the upcoming campaign, the Ayush Ministry will promote a clean and waste-free India through a pledge administered to all its officials.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that this is the era of silicon diplomacy and India will take every step to become the semiconductor powerhouse. He said, the government is focussing on increasing the number of chip productions in the country to equip every device with Indian-made chips. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated SEMICON India 2024 in Greater Noida.

During his address, the Prime Minister highlighted the various initiatives taken to boost the electronics and semiconductor industry in the country. He said the government has set a target to make the country’s electronics sector a 500 billion dollars’ worth industry by the end of this decade. He said, this will create 60 lakh jobs.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the success of the Digital India initiative, saying the country is witnessing its multiplier effect. He said, earlier the country used to import mobile phones, but now it has become the second largest producer and exporter of mobile phones.

The Union Cabinet has approved the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-Drive) Scheme with an outlay of ₹10,900 crore for two years and a Payment Security Mechanism (PSM) of ₹3,435.33 crore under PM-eBus Sewa in a boost to electrification of vehicles.

₹3,679 crore will be provided as subsidies for purchasing e-two wheelers, e-three wheelers, e-ambulances, e-trucks, and other emerging electric vehicles (EVs) under the PM E-Drive scheme. In a statement, the government said the scheme will support 2.479 million e-2Ws, 316000 e-3Ws, and 14,028 e-buses.

The heavy industries ministry will implement the scheme and provide subsidies to both the buyer and manufacturer e-vouchers through a dedicated portal. ₹4,391 crore has been earmarked for public transport agencies to procure 14,028 e-buses. “The demand aggregation will be done by CESL [Convergence Energy Services Limited] in the nine cities with more than 40 lakh [four million] population namely Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Surat, Bangalore, Pune, and Hyderabad. Intercity and Interstate e-buses will also be supported in consultation with states,” the statement said.

The Union Cabinet, on September 11, approved the PM E-Drive Scheme with an outlay of Rs 10,900 crore for two years with an aim to boost adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in India. The new scheme offers subsidies worth Rs 3,679 crore to incentivise adoption of battery-driven two and three-wheelers, ambulances, trucks and other emerging electric vehicles (EVs).

Under the PM Electric Drive Revolution In Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) Scheme, 100 percent support will be given for charging infrastructure at 88,500 sites, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a media briefing. This investment is over and above the PLI schemes for auto and auto component sectors, the minister said.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved "Mission Mausam" on Wednesday to enhance India's ability to predict and respond to extreme weather events and the impacts of climate change.

The mission, with a budget of Rs 2,000 crore over two years, will be primarily implemented by three key institutions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) -- the India Meteorological Department, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting.

These will be supported by other MoES bodies, such as the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research and the National Institute of Ocean Technology.

Pegged as the ‘ChatGPT’ for exporters by the commerce ministry, the new digital portal for exporters Trade Connect e-Platform is the latest and perhaps the biggest effort in recent years by the Indian government in its quest to achieve the $1 trillion merchandise and $1 trillion services exports target by 2030.

In FY24, the country’s total exports (merchandise and services) had recorded a flat growth of 0.36 per cent to $776.68 billion from $776.40 billion in FY23. Merchandise exports stood at $437.06 billion in FY24, down from $451.07 billion in FY23 while services export grew to $339.62 billion in FY24 from $325.33 billion in FY23.

In commerce minister Piyush Goyal’s words, who launched the platform on September 11, the ‘futuristic’ initiative, particularly focusing on MSME exporters, will help India increase its market share in the world.

A group of researchers from Dodamarg, a few kilometers away from Goa-Maharashtra border have discovered a sacred grove— a Myristica swamp forest in Kumbral, which is protected by the local community. Myristica magnifica is a species of plant native to Karnataka and Kerala, and is classified as endangered.

Earlier in Hewale-Bambarde in Sindhudurg district, researchers had come across the Myristica swamp forest making Kumbral the second village in Maharashtra to have such a unique forest patch.

The patch boasts of an ecosystem of myriad biodiversity which has been conserved and protected by the villagers since ages in the name of Lord Shiva, locally known locally as Bhalandeshwar.

Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra released an annual publication "Health Dynamics of India (Infrastructure and Human Resources) 2022-23", here Monday.

Formerly known as "Rural Health Statistics",the document is being published since 1992.

Describing the document as a source of fool-proof information on various aspects of National Health Mission, Apurva Chandra stated, "The annual publication is a vital document informing about manpower and infrastructure within NHM, aiding in policy making, improving processes and problem solving".

He added that the document analyses the availability and deficiencies in manpower and infrastructure within the mission.

The Tamil Nadu government has accorded administrative and financial sanction for the rejuvenation of 5,000 minor irrigation tanks in rural areas across the State at a total cost of ₹500 crore.

While ₹250 crore will be made available from the State Budget, a like sum will come as a grant from the State Finance Commission, says a government order issued by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department on September 5.

There are about 22,051 minor irrigation tanks and 69,777 ponds and ‘ooranis’ in rural areas. While minor irrigation tanks are under the control of panchayat unions, ponds/‘ooranis’ come under village panchayats.