National Statistics Day is an annual event celebrated in India in June to commemorate the birth anniversary of the father of Indian statistics, Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis.

An Indian scientist and statistician, he was renowned for the Mahalanobis distance and statistical measure. He has made significant contributions to the field of statistics and economic planning in India.

Mahalanobis, one of the members of India’s first planning commission, played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in 1931. He was awarded one of the highest civilian awards, the Padma Vibhushan from the Government of India for his contribution to science.

The International Day of the Tropics celebrates the extraordinary diversity of the tropics while highlighting unique challenges and opportunities nations of the Tropics face. It provides an opportunity to take stock of progress across the tropics, to share tropical stories and expertise and to acknowledge the diversity and potential of the region.

The Ecosystem

The Tropics are a region of the Earth, roughly defined as the area between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn. Although topography and other factors contribute to climatic variation, tropical locations are typically warm and experience little seasonal change in day-to-day temperature. An important feature of the Tropics is the prevalence of rain in the moist inner regions near the equator, and that the seasonality of rainfall increases with the distance from the equator. The tropical region faces several challenges such as climate change, deforestation, logging, urbanisation and demographic changes.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh today announced the grant of "Mini RATNA" status (Category-1) for Central Electronics Limited (CEL) at its Golden Jubilee celebration at the Ghaziabad campus.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions congratulated CEL on completion of 50 glorious years in the service of the nation and now celebrating their Golden Jubilee on 26th June this year.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Jitendra Singh said “We feel proud that the Golden Jubilee Celebrations are being graced by the Hon’ble Vice President of India Shri. Jagdeep Dhankhar and his guidance and motivation will persuade us to contribute more for the betterment of the country. Adding further the Science and technology Minister said, “50 years of dedication, perseverance, and success is a testament to the hard work, commitment, and vision which propelled this journey of excellence.”

The Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CSIR-CIMFR) is holding a two-day workshop, CARING-2024, in its Digwadih Campus to explore the challenges and opportunities in coal gasification technology, a PIB press release stated.

The event, which is expected to draw 75 participants from industry, research, and government, will focus on key aspects of gasification technology, including the production of methanol, chemicals, fertilizers, and liquid fuels. The workshop was formally opened by Dr. Arvind Kumar Mishra, Director of CSIR-CIMFR, on June 26.

In his speech, Dr. Mishra highlighted the importance of coal in the global energy mix and the potential of gasification to produce valuable products that can help India achieve its energy goals of promoting sustainable growth and energy security.

K Raheja-backed Mindspace Business Parks REIT on Tuesday announced that it has raised funds by issuing Sustainability-linked bonds worth Rs 650 crore from the International Finance Corporation (IFC). It became the first Indian real estate investment trust to issue such bonds.

The bonds have been issued for the tenure of seven years.

Wendy Werner, IFC country head for India said that this investment would help Mindspace enhance the sustainability of its portfolio of business parks and reduce greenhouse gas emissions year-on-year.

Department of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare (DA&FW) organized a workshop titled “Unleashing India’s Agribusiness potential through Innovative Agri Value Chain Financing” on 27th June 2024 in New Delhi. The event brought together senior officials of the Government of India and the State Government, experts, and stakeholders to discuss the dynamics of agricultural financing.

Reflecting on the importance of Agriculture Finance in the value chain, Manoj Ahuja, Secretary DA&FW, underscored the pressing need to transition from a production-centric approach to a demand-driven one. “To develop Agricultural Value Chains (AVCs) more holistically and integrate them with global markets, we must shift our focus from merely addressing supply shortages to meeting market demands,” he stated. Shri Ahuja emphasized the importance of implementing accountable and digital systems for effective AVC development and highlighted the need for a comprehensive policy framework to ensure financial inclusivity for all stakeholders.

The Uttar Pradesh government Tuesday approved a proposal from the Tata Sons to build a museum of temples in Ayodhya from its corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund.

To be called the Indian Temple Museum, it will be built at a cost of Rs 650 crore in Manjha Jamthara village in Sadar tehsil of Ayodhya. Another Rs 100 crore will be spent on developing basic infrastructure at the site.

Providing details of UP cabinet approval of Tata Sons proposal, state Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh said land for the museum will be provided on a 90-year lease by the tourism department at Re 1 a year. According to the UP government, the state cabinet approved the proposal to sign a tripartite MoU involving the Union Ministry of Culture, UP government and Tata Sons to build and run the temple museum.

A new genome sequencing laboratory equipped with cutting-edge facilities was on Thursday inaugurated at the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune.

The new lab is equipped with Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) facilities, featuring advanced 'Nextseq 2000' and 'Miniseq' analysers, the defence ministry said in a statement.

This is the second such facility of the armed forces, after the launch of the NGS facility at the Army Hospital (Research & Referral) in New Delhi on January 23, it said.

Lieutenant General Daljit Singh, Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services and Senior Colonel Commandant of the Army Medical Corps, inaugurated the new lab in Pune.

Railway Protection Force chief Manoj Yadava has launched Sangyaan App, a mobile application to provide in-depth information on the three new criminal laws which are to come into force from July 1, the Railway Board said on Thursday. Enacted last year, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) are set to replace the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively.

"Available in both Android and iOS, the Sangyaan App aims to educate and empower RPF personnel by providing comprehensive information to understand the provisions of both new and old criminal laws while highlighting the relevance of these new acts in the context of RPF operations," the Railway Board said.

India successfully carried out a series of flight-tests of the indigenously developed high-speed expendable aerial target Abhyas from the integrated test range in Chandipur off the Odisha coast.

Abhyas has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as a target for the testing of missile systems.

The DRDO has successfully completed six consecutive developmental trials of High Speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) 'Abhyas' with improved booster configuration from the integrated test range, Chandipur, the defence ministry said.