The 182-meter tall Statue of Unity in Gujarat has been included in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's '8 Wonders of SCO' list, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced on Monday.

Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar appreciated the SCO's efforts towards promoting tourism among member nations and asserted that the statue's inclusion in the list will "surely serve as an inspiration".

"Appreciated the #SCO's efforts to promote tourism among member states. The "8 Wonders of SCO", which includes the #StatueofUnity, will surely serve as an inspiration," Jaishankar tweeted.

Maharastra and Harayana are neck to neck in the medal tally  of Khelo India Youth Games at Guwahati. The defending champions, Maharashtra yesterday picked up five gold to manage a tally of total 76 medal with 17 gold and maninten top spot. Haryana also won 17 gold with total 47 medal. Delhi and Gujarat occupied the third and fourth spots.

AIR  correspondent reports that on day 4 pumped up by four gold in kabaddi, three each in archery and athletics and one each from cycling and gymnastics, Haryana jumped to 2nd spot from Number 6. Haryana's cyclist Anil  secured the most comfortable victory in the road races.

On the other hand Gujarat’s Rushiraj Jadeja, finished sixth in qualification but came into his own to win the Boys Under-21 10m Air Rifle gold .

On the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, 23rd National Youth Festival 2020 started with a grand inauguration ceremony in Lucknow today. In his video message to the youth gathered here from different parts of countrty Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed youth of country to try only to purchase local products By 2020 which will help our countrymen.

Emphasising the importance of Youth of the country Prime Minister said that the same approach of today's youth to take challenge is the policy of our government also and it can be seen in the decisions like scrapping Article 370, CAA and Ram Temple issue.

Mr. Modi said that youth of our country has related their dreams with the requirements of country that is why they are creating new apps, finding solutions for different problems, starting new ventures, taking risks and also provides job to others.

Union Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said, the eastern belt has the potential to add over 75 percent of the country’s incremental steel capacity envisioned by the National Steel Policy.

He said, it is expected that out of the 300 Million Tonne capacity by 2030-31, over 200 Million Tonne can come from this region alone. Mr Pradhan said this while launching Mission Purvodaya in Kolkata yesterday. The programme is aimed at accelerated development of eastern India through establishment of integrated steel hub.

The mission will drive India's march towards five trillion dollar economy set by the government.

With its sparkling show through 2019, India finished the year as the top shooting nation in the world, leaving behind Olympic heavyweights China and the USA.
 
In terms of overall medals, the tally stood at 21 gold, six silver and three bronze as India topped all the Rifle-Pistol World Cups and Finals in a unforgettable year. While India leads the standings with 30 medals overall, China is second with 11 gold, 15 silver and 18 bronze for a total of 44 podium finishes. The USA is placed third with 15 medals including six gold six silver and three bronze.

The number of Olympic quotas, which now stands at a record 15, is not a only refection of the country's rapid rise in the sport over the last one year but also sets up the shooters nicely for a record haul at the Tokyo Games, after the meltdown at Rio de Janeiro. Indian shooting's best show at the Olympics remains the two medals won at London in 2012.

The World Future Energy Summit will begin today in Abu Dhabi. 33,500 participants from 170 countries and 800 specialist exhibitors are expected to attend the four-day annual event.

The theme for this year's summit is "Rethinking Global Consumption, Production, and Investment." World Future Energy Summit is the Middle East’s largest future energy and sustainability event.

Held annually at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, the 2020 edition includes exhibition and forum programmes across five main pillars: energy, solar, water, waste and smart cities, hosting an unrivalled gathering of top-level government and business leaders. 

India's pace sensation Jasprit Bumrah on Sunday received the prestigious Polly Umrigar Award (2018-19) for being the best international cricketer at the BCCI Annual Awards here.

Currently ranked as the world no.1 ODI bowler, Bumrah had made his Test debut during India's tour of South Africa in January 2018.

He has picked up five-wicket hauls in South Africa, England, Australia and the West Indies to become the first and only Asian bowler to achieve the milestone.

The 26-year-old has 62 wickets to his name in the longest format of the game and 103 scalps from 58 ODIs.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act has come into effect from yesterday. The Centre has issued a gazette notification in this regard. The notification said, the Central Government  appoints the 10th day of January, 2020 as the date on which provisions of the Act will come into force. According to the Act, members of six minority communities who have come to India  from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 facing religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants. They will be given Indian citizenship. These communities are of the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians .

Wider acceptance and adoption of digital payments will play a key role towards financial inclusion, according to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) recommendation for sustainable financial inclusion during 2019-20.

Along with traditional banking outlets, payments banks, small finance banks, co-operative banks and other non-bank entities such as fertilizer shops, fair price shops, should also promote efficiency and transparency through digital transactions, the banking regulator said in the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI) report on Friday.

The report has called for increasing outreach of banking outlets of scheduled commercial banks, payment banks, among others to provide banking access to every village within a 5 km radius of 500 households in hilly areas by March 2020.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), has launched paperless licensing process for road tankers for transportation of petroleum. This is a significant move towards paperless and green India that will provide simpler mechanism, ease of living and business to the petroleum road tanker owners.
 
Moving towards digitization, the process will include filing the applications online. Applicants, at each stage of processing of the application, will be intimated via SMS and email, whether discrepancy or grant of licence or approval.
AIR correspondent reports, this extraordinary and forward looking initiative is directly going to benefit more than one lakh petroleum road tanker owners.