In Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today launched the e-SEHAT App, a comprehensive one-stop digital solution designed to cater for the healthcare needs of the people of the Union Territory. The App is a smart e-health solution offering tele-diagnosis for healthcare needs. It is especially beneficial in remote areas and serves a broad range of users, including the general public, healthcare professionals and medical students.

The Chief Minister directed the concerned authorities to conduct hands-on training through scheduled workshops for the staff to familiarize them with the application. He said once the staff is trained, awareness campaigns can be launched to educate the public about the app and its benefits. To ensure effective implementation and monitoring, Mr. Abdullah called for regular reviews to assess the App’s performance.

The Ministry of Ayush organised a special session of the Rashtriya Karmayogi Jan Seva Programme at Ayush Bhawan on Wednesday, with the objective of enhancing the service orientation and professional skills of its employees. The initiative was held in collaboration with the Capacity Building Commission under the Mission Karmayogi framework.

The programme marks a continued effort by the Ministry to build a responsive and efficient workforce. The first phase of the session was inaugurated earlier on March 18 by Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, who underscored the importance of applying training insights to everyday tasks for better service delivery.

The second phase of the session, conducted on Wednesday, was led by Programme Director Dr. Subodh Kumar and facilitated by Shipra Singh. Designed as an interactive module, the session moved away from conventional lectures, incorporating team-based exercises, discussions, and problem-solving activities to promote experiential learning.

The Supreme Court today laid down stringent guidelines for the prevention and expedited trial of child trafficking related offences across the country. The Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan directed High Courts across the country to issue directions to lower courts to complete trials in child trafficking cases in six months. The top court also mandated that such cases be heard on a day-to-day basis to prevent delays in justice. The Court issued the directions while hearing anticipatory bail pleas filed by the accused in a child trafficking case from Uttar Pradesh. The court criticised the Uttar Pradesh government’s handling of child trafficking cases and the Allahabad High Court for issuing bail to child trafficking accused.

The Apex court said that any laxity showing to implement the directions would be taken seriously and be treated as contempt of court. In a significant direction, the Court said that if a newborn is stolen from the hospital, the first step to be taken is to cancel the license of the concerned hospital. The case involved a stolen baby being delivered to a couple who were desirous of having a son.

India and the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) today signed the Headquarters Agreement in New Delhi today. The Agreement was signed by External Affairs Secretary (East) P Kumaran and Director General, IBCA, Dr S.P. Yadav. The Agreement provides for India to be the host for the IBCA Headquarters and Secretariat. Under the agreement, the government will provide budgetary support of 150 crore rupees to IBCA for creating a corpus, building infrastructure, and meeting recurring expenditure for five years.

The agreement also entails necessary provisions to enable IBCA to meet its intended objectives, including efficient discharge of its official functions. The text pertains to visas, privileges, and immunities to be extended to the IBCA Secretariat and personnel, premises, entry into force, supplementary agreements, and some general provisions.
The International Big Cat Alliance was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023, during an event “Commemorating 50 years of Project Tiger” at Mysuru. The IBCA primarily aims for the conservation of seven big cats, namely Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar and Puma.

Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Paatil launched a digital platform to boost freshwater biodiversity conservation in New Delhi today. The Minister was chairing a review meeting of various projects of Wildlife Institute of India under the aegis of the National Mission for Clean Ganga. The platform will serve as a comprehensive digital hub offering ecological insights and conservation case studies. It will also provide information on physiography, biodiversity, and community engagement activities across major Indian rivers like Ganga, Cauvery, Godavari, among others.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister expressed appreciation for the commendable work being carried out by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and WII in restoring aquatic biodiversity, improving river health, building local capacities, and engaging communities in conservation. He also acknowledged the impact of extensive outreach and capacity-building programs conducted across the basin and highlighted the role of WII in mass awareness initiatives, particularly those involving Ganga Praharis. Mr Patil also released a series of knowledge products developed under the initiatives.

NITI Aayog launched a report on Hand and Power tools sectors – ‘Unlocking $25+ Billion Export Potential - India’s Hand & Power Tools Sector’. The report underscores the transformative potential of hand and power tools industry for India’s economic growth, delving into the challenges, policy headwinds, and necessary interventions vital for strengthening the Indian hand and power tool ecosystem. It outlines a strategic path for the sector to enhance its global competitiveness and capture a significantly larger share of the international market. The report was launched by Shri Suman Bery, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog in the presence of Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member, Dr. Arvind Virmani, Member, and Shri BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog.

The report suggests that the global trade market for power and hand tools, currently valued at approximately $ 100 billion, is projected to grow significantly, reaching around $ 190 billion by 2035. Within this market, hand tools account for $ 34 billion and are expected to expand to $ 60 billion by 2035, while power tools, including tool accessories, represent $ 63 billion and are anticipated to surge to $ 134 billion, with electrical tools comprising the majority. China dominates global exports, holding about 50% of the hand tools market with $ 13 billion and 40% of the power tools market with $ 22 billion, whereas India has a smaller presence, exporting $ 600 million in hand tools (1.8% market share) and $ 470 million in power tools (0.7% market share).

To recognize professionals delivering excellence in National Highway development, the sixth edition of ‘National Highways Excellence Awards 2023’ (NHEA 2023) were held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Hon'ble Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari along with Shri Harsh Malhotra, Hon’ble Minister of State and Dr V.K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog; senior officials from MoRTH, NHAI and other stakeholders were present on the occasion.

NHEA 2023 commemorated various officials and concessionaire/contractors for their innovation and exceptional performance. Out of total 125 nominations, 22 entries were shortlisted by the jury through multiple assessment rounds and five awards for outstanding projects were awarded in different categories. In the ‘Excellence in Project Management (PPP) category, the winner H.G. Infra Engineering Ltd was conferred with the Silver Award for the project Ateli Mandi to Narnaul section of NH-11 & Narnaul Bypass as an economic corridor in Haryana. Under the ‘Excellence in Project Management (EPC)’ category, Bhartia Infra Projects was awarded the Silver Award for Hakanjuri to Khonsa section of NH-315A in Arunachal Pradesh. The ‘Excellence in Operation & Maintenance (Flexible)’ category had Nanguneri Kanyakumari Tollway Pvt Ltd being bestowed with the Gold Award for Madurai to Kanyakumari of NH-7 Package 4 in Tamil Nadu. In the Green Highways category, Ashoka Buildcon Ltd won the Gold award for Kandi to Ramsanpalle section of NH-161 in Telangana and Deccan Tollways Ltd won the Silver Award for Maharashtra-Karnataka border to Sangareddy section of NH-65 in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Indian Railways has installed an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) onboard the Manmad-CSMT Panchvati Express in Maharashtra, as part of a trial run.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared a video of the onboard ATM on X, marking the beginning of the ATM on Wheels initiative. The project aligns with the Railway Board’s directive to explore innovative ways to boost non-fare revenue.

A meeting with potential vendors was held on March 25, during which the idea of installing mobile ATMs on trains was discussed. Following that, the first trial run was conducted on April 10, on the 12110 Manmad-CSMT Panchvati Express. The train’s mini pantry space was converted into a secure ATM installation area by the mechanical team.

“The ATM was properly secured for its maiden journey using rubber pads and bolts to isolate vibrations. Two fire extinguishers have also been provided in the allocated space,” Indian Railways stated.

Indian Navy Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini has set sail from Cape Town, South Africa, for Goa, on the final leg of a global circumnavigation. The voyage, part of the Navika Sagar Parikrama-II initiative, is being undertaken by two women officers, Lieutenant Commander Dilna K. and Lieutenant Commander Roopa A. The vessel is expected to reach Goa by the end of May.

“INSV Tarini was ceremonially flagged off from the Royal Cape Yacht Club (RCYC) for the final leg of her journey to Goa on April 15 at 1030 hours local time (1400 hrs IST),” the Navy said in a statement on Tuesday (April 15, 2025).

The send-off ceremony was attended by the Officiating Consul General of India in Cape Town, the Defence Attaché of India to South Africa, members of the RCYC Governing Council, and representatives of the Indian community in Cape Town.

The sixth edition of the India-Uzbekistan joint military exercise Dustlik began on Wednesday at the Foreign Training Node in Pune. The Indian contingent comprises 60 personnel and is being represented by a battalion of the Jat Regiment and the Indian Air Force. The Uzbekistan contingent is being represented by personnel from the Uzbekistan Army.

Dustlik, an annual training event conducted alternatively in India and Uzbekistan, is scheduled to go on till April 28. The previous edition was held in Termez district in Uzbekistan in April last year.

The theme of the exercise will be based on the theme of joint multi-domain sub-conventional operations in a semi-urban scenario. It will focus on responding to a terrorist action involving the capture of a defined territory.