The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved two ropeway projects worth ₹6,811 crore in Uttarakhand, aimed at boosting religious tourism and easing the woes of pilgrims travelling to Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib.

The first ropeway project — Sonprayag to Kedarnath (12.9 kilometres) — will be built at a capital cost of ₹4,081 crore, while the second — Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji (12.4 kilometres) — will require an investment of ₹2,730 crore.

The projects will be developed in design, build, finance, operate, and transfer (DBFOT) mode, which is a public-private partnership (PPP) model where the developer builds, maintains, and operates the asset for a share in the revenue.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), on Wednesday approved the construction of a 12.9 km ropeway project connecting Sonprayag to Kedarnath in Uttarakhand. The project will be developed under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model at an estimated capital cost of Rs. 4,081.28 crore.

Kedarnath, one of the 12 sacred Jyotirlingas, is located at an altitude of 3,583 meters (11,968 feet) in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. The Kedarnath Temple is open to pilgrims for 6 to 7 months annually, from Akshaya Tritiya (April-May) to Diwali (October-November), attracting around 20 lakh pilgrims each season.

The ropeway, to be built in a public-private partnership, will feature the latest Tri-cable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology, offering a design capacity of 1,800 passengers per hour in each direction. The system is expected to carry up to 18,000 passengers daily, significantly improving the travel experience for the millions of pilgrims visiting Kedarnath each year.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the revision of the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP), with an outlay of ₹3,880 crore for two years. The scheme aims to improve the animal health sector by implementing prophylactic vaccination programmes against various diseases of livestock and poultry, capacity building, disease surveillance, and strengthening the veterinary infrastructure.

The scheme has three components, namely the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), LH&DC and Pashu Aushadhi. The Pashu Aushadhi is a new component added to the LHDCP scheme. The total outlay of the scheme is Rs 3,880 crore for two years, i.e., 2024-25 and 2025-26.

The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the second edition of ‘Vividhta ka Amrit Mahotsav’ at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (March 5, 2025).

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that in the second edition of Vividhta ka Amrit Mahotsav’, people would get to know about the vibrant cultural heritage of five states - Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and two UTs - Lakshadweep and Puducherry. She was happy to note that about 500 artisans and weavers are participating in this celebration. She urged people to participate in this festival, know about the art and culture of South India. It will also boost the morale of all the artisans and artists.

The 'Vividhta ka Amrit Mahotsav' is being organized at Rashtrapati Bhavan to celebrate and showcase the rich diversity of India. This Mahotsav has been structured in the seven distinct editions dedicated to – North-East, South, North, East, West, Central region and Union Territories.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is organizing a National Workshop of Women Elected Representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions wherein "Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan" will be launched on 4th March 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, the ministry said in a release on Sunday.

Union Minister of Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh), Union Minister of Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi, Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj S. P. Singh Baghel and Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse. Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, along with representatives from various Ministries/ Departments, SIRD&PRs, and international organizations like UNFPA, TRIF will also participate in the event.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is set to launch a groundbreaking initiative aimed at fostering gender-sensitive governance at the grassroots level. The initiative, which focuses on the development of Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats (MWFGP), will be unveiled at a National Convention on March 5, 2025, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

This event, a key part of the Ministry’s International Women’s Day 2025 celebrations, seeks to ensure safety, inclusivity, and gender equality for women and girls in Gram Panchayats across the country.

Union Minister of State, Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj & Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, along with Union Minister of State, Anupriya Patel, from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, will be present at the convention. Other notable attendees include Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, and Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary.

Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, attended the official send-off ceremony for the 49-member Indian team set to compete in the Special Olympics World Winter Games. This marks the largest-ever Indian contingent for the prestigious event, which will be held in Turin, Italy, from March 7 to 17.

The Indian team comprises 30 athletes, three officials, and 16 support staff, including coaches. The athletes will compete in six disciplines—Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Floorball, Short Track Speed Skating, Snowboarding, and Snowshoeing.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of promoting inclusive sports, the Union Sports Ministry has placed a strong emphasis on supporting specially-abled athletes. As part of this initiative, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) organized 11 national coaching camps across multiple cities, including Chandigarh, Narkanda, New Delhi, Gwalior, Noida, and Gurugram, to prepare the athletes for the global event.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda chaired the ninth meeting of Mission Steering Group (MSG) of National Health Mission (NHM) on Tuesday at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital.

Union Ministers of State for Health & Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav and Anupriya Patel, Suman K. Bery, Vice chairman, NITI Aayog, VK Paul, Member, NITI Aayog were also present.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Mission Steering Group is the highest policy-making and steering institution under the NHM, providing broad policy direction and governance for the health sector. Secretaries of Ministries of Government of India including MoHFW, AYUSH, Drinking Water & Sanitation, Punchayati Raj, Development of North Eastern Region along with officials from Women and Child Development, Social Justice & Empowerment, Education, Housing and Urban Affairs, Department of Expenditure, NHSRC and Secretaries from various central ministries, Health Secretaries from high-focus states including Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura and senior officials from NITI Aayog and MoHFW also attended the meeting.

The 12th Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum in Asia and the Pacific has been inaugurated today in Jaipur, India, marking a significant milestone in regional cooperation for sustainable waste management and circular economy initiatives. This Forum provides a critical platform for policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and development partners to discuss and implement sustainable solutions for waste management and resource efficiency. As economies in the Asia-Pacific region experience rapid urbanization and industrialization, the need for a shift towards a circular economy model has never been more urgent.

The Forum will focus on the principles of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle (3R), aiming to create a roadmap for sustainable production and consumption patterns. Through insightful discussions, policy recommendations, and collaborative partnerships, the Forum will help strengthen global and regional commitments with a focus on resource efficiency, climate resilience, and environmental sustainability.

The last Forum was hosted in 2023 by Cambodia. India has previously hosted the Forum in 2018, when the 8th edition was held in Indore.

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, inaugurated the 16th ‘JUMBO’ Majumdar International Seminar organised by the Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS) on 04 March 2025 at Air Force Auditorium. The theme for the Seminar was ‘EVOLVING DYNAMICS OF AEROSPACE POWER’. The welcome remarks were delivered by Air Vice Marshal Anil Golani (Retd), Director General, CAPS.

‘Jumbo’ Majumdar International Seminar is an annual event organised by CAPS in commemoration of late Wg Cdr Karun Krishna Majumdar, an ace fighter pilot of pre-Independence India.

A host of topics ranging from Integrated Aerospace Management, Effective Space Exploitation for gaining ‘Control of the Air’, exploitation of Drones and Manned Unmanned Teams (MUMT) in future conflicts, impact of EW and Cyber on Aerial Warfare, the Way Forward for induction of Emerging and Niche Technologies to 5th gen aircraft by IAF, were discussed by the eminent panellist. The Seminar was attended by officials, researchers and aviation enthusiasts from varied fields and experiences. The Seminar reignited interest and excitement amongst the young and veterans alike and paved the way for future engagements in Aerospace domain.