The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal launched 'Sagar Aankalan' guidelines during the stakeholders meet for implementation of the MoUs signed earlier at the Global Maritime India Summit 2023 (GMIS 2023) on Friday in Delhi.

The "Sagar Aankalan" Guidelines for National Benchmarking of Indian Ports Performance would be applicable to all Indian seaports with the aim to achieve mapping and benchmarking of Indian Port's-logistics performance and efficiency, harmonisation of standards, definitions and performance with global benchmarks, Improving competitiveness, efficiency and overall performance of the port sector with focus on improvement, productivity, sustainability and customer satisfaction.

Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, and Jal Shakti, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar exchanged the MoU with Mr. Mauricio Lizcano, Minister of Information Technologies and Communications of Colombia.

The signatories were Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary of MeitY from India’s side, and Mr. Mauricio Lizcano from Colombia’s side. The MoU intends to promote digital transformation (viz INDIA STACK) through capacity-building programs, the exchange of best practices, the exchange of public officials and experts, the development of pilot or demo solutions and the facilitation of private sector contacts to mutually benefit the digital ecosystems of both countries.

Both sides discussed the importance of Digital Public Infrastructures. These infrastructures constitute a set of shared digital systems that are secure and interoperable. They can be built on open standards to deliver and provide equitable access to public and private services. India Stack Solutions are DPIs developed and implemented by India at population scale to provide access and delivery of public services.

The Bihar Forest and Environment department will organise the three-day Nagi Bird Festival in Jamui from Saturday.

Secretary of the Forest Department, Bandana Preyasi told that after the successful international workshop on birds, the Bihar government is going to conduct the Nagi festival in Jamui, Bihar.

The festival aims to promote bird conservation and educate people about migratory birds and their habitats.

Preyasi said that the main objective behind this festival is to make people aware of these migratory birds. Tourism will also be promoted as these birds are rare. They come here and stay for about two and a half months. So it is a very strong eco-tourism site.

A Border Security Force dog belonging to the Indian dog breed Mudhol Hound, created history by winning first place in the All India Police Duty Meet (AIPDM), where dogs from other breeds across the world also participated.

According to the Border Security Force, during the AIPDM organised in Lucknow from February 12th to 16th, BSF's K9 bagged the first position with the indigenous dog breed Mudhol Hound named Riyaa, handled by constable Ashok Kumar Kumawat.

"With the win, history was created as it was for the first time that an Indian breed was pitched in a competition and it secured the first position," said an official.

The Andhra Pradesh government and edX, an e-learning platform, signed an agreement in the presence of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at his camp office here on Friday for offering world-class higher education courses to the youth.

An official release said the agreement paves the way for more than 12 lakh students to pursue 2,000-plus edX online courses offered by the world's top-notch universities and other educational institutions, free of cost along with their regular courses. Teachers drawn from some of the world's top universities and institutions would impart lessons to students.

The 14th Global Investment Immigration Summit at the Shangri-la Hotel in New Delhi on February 10, 2024 marked a significant milestone in India's quest for international opportunities. The event witnessed a remarkable surge in attendees, indicative of the growing interest among Indian investors and High Net Worth Individuals (HNIs) in exploring avenues abroad. With a keen focus on various immigration programs such as the EB-5 Visa, Portugal Golden Visa, UK Business Immigration, and Europe Golden Visa, the summit served as a comprehensive platform for industry professionals and aspiring immigrants alike.

Organized by BLS Global and Acquest Advisors (Knowledge Partner) with NDTV as the media partner, the summit brought together a diverse array of immigration experts from around the world. Representatives from countries like the US, UK, Portugal, Greece, and more converged in New Delhi to share insights and expertise with over 150 HNIs and industry professionals in attendance.

A strategic partnership has been signed between Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) and Engineers India Limited (EIL) to drive innovation and advance research in critical areas of green technologies, marking a significant milestone in the pursuit of scientific excellence.

According to an official statement, the MoU has been signed between IIT Roorkee and EIL outlines a comprehensive framework for cooperation in research-related activities. Leveraging their respective expertise and resources, both organizations are set to embark on collaborative projects focusing on cutting-edge research initiatives.

Panvel has got a major boost in terms of infrastructure development with bhumipujan of ₹650 cr worth of projects planned by Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) being performed on Wednesday. It is also set to get the country’s largest training centre with a ₹1700 cr investment by the state government.

The bhumipujan of the projects was performed by State Industries and Raigad guardian minister Uday Samant at a programme presided by PWD minister Ravindra Chavan at which women and child welfare minister Aditi Tatkare was the chief guest.

Those present at the programme held at the ground in sector 11 of Kalamboli included MP Shrirang Barne, MLAs Prashant Thakur, Mahesh Baldi, Gopichand Padalkar, Pakash Shendge, RameshShendge, former minister Ram Shinde, PMC commissioner Ganesh Deshmukh among others.

We do not have all the answers and that may be for the best hence, World Human Spirit Day is an excuse to search within for contentment, reflect over one's life and recognise and celebrate the human spirit, its potential to overcome challenges, exhibit resilience and inspire others. We know so little of this life and what we know is limited and superficial but having a self awareness or understanding our strengths, weaknesses, values, beliefs and emotions helps us to recognise the areas for growth and change.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma extended an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to unveil the imposing 125-foot statue of Bir Lachit Borphukan in Jorhat during the first week of March this year.

Speaking about the invitation, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the state government has extended an invitation to the Prime Minister to dedicate the astounding statue of Bir Lachit, the Commander in Chief of the Ahom Kindom Army, and pay tribute to him.

"Prime Minister Modi, during his proposed visit to Jorhat, will also lay the foundation of Sivasagar Medical College and Hospital and ceremoniously initiate the Griha Pravesh ceremony for 5.5 lakh homes constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana scheme for the state of Assam," the Assam Chief Minister said.