A state level institution on the lines of NITI Aayog will be established in Maharashtra.

It will help to bring drastic changes in sectors like agriculture, health, education, employment, environment etc. in the state. Chief executive officer of NITI Aayog and other experts yesterday made a presentation on how Maharashtra will be assisted by the Aayog for bringing about changes in various sectors.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other Senior officials were present for this meeting. Shinde said that skilled human resource and infrastructural facilities are available in the state and we are also stressing on successful implementation of various schemes of the central government in the state. He expected the co-operation of NITI aayog in establishing this institute and fulfilling expectations of the citizens.

The sixth edition of the Japan India Maritime Exercise 2022, JIMEX 22 hosted by the Indian Navy concluded in the Bay of Bengal with the two sides bidding farewell to each other with a customary steam past on Monday at ENC, Visakhapatnam.

Indian Naval ships led by Rear Adm Sanjay Bhalla, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet and Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) Ships Izumo and Takanami led by Rear Adm Hirata Toshiyuki, Commander Escort Flotilla Four, participated in the week-long exercise.

JIMEX 22 witnessed some of the most complex exercises undertaken jointly by the two navies. Both sides engaged in advanced level anti-submarine warfare, weapon firings and Air Defence exercises. Shipborne helicopters, fighter aircraft and submarines also participated in the exercise. IN and JMSDF ships replenished each other at sea under the agreement on Reciprocal Provision for Supply and Services (RPSS).

The US Agency for International Development and UNICEF today launched the Doordarshan and YouTube series titled Door Se Namaste at function held in New Delhi. Door Se Namaste is a new television series which promotes healthy behaviours in a post-pandemic world. It is a fictional Hindi series developed in an entertainment education format highlighting the challenges of a post-pandemic world and promotes the adoption of healthy behaviour and practices. The programme will be telecast on every Sunday from 11 AM to 12 noon.

Speaking on the occasion Additional Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Neerja Sekhar said that Information and Broadcasting Ministry, Prasar Bharati, Doordarshan and All India Radio are the major channels through which the government of India reaches out to the people for spreading information regarding its policies and programmes. She informed that Doordarshan has 25 channels and All India Radio has over 400 radio stations. She said, during Covid pandemic, Health Ministry and Ministry of Ayush came out with their protocols to deal with the pandemic and fact check unit was also set up to dispel fake information. She informed that the entire communication mechanism was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he is the principal communicator and during entire Covid period whenever he spoke, the people listened.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the National Logistics Policy (NLP) in New Delhi today. The need for a national logistics policy was felt since the logistics cost in India is high as compared to other developed economies.

It is imperative to reduce the logistics cost in India for improving the competitiveness of Indian goods both in domestic as well as export markets. Reduced logistics cost improves efficiency cutting across various sectors of the economy, encouraging value addition and enterprise.

AIR correspondent reports, Since 2014, the government has put significant emphasis on improving both Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living.

Varanasi has been nominated as the first-ever Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Tourism and Cultural Capital during the period 2022-2023 at the 22nd Meeting of SCO Council of Heads of State in Samarkand, Uzbekistan yesterday.

External Affairs Ministry said, the nomination of Varanasi as the first ever SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital will promote tourism, cultural and humanitarian exchanges between India and the SCO member Countries. It also underlines country's ancient civilizational links with Member States of SCO especially the Central Asian Republics.

The e-auction of gifts presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin today. The auction will go on till 2nd of October. One thousand 222 mementos will be E-auctioned during this period.

The mementos include idols of Ganesh, Swami Vivekanand, Ram Mandir Temple, Netaji statue, painting and sports equipment among others gifted to the Prime Minister.

Briefing reporters in New Delhi, Culture Minister G. Kishan Reddy said, Mr Modi is the first Prime Minister of the country to auction all the gifts he receives for the noble cause of conserving river Ganga through Namami Gange.

Mr Reddy said, the lowest base price of the gift is one hundred rupees and the highest base price is five lakh rupees.

Union Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has presented INSPIRE awards to 60 Start-Ups and financial support to over 53 thousand students.

The award is instituted by the Department of Science and Technology and these innovators will be extended complete incubation support for their entrepreneurship journey.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr  Singh said, during the year 2020-21, while the country was battling with the severe impact of COVID-19, the annual INSPIRE Awards - MANAK (Million Minds Augmenting National Aspiration and Knowledge) competition attracted an unprecedented 6.53 Lakh ideas and innovations from all States.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will give a historic gift to Madhya Pradesh and the country today after a long gap of 70 years. The Prime Minister will release eight cheetahs brought from Namibia at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.

This is the world's first transcontinental project to restore large wild animals. Mr Modi will also address a conference of around one lakh women of self-help groups.

AIR correspondent reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch this ambitious project of relocation of cheetahs in the Kuno National Park at around 10.30 am. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended his best wishes to the countrymen on the occasion of Lord Vishwakarma Jayanti today.

In a tweet, Mr. Modi said, his heartfelt greetings to the Karmayogis associated with all kinds of creative works. He said, the skill and duty of Karmayogis is going to take the country to new heights. 

The rotational presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has been handed over to India in Samarkand, Uzbekistan yesterday. Delhi will hold the presidency of the grouping for a year until September 2023. And next year, India will host the SCO summit.

The leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States signed the Samarkand Declaration in the meeting of the Council of Heads of State in the city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan yesterday. In the declaration, it is stated that the presidency of the SCO for the forthcoming period passes to India. The next meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State will be held in 2023 in India.

During the SCO Summit, the Member States noted the various global challenges and threats including technological and digital divide, continued turbulence in global financial markets, instability in supply chains, increased protectionist measures and uncertainty in the global economy.