In his address to the Maldivian Parliament, People’s Majlis, during his State Visit to the Maldives in June 2019, PM Narendra Modi had announced India’s commitment to start a ferry service connecting India and the Maldives.

In less than 15 months' time, First Cargo Ship set sail to the island nation from the Indian Port of Tuticorin.

The maiden voyage was launched in an e-flag off ceremony jointly by MOS (Independent Charge) Ministry of Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya and Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation of Maldives Aishath Nahula. Speaking on the occasion, Mandaviya noted that this service is another milestone in the comprehensive bilateral relations between India and Maldives. He mentioned that this direct cargo service will further cement the close ties between India and Maldives by enhancing people-to-people contact and boosting bilateral trade.

An MoU between the Ministry of Shipping in India and the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, Maldives to commence the Cargo Ferry service was signed during PM’s visit to the Maldives last year in June, PM had opted the Maldives for his First state visit in his second term as the Prime Minister of India.

India has been ranked at the 116th position in the latest edition of the World Bank’s annual Human Capital Index that benchmarks key components of human capital across countries.

However, India’s score increased to 0.49 from 0.44 in 2018, as per the Human Capital Index report released by the World Bank on Wednesday.

The 2020 Human Capital Index update includes health and education data for 174 countries — covering 98 per cent of the world’s population — up to March 2020, providing a pre-pandemic baseline on the health and education of children, with the biggest strides made in low-income countries.

The analysis shows that pre-pandemic, most countries had made steady progress in building human capital of children, with the biggest strides made in low-income countries.

Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar has said that eight beaches of the country have been recommended for the coveted ‘Blue Flag’ international eco-label. He said, clean beaches are a testimony to good environment in coastal areas and India’s many beaches are among the best in the world. Speaking on the eve of ‘International Coastal Clean-Up Day’ celebrated across 100 countries since 1986, Mr Javadekar said, for the first time, eight beaches of India have been recommended for the Blue Flag certification. Blue Flag certification is a globally recognised eco-label accorded by an international agency ‘Foundation for Environment Education, Denmark’ based on 33 stringent criteria in four major heads–environmental education and information, bathing water quality, environment management and conservation and safety and services in the beaches. 

The ‘Blue Flag’ beach is an eco-tourism model endeavouring to provide the tourists/beachgoers clean and hygienic bathing water, facilities/amenities, safe and healthy environment and sustainable development of the area. In a video message, Mr Javadekar also announced India’s own eco-label ‘Beach Environment and Aesthetics Management Services’ (BEAMS) under its Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) project. The eight beaches recommended under the BEAMS are Shivrajpur in Gujarat, Ghoghla in Daman and Diu, Kasarkod and Padubidri in Karnataka, Kappad in Kerala, Rushikonda in Andhra Pradesh, Golden in Odisha and Radhanagar in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Viraat, the decommissioned aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy, will begin its last journey today from Mumbai’s Naval Dockyard to Alang in Gujarat, where it will be dismantled.

The vessel had served the Indian Navy for 30 years before being decommissioned in 2017. There were attempts to convert 'Viraat' into a museum or a restaurant, but none of the plans materialised. The aircraft carrier will be towed by the high capacity tugs owned by Shree Ram Group, the company that has won the bid to dismantle the ship. The journey will be completed in two days.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate the historic Kosi Rail Mahasetu (mega bridge) to the nation through video-conference today. He will also inaugurate 12 rail projects related to passenger facilities to benefit  the people of Bihar. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will also be present on this occasion.

The 1.9 km long Kosi mega bridge  has been completed at a total cost of 516 crore rupees. With the construction of the bridge the rail distance between Nirmali and Saraigarh would come down from the present 298 kms to 22 kms.

The project was completed during the COVID-pandemic where the migrant labour also participated. The dedication of this project will fulfil the 86 year old dream and the long wait of the people of the region. During the heavy flood and severe Indo Nepal earthquake in 1934, the rail link was washed away and thereafter due to the meandering nature of river Kosi no attempt was made to restore this rail link for a long period.

The bridge has connected Mitihila and  Kosi region.This  bridge is  of strategic importance along Indo - Nepal border. It would also make it easy for long distance travel to Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai for the people of the region.

Scholar, author and connoisseur of the arts Kapila Vatsyayan died at her Delhi home on Wednesday. She was 92. “She passed away at 9 am today at her home in Gulmohar Enclave,” Kanwal Ali, secretary of the India International Centre where she was a lifetime trustee, told PTI.

Vatsyayan, who was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 2011, was the founding director of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. A former nominated member of the Rajya Sabha, she was also chairperson of the Asia Project at the IIC.

Vatsyayan was also the chairperson of the Asia Project at the IIC. She was the founding director of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.

The renowned scholar of art history, architecture and Indian classical dance was born in New Delhi in 1928 and did her masters in English Literature from Delhi University and in Education from the University of Michigan in the US. She was the younger sister of poet and critic Keshav Malik.

Welfare activities are being organised across the country to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's  birthday today.

Bharatiya Janata Party is organising a week-long Seva Saptah to mark the occasion. 

Several programmes related to cleanliness, distribution of sanitation pads, wheel chairs and social service are being organized from 14th to 20th of this month across the country.

BJP president JP Nadda will participate in various welfare activities at Chandni Chowk in New Delhi today as part of Sewa Saptah programmes to mark the birthday of the Prime Minister.

Mr Nadda will plant a sapling and distribute pulse oximeter, wheelchair and hearing aid to specially-abled persons.

Party leaders and workers all over the country are undertaking various welfare programmes to celebrate the birthday.

Presenting its first-ever celebrity voice on virtual assistant Alexa in India, Amazon announced Monday that legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan’s voice will be an option starting next year.

Bachchan joins US actor Samuel L. Jackson, who was the first-ever celebrity voice option on Alexa in September 2019. While the option of picking Jackson’s voice is available only in English and is restricted to users in the US, Amazon has said that Bachchan’s voice will be limited to Hindi. It will only be available to users in India.

This is the first time that the voice of an Indian actor will be used on the virtual assistant and #AlexaBachchan was a popular trend trending on multiple social media platforms. Many tried to guess how Alexa would react to their queries using popular  lines from Bachchan’s films and TV shows.

Today is the last date for online nominations and recommendations for the Padma Awards to be announced on the occasion of Republic Day next year. The nominations will be received online only on the Padma Awards portal.

The Padma Awards - Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri - are amongst the highest civilian awards of the country.
 
The award seeks to recognize ‘work of distinction’ and is given for distinguished and exceptional achievements and service in all fields and disciplines.
 
Government servants including those working with PSUs, except Doctors and Scientists, are not eligible for Padma Awards.

Government is committed to transform Padma Awards into “People’s Padma”. All citizens have therefore been requested to make nominations including self-nomination.

Home Ministry has requested all Central Ministries and Departments, state governments, Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan awardees, Institutes of Excellence to make efforts to identify talented persons.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for seven projects related to urban infrastructure in Bihar today through video conferencing.
 
Out of these, four projects are related to water supply, two to sewerage treatment and one to riverfront development. The total cost of these projects is Rs. 541 crore.
 
The implementation of these projects has been undertaken by BUIDCO under Urban Development and Housing Department of Bihar. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will also be present on the occasion.
 
Sewerage treatment plants built under Namami Gange at Beur and Karmalichak in Patna Municipal Corporation will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister.