India and the Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, of the United Nations, have joined hands to build world-class Blue Ports. Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has signed a Technical Cooperation Programme agreement with FAO to strengthen Blue Port infrastructure in India. In line with this, the Department of Fisheries organised the first webinar today.

Addressing the participants of the webinar, Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Dr Abhilaksh Likhi, reiterated the government’s vision of developing ecologically healthy, economically viable, and socially inclusive fisheries systems to strengthen national food and nutritional security. He highlighted the role of advanced technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, automation, and digital platforms in enhancing efficiency and service delivery at fishing ports.

Our correspondent reports that under the Blue Ports framework, the Department of Fisheries is leading the development of Smart and Integrated Fishing Harbours that combine technological innovation with environmental stewardship. Three pilot harbours, namely Vanakbara in Diu, Karaikal in Puducherry and Jakhau in Gujarat, have been approved with a total investment of 369.8 crore rupees.

Ion chromatography, or the process of separating ions from a sample by passing it through a long column, is usually carried out in a laboratory using expensive, sophisticated equipment. Now, scientists at the University of Tasmania in Australia have devised a simpler way to perform the technique out in the field — one that could benefit science classrooms, too.

Working with second-year undergraduate students, the scientists helped them analyse soil pore water, or water in between soil particles, immediately after collecting it using a portable ion chromatograph called Aquamonitrix. The students used it to separate and analyse concentrations of nitrate and nitrite ions in the sample as both these ions are known to be harmful for the environment in high concentrations. Then they took the samples back to the lab and analysed them using a conventional chromatograph.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today inaugurated the Sex Sorted Semen facility established under the “Rashtriya Gokul Mission” scheme being implemented by Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying at Semen Station, Purnea, Bihar. This facility has been created with the Central assistance of Rs.10 crore and has capacity to produce 5 lakh doses per year.

In line with the vision of 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' the indigenously developed technology ‘Gausort’ launched by the Prime Minister earlier on 5th October 2024 will be used in sex sorting. Through Gausort technology, Sex Sorted Semen will be available to the farmers of the Eastern and North Eastern region at reasonable rates.

Purnea semen station was established under Rashtriya Gokul Mission with Central assistance of Rs. 84.27 crores. This is one of the largest semen stations in the government sector in the country and first of its kind semen station for the Eastern and North-Eastern States. The semen station is producing 50 lakh doses per annum and playing an important role in development of the dairy sector in the region.

Central Zone overcame a few hiccups to defeat South Zone by six wickets on the final day of their Duleep Trophy summit clash here on Monday.

Needing 65 runs to lay claim to the title, Central lost four wickets but managed to reach the target in the morning session. This was Central’s first Duleep Trophy triumph since the Piyush Chawla-led side took top honours in the 2014-15 edition.

Having posted a massive 511 in the first essay, Central stayed in the driver’s seat for a majority of the match. South will rue an abysmal batting performance on the first day, when it was bowled out for 149 on a batting-friendly pitch.

In Manipur, days 14-day-long 14th Sirarakhong Hathei Chilli Festival was inaugurated today at Sirarakhong Village in Ukhrul district. The festival is organised with the aim of promoting Sirarakhong Hathei, a GI-tag Chilli species grown in Sirarakhong Village, which is known for its unique aroma and flavour in the country.  The inaugural day featured a range of activities, including a ceremonial flag hoisting, vibrant cultural performances showcasing the rich heritage of the region. A Buyer-Seller Meet was also held to foster economic opportunities for local farmers, and a tree plantation drive under the nationwide initiative ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ was also held. 

Bharat Forge Chairman & Managing Director, Baba Kalyani, has been conferred with the Holley Medal by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), a global recognitions for engineering innovation with public benefit.

The ASME Holley Award, established in 1924, recognizes outstanding and unique act(s) of an engineering nature, accomplishing a noteworthy and timely public benefit by one or more individuals for a single achievement.

“This recognition carries particular weight in today’s environment of elevated U.S. tariffs, underscoring how Bharat Forge is mitigating trade dynamics through engineering-led value creation in the US and globally. By localising advanced manufacturing and supporting domestic industry needs, Bharat Forge reflects Kalyani’s vision of building resilient supply chains and contributing to national competitiveness” the statement issued by Bharat Forge mentioned.

Fashion e-commerce platform Myntra is betting on celebrity partnerships and regional cultural heritage to capture India’s lucrative festive wear market. The firm is launching a premium ethnic wear brand, Souragya, with former cricket captain Sourav Ganguly ahead of the Durga Puja shopping season.

Souragya will feature nearly 100 styles of traditional Bengali garments, including sherwanis, kurtas, and ceremonial wear, targeting consumers seeking culturally authentic designs.

“The brand is all about celebrating the craftsmanship of India while infusing contemporary design elements,” Ganguly said. “Myntra’s expertise in design and its ability to bring this vision to life have been crucial in ensuring that the collection not only embodies sartorial excellence but also remains accessible to a wide audience.”

India’s unemployment rate slipped to a four-month low of 5.1 percent in August from 5.2 percent in July, the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), released by the statistics and programme implementation ministry on September 15, shows.

The decline was broad-based, with male unemployment easing to 5 percent, the lowest in five months. Rural male unemployment fell sharply to 4.5 percent, while in urban areas, it dropped to 5.9 percent from 6.6 percent in the previous month.

Female participation also strengthened for a second straight month. The female labour force participation rate rose to 33.7 percent from 33.3 percent in July, indicating more women either joining the workforce or expressed willingness to work.

Labour and Employment Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said that the country is committed towards leveraging digital innovation in order to enhance labour market efficiency and workers’ welfare.

Addressing the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) virtually today, Dr Mandaviya highlighted that the Collaboration will facilitate youth in availing global employment opportunities and will also help the country’s workers to integrate seamlessly into global labour markets.

The Minister noted that the partnership reflects a shared commitment to shape the future of work in times of rapid transformation. He added that the International Reference Classification will enhance the comparability of data and promote the mutual recognition of skills.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has added seven new Indian sites to its Tentative List of World Heritage Sites. India now boasts of 69 sites under the global body’s consideration, with 49 cultural sites, 17 natural heritage locations and the other three falling under the mixed category. All seven new Indian additions to UNESCO’s list fall under the natural heritage bracket. These sites celebrate India’s rich geographical and cultural diversity, providing tourists more spots to plan their timely getaways with friends and families.

Located in the state of Maharashtra, the Deccan Traps of Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar are now part of UNESCO‘s World Heritage Sites. Among the largest volcanic formations on the planet, the Deccan Traps are also known as one of the biggest basaltic provinces. For travellers, this hill station provides a glimpse of one of the world’s geological wonders.