The 15th edition of the Urban Mobility India Conference and Expo organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs will open in Kochi today. Housing and Urban Affairs Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will jointly inaugurate the event.

Senior officers from the central and state governments, policy makers, managing directors of metro rail companies and International experts are among those participating in the three-day conference.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA yesterday approved mechanism for ethanol procurement by public sector oil marketing companies under Ethanol Blended Petrol programme

It approved higher Ethanol price derived from diffrent sugarcane based raw materials under the programme for the forthcoming sugar season.

Briefing the media in New Delhi, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri informed that the government has advanced the target for 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol by Five years to 2025. The target was previously to be met by 2030. He said the target of 10 per cent ethanol blending has already been achieved in May this year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the three thousand and 24 newly constructed EWS flats at Kalkaji in Delhi under ‘In-Situ Slum Rehabilitation’ Project. He also handed over the keys of these flats to eligible beneficiaries at Bhoomiheen Camp at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi. In line with the vision of the Prime Minister to provide housing for all,  slum rehabilitation in 376 Jhuggi Jhopri clusters is being undertaken by Delhi Development Authority. The objective of the rehabilitation project is to provide a better and healthy living environment to the residents of Jhuggi Jhopri clusters, with proper amenities and facilities.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that it is a historic day as several citizens staying in Jhuggi -Jhopri clusters in Delhi will now have their own houses. He said, the government has achieved an important milestone by handing over keys of pucca houses to the poor.

Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has conducted a successful maiden flight-test of Phase-II Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) interceptor AD-1 missile from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha. The flight-test was carried out with the participation of all BMD weapon system elements located at different geographical locations.

The AD-1 is a long-range interceptor missile designed for both low exo-atmospheric and endo-atmospheric interception of long-range ballistic missiles as well as aircraft. It is propelled by a two-stage solid motor and equipped with indigenously-developed advanced control system, navigation and guidance algorithm to precisely guide the vehicle to the target.

The government of India’s premier publishing house Publications Division will showcase its publications at the 12-day international book fair to be held at Expo Centre Sharjah, UAE beginning today, November 2. 

The international book fair, being organised by the Sharjah Book Authority will host a stellar group of award-winning authors, intellectuals, and other literary luminaries from around the world. The theme of the year is ‘Spread the Word’.

Zojila Day was commemorated at Zojila War Memorial near Drass on November 1 to celebrate the gallant action by Indian troops in 'Operation Bison' in 1948 which was launched on the icy heights of Zojila pass, the gateway to Ladakh.

The commemoration of the day was marked with a solemn wreath-laying by Commander Dras Warriors of the Leh-based Fire and Fury Corps, to pay homage to the gallant bravehearts, who have etched their names in history by liberating the Zojila pass from Pakistani Intruders.

The Income Tax Department has launched the HARIT Aaykar initiative on the occasion of National Unity Day to increase greenery and create micro forests.

HARIT is the abbreviation of Hariyali Achievement Resolution by Income Tax. Under this initiative, the Department resolves to increase the green cover by planting trees and creating micro-forests in and around Income Tax Department's buildings and other public areas. IT Department participated enthusiastically in the month-long Special Campaign for Swachhata which ends today.

The nation pays homage to the unifier of Modern India, Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 147th birth anniversary today. The day is also celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.
 
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Home Minister Amit Shah paid floral tribute at the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Patel Chowk in New Delhi this morning.

Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena and Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi also paid tributes to Sardar Patel.

Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya will inaugurate India Chem 2022 on the 2nd of November at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. The theme of the event is “Vision 2030: Chemicals and Petrochemicals Build India”.  

India Chem 2022 will showcase the Government’s policy for sustainable growth in the sector and provide a platform for national and international players to interact, exchange knowledge and forge alliances. The event will also highlight the investment opportunities, especially in Petroleum, Chemical, and Petrochemical Investment Regions and focus on the “Make in India” initiative for making the country Atmanirbhar in the sector.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has said that with the conversion of the 300 km long rail line from Asarwa to Udaipur into broad gauge, the tribal areas of Gujarat and Rajasthan will be connected to Delhi and North India. Addressing the gathering after dedicating, two railway projects to the nation worth over  2900 crores Rupees at Asarva, Ahmedabad the Prime Minister said now, direct rail connectivity has also been established between the tourist places of Kutch and the tourist places of Udaipur.

This will give a big boost to the tourist places of Kutch, Udaipur, Chittorgarh, and Nathdwara. He noted that traders in the region will also get the benefit of connecting directly to big industrial centres like Delhi, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad. “Especially, the tiles industry of Himatnagar will get a lot of help. The Prime Minister highlighted that the entire route has been rejuvenated and the meter gauge line from Asarwa to Udaipur via Himmatnagar has been converted into a broad gauge.