India successfully flight-tested Anti-Tank Guided Missile HELINA today. The missile was launched from an indigenously-developed helicopter at high-altitude ranges.

The defence Ministry said, it is one of the most advanced Anti-Tank weapons in the world. The flight test was jointly conducted by the teams of scientists of Defence Research and Development Organisation, Indian Army and Indian Air Force. The Ministry said, the flight trials were conducted from an Advanced Light Helicopter and the missile was fired successfully engaging a simulated tank target.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO and the Indian Army for this achievement. DRDO Chairman Dr G. Satheesh Reddy congratulated the teams for the commendable job performed in difficult conditions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be honoured with the first-ever Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award, instituted in the memory of the veteran singer who passed away in February this year.

In a press release, Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratishthan informed that the award ceremony will be held on 24th of April at Mumbai’s Shanmukhanand Hall. It added that the award will be given annually to a person who has made a path-breaking, spectacular and exemplary contribution to the nation and its people.

The organization said, Mr. Modi is an international statesman who has put India on the path of global leadership. Calling Mr. Modi an inspiration, the organization said, he is one of the greatest leaders that India has seen in its glorious history.

Gujarat, Kerala and Punjab have been adjudged as top three performer states in the NITI Aayog's State Energy and Climate Index, SECI. NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Dr. Rajiv Kumar and Chief Executive Officer Amitabh Kant released the State Energy and Climate Index, SECI- Round One in New Delhi yesterday.

The top three performers among smaller states are Goa, Tripura and Manipur.

Speaking on the occasion, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Dr. Rajiv Kumar stressed on the need to convert efforts towards achieving the Panchamrit targets announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP-26, Glasgow. He said, the role of the states is going to be critical in this regard. Dr. Rajiv said that governance innovation and mutual learning by states will go a long way in improving outcomes and SECI-Round One is the right step in this direction.

The government has said that around two lakh 71 thousand persons will be trained over five years under Pradhan Mantri Dakshta Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi, PM-DAKSH Yojana. The scheme aims to increase the skill levels of the target youth by providing for long-term and short-term skills, followed by settlement in employment and self-employment.

In 2020-21, the existing scheme of Assistance for Skill Development of Other Backward Classes, Economically Backward Classes was modified as a Central Sector Scheme with the inclusion of Scheduled Castes and Sanitation workers and was renamed as PM- DAKSH Yojana.

Union Home and Cooperative Minister Amit Shah has inaugurated ‘Seema Darshan Project’ at Nadabet located on the Indo-Pak border in Banaskantha District of Gujarat this morning.

Speaking on this occasion, Union Home and Cooperative Minister Amit Shah said that this multipurpose tourism project was completed under the direct guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that our nation is achieving new heights in the world because our BSF jawans are guarding our borders.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, state tourism minister Punesh Modi, Director General of BSF and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. Mr. Shah also visited Nadeshwari Mata Temple at Nadabet and offered puja and darshan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that PM Kisan Samman Nidhi and other schemes related to agriculture are giving new strength to crores of farmers of the country. Mr Modi said that when farmers become stronger, the nation prospers.

In a tweet, he said, the country is proud of our farmers and new India will be more prosperous, when our farmers are empowered.

AIR correspondent reports, The financial benefit of six thousand rupees per year is provided to the eligible family of farmer under PM-KISAN scheme. The amount is being transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries, in three installments of two thousand rupees.

Ram Navami is being celebrated with religious fervor and enthusiasm in different parts of the country today. The festival marks the birth of Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Ram Navami is celebrated on the ninth day of the Chaitra month, according to the Hindu lunar calendar. Prior to Ram Navami, Hindus observe a fast for nine days (Navratri) leading up to the festival. 
 
President Ram Nath Kovind has extended greetings and best wishes to all citizens on the occasion of Ram Navami. In his message, Mr Kovind said that Ram Navami is an auspicious occasion to recall the ideals of Lord Ram and apply them in our lives.

The registration for this year's Amarnath Yatra will begin today. The pilgrimage to the Himalayan cave shrine will commence on June 30 and conclude on August 11. Talking to AIR News, Chief Executive Officer of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, Nitishwar Kumar said that the registration will start at 446 Branches of Jammu and Kashmir Bank, Punjab National Bank, Yes Bank and 100 branches of SBI across the country.

He said, the pilgrims can also register online through the website and mobile app of the shrine board. Nitishwar Kumar said, a Yatri Niwas is being readied in the Ramban district which can accommodate 3600 pilgrims.

Ministry of Panchayati Raj will be celebrating the Iconic Week from today to commemorate Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) as a Jan-Utsav in the spirit of Jan-Bhagidari. The week-long commemorative events will commence with organizing National Stakeholders Conference on Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi today.

To celebrate this monumental occasion till 17th of April, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has conceptualized a series of Thematic Conferences for the Iconic Week  on the theme Panchayaton ke Navnirman ka Sankalpotsav. It will  showcase the convergence of the views, ideas, technological interventions, best practices and cutting-edge insights of all stake-holders towards Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Panchayati Raj Institutions.

JIUQUAN: China launched a new Earth observation satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.

The satellite, Gaofen-3 03, was launched by a Long March-4C rocket at 7.47am local time on Thursday and has entered the planned orbit successfully.

The satellite will be networked with the orbiting Gaofen-3 and Gaofen-3 02 satellites to form a land-sea radar satellite constellation and capture reliable, stable synthetic aperture radar images.

These images will boast a 1m resolution together with a one-day revisit period, thereby improving the monitoring capabilities of China’s land-sea radar satellites.