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President of India Droupadi Murmu has signed a notification to amend the Allocation of Business (AOB) Rules to place online gaming under the Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology (MeitY). According to the 377th amendment of AOB rules, MeitY becomes the nodal agency of online gaming and its intermediaries. For e-sports, the Department of Sports, under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), has been notified as the nodal agency
President of India Droupadi Murmu has signed a notification to amend the Allocation of Business (AOB) Rules to place online gaming under the Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology (MeitY). According to the 377th amendment of AOB rules, MeitY becomes the nodal agency of online gaming and its intermediaries. For e-sports, the Department of Sports, under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), has been notified as the nodal agency
Marut Dronetech Private Limited, Hyderabad (Telangana)-based drone technology manufacturer, has received the Type Certification approvals from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for Marut Drones’ multi-utility agricultural drone AG 365.
• After receiving a Type Certificate for the AG 365 model, the Drone is now qualified for unsecured loans from the Agri Infrastructure Fund in the amount of Rs 10 lakh at a minimum interest rate of 5-6%.
• Additionally, the Government of India offers subsidies rangin from 50% to 100%.
• The AG 365 drone was created and built for Indian circumstances. It may be utilised for a variety of tasks, increasing the user’s Return on
Investment (ROI).
• Marut Drones is partnering with major universities to provide drone pilots with the best possible training, and as a result, it envisions the growth of 2 lakh drone entrepreneurs in rural areas.
Indian Oil Corporation Limited(IndianOil) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Tuberculosis (TB) Division (CTD) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) and the states of Uttar Pradesh(UP) and Chhattisgarh to undertake intensified TB elimination project
• With this, IndianOil becomes the 1st corporate to implement a large-scale Active Case Finding campaign (ACF) in all 75 districts of UP, covering around 10% population once a year for 3 years.
• Under this project, IndianOil will introduce Mobile Medical Vans equipped with modern diagnostic technology in UP. the company will also introduce the cost-effective, diagnostic machine, Truenat, to improve access and availability of TB Diagnostic services in remote tribal regions.
• These machines will be provided to all TB units of the 8 Aspirational Districts of UP – Bahraich, Balrampur, Chandauli, Chitrakoot, Fatehpur, Shravasti, Siddharthnagar & Sonbhadra and Community Health Centres (CHC) in Chhattisgarh.
• The company will also provide a handheld Xray Unit covering all 18 State Head Quarters and 8 Aspirational Districts of UP and 5 Divisions of Chhattisgarh.
India-assisted Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Power Project(HEPP), a 720 Megawatts(MW) run-of-river power plant built on the Mangdechhu River in Trongsa Dzongkhag District, Bhutan, was handed over to Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) in Bhutan. The handover event was held in Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. With this handing over, India and Bhutan have successfully completed 4 mega hydroelectric power projects.
• The construction of the hydropower project began in June 2012. The first of the four power plant units were commissioned in June 2019, while the second unit was commissioned in July 2019.
• The project was officially inaugurated by Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister(PM) of India, and Lotay Tshering, PM of Bhutan, in August 2019.
• PTC India Limited and Druk Green Power Corporation signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for the Mangdechhu Hydroelectric project in August 2019.
• The commissioning of this project takes Bhutan’s electrical power generation capacity to 2326 Mega Watts, an increase of ~44% on the previous capacity of 1606MW.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a USD 125 million (about Rs 1,025 crore) loan agreement with Government of India (GoI) to develop climate-resilient sewage collection and treatment along with the drainage and water supply systems in three cities, Coimbatore, Madurai and Thoothukudi of Tamil Nadu (TN).
• This is the third and the last tranche (tranche 3 loan) of the USD 500 million multi-tranche financing facility (MFF) for the Flagship Program approved by ADB in 2018 for building priority water supply, sewerage, and drainage infrastructure in strategic industrial corridors across 10 cities in TN.
• The 3rd tranche of the loan covers projects in Coimbatore, Madurai and Thoothukudi.
• Through these projects, the ADB will support the development and improve the urban services in Tamil Nadu by developing new approaches like building and operating modality, automatic metres for bulk water users, and real time monitoring through supervisory control and data acquisition
systems.
Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Government of Rajasthan, has been honoured with “Effective Government Communication Award” for taking public welfare schemes through digital media to the general public and the beneficiaries. The award was given by the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI) during the 44th Annual Convention of PSRI held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The award was presented by Mangubhai Chhaganbhai Patel, Governor of Madhya Pradesh to Arun Joshi, Additional Director of DIPR. Uday Singh, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), National President of PRSI Ajit Pathak, and public relations professionals from different states were present on the occasion.
• Daily publicity materials are being distributed through WhatsApp groups, with nearly 20 lakh people connected in WhatsApp groups at all ram panchayat and ward levels throughout Rajasthan.
• DIPR Innovations: The Information e-Bulletin, Sujus Video Bulletin, and Sujus Awaaz (Podcast) are mediums via which information regarding daily news, beneficiary interviews, and significant government decisions are made available.
• DIPR launched a Sujus Mobile App in which all press notes, special articles, success stories, important photographs, e-bulletin, video bulletin, Sujus Awaz, and live programs of welfare schemes are displayed on mobile.
Mahima Swamy, an Indian scientist hailing from Bengaluru, Karnataka, has been chosen to join the prestigious European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Young Investigator network, recognising her as one of the top talents in biology – Immunology in Europe. Mahima Swamy’s membership is between 2023-2026 and her subject area is Immunology. She is one among the 24 researchers in the EMBO Young Investigator network.
• Dr Mahima Swamy is affiliated with the University of Dundee, Dundee, the United Kingdom(UK) and a most revered expert within their School of Life Sciences where she heads a research group that investigates immune responses in the intestine.
• The 24 researchers will become a part of the network of 135 current and 390 former members of the EMBO programme, based within the University’s Medical Research Council Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit (MRC-PPU).
• Mahima will be a part of the study about inflammatory bowel diseases and how these can be prompted by the body’s immune system attacking the gut lining in the absence of infection.
Vishal Mittal, an Indian student at the University of Canberra (UC), Australia, was recognised as an Ambassador of Change Award, for his outstanding work as a Student Mentor and contribution to the UC community. Vishal Mittal is one of the 9 Ambassadors of Change, who were recognised for their work in various areas.
• The award was presented at the official awards night hosted by the University’s Equity and Participation team, which coincides with World Access to Higher Education Day (17th November 2022).
• Vishal Mittal has just completed his final year of a Master of Data Science and was recognised as an Ambassador of Change for his volunteer work with the UC Mentor Program through UC Thrive.
• On the occasion of the National Consumer Day 2022 (24th December 2022), Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, launched new initiatives, including the right to repair portal, an NTH mobile app and also opened new premises of National Consumer Helpline centre in New Delhi.
• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between the Consumer Affairs Department and Indian Institute of Technology(IIT) (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh and launched a capacity building programme of consumer commissions.
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee (Uttarakhand) researchers, in collaboration with All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, have developed a mobile application named ‘SwasthGarbh‘ to provide antenatal care and real-time medical support to pregnant women. SwasthGarbh is the 1st pregnancy App that provides immediate access to doctor’s advice and is clinically endorsed and credible. This can be a vital tool for women in rural areas
and those who do not have easy access to doctors.
• Both patients and doctors can profit from the features of the App free of cost as it is available on the Google Play Store.
• This app will provide real-time medical support to all pregnant women and improve maternalfoetal health.
• The app enables 2-way communication between doctor and patient to improve pregnancy outcomes.
• The pilot study showed that the App was well accepted by pregnant women and doctors.
• The app also keeps track of recommended clinical tests and automatically sends customised notifications to patients.