Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare inaugurated the 19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities (ICDRA). The event which is being hosted for the first time in India, from 14th – 18th October by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in collaboration with,
the World Health Organization (WHO) brought together regulatory authorities, policymakers, and health officials from over 194 WHO member states.
The Union Health Minister highlighted that India played a crucial role in ensuring affordable access to essential medicines, vaccines, and medical supplies for nations across the globe.
“Guided by the principle of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ – the world is one family, we extended our support to more than 150 countries, providing life-saving drugs and vaccines during the pandemic. This spirit of international solidarity is at the heart of India’s approach to global health.
The 5-day conference will feature a series of insightful sessions where regulatory authorities and industry leaders will deliberate on key issues affecting global drug and medical device regulation.
The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) announced its partnership with Meta for the launch of two key initiatives: an AI Assistant for the Skill India Mission and the establishment 5 Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) at National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) located at Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Jodhpur,Chennai,
and Kanpur. Under this partnership, an innovative AI chatbot powered by Meta’s open-source Llama model will be developed, which will enhance the learner experience on the Skill India Digital (SID) Portal. The chatbot, which will be integrated into the SID Portal, offers 24/7 assistance to users, enabling quick discovery of course information, interactive Q&A,
for course content, and access to lecture summaries and relevant videos for revision. The chatbot will also provide valuable analytics to the MSDE to further optimize the platform. Sarvam AI, the technical partner for the AI assistant project, will be responsible for the development and deployment of the chatbot, which will be piloted over six months.
The Skill India Digital Portal has become a cornerstone of the nation’s skilling ecosystem, with millions of students accessing courses aimed at improving their employability. With the launch of the AI chatbot, MSDE and Meta are taking a significant step forward in revolutionizing how students interact with course content and prepare for the future.
Further, Skillveri, the technical partner for establishing the CoEs, will provide cutting-edge VR and MR resources, curriculum, and trained professionals to equip learners and instructors with the latest technology, enabling immersive and interactive learning experiences.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced that the 2024 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel has been awarded to economists Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James A Robinson. The trio has been recognised “for studies of how institutions are formed and affect prosperity.”
The laureates’ research examines how different political and economic systems, particularly those established during colonialism, have had long-lasting effects on the prosperity of nations. Their work has developed theoretical frameworks to explain why certain institutions endure over time and how they can evolve, shedding light on the persistent income gaps,
between countries, the academy said in awarding the prize.
Daron Acemoglu, a Turkish American economist of Armenian heritage, has been a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) since 1993. His research spans multiple fields, including political economy, macroeconomics, and development economics.
Acemoglu is widely known for his influential work, co-authoring books such as The Narrow Corridor and Why Nations Fail with James Robinson.
Simon Johnson, a British American economist, is currently the Ronald A Kurtz Professor of Entrepreneurship at the MIT Sloan School of Management and a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
He has held notable positions, including chief economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 2007 to 2008. Johnson’s research has focused on entrepreneurship, economic growth, and the role of institutions in development.
James Robinson, a British economist and political scientist, is a professor of global conflict studies at the Harris School of Public Policy,
University of Chicago. He also directs The Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts. He has authored several books, including Why Nations Fail, with Acemoglu. The Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences was established in 1968 in memory of Alfred Nobel. It is awarded alongside the traditional Nobel Prizes in fields such as Physics, Chemistry, and Peace.
Public Sector Undertaking Indian Railways Financial Corporation appointed Manoj Kumar Dubey as the CEO, Chairman, and Managing Director of the company for five years with effect from the date of his assumption of charge of the post, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Dubey joined the Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) in the 1993 batch after clearing the Civil Services examination in the first attempt. During his decorated career with Indian Railways, he implemented key initiatives such as the near-universal payment of salaries through banks,the introduction of e-tendering and eauction systems etc.
He won the National Award for Outstanding Service at the Minister of Railways level in 2011 for his leadership and innovative approaches.
He was in the Board of Directors of a Joint Venture Company of General Electricals of USA and IR, Alstom of France and IR, and a Joint Venture Company of NMDC, SAIL, and Indian Railways. He took over as Director (Finance) & CFO, CONCOR.
Indranand Singh Jha, the famous former radio presenter and compere of Akashvani Darbhanga passed away at his ancestral village Chanaur in Darbhanga. He was 77 years old. Well-known for his rural radio talk programme Gamghar from Akashvani Darbhanga station with the pen name of Khur Khur Bhai.he was very popular among radio listeners during his service.
The half-brother of Ratan Tata was appointed as the head of the powerful and influential philanthropic arm of India’s Tata group, giving him indirect control of the $165 billion conglomerate. the death of Ratan Tata, one of India’s best-known corporate titans. The decision followed “many old-timers” in the group wanting him to lead the venture, said one Tata executive.
The parent company, Tata Sons, oversees 30 firms across consumer goods, hotels, automobiles and airlines and has become a global juggernaut over the years, with brands such as Jaguar Land Rover and Tetley Tea in its stable.It owns Tata Consultancy Services, Taj Hotels and Air India and counts Starbucks and Airbus as partners in India.
Tata Trusts has a 66% ownership of Tata Sons, giving it power over big investment, philanthropic and strategic decisions by the conglomerate, company executives say.
Noel Tata, who is half-French, was already among the many trustees of the philanthropic arm, and also vice chairman of Tata Steel and chairman of Tata’s popular retail fashion brand Trent.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will now be the 14th ‘Maharatna’ company among Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE), the Finance Ministry announced. This status will give more autonomy to the company in terms of financial and strategic matters.
HAL is a Department of Defence Production (DoDP) CPSE with an annual turnover of ₹28162 crore and a net profit of ₹7595 crore for FY2023-24. Shares of HAL closed at ₹4446.85 on Friday with a loss of 0.76 percent over previous closing price.
Government has laid down six key parameters for a CPSE to be considered for the granting of Maharatna status.
These include the CPSE already having a ‘Navratna’ status. It needs to be listed on the Indian stock exchange, with a minimum prescribed public shareholding under SEBI regulations. It should have an average annual turnover of more than ₹20,000 crore, an average annual net worth of more than ₹10,000 crore and,
and an average annual net profit of more than ₹2,500 crore during the last three years. The CPSE should have significant global presence or international operations.
India's top-ranked women's doubles pair of Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee made history, securing a historic bronze medal, the country's first-ever medal in the category, at the Asian Table Tennis Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan
Ayhika and Sutirtha have become the first-ever all-India women's doubles pair from India to win a medal at the competition.
Back in 1952, Gool Nasikwala secured a gold medal in the women's doubles competition alongside Japan's Yoshiko Tanaka in the inaugural edition of the tournament, as per Olympics.com.
The Mukherjees, the world number 15th pair in women's doubles rankings, were defeated by Japan's world number 33 duo of Miwa Harimoto and Miyuu Kihara with a 3-0 (4-11, 9-11, 9-11).
The Mukherjees made history during the Asian Games last year, by securing India's first-ever medal in their category, a bronze. In Tunis last year, the duo became the first Indians to win a World Table Tennis (WTT) Contender women's doubles title.
President's rule was revoked in Jammu and Kashmir, clearing the way for the formation of a new government in the union territory under Omar Abdullah's leadership. A gazette notification issued by the Union Home Ministry confirmed the development.
In the exercise of the powers conferred by Section 73 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 (34 of 2019),
read with Articles 239 and 239A of the Constitution of India, the order dated the 31st October, 2019 in relation to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall stand revoked immediately before the appointment of the chief minister under Section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
The India Digital Agri Conference 2024, co-organized by ICFA and IIT Ropar TIF – AwaDH at New Delhi. Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi the chief guest at the event highlighted the importance of the Digital Agriculture Mission.
He emphasised the relevance of the mission in leveraging technology and data-driven solutions to modernize Indian agriculture. The mission aims to empower farmers with real-time information and support systems, enabling better decision-making and boosting rural livelihoods.
This event not only addressed the current challenges in agriculture but also laid the groundwork for future strategies that will position India as a leader in the global Agri-tech ecosystem.
On International Day of Rural Women 15 October 2024, we honor their contributions as agents of health and empowerment in their communities, working towards a more sustainable and equitable future for all. The International Day for Rural Women, first established by the General Assembly in its resolution 62/136 of 18 December 2007, recognizes,
“the critical role and contribution of rural women, including Indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty.” This year’s theme, "Rural Women Sustaining Nature for Our Collective Future: Building climate resilience, conserving biodiversity, and caring for land towards gender equality and empowerment
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government has appointed Arbind Modi, a retired Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer and former senior economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as the Chief Advisor to its finance department. Modi will serve in this role honourably and be granted the rank of cabinet minister.
Additionally, the Punjab government has also named Sebastian James, a former economist at the World Bank, as an adviser for Fiscal Affairs in the finance department at the rank of secretary. This decision comes as part of efforts by the Bhagwant Mann government to stabilize the cash-strapped state.
The appointments were announced by Punjab’s Chief Secretary, KAP Sinha,
who emphasised the need for expert guidance in navigating the state’s fiscal challenges. Modi’s prior experience includes serving as convener of a task force established by the central government to review the Income Tax Act of 1961 and draft new direct tax laws. He joined the IMF in 2018 and retired in 2023.
The Doppler Weather Radar approved for north Kerala will be installed in Wayanad in the wake of the catastrophic landslides, enhancing the weather observational network in the State.
An X-band radar with an observation range of 100 km will be installed in Wayanad, while a C-Band radar with an observational range of 250 km will be installed in Mangaluru.
The radar station will enhance the forecasting capabilities, real-time monitoring of the weather apart from strengthening the overall weather observational network in the region,” said Neetha K. Gopal, India Meteorological Department (IMD) director, Thiruvananthapuram, adding that the work order for the radar has been placed by the Union Ministry for Earth Sciences.
The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is being observed across the globe on 13 October 2024. The day aims to raise awareness and promote a culture of disaster reduction and risk awareness around the world. The theme for this year is Empowering the next generation for a resilient future.
This theme highlights the role of education in protecting and empowering youth for a disaster-free future. The primary focus of this year is to empower children through education and equip them to protect themselves and become agents of change in their families and communities.
