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PM salutes Indian Army for valour

New Delhi (NVI): On the occasion of Army Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hailed the Indian Army for its valour and respect for humanitarian spirit.

Army Day is celebrated on January 15 every year in recognition of Field Marshal Kodandera M Cariappa’s taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.

In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister said the Indian Army is known for its valour and professionalism and is respected for its humanitarian spirit.

“Whenever people have needed help, our Army has risen to the occasion and done everything possible! Proud of our Army,” he added.

Govt to launch fuel conservation campaign

New Delhi (NVI): The government is set to launch “Saksham”, an annual one-month long campaign, for creating awareness amongst the general public about the need for fuel conservation and adopting tips for saving fuel.

The campaign by Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) will be launched by Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan here tomorrow.

During this campaign, PCRA and Oil & Gas companies will carry out various interactive programs.

These activities will include cyclothons, workshops for drivers of commercial vehicles, seminars for housewives, cooks on adopting simple fuel-saving measures, nationwide campaign through radio, TV, digital cinemas, outdoor media etc. are being planned with an aim to reach every nook and corner of the country with a message of fuel conservation, greener environment and better health.

Plans to make use of social media platforms for various customized campaigns on fuel conservation are also being made.

PCRA has published a comic book, jointly with NCERT, on the theme ‘Fuel Conservation’ for school children and is available on e-pathshala on NCERT website.

In association with Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, PCRA has developed an energy-efficient PNG burner and gas stove for households where piped gas is supplied, which will help to save gas as compared to modified LPG stove.

To create mass awareness about fuel conservation, PCRA is also using attractive messages and has made an animated documentary ‘Pollution Ka Solution’, which is available on PCRA website and YouTube.

The annual Saksham National Competition held in July every year involves schools and students in various activities is also a big hit now. In 2019, the competition witnessed a record-breaking number of participants.

PCRA recently carried out an awareness campaign, to encourage people to switch off engines at red lights, on 100 busiest intersections of Delhi through CRRI. The outcome of the campaign was remarkable with commendable results of approximately 22% reduction in idling fuel losses ‘before’ and ‘after’ the campaign phase. Similarly,  14%, 12% and 19% reduction in diesel, CNG and LPG respectively were observed.

“Saksham” is strengthening its footprint as a flagship fuel conservation mega campaign program of the country.

Delhi temperature dips again

New Delhi (NVI): Delhi woke up to a chilly morning as the minimum temperature dropped to 6.4 degrees Celsius from 10.5 degree Celsius recorded yesterday.

The maximum temperature today is expected to be around 18.0 degree Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The weatherman forecast that the sky will remain cloudy for the day.

Meanwhile, the overall air quality in the national capital today improved a notch from“very poor”to “poor” category

According to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR),the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital stood at  215 which falls in the “poor” category.

The worst affected areas are Dhirpur, Delhi University, Chandni Chowk, Pusa, Lodhi Road, Mathura Road, IGI Terminal 3 and the neighbouring Noida.

 

 

Future-skills education: India improves rank, Finland retains top position    

New Delhi (NVI): India has improved its ranking in the area of providing future skills education but Finland continues to be the world leader, according to the Worldwide Educating for the Future Index (WEFFI).

New Zealand ranked third in the list of 10 countries. While New Zealand retained the third position which it had in the 2018 ranking, Sweden advanced by two places in the latest survey.

This is the third edition of WEFFI report, produced by The Economist Intelligence Unit and commissioned by the Yidan Prize Foundation. The report looks at policy initiatives, teaching methodologies and the socio-economic environment of 50 countries.

The Philippines, Ghana and Mexico all performed strongly among a new income-adjusted ranking due to their ability to channel their more limited resources to implement strong policy and advance a future skills agenda, the report said.

Among the world’s largest economies, the US, UK, France and Russia all fell in their rankings while China, India and Indonesia advanced their scores.

As per the report, the top ten economies leading in future skills of education are (Rank-wise):

  1. Finland
  2. Sweden
  3. New Zealand
  4. Singapore
  5. Netherlands
  6. Canada
  7. Switzerland
  8. Australia
  9. Germany
  10. Japan

According to a new report released today by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU, consensus on the need to adopt future-focused approaches to education has grown in countries globally. However, implementation of policy to make such changes remains the largest challenge to preparing students for the challenges that await them in work and society, the report says.

Bajaj launches Chetak electric scooter for Rs 1 lakh

New Delhi (NVI): Bringing back the nostalgia, but with a modern touch, the much-awaited Chetak electric scooter was launched by Bajaj today. The bookings will start from January 15.

Starting at a price of Rs 1 lakh, the deliveries of Chetak will commence from February end, the company said.

The new electric scooted by the company was unveiled last October.

Originally based on the Italian Vespa Sprint, Chetak has almost attained an iconic status in the Indian automobile industry. It was an affordable means of transportation for millions of Indian families for decades and is lovingly called Hamara Bajaj (Our Bajaj).

In the face of rising competition from bikes and cars, Chetak lost ground in India, and production was discontinued in 2005 as Bajaj Auto stopped manufacturing scooters altogether.

After almost 15 years, the company has now come up with the electric variant and it will initially be available in Pune and Bengaluru.

The company said the electric scooter will be available in two variants, Urbane and Premium. Additionally, a home-charging station will be included in the package.

Customers can also book the vehicle online on the Chetak website at an initial amount of Rs 2,000, the company said Tuesday.

The Urbane variant features drum brake at the front, while the Premium variant gets a front disc brake. The Bajaj Chetak e-scooter Premium has been priced at Rs 1.15 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune and Bengaluru).

Rijiju bats for drug-free sports 

Guwahati (NVI): Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and actor Suniel Shetty today called for a clean and drug-free sports culture and urged athletes to refrain from any banned substances.

Addressing a workshop, Rijiju said, “I would like to tell all coaches and parents that they should ensure that all athletes should refrain from banned drugs. All athletes should stay clean and become champions. We are here to support all the athletes.”

He also assured all the athletes that they would be given full support by the ministry as long as they stay away from banned substances.

During the workshop, actor and brand ambassador of the National Anti-Doping Agency Suniel Shetty shared his own success story to underline the importance of sports in a child’s life.

Actor Suniel Shetty said, “You may make many mistakes in your life but make sure that you don’t eat anything which is wrong. Whatever I have achieved in my life, it is purely because of sports.

“I used to practice martial arts and I used to train really hard. I became an actor in my life only because I was an athlete. I still believe that I am a part of sports,” Suniel Shetty added.

Hallmarking of jewelry made mandatory

New Delhi (NVI): The government has made hallmarking of gold jewelry and artefacts compulsory across the country and jewellers will get one year to implement this order.

The hallmarking of an ornament tells you the amount of gold and other metal in an ornament.

Addressing a press conference for mandatory hallmarking of gold jewelry, Minister of Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan said hallmarking is to ensure that consumers are not cheated while buying gold ornaments and get the purity as marked on the ornaments.

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“After the hallmarking jewelers can only sell gold of three carat which will be 14, 18 and 22 carat,” he said.

The caratage is marked on jewelry in addition to fineness for convenience of consumers, that for 22 carat jewelry, 22K will be marked in addition to 916, for 18 carat jewelry, 18K will be marked in addition to 750 and for 14 carat jewelry, 14K will be marked in addition to 585.

He also informed that there are 892 assaying and hallmarking centres in 234 District locations across the country and so far 28,849 jewelers have been registered by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

While speaking about the reasons for the one-year implementation period, Minister said that this will ensure that Jewelers registration process can be completed and jewelers and retailers get time for clearing their old and existing stock.

China finds no human-to-human spread of novel coronavirus

New Delhi (NVI): The WHO today said that preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in Wuhan, China.

This comes a day after the WHO issued guidance on how to detect and treat persons ill with the new coronavirus, after detection of a case in Thailand. Coronavirus is a strain that has not been previously identified in humans.

Yesterday, the WHO had also said it is working with officials in Thailand and China following reports of confirmation of the novel coronavirus in a traveller from Wuhan, China, who visited Thailand.

“WHO reiterates that it is essential that investigations of the novel coronavirus continue in China to identify the source of the outbreak and any animal reservoirs or intermediate hosts,” it said Monday.

Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people.

Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humans, according to the WHO.

Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans.

Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

Standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs.

Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing, the WHO has advised.

Broadband internet services to be restored in Kashmir in phased manned after Jan 26

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): Days after the Supreme Court directed the Jammu and Kashmir administration to review all restrictions in the Valley, the Union Territory is mulling to restore broadband internet services in a phased manner after January 26, a top government official here said today.

On January 10, the top court had asked the UT administration to review all curbs, including a ban on internet after the abolition of Article 370 in August last year.

According to the official, the J&K Home Department is preparing a report based on the feedback of various security intelligence agencies. The report will be then placed before the Supreme Court and J&K administration would recommend its restoration in a phased manner after January 26 in the valley.

Officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) would also review the report before it is sent to the Supreme Court.

“Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu-led administration has received reports from officials of security agencies along with district administrations. Almost all have given their positive feedback about restoration of broadband internet in Kashmir. MHA would review the security situation in Kashmir and impact of restoring the internet services in the valley,” the official privy to the report said.

The broadband will be first restored in central Kashmir (Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal districts). This will be followed by north Kashmir (Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora districts) and then south Kashmir (Kulgam, Anantnag, Pulwama and Shopian districts).

The official, however, said the restoration of internet services to essential services would be restored before January 26. He noted that mobile internet won’t be restored for a time being. “Mobile internet is unlikely to be restored in Kashmir,” he said.

Nirbhaya: Convict files mercy plea  

New Delhi (NVI): Hours after the Supreme Court dismissed curative pleas of two of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case, one of the accused – Mukesh Singh- has written to President Ram Nath Kovind, seeking mercy.

According to the law, the President has the power to commute death sentence to life imprisonment.

Mukesh Singh and the three other convicts including Vinay Sharma, Akshay Kumar and Pawan Gupta- are scheduled to be hanged on January 22 at 7 am in Tihar Jail.

Nirbhaya, a 23-year-old girl, was brutally raped and murdered on the night of December 16, 2012, in a south Delhi area.

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