By: D.K Choudhary
Amitabh Kant Inaugurates India Innovation Index in New Delhi
i. The Indian Policy Think Tank, NITI Aayog together with Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)\has launched a first of its kind online portal, India Innovation Index in India to rank the states on the basis of innovation.
ii. The Index has been developed by the Indian sides in consultation with the World Economic Forum, the World Intellectual Property Organization, Cornell University, OECD, UNIDO, ILO, UNESCO, ITU and others.
iii .The portal was inaugurated by Mr Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aayog on February 2, 2017 in New Delhi.
iv. The Index would rank Indian states as per their innovation capability and provide them necessary feedback to build their respective innovation ecosystems and further instill innovation spirit among institutions and people.
v. The index would consider Global Innovation Index indicators and other India–centric data from various states to determine the ranking which will be updated periodically.
vi. These would enable the international agencies to collect India’s up to date data points for ranking global indices.
31st Surajkund International Crafts Mela being held in Gurgaon
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar inaugurates the 31st Surajkund International Crafts Mela in Gurgaon, Haryana on February 1, 2017.The mela will end on 15th February, 2017.
Highlights of Mela :
i. 2017 Surajkund International Crafts Mela is known as ‘Cashless Mela’ because all stakeholders have been provided option to opt for cashless transactions
ii. A team of volunteers called ‘Mela Mitra’ are appointed to help and guide visitors for Mela
iii. The freedom fighter Jharkhand Birsa Munda’s statue has been constructed and people from 21 countries are expecting to participating at the mela.
Neeti Mohan collaborates with United Nations for women empowerment
i. Noted Indian singer Neeti Mohan to collaborate with UN for women empowerment project titled “Music To Inspire – Artists UNited Against Human Trafficking” which is managed by the UNODC.
ii. Neeti is the first Indian female singer to collaborate with UN .She has joined the ranks of Ashton Kutcher, Nicholas Cage, Demi Moore, Ashley Judd, Gillian Anderson .
iii. She has composed Udne De as a tribute to all the women and in support of equality for all.
iv. Over 60 renowned artists and dignitaries from various countries have collaborated with Rukus Avenue to participate in the “Music To Inspire – Artists UNited Against Human Trafficking”Neeti Mohan
v. Some of the other notable participants are AR Rahman, former President Jimmy Carter, actress Tatyana Ali and bands include Joss Stone, Michael Franti, Vanessa Carlton, Anoushka Shankar, Ellis Hall, Garbage, Karmin as well as Daryl Hall & John Oates among many others
UNODC :
♦ Head : Yuri Fedotov
♦ Headquarters: Vienna
India & Sri Lanka signs MoU for multi-ethnic tri-lingual Secondary School
i. India and Sri Lanka has signed an MoU on February 2, 2017 for the construction of a multi-ethnic tri-lingual school in a north central district of the island nation.
ii. The school would provide an opportunity to Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim students to learn in a multi-cultural environment and thus promote reconciliation and unity in Sri Lanka.
iii. The MoU was signed between India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Secretary to the Ministry of Education Sunil Hettiarachchi.
iv. The Indian Government would provide a grant of SLR 300 million for the island school to be constructed in Polonnaruwa district.
v. Under the project class rooms, laboratories and library would be constructed as well as furniture and other equipment would be procured.
