Pib

Pib

1. 100 accessible websites of various state governments/uts under accessible india campaign launched

The aim of the conference was to sensitize and bring awareness among different stakeholders including the officials of state government on accessibility in the context of recently enacted Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2016. The Accessible India Campaign has three important components viz Built Environment; Transport and Information and Communication Eco-system accessibility.

The guideline establish three levels of accessibility on basis of which websites are designed, namely:-

• Level A: This Indicates the basic level of accessibility that any web page must have

• Level AA: This indicates an intermediate level of accessibility that any web page should have

• Level AAA: This indicates the highest level of accessibility that any web page can achieve

Accessible Websites are those websites into which Persons with Disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web. The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) initiated a “Website Accessibility Project” for State Government/Union Territories under Accessible India Campaign through ERNET India, an autonomous scientific society under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), to make total 917 websites accessible and providing funds for the same. Now 100 accessible websites are made accessible under the project. Moreover, content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.

2. Patna soon to have 100 Percent Sewage Treatment Capacity

Patna is one of the oldest inhabited cities in India with a population of over two million. The western periphery of the city is bound by river Sone whereas on southern side flows Punpun River which later joins river Ganga. It is the second largest city of eastern India and the most densely populated city in Bihar. The swift transformation of Patna into a metropolis, with a population of over 2 millions, makes it a crucial city for Namami Gange programme. A cleaner and healthier river Ganga would augur well for the already ascendant development of this historic city.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for four awarded sewerage projects costing Rs 738.04 crore on October 14, 2017. The ceremony took place at Mokama. These four projects together will create new STP capacity of 120 MLD and upgrade the existing 20 MLD for Beur, Karmalichak and Saidpur sewerage zones. This will also lay down sewer network of 234.84 km in Beur and Saidpur zones.

Patna will soon be amongst the few major cities along river Ganga to have 100 percent sewage treatment capacity to ensure that no waste water gets discharged into the river. The National Mission for Clean Ganga has put in place a comprehensive sewage management plan for the city, that will replace its existing, defunct system with one that will take care of its sewage treatment requirements till 2035.

3. CSIR leveraging technology development by forging synergistic partnership with the Japanese Universities and R&D Organizations

In recent times, CSIR has accelerated its efforts for translational research addressed at unmet needs with strong stakeholder and people connect. In doing so, seamless and synergistic partnership with international R&D organizations of eminence is of prime importance for CSIR to leverage its technology development efforts. In this march of CSIR, Japan has emerged as one of the major country for desired partnerships.

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has been making endeavours to forge synergistic partnership with the Japanese Universities and Research & Development (R&D) organizations to leverage technology development in cutting edge domains. The partnership with the Hiroshima University has started bearing fruits. The technology areas for cooperation include electronics, robotics, mechatronics, advanced manufacturing, environment and intelligent transportation.

4. Business houses must supplement Government's efforts to achieve equitable growth: Vice President

The Vice President of India, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu has asked builders and contractors to take part in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities in a big way, adding that Government efforts to build an equitable society must be supplemented by Private Industries through CSR.

He was addressing the All India Builders’ Convention in Bengaluru today. Karnataka Governor Shri Vajubhai Vala, Lok Sabha MP Shri PC Mohan and others were present on the occasion.

“The efforts of the Government to build an inclusive and equitable society must be supplemented by Private Industries. Organization like yours can play a key, constructive role in eradicating poverty, illiteracy, improving livelihoods and in making this planet a better place to live through environment-friendly measures,” he said

5. Vice President outlines 12 initiatives to make agriculture viable and remunerative

The Vice President has outlined twelve initiatives that might help increase productivity and generate adequate returns to farmers.

• First is the use of good quality seeds which can enhance productivity by 15 to 20%.

• Second, a balanced use of fertilizers is essential for raising agricultural productivity.

• Third, timely institutional credit plays a pivotal role for adoption of innovations by marginal and small farmers.

• Fourth, diversification by supplementing farming with allied activities like dairying, fisheries and poultry can contribute significantly to increasing farmers’ incomes.

• Fifth, farm mechanization in India must expand.

• Sixth, intensification of agriculture and combining agriculture with horticulture and mechanization of hill agriculture can increase the farmers’ income.

• Seventh, we must strengthen the ecosystem that encourages agro-based industries.

• Eighth, there has to be a much better understanding of water use.

• Ninth, farmers need to realize larger share of the consumer price.

• Tenth, we may have to consider substantive reforms in the land policy.

• Eleventh, we need to develop climate change resilient farming practices.

• Twelfth, knowledge sharing processes must be streamlined.

6. Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) Crosses One Crore Mark!

Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for his un-daunting support to the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), as the programme crossed one crore mark in antenatal check-ups. The Union Health Minister stated that Hon’ble Prime Minister of India had envisioned that 9th of every month, symbolizing the 9 months of pregnancy, should be dedicated to pregnant women. The PMSMA programme was launched in 2016 to fulfil his vision and ensure comprehensive and quality antenatal checkups to pregnant women across India. “More than one crore antenatal check-ups have been conducted under the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), which has provided quality antenatal checkups to pregnant women on the 9th of every month. Now safe pregnancy has become a social movement in our country,” Shri Nadda added.

Expressing satisfaction, Shri Nadda further stated that that the programme has been successful in reaching out to the difficult and remote areas of India, since out of the 1 crore checkups across the country, more than 25 lakh check-ups were conducted in high priority districts identified by the Health Ministry for focussed attention. “While all States/ UTs have made significant efforts to reach out to pregnant women, Maharashtra has reported the largest number of check-ups among the Non-Empowered Action Group (EAG) States and Rajasthan has reported the largest number of check-ups among the Empowered Action Group States. All pregnant women visiting the PMSMA sites are examined by an obstetrician/ physician and appropriately investigated,” Shri Nadda elaborated.

“India is committed to reducing preventable maternal deaths through concerted efforts and public –private partnership. The PMSMA has reached one crore mark with the commitment from doctors in the government sector across States/ UTs and with the help of the large number of private sector doctors who have voluntarily pledged for this initiative,” Shri Nadda stated.