Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar commissioned Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Saksham, the fifth in the series of 105-metre Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) class, at Goa on March 16, 2022, in the presence of Director General Coast Guard Shri V S Pathania and other senior dignitaries of Central and State governments. ‘Saksham’, meaning ‘capable’, is a manifestation of ICG’s will and commitment of the ‘Yatra, Tatra, Sarvatra’ adage towards the maritime interest of the Nation.

The 105-meter OPV has been designed and built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited and is fitted with advanced technology, navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machinery. The vessel will be also fitted with a 30-mm 2A42 Medak gun and two 12.7-mm Stabilised Remote Controlled Gun (SRCGs) with FCS. The ship has been equipped with an Integrated Bridge System (IBS), Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS), Power Management System (PMS) and High Power External fire-fighting (EFF) system.

The ship is designed to carry a twin-engine helicopter and four high-speed boats including two inflatable boats for boarding operation, search & rescue, law enforcement and maritime patrol. The ship is also capable of carrying limited pollution response equipment to contain oil spills in the seas.

The ship displaces approximately 2,350 tons (gross registered tonnage) and is propelled by two 9,100 KW diesel engines to attain a maximum speed of 26 knots. She has an endurance of 6,000-nautical miles at economical speed. The sustenance and reach, coupled with the latest and modern equipment and system, provides her with the capability to perform the role of a command platform and undertake tasks to fulfil the Coast Guard charter.

The ship, on joining the Coast Guard fleet, will be based at Kochi. She will be deployed extensively for Exclusive Economic Zones surveillance and other duties as enshrined in the Coast Guard charter.

Presently, the ICG has an expanding fleet of ships and aircraft. Further, numerous ships are at various stages of construction at different Indian shipyards and Advance Light Helicopters are under production at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bengaluru which will provide the added strength to the surveillance capabilities of ICG to deal with the ever-dynamic maritime challenges. The ICGS Saksham is commanded by Deputy Inspector General P Rajesh and manned by 10 officers and 95 sailors.

The commissioning of ICGS Saksham has enhanced the ICG Operational capability to discharge the multifarious maritime tasks. The induction of this Vessel will give a fillip to the maritime protection of our vast coastline of the Western seaboard.

“Armed Forces will see a larger participation of women in the coming years due to the recent steps taken by the Government,” said Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh while delivering the keynote address at an event organised by FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) in New Delhi on March 15, 2022. “Today, women are not only working in the Army in every wing, but now we are also giving permanent commission to them. Today, admission is being given to boys as well as girls in every Sainik School. The doors of NDA have also been opened for women. About two lakh women took the entrance exam last year with great enthusiasm. The percentage of women in the Indian Army will increase significantly in the coming times,” said Shri Rajnath Singh.

The event ‘Celebrating Women’, on the theme ‘Women Transforming India’ was organised as part of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ being celebrated across the country to commemorate 75 years of Independence. The Raksha Mantri lauded the FLO for organising the event which symbolises a ‘New India’ where men & women are making equal contributions to the overall development of the Nation. He pointed out the equal respect given to women in India since the Vedic times, stressing that women play a crucial role in the upliftment of society. He said, the Government considers women as building blocks of the future and no stone is being left unturned to ensure their multi-layered development across the country.

Shri Rajnath Singh asserted that a number of schemes dedicated to skill development, employment and entrepreneurship have been rolled out by the Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Shri Rajnath Singh said these schemes have paved the way for the holistic development of women and give them the confidence to forge a new identity. “Women are now playing an active role in all spheres of life, including education, health, industry, trade, defence and sports,” he added.

The Raksha Mantri also made special mention of 23-year-old Ms Vinita Singh who left a salary package of Rs one crore and launched her own startup, which has now become a Rs 300 crore company. He said this inspiring story has been made possible due to the policy brought out by the Government to promote startups in the country. “In 2014, only 500 startups were working in the country. By 2022, this count has crossed 60,000,” he added.

Ministry of Civil Aviation, in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce Industry (FICCI), organized an event to acknowledge and felicitate the contribution of women and to celebrate Women’s Achievements in the Indian Aviation sector.

The event was graced byUnion Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia as the Chief Guest. Other dignitaries include Shri Rajiv Bansal, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Smt. Usha Padhee, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Smt. AshmitaSethi, Co-Chairman, FICCI Aviation Committee & Managing Director of Pratt & Whitney India and Smt. Radha Bhatia, President, Women in Aviation – India Chapter. The ceremony was also attended by the members of the Women in Aviation International – India chapter, top dignitaries of MoCA, FICCI and representatives of airlines.

The Indian Civil Aviation sector has seen an increase in the participation of women. They are showing their mark in the airline industry and are pursuing careers as aircraft engineers, pilots, firefighters, ground crew, airport security etc registering their presence in the aviation industry.

Dwelling on the achievement of women in the sector, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister of Civil Aviation said “This is a landmark day to be remembered. The success of women in aviation is not confined to airports or aeroplanes but to a much larger ecosystem. 15% of our pilots in India are women which is 3 times more than the global average. But this 15% is not good enough as women have surpassed various odds and stereotypes and I firmly believe there must come a day in India that this 15% must reach 50% of our pilot strength in our country. For this to achieve, we must start from having easy access to STEM education to our young girls in their early education”.

The Minister further added “In next decade, the backbone of Indian infrastructure is going to be civil aviation which transports roughly 144 million people and has a growth potential double that of Indian Railways. Therefore, there is a need to train more pilots. For this, we have come out with a new FTO policy in which we are looking to set up 9 new FTOs in 5 new cities as this will help in reducing the outflow of foreign exchange in training our pilots abroad and unleashing another avenue for our women to participate much greater in civil aviation.”

The 36th International Geological Congress (IGC), themed “Geosciences: The Basic Science for a Sustainable Future” will be held here during 20-22 March 2022 on a virtual platform.

The 36th IGC is a joint endeavour of the Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Indian National Science Academy and the Science Academies of Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Described as the Olympics of Geosciences, the IGCs are held quadrennial, under the aegis of the International Union of Geological Congress (IUGS), the Scientific Sponsor of the IGCs. They draw participants to the tune of around 5000 – 7000 delegates from all over the world.

The event would provide a unique platform for knowledge and experience sharing in the field of geosciences and professional networking. It would give first-hand information on the latest technologies in mining, mineral exploration and management of water, mineral resource and the environment. It would also facilitate increased academic production and create opportunities for capacity building across geoscientific streams.

The Congress is slated to be inaugurated by Union Minister of Coal, Mines & Parliamentary Affairs Shri Palhad Joshi and Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space Dr Jitendra Singh in the presence of Minister of State for Coal, Mines & Railways Shri Raosaheb Patil Danve and Minster of State for Communications Shri Devusinh Chauhan.

The entire world, today, is concerned about its sustainability. Since Geoscience can play a crucial role in addressing it, the 36th International Geological Congress has been themed as “Geoscience – the Basic Science for a Sustainable Future”. The scientific programme will reflect on how Geosciences are integrally related to a sustainable future, touching various aspects of life. The talks will also highlight the complex interactions of various phenomena that regulate the Earth processes and their symbiosis with the biosphere, by focusing on emerging paradigms in the realm of geosciences in the context of sustainable development.

India, leading its regional partners had bid in the 34th International Geological Congress at Brisbane in 2012 to host the 36th IGC in India in the year 2020. India won the bid. The present Congress originally scheduled to be held during 2-8 March 2020 was postponed due to Covid Pandemic.

36th IGC will be releasing three commemorative Postage Stamps on the occasion along with the First Day Cover. 58 years ago India had hosted the 22nd session of the International Geological Congress which was the first IGC on Asian soil.

New Integrated Terminal Building with enhanced capacity and world-class facilities is under construction at AAI’s Pune Airport, which will reduce congestion during peak hours at the airport.AAI has undertaken the construction of the Terminal Building at the cost of Rs. 475Cr.More than 55% of the work has been completed and construction of the new building is likely to be completed by August 2023.

The existing terminal building with a built-up area of only 22,300sqm.has the capacity to handle passengers up to Seven Million Passengers per annum (MPPA).AAI has undertaken the work for the construction of the state-of-the-art New Terminal with a massive built-up area of more than 5,00,000 sq. ft. The new terminal integrated with the existing terminal will have a built-up area of 7,50,000 Sq.ft. with a passenger handling capacity of 16 MPPA.

The swanky new integrated terminal building (including the old building) will be centrally air-conditioned with the provision of 10 passenger boarding bridges, 72 Check-in Counters and an In-line Baggage handling system. The building will be an energy-efficient building with a Four-Star GRIHA rating. Provision of 36000 sq. ft. space for F&B and retail outlets have been reserved for refreshment/pleasure of the passengers. A huge canopy on the city side of the existing building & new building together will give a magnificent look to the airport from the city side.

The strongest intention of the project for the new terminal building is the search for unity and continuity between the old and the new. Stretching over 360 meters in length, the Verandah is a unifying façade that not only provides protection from sun and rain but also serves as a grand urban fresco telling the story of the rich social, historical, artistic and immaterial culture of Pune & Maharashtra.

The facia of the public area below the great Verandah is supported with beautiful Maratha arches and decorated columns with a finish of local dark stone which is commonly seen in most of the heritage structures around Maharashtra. The new forecourt garden design is directly inspired by one of the most recognisable landmarks of Pune – The Shaniwar Wada Gardens.