PIB Summary- 1st January, 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

National Ganga Council Meet

Context
Shri Narendra Modi chaired the National Ganga Council Meeting via video conferencing mode in Kolkata.

Details

• The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of the meeting as it increase the scope to discuss ways to grow the Namami Gange initiative and also laid stress on the cleanliness efforts including expansion of sewage treatment plants network in the small areas of the country.
• This is the 2nd meeting of the National Ganga Council in pursuance of the Authority Notification Order of 2016. The Council provides the directions to National Mission for Clean Ganga to take the Namami Gange Programme forward and ensure the nirmalta and aviralta of the most revered and culturally important river Ganga in India. 
• Shri Modi inaugurated 7 sewerage infrastructure projects which includes 20 sewage treatment plants and 612 km network. The projects will add the sewage treatment capacity of over 200 MLD (million litre per day) in the state of West Bengal.
• Shri Modi also laid the foundation stone for 5 sewerage infrastructure projects which will be developed under National Mission for Clean Ganga NMCG.
• Emphasis was laid on the Project for Rejuvenation of River Adi Ganga, (TollyNalla) and a tributary of Ganga in Kolkata. This project is centrally sponsored and has been approved by NMCG.
•  With the development of waterways in India, the country’s cruise tourism sector is all set to embark on a new grand journey. PM Modi, also said that on January 13, 2023, World’s longest river cruise will sail from Kashi to reach Dibrugarh via Bangladesh which would travel about 2,300 kilometres.

2023 Science Vision

Context
2023 Science Vision for India. 

Details

• The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) . Dr Jitendra Singh in a media interaction on the first day of the New Year said that 2023 Science Vision will define India in 2047.
• The minister said , ‘to make India a global centre of research and innovation in this Amrit Kaal Science & Technology must reach to the local level.

Departments dealing with Science & Technology have outlined their focus and thrust areas for the year 2023

• ISRO
  • With the opening up of the space sector to private players, India today has more than 100 startups in a short span of time.
  • Indian Space Research Organisation [ISRO]  is focussed on Scientific Exploration Missions, Technology Demonstration Missions and Human Spaceflight Programme “Gaganyan” in 2024.
• Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
  • The DBT would work on improvement of vaccines on existing and emerging diseases.
  • Missions would be launched on millets and patho-genomics of plant viruses in the international year of Millets (IYOM), 2023.
• CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research)
  • Council of Scientific and Industrial Research CSIR will focus on Green Hydrogen, as  part of a clean energy mission.
• Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)
  • The MoES will focus on Deep Sea missions and technologies.
  • Also its focus would be the Blue Economy.
• Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)
  • In its contribution to India’s Electoral Management, it will deliver about 21.00 lakh equipment for the Election Commission of India- Ballot Units (BU), Control Units(CU) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT).