Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 25 MAR 2025 7:14PM by PIB Delhi

The following are the lists, in order of merit of 349 (223 + 89 + 37) candidates who have qualified on the basis of the results of the Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2024 conducted by the Union Public Service Commission in  September, 2024 and SSB interviews held by the Services Selection Board of the Ministry of Defence for admission to the 159^th (DE) Course of Indian Military Academy, Dehradun; Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Kerala and Air Force Academy, Hyderabad (Pre-Flying) Training Course i.e. No. 218 F(P) Course.

2.         There are some common candidates in the three lists for various courses.

3.         The number of vacancies, as intimated by the Government is 100 for Indian Military Academy [including 13 vacancies reserved for NCC ‘C’ Certificates (Army Wing) holders], 32 for Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Kerala Executive Branch (General Service)/Hydro[including 06 vacancies for NCC ‘C’ Certificate (Naval Wing) holders] and 32 for Air Force Academy, Hyderabad [03 vacancies are reserved for NCC ’C’ Certificate (Air Wing) holders through NCC Spl. Entry].

4.         The Commission had recommended 2534, 900, and 613 as qualified in the written test for admission to the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Air Force Academy, respectively.  The number of candidates finally qualified are those after SSB test conducted by Army Head Quarters.

5.         The results of Medical examination have not been taken into account in preparing these lists.

6.         Verification of date of birth and educational qualifications of these candidates is still under process by the Army Headquarters.  The candidature of all these candidates is, therefore, Provisional on this score.  Candidates are requested to forward their certificates, in original, in support of Date of Birth/Educational qualification etc. claimed by them, along with Photostat attested copies thereof to Army Headquarters /Naval Headquarters /Air Headquarters, as per their first choice.

7.         In case, there is any change of address, the candidates are advised to promptly intimate directly to the Army Headquarters /Naval Headquarters /Air Headquarters.

8.         These results will also be available on the UPSC website at http://www.upsc.gov.in.  However, marks of the candidates will be available on the website after declaration of final result of Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) Course for Combined Defence Services Examination (II), 2024.

9.         For any further information, the candidates may contact Facilitation Counter near Gate ‘C’ of the Commission’s Office, either in person or on telephone Nos. 011-23385271/011-23381125/011-23098543 between 10:00 hours and 17:00 hours on any working day.

Click here for see the result

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NKR/PSM

(Release ID: 2115002) Visitor Counter : 146

Source: Government of India

Under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, 15,057 Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) have been opened till 28.2.2025 across the country

For smooth supply and product availability at JAKs, an end-to-end IT-enabled supply chain system has been established; It comprises one central warehouse at Gurugram and four regional warehouses at Bengaluru, Guwahati, Chennai and Surat

Posted On: 25 MAR 2025 7:02PM by PIB Delhi

Under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana scheme, a total of 15,057 Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) have been opened till 28.2.2025 across the country, the State- and Union-territory-wise numbers of which are at Annexure.

Lack of availability of medicines to JAKs is not a systemic issue. For smooth supply and product availability at JAKs, an end-to-end IT-enabled supply chain system has been established. It comprises one central warehouse at Gurugram and four regional warehouses at Bengaluru, Guwahati, Chennai and Surat. Further, 36 distributors have been appointed across the country to strengthen the supply chain system. Availability of 400 fast-moving products is monitored regularly to ensure their availability. Further, a minimum stocking mandate has been implemented for 200 medicines consisting of the 100 top-selling medicines in the scheme product basket and 100 fast-selling medicines in the market. Under the stocking mandate, the Jan Aushadhi Kendra owners become eligible for claiming incentive based on stocks of the said 200 medicines maintained by them. Thus, supply of medicines to JAKs is ensured through the system of warehouses and distributors and monitoring system and incentives are in place to encourage JAKs to stock the products that are more in demand. JAKs being run on an entrepreneurship model, the actual stocking of products is done by entrepreneurs based on demand for the same.

To safeguard against complaints about the quality of medicines sold from JAKs, stringent measures as specified below are in place to ensure that the medicines supplied through Jan Aushadhi Kendras meet standards:

1. Medicines are procured only from suppliers certified for World Health Organization – Good Manufacturing Practices (WHO-GMP).

2. Each batch of drugs supplied under the scheme is tested at laboratories accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) and only after passing quality tests, medicines are dispatched to Jan Aushadhi Kendras.

3. Quality audit of the facilities of vendors is routinely done by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India.

Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) opened till 28.2.2025

 

This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Smt Anupriya Patel in Rajya Sabha in written reply to a question today.

 

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MV/AKS

(Release ID: 2114994) Visitor Counter : 154

Source: Government of India

New Investment Policy (NIP) to facilitate fresh investment and making India Self-Sufficient in the urea sector

Total 6 new urea units have been set up under NIP-2012 including 4 Urea units set up through Joint Venture Companies (JVC) of nominated PSUs and 2 Urea units set up by the private companies

Posted On: 25 MAR 2025 7:01PM by PIB Delhi

The Government had announced New Investment Policy (NIP) – 2012 on 2nd January, 2013 and its amendment on 7th October, 2014 to facilitate fresh investment in the urea sector and to make India self-sufficient in the urea sector. Total 6 new urea units have been set up under NIP-2012 which includes 4 Urea units set up through Joint Venture Companies (JVC) of nominated PSUs and 2 Urea units set up by the private companies. The units set up through JVC are Ramagundam Urea unit of Ramagundam Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd (RFCL) in Telangana and 3 Urea units namely Gorakhpur, Sindri and Barauni of Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL) in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar, respectively. The units set up by private companies are Panagarh Urea unit of Matix Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd. (Matix) in West Bengal; and Gadepan-III Urea unit of Chambal Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd. (CFCL) in Rajasthan. Each of these units has installed capacity of 12.7 Lakh Metric Tonne per annum (LMTPA). These units are highly energy efficient as they are based on latest technology.  Therefore, these units have together added urea production of 76.2 LMTPA thereby total production urea production capacity (RAC) has increased from 207.54 LMTPA during 2014-15 to 283.74 LMTPA in 2023-24.

The Government has implemented Nutrient Based Subsidy Policy w.e.f. 01.04.2010 for Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) Fertilizers. Under the policy, a fixed amount of subsidy, decided on annual/bi-annual basis, is provided on notified P&K fertilizers depending on their nutrient content. The P&K sector is decontrolled, fertilizer companies are allowed to fix MRP at reasonable levels.The fertilizer companies manufacture/import fertilizers and do investment as per the market dynamics.

This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Smt Anupriya Patel in Rajya Sabha in written reply to a question today.

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MV/AKS

(Release ID: 2114993) Visitor Counter : 147

Source: Government of India

Scheme for Promotion of Research and Innovation in the Pharma Medtech sector to promote research and development (R&D) including in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning

National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) provide training in AI-based tools to build human resource capacities in these areas for the pharmaceutical sector

Posted On: 25 MAR 2025 6:58PM by PIB Delhi

The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has taken steps to promote research and development (R&D) in the sector, including in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, in the pharmaceutical sector through the Scheme for Promotion of Research and Innovation in the Pharma Medtech sector. Further, the National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) under the aegis of DoP have introduced topics related to AI and block chain technology in their courses and they provide training to students in AI-based tools to build human resource capacities in these areas for the pharmaceutical sector. In addition, the Department of Biotechnology also supports AI-based research activities in the biotech sector, particularly in the healthcare and agriculture areas, in order to leverage emerging technologies for these sectors. Further, the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, with the assistance of the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, has undertaken a pilot project to evaluate the feasibility of a block-chain-based track-and-trace system for Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana.

This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Smt. Anupriya Patel in Rajya Sabha in written reply to a question today.

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MV/AKS

(Release ID: 2114991) Visitor Counter : 146

Source: Government of India

Department of Pharmaceuticals hosts Industry Dialogue on Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma-MedTech Sector (PRIP) Scheme at Bengaluru

Innovate in India and Make for the World aiming to position the country as a global leader in innovation and manufacturing for the world: Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals

Posted On: 25 MAR 2025 6:57PM by PIB Delhi

The Department of Pharmaceuticals, Government of India, hosted an Industry Dialogue on the scheme for Promotion of Research and Innovation in the Pharma-MedTech Sector (PRIP) at Bangalore on 25th March 2025. The event served as a significant platform for representatives from industry, startups, and research institutes, including representatives from the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and innovation hubs like C-CAMP (Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms), to engage in discussions aimed at fostering collaboration, and leveraging government initiatives to accelerate research and development (R&D) in the pharmaceutical and MedTech sectors.

The session provided detailed insights into the PRIP Scheme, along with other government initiatives promoting and enabling research innovation in the sector. Notable initiatives such as ICMR’s Patent Mitra, MedTech Mitra, and Indian Clinical Trial and Education Network (INTENT) programme were discussed, with an emphasis on support for patent filing, facilitating the innovation journey, clinical trials, and commercialization of R&D outcomes. The CSIR’s Innovation Complex and C-CAMP’s incubation facilities were also highlighted as key enablers for translational research and industry collaboration.

Shri Amit Agrawal, Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, underscored India’s comparative advantage in enhancing the resilience of global supply chains, a goal further supported by the PRIP Scheme. He advocated progression from “Make in India” also Innovate in India and Make for the World aiming to position the country as a global leader in innovation and manufacturing for the world.

In the breakout sessions, representatives from startups, Industry, academia and other stakeholders gave in-depth feedback regarding research and innovation opportunities, emerging R&D trends, strategies to enhance industry-academia collaboration. Useful suggestions were made regarding maximising funding opportunities and scaling up innovative research initiatives to drive the sector’s growth.

The stakeholders were encouraged to submit their feedback and project details through the Expression of Interest (EoI) hosted on the Department of Pharmaceuticals website, which will be open till April 7, 2025. This process will help refine the implementation strategy of the PRIP Scheme, ensuring it aligns with industry need and drives sectoral growth.

The Industry Dialogue in Bangalore was an insightful and productive event, with participants reaffirming their commitment to fostering a collaborative, innovation-driven ecosystem in the Pharma-MedTech sector.

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MV/AKS

(Release ID: 2114990) Visitor Counter : 151

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) held the opening ceremony of the Diversity and Inclusion Arts Festival and Diverse Abilities · Inclusive Workplace Recognition Scheme today (March 25) at the Tea House Theatre of the West Kowloon Cultural District Xiqu Centre. The Arts Festival provides a platform for persons with disabilities (PWDs) to showcase their artistic talents, while the Recognition Scheme aims to foster the development of their diverse talents and encourage support of the community to inclusive workplaces, with an aim to sprinkling positivity to the society through caring and inclusivity.
 
The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun; the Vice Chairperson of the Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong (ADAHK), Ms Grace Cheng; Head of Charities (Healthy Community) of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Ms Imelda Chan; the Commissioner for Rehabilitation of LWB, Mr Fletch Chan; the Vice-Chairman of the Rehabilitation Advisory Committee (RAC), Dr Kevin Lau; the Chairman of the RAC Sub-committee on Employment, Mr Alvin Miu; and the Assistant Director of Social Welfare (Rehabilitation and Medical Social Services), Mr David Ng, officiated at the ceremony. Representatives of various participating organisations also attended. Artists with disabilities presented music and dance performances at the opening ceremony fostering an inclusive community through arts.
 
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Sun expected that the artistic talents of PWDs could be showcased through the Arts Festival. He encouraged them to pursue excellence and aim for professional development. Mr Sun said that PWDs possess exceptional capabilities in various fields and expressed the hope that the Arts Festival would draw greater attention across the community to the abilities of PWDs. At the same time, he called on enterprises to provide more employment opportunities for PWDs to develop their potential, thereby achieving an inclusive workplace. Mr Sun also appealed to the community to actively participate in the Diversity and Inclusion Arts Festival and the “Caring Employer” Medal Design Competition under the Diverse Abilities · Inclusive Workplace Recognition Scheme.
 
Co-organised by LWB and ADAHK, and in collaboration with the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong, various government departments, social welfare organisations and other institutions, the Diversity and Inclusion Arts Festival presents a series of inclusive arts activities, including arts exhibition, inclusive concert, stage play, arts bazaar, inclusive arts workshops, as well as an information booth on diverse abilities and inclusive workplace, from now until April 5. For more details of the event, please visit the website of ADAHK (www.adahk.org.hk/?a=doc&id=5841).
 
To commend employers who actively engage and support PWDs and foster inclusive workplaces, LWB will launch the Diverse Abilities · Inclusive Workplace Recognition Scheme on the basis of the existing Talent-Wise Employment Charter, and collaborate with the Jockey Club Collaborative Project for Inclusive Employment funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust to jointly take forward the “Caring Employer” medal. The medal will feature different categories, covering large corporations, small and medium enterprises, and social enterprises/public organisations, etc. Details will be announced in April, and applications from enterprises and organisations will be accepted by then. To allow the public to participate in the Diverse Abilities · Inclusive Workplace Recognition Scheme and raise awareness of the diverse abilities of PWDs, LWB has also launched the “Caring Employer” Medal Design Competition today, to invite members of the public, students and PWDs, who are interested in design, to participate. For more details of the Competition, please visit LWB website (www.lwb.gov.hk/en/highlights/charter_scheme/s4.html).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

​The Hong Kong Fire Services Department (FSD), the Fire and Rescue Corps of Guangdong Province, and the Macao Fire Services Bureau jointly hold in Hong Kong “Liancheng-2025”, the 48-hour Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) joint emergency response and rescue exercise, for three consecutive days starting today (March 25). 

“Liancheng-2025”, hosted by the FSD, is participated by the fire rescue departments of the three places, as well as the Hospital Authority and the Civil Aid Service. The exercise is funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. 

The exercise simulated extreme situations in Hong Kong that put a strain on rescue resources. According to the mechanism under the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Emergency Management Co-operation and GBA Emergency Response Operation Co-operation Framework Agreement signed by the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in June last year, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government requested assistance from the People’s Government of Guangdong Province and the Macao Special Administrative Region Government. The Fire and Rescue Corps of Guangdong Province and the Macao Fire Services Bureau promptly rendered assistance by deploying personnel, fire appliances, and equipment to Hong Kong.

The Deputy Director of Fire Services (Operations), Mr Angus Wong, who acted as the commander of the Hong Kong cross-border rescue team, co-ordinated and allocated firefighting and rescue personnel and resources of the three places in the rescue operations for a number of simulated incidents. 

     Witnessed by the Minister of Emergency Management, Mr Wang Xiangxi, and the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, four Guangdong fire appliances, with cross-boundary quota for fire appliances granted earlier, crossed the border directly with dual licence plates via the Shenzhen Bay Port into Hong Kong to participate in the exercise. It demonstrated the effectiveness of cross-boundary rescue through the cross-boundary Green Channel. 

     Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Fire and Ambulance Services Academy and the China Fire and Rescue Institute signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to further deepen their collaboration. The two institutes will co-operate in training firefighting and rescue personnel with quality, and foster innovation and development of firefighting and rescue technologies. The MOU was signed by Deputy Director General of the National Fire and Rescue Administration Mr He Ning and the Director of Fire Services, Mr Andy Yeung, witnessed by Mr Wang and the Acting Chief Executive, Mr Chan Kwok-ki.

Fire rescue departments from the two places will continue to strengthen and deepen collaboration in areas such as developing personnel training, enhancing professional training, conducting academic and technical exchange, as well as major research projects, with a view to jointly embarking on a new chapter in firefighting and rescue efforts.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Over 130 influential family office principals and family members from the Mainland, Asia, Europe, the Americas and the Middle East gathered at a principal dinner organised by the Government this evening (March 25) to set the stage for the third edition of the annual Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit (WGHK) to be held tomorrow (March 26), reaffirming the city’s role as a premier global hub for family offices.
 
     In his welcome remarks, the Acting Chief Executive, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, said, “Hong Kong is a ‘super connector’ bringing together people and ideas. We are a platform for visionaries looking to create lasting legacies, a dynamic hub where your offices and families can flourish.”
 
     The evening was graced with the presence of notable speakers, Dr Maye Musk, a best-selling author and a public speaker, and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, Professor Irene Tracey, at an inspiring fireside chat moderated by the Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong, Ms Alpha Lau. The speakers shared their insights on women’s influence in leadership and legacy-building with a focus on the critical role of female leadership in shaping the future of business, innovation, and societal progress. The engrossing session fostered an atmosphere of collaboration, paving the way for insightful discussions and new partnerships at tomorrow’s summit, themed “Hong Kong of the World, for the World”.
 
     The event also charmed visitors with a captivating lion ballet performance against the dazzling night view of Victoria Harbour, amazing the attendees with a unique blend of cultural richness and the city’s legendary skyline.
 
     The WGHK will take place tomorrow afternoon with over 300 participants. The summit will not only convene principals and family members to discuss the future of wealth management in the region, but also encourage attendees to experience the city’s dynamic offerings through its vibrant neighbourhoods, dynamic arts scene and strong community spirit, which make the city an ideal destination for both families and businesses.

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 25 MAR 2025 6:21PM by PIB Delhi

The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 emphasizes the critical importance of universal and high-quality Early Childhood Education along with the power of multilingualism and the importance of including children’s languages in primary education. To fulfil the vision of NEP 2020, the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSE&L), Ministry of Education has launched “Baalpan ki Kavita initiative: Restoring Bhartiya rhymes/poems for young children” for preparing a compendium of nursery rhymes/poems in all Bhartiya Bhasha and also in English, focusing on content relevant to the Indian context. The purpose of this initiative is that the young children can have better learning at the Foundational stage by becoming familiar with the world around them through easily understandable and joyful poems and rhymes, in their mother tongue.

To further this initiative, the DoSE&L in collaboration with MyGov is inviting contribution to the “Baalpan ki Kavita initiative: Restoring Bhartiya rhymes/poems for young children”. The participants of the contest can send existing poems/rhymes popular in folklore (mentioning the name of the author) or newly composed joyful poems/rhymes under three categories:

• Pre-primary (ages 3-6)
• Grade 1 (ages 6-7)
• Grade 2 (ages 7-8)

Entries are invited in all Indian language (Bhartiya Bhasha), also in English, and can include regional rhymes/poems that hold cultural significance in Indian context. The competition is starting from 26.03.2025 till 22.04.2025, on the MyGov website (https://www.mygov.in/). There is no entry fee for participation. Other details of the competition can be seen on MyGov website.

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MV/AK

(Release ID: 2114973) Visitor Counter : 112