The Land Registry announced today that compact discs for the 57th edition of the Index of Streets, House Numbers & Lots in Hong Kong, Kowloon & New Kowloon, and the 26th edition of the New Territories Lot/Address Cross Reference Table, have been released.
The latest street index features 370 amendments to the last edition, with six new streets and 25 new lots/sections/subsections added.
Meanwhile, 1,761 amendments have been made in the updated cross reference table and seven new streets and 991 new lots/sections/subsections have been added.
The new editions of the street index and cross reference table compact discs cost $370 each. Licences for using them on computer networks are also for sale. The respective licence fees are $2,960 for a computer network linked to less than 50 terminals and $5,920 if linked to 50 terminals or more.
The abolition of the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) offsetting arrangement took effect today.
This means employers can no longer use the accrued benefits of their mandatory MPF contributions to offset employees’ severance payment (SP) and long service payment (LSP) in respect of their employment periods after May 1.
However, the accrued benefits derived from employers’ voluntary contributions and contractual gratuities based on employees’ length of service can continue to be used to offset SP/LSP.
To tie in with the new arrangement, the Labour Department today launched a 25-year Subsidy Scheme for Abolition of MPF Offsetting Arrangement to share out employers’ SP/LSP expenses. Nonetheless, employers are required to pay SP/LSP to employees in accordance with the Employment Ordinance before submitting subsidy applications.
Separately, also starting today, the Statutory Minimum Wage rate has been raised from $40 per hour to $42.1 per hour.
As such, the monthly monetary cap on the requirement for employers to record the total number of hours worked by employees in a wage period under the Employment Ordinance has been raised from $16,300 to $17,200 per month, in tandem with the new Statutory Minimum Wage rate.
When wages payable to an employee in respect of a wage period are less than $17,200 per month, the employer is required to keep a record of the total number of hours worked by the employee in that wage period.
Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law continued her visit to the United Arab Emirates to promote Hong Kong-UAE exchanges.
Miss Law today met Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture of the UAE HE Mubarak Al Nakhi and expressed strong interest in collaborations with the UAE, adding that she was glad to have identified new opportunities for co-operation with the country on performing arts.
Yesterday, she discussed sports development with Dubai Future Foundation Chief Executive Officer and Dubai Sports Council Vice Chairman HE Khalfan Belhoul, with a focus on integrating creativity, innovation and technology into youth education. Miss Law highlighted the similarities in both regions’ sports landscape, emphasising opportunities for collaboration.
In the afternoon, Miss Law had a meeting with Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism & Commerce Marketing at Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism HE Issam Kazim, where discussions underscored shared goals of enhancing tourism through innovative collaboration. Miss Law noted how Hong Kong is actively promoting tailor-made, high-end travel packages to attract Middle East tourists.
She also paid a courtesy call on and attended a dinner hosted by Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the UAE Zhang Yiming last night.
In addition to thanking the embassy for its strong support to Hong Kong, Miss Law remarked that the UAE visit allowed her to gain a deeper understanding of its proactive and ambitious vision, affirming that Hong Kong and the UAE share many parallels in development strategies. She also emphasised the importance of leveraging synergies to foster stronger ties between the two regions.
While in the UAE, Miss Law visited a number of iconic historical and tourist attractions to understand their operations, tourism appeal and the possible collaboration of cultural exchanges.
She will conclude her UAE visit and depart for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, tonight.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
​The abolition of the use of the accrued benefits derived from employers’ mandatory contributions under the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) System to offset severance payment (SP) and long service payment (LSP) (the abolition of offsetting arrangement) takes effect today (May 1, 2025 (i.e. the transition date)).
Starting from the transition date, employers can no longer use the accrued benefits of their mandatory MPF contributions to offset employees’ SP/LSP in respect of their employment periods after the transition date. The accrued benefits derived from employers’ voluntary contributions and contractual gratuities based on employees’ length of service can continue to be used to offset SP/LSP. The abolition of the offsetting arrangement has no retrospective effect. Current employees’ SP/LSP in respect of their employment periods before the transition date can still be offset after May 1.
The abolition of the offsetting arrangement is also applicable to occupational retirement schemes under the Occupational Retirement Schemes Ordinance (Cap. 426), the two school provident funds under the Grant Schools Provident Fund Rules (Cap. 279C) and Subsidized Schools Provident Fund Rules (Cap. 279D), and overseas occupational retirement schemes joined by employees from outside Hong Kong which are exempted from the MPF System.
To tie in with the abolition of the offsetting arrangement, the Labour Department on the same day launches the 25-year Subsidy Scheme for Abolition of MPF Offsetting Arrangement (SSA) to share out the SP/LSP expenses of employers after the abolition. The SSA is open for application from today. Employers are required to pay SP/LSP to employees in accordance with the provisions of the Employment Ordinance before submitting subsidy applications to the Labour Department. To learn more about the SSA and the application details, please visit the Labour Department’s TransitionEase Portal (www.offsettingsubsidy.gov.hk/en), call the Scheme Hotline (2989 1001), send by email (enquiry@ssasc.hk) or fax (2989 1012), or enquire in person at the SSA Service Centre (address: 18/F, Tower A, Manulife Financial Centre, 223 Wai Yip Street, Kwun Tong, Kowloon).
Countdown begins for the maiden edition of WAVES – World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit Mumbai is all set to host WAVES 2025
Four days of knowledge exchange, dialogue, and collaboration between Indian and global M & E stakeholders
WAVES to make waves in India’s Creative Economy
Posted On: 30 APR 2025 4:46PM by PIB Mumbai
Mumbai, 30 April 2025
The countdown for the much-anticipated milestone event for the Media & Entertainment (M&E) sector -WAVES (World Audio-Visual & Entertainment Summit 2025) has begun. This groundbreaking four-day event, starting tomorrow at Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai is designed to propel India’s Media & Entertainment industry to even greater heights.
As Mumbai, the entertainment capital of India, is gearing up to welcome the who’s who of Media & Entertainment sector who shall delve into engaging panel discussions, thought-provoking and inspiring discourses, knowledge-sharing in-conversation and interactive sessions, enriching master-classes by the industry luminaries et al, the multi-dimensional takeaways over the coming four days for the stakeholders look promising for a future-ready M & E sector in the country.
This is because WAVE Summit is meant to amplify India’s Voice as a Global Powerhouse. WAVES, from its debut year, will provide a platform to showcase India’s vibrant creative industry and its immense potential within the global M&E landscape. Adding to the same, WAVES will also promote knowledge exchange, dialogue, and collaboration between Indian and global stakeholders. This pioneering initiative by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India is envisioned for gainfully leveraging India’s rich spiritual legacy for global harmony and propel the Creator’s economy in the right direction.
The Four Pillars of WAVES
The mega-event encompassing the entire gamut of M & E sector has been broadly divided into four pillars.
One: Broadcasting & Infotainment – Encompassing the traditional and evolving landscape of information and entertainment delivery, this focus area aims at prioritizing information, empowering citizens, and going global by adapting to the challenges of the 21st Century. It includes the following areas of the creative economy:
Advertising & Marketing: Leading professionals shaping brand strategies within the M&E space.
Two: AVGC-XR – This segment explores the cutting-edge world of immersive storytelling and interactive experience powered by a combination of artistry, entertainment and technology. It encompasses the following specific areas:
Animation
Visual Effects
E-Sports
Comics
Augmented Reality/ Virtual Reality (AR/ VR)
Metaverse & Extended Reality (XR)
Three: Digital Media & Innovation: This segment explores the ever-evolving digital landscape and its impact on entertainment consumption. It includes:
Digital Media & App Economy
OTT Platforms
Social Media Platforms
Generative AI & Emerging Technology
Influencers & Content Creators
Four: Films: This segment explores the world of filmmaking, production and globalization.
Films, Documentaries, Shorts, Videos
Film Technology (Shooting, Post-Production)
Globalization of Indian Cinema
Co-Production
Film Incentives
Audio-Visual Services
Create in India Challenge and Creatosphere: Launched as part of WAVES, the Create in India Challenge (CIC) Season-1, has achieved a milestone of crossing 85,000 registrations including 1,100 International participants. Over 750 finalists have been selected after a meticulous selection process, from across 32 diverse challenges. These talented creative minds will get a unique opportunity in the Creatosphere to showcase the outcome and output of their individual talent and skills, apart from networking opportunities with business leaders from their respective sector including pitching sessions, and learn from global stalwarts through masterclasses and panel discussions.
The Creatosphere at WAVES will offer immersive experiences with masterclasses, workshops, a gaming arena, and the Grand Finale of the Create in India Challenges, culminating in the WAVES CIC Awards.
Global Media Dialogue, to be held at WAVES on 2nd May 2025, is yet another segment that aims to bring together global leaders, policymakers, industry stakeholders, media professionals, and artists to engage in a constructive and dynamic dialogue aimed at shaping the future of the audio-visual and entertainment sectors with a focus on international collaboration, technological innovation, and ethical practices.
Thought Leaders Track: Through plenary sessions, conference sessions and breakout sessions, top CEOs and global leaders will provide insights and diverse perspectives, while also undertaking strategic discussions for collaborations.
WaveXcelerator will connect M&E startups with investors and mentors through live pitching sessions to foster innovation and funding. It will act as a catalyst for Indian startups to lead this transformation, ensuring they receive the right exposure, and investment to scale up their businesses.
WAVES Bazaar is a premier global marketplace for the media and entertainment industry that offers filmmakers and industry professionals the opportunity to engage with buyers, sellers, and a wide range of projects and profiles. The Viewing Room is a dedicated physical platform set up at Waves Bazaar, open from May 1st to 4th, 2025. For the first ever WAVES Bazaar, a total of 100 films from 8 countries namely India, Sri Lanka, USA, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Germany, Mauritius and UAE will be available to watch in the Viewing Room Library.
Bharat Pavilion: Guided by the theme “Kala to Code” the Bharat Pavilion will celebrate India’s spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the world is one family — and showcase how the country’s artistic traditions have long been a beacon of creativity, harmony and cultural diplomacy. At the core of the Bharat Pavilion are four immersive zones that will take visitors through the continuum of India’s storytelling traditions, named Shruti, Kriti, Drishti, and Creator’s Leap.
Exhibition Pavilion: A dynamic showcase of imagination meeting innovation, from cutting-edge tech to future-forward trends, the pavilion exhibits Indian and Global breakthroughs in the Media & Entertainment sector.
National Sammelan on Community Radio will also be held as part of WAVES which will deliberate and focus on issues related to latest trends, policies and programmes for empowering abilities to strengthen engagement with the local community through the powerful platform of community radio.
WAVES Culturals will be showcasing diverse performances and presentations, blending Indian and international talent. The event aims to recognize the transformative power of media and entertainment in fostering cultural exchange and harmony.
Hence, whether you’re an industry professional, investor, creator, or innovator, the first edition of the Summit offers the ultimate global platform to connect, collaborate, innovate and contribute to the M&E landscape.
WAVES is set to magnify India’s creative strength, amplifying its position as a hub for content creation, intellectual property, and technological innovation. Industries and sectors in focus include Broadcasting, Print Media, Television, Radio, Films, Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, Sound and Music, Advertising, Digital Media, Social Media Platforms, Generative AI, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Extended Reality (XR).
The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs observed Swachhata Pakhwada from 16th to 30th April, 2025, as part of the Government of India’s flagship Swachh Bharat Mission, aimed at realizing Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of a clean and hygienic India. The “Swachhata Pakhwada” is a concept inspired by the Prime Minister’s vision. The Pakhwada was organized in accordance with the Calendar of Swachhata Pakhwada 2025 issued by the Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India.
The observance commenced on 16th April 2025 with the administration of the Swachhata Pledge by Shri Umang Narula, Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, to all officers and other staff of the Ministry.
[Shri Umang Narula, Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs administering ‘Swachhata Pledge’ to officers/officials of the Ministry]
Throughout the fortnight, various activities were carried out to promote cleanliness and sustainability within the Ministry premises, including:
Intensive cleanliness drives in office spaces,
Reviewing, recording, and weeding out of old physical files,
Identification of old and obsolete items for auction,
Cleaning of electrical switchboards, fans, and air conditioners,
Whitewashing and maintenance of office rooms.
Placing indoor plants to promote a green and clean office environment.
[Cleanliness Drive] [Reviewing of files]
[cleaning of electrical fan/switch board] [whitewashing]
[Placing of green plants] [Collection of old and obsolete electronic items for disposal]
On 29th April, 2025, Secretary, MoPA, along with senior officers, conducted a cleanliness inspection of office premises. Following the assessment, three sections were ranked first, second, and third based on their Swachhata standards.
[Secretary, MoPA inspecting Cleanliness in Sections]
The Swachhata Pakhwada culminated in a Prize Distribution Ceremony where Shri Umang Narula, Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, recognized the top three Sections for their outstanding commitment to cleanliness.
[Secretary, MoPA chairing closing ceremony of pakhwada]
[Shri Umang Narula, Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs giving swachhata prizes to officers/officials of winning Sections]
The Secretary, MoPA, appreciated the enthusiastic participation of the Ministry’s employees, stressing that Swachhata should be a year-round personal and professional responsibility. The Secretary also emphasized the importance of digital cleanliness, including removing unwanted data to improve computer efficiency and longevity, alongside strong cybersecurity practices. The Ministry reaffirms its commitment to the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and will continue promoting cleanliness and sustainability.
GenomeIndia Government of India committed to fostering sustainable development through democratizing and disseminating this national genetic resource knowledge
The Government is committed to ensure fair and equitable access to GenomeIndia data by our researchers
Posted On: 30 APR 2025 5:28PM by PIB Delhi
The ‘GENOMEINDIA’, funded by the Department of Biotechnology of the Central Government has completed whole genome sequencing (WGS) database of over 10,000 individuals representing all major population groups, across the country. GenomeIndia data represents Government of India’s commitment to scientific inquiry and is poised to reshape health and science in India and beyond, fostering sustainable development through democratizing and disseminating this national genetic resource knowledge.
The result oriented cumulative proactive actions taken by the Department towards setting up of IBDC, release of Biotech PRIDE Guidelines, formulation of FeED Protocols, transfer and storage of GenomeIndia Data in IBDC; followed by the announcements by the highest leaderships in the country indicate strong determination of the Government for sharing of this data with our researchers to analyze critical information, accelerating discoveries and advancements in biological sciences.
For the first time in the country, the department has established the Indian Biological Data Center (IBDC) in March 2020 with 96 TF computing capacity using 2912 CPUs, 39 TB of RAM, 865 TF computing capacity using 64 GPUs, 4 PB of parallel file system with the capability of writing 100GB of data every second and 1.5 PB of disk and tape to store backup copy of data. The Department has released the Biotech-PRIDE Guidelines, 2021 followed by formulation of ‘Framework for Exchange of Data (FeED) Protocols’ for responsible data sharing.
On 9thJanuary 2025, during the ‘Genomics Data Conclave’, the ‘GenomeIndia Data’ was dedicated to the researchers by Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India. The Prime Minister stated that this national database encapsulates the extraordinary genetic landscape of India and will serve as an invaluable scientific resource to boost genetic and medical research for human health. Further, during the address to the nation on the evening of 25thJanuary, 2025, Her Excellency, Smt. Draupadi Murmu, President of India said that GenomeIndia project marks a significant chapter in the history of Indian Science.
The department also announced the ‘Call for Proposals’ from researchers to exploit the opportunities of translational research using GenomeIndia data. To address the queries of the researchers, the Department issued the addendum mentioning the types and category of data that will be available for research, also “associated phenotype data” will be shared. It is clarified that access to GenomeIndia data is not limited to the ‘Call’ but independent requests for data access are being received by IBDC, under the ambit of Biotech PRIDE Guidelines and FeED Protocols.
As on date, this National Resource generated under the GenomeIndia project comprises of Fastq files of 9772 samples (~700 TB), gvcfs: 9772 (~35 TB), phenotypic data from 9330 samples and Joint call files (~3.5 TB) and is archived at IBDC, the National Repository.
To brief about the issue of phenotype data as mentioned in one of the news articles in a leading newspaper, it is stated here that curation and cleaning up of phenotypic data was performed on 9772 samples which underwent WGS and were used in joint calling. Out of these 9772 samples, phenotypic data from 9330 samples could be used because the data available for the rest of the samples (numbering 442) was not usable. Many phenotypic parameters had very high levels of missingness, so the data for the top 27 variables for 9330 samples is available for research. These 27 variables are Albumin, Alkaline_Phosphatase, ALT_SGPT, AST_SGOT, Basophils, Cholesterol, Creatinine, Direct_Bilirubin, Eosinophils, FBS_Fasting_Blood_Glucose, HB_Haemoglobin, HbA1C_Glycosylated_Haemoglobin, HDL, Indirect_Bilirubin, LDL, Lymphocytes, MCH_Mean_Corpuscular_Hb, Monocytes, Neutrophils, Platelet_Count, Protein, RBC_Red_Blood_Cell_Count, RBS, Total_Bilirubin, Triglycerides, Urea, WBC_Total_White_Blood_Cell_Count. The anthropometry data such as: Age, Gender, Height, Weight, Body Fat is also available.
Further, some of the news articles have also raised concern about making ‘No Access’ for FASTQ files. It is pertinent to mention here that the total size of FASTQ files is approximately 700 TB. The logistical and technical challenges of transferring these files are enormous. It is difficult to ensure the completeness and sanctity of downloads by requesters. Analyzing raw sequencing files often demands two- to three-times more computational capacity, leading to redundant workflows and wasted infrastructure at the national level. By providing equitable access to gVCF files (which amounts to ~35 TB) instead, data can be shared more quickly and computational resources conserved. The international leading data banks established for more than 2 decades also does not allow the downloading of data; data is provided by their cloud platform. Hence, ‘No Access’ to FASTQ files in the department’s ‘Call’ means that these files will not be available for download at present. This policy is in line with other global consortia. As IBDC will grow and expand in future, similar provisions may be incorporated.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
In response to a media report that the current number of sampling sites under the Territory-wide Sewage Surveillance Programme has been substantially reduced, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (April 30) clarified and emphasised that the decision to adjust the number of sampling sites was made to align with the latest objectives of the programme and was based on scientific analysis, with a view to enhancing cost-effectiveness while ensuring that the effectiveness in monitoring the activity level of COVID-19 in Hong Kong would not be compromised.
During the COVID-19 epidemic, the new sewage testing approach for quantitative detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus became an important tool for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government to track the spread of the virus and identify the source of infection. At that time, when the SARS-CoV-2 virus was detected in sewage samples, the CHP would trace the source of the virus through the sewage network for source identification and early detection of infected cases. The CHP successfully identified more than 26 500 confirmed cases through the programme, most of which were asymptomatic. This played a pivotal role in the timely implementation of isolation and quarantine measures in response to different stages of development to interrupt the spread of the disease in the community. The project won the Gold Award in the “Performance Improvement and Operational Solutions” category of the 2024 International Water Association Project Innovation Awards, fully recognising the HKSAR Government’s innovative spirit and outstanding technological achievements in using sewage surveillance to combat the epidemic.
With the resumption of normalcy, COVID-19 has been managed as a general respiratory disease. As a result, the objective of sewage surveillance has shifted from source tracing to routine surveillance of the virus activity in the community. The CHP continuously optimised the programme while maintaining the effectiveness of the surveillance, using simulation models to analyse different combinations of sampling sites. Results showed that by changing the number of sampling sites from the 120 to 154 (i.e. three to 14 per district) to one per district (i.e. 18 in total) located further downstream which covered the largest population (covering over 2.2 million people in total), the trend of the sewage viral load data and the relevant clinical surveillance indicators (including the percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2) were highly correlated. In other words, adjusting the number of sampling sites does not affect the effectiveness of surveillance.
The optimised strategy, implemented since April 2024, continues to monitor the activity of COVID-19 effectively, while significantly reducing operating costs by nearly 80 per cent. Surveillance results and analyses will be disseminated weekly by the CHP through the “COVID-19 & Flu Express” for public information.
Looking ahead, the HKSAR Government will continue to enhance the sewage surveillance technology and explore its application to the surveillance of other infectious diseases, with a view to detecting the risk of different infectious diseases at an early stage and formulating appropriate public health response measures in a timely manner to protect public health.
Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) announces the 28th National Conference on E-Governance (NCeG) On the 9th and 10th of June 2025 in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Registration portal https://nceg.gov.in/ opened for registration by all Government and non-government participants
Posted On: 30 APR 2025 5:18PM by PIB Delhi
The 28th National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) is set to take place on the 9th and 10th of June, 2025 at Novotel, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The event is being jointly organized by, the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG),Govt of India, and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, in collaboration with the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
The theme of the two-day conference, is “Viksit Bharat: Civil Service and Digital Transformation,” and will feature six plenary sessions and six breakout sessions. The Conference is designed to provide a platform for policy makers, practitioners, industry leaders, and academicians to deliberate, discuss, and recommend actionable strategy to enhance quality of public services rendered by the governments, to realize the policy of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance” for a Viksit Bharat, through setting newer benchmarks in good governance.
The National e-Gov Awards (NAeG) 2025, will be conferred by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Minister of State of the Prime Minister’s Office, Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy, and Minister of State in the Department of Space, during the Conference.
The Conference will be graced by the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu who will inaugurate the Conference and chair a plenary session on Vizag as IT Hub. The Dy. CM of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Pawan Kalyan and the Minister of IT & Human Resources, Shri N. Lokesh will deliver keynote addresses during the Conference in the presence of senior officers of State and Central Governments.
DARPG has opened the portal nceg.gov.in for the registration of participants fromCentral Ministries and State/UT Governments, Industry, Academia, Start-ups, Exhibitors, Awardees, Speakers and Panellists etc for participation in the 28thNCeG 2025
In preparation for this event a virtual meeting was chaired by Shri V. Srinivas, Secretary, DARPG on 30th April 2025, to provide a comprehensive briefing on the Conference’s structure, schedule and importance. The meeting was attended by Secretary, Department of ITE&C, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Joint Secretary, MeitY, Senior Vice President, NASSCOM,IIM Visakhapatnam along with other senior officials from the Government of India and State Governments. Government of AP shared the status report on the preparations.
Dr. Jitendra Singh Calls for a dynamic curriculum in view of changing governance landscape: Also continuous evolution in public administration training modules to meet the rapidly changing requirements driven by emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing
Delivers Convocation Address of the 50th “Advanced Professional Programme in Public Administration” (APPPA) at the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA)
“What We Learn Today May Be Obsolete Tomorrow”: Union Minister Urges APPPA Officers to Stay Ahead of the Curve
From Generals to Grassroots: IIPA Expands Reach as APPPA Marks Golden Jubilee
Posted On: 30 APR 2025 4:21PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Wednesday called for a dynamic curriculum in view of changing governance landscape and continuous evolution in public administration training modules to meet the rapidly changing requirements driven by emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing.
Delivering the Convocation Address of the 50th “Advanced Professional Programme in Public Administration” (APPPA) at the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), Dr. Jitendra Singh, who is also the Chairman of the IIPA Executive Council, said, “What is relevant today may not be tomorrow. We need to learn every day to stay relevant.”
Highlighting the government’s focus on Mission Karmayogi and Viksit Bharat, the Minister said the APPPA programme has grown beyond its traditional curriculum to include exposure to aspirational districts, defence institutions, rural and urban development schemes, and India’s rich traditional knowledge systems. “I am happy that the course has evolved with time, integrating themes like Atmanirbhar Bharat and governance reforms,” he said.
In a candid and wide-ranging address, Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized the need for continuous learning and adaptive policy making in the face of exponential technological advancements. “We could very well see participants of the 50th APPPA returning for refresher courses by the 55th,” he quipped, stressing the need to keep administrative knowledge up to date.
Lauding IIPA’s initiative to organize APPPA’s golden jubilee programme, Dr. Jitendra Singh underscored the importance of civil-military synergy. “Today’s army officers don’t just stay in isolation; they are expected to brief the media, interact with civilians and respond jointly in disaster-affected regions,” he noted, calling for greater focus on communication skills in future iterations of the course.
The Minister urged participants to assist in visualizing “India@2047” by contributing their domain-specific knowledge to the vision document being prepared by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances. “We mustn’t view 2047 through the prism of 2025. Change is unfolding too quickly. We need to project forward with a futuristic mindset,” he said.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also appreciated IIPA’s recent grassroots initiative, which began training programmes for elected Sarpanches and Panchayati Raj representatives, saying this marks a significant step in democratizing capacity building. “IIPA has now spread its wings from training senior civil servants to empowering grassroot representatives,” he said.
Acknowledging the contributions of course directors Prof. Neetu Jain and Dr. Saket Bihari, he also appreciated the participants of the 50th APPPA batch for their resilience in completing the course during challenging times.
The Minister announced that the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has approved a fee enhancement from the 51st APPPA batch onwards, giving IIPA more room to strengthen the programme through additional exposure visits and new modules.
Concluding his address on a hopeful note, Dr. Jitendra Singh encouraged participants to stay connected and continue contributing to nation-building. “Though the course culminates today, the bond built over these ten months is forever,” he said.
Director General, IIPA, S.N. Tripathi, in his introductory address, highlighted the salient features of various training programmes undertaken by IIPA.