Prime Minister condoles the loss of lives in a factory mishap in Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh PM announces ex-gratia from PMNRF
Posted On: 13 APR 2025 6:54PM by PIB Delhi
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today condoled the loss of lives in a factory mishap in Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh. He announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs. 50,000 to the injured.
The Prime Minister’s Office handle in post on X said:
“Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in a factory mishap in Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected.
An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi”
Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in a factory mishap in Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected.
“India today is carrying forward both development and heritage together, Our Kashi is becoming the best model for this.”
~Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Kashi isn’t just a city—it’s a living soul. It breathes through the ripples of the Ganga and the quiet strength of its people. Here, ancient stones whisper stories of the past while glass-fronted buildings reflect the promise of tomorrow. The city where life and death meet at Manikarnika Ghat, now welcomes wide roads, smart lighting and modern corridors. This is Kashi’s journey—where the sacred and the smart co-exist, not in conflict, but in harmony. A place where every street holds a story and every step leads to a blend of soul and structure.
On April 11, the ancient city of Kashi witnessed a moment of progress. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and inaugurated development projects worth over ₹3,880 crore in Varanasi.It was a celebration of growth—what PM Modi called a true “festival of development.”
Ten years ago, a trip through Varanasi meant endless traffic and dusty detours. Today, the city is rewriting that story. Projects like the Phulwariya flyoverand theRing Road are easing traffic woes, saving precious time for daily commuters and lakhs of pilgrims. Travel between districts like Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Balliaand Mau has become faster and more connected than ever before.
PM Modi also laid foundation stone for—a road bridge connecting Varanasi Ring Road and Sarnath, long-awaited flyovers at Bhikharipur and Manduadih, and a highway underpass road tunnel on NH-31 at the Varanasi International Airport worth over Rs 980 crore. These projects aren’t just concrete and steel; they’re the backbone of a growing city opening up to the world.
To brighten up lives and lighten up the city, Prime Minister Modi gave a major push to Kashi’s power network. He inaugurated two400 KV and one 220 KV substations—projects worth over ₹1,045 crore. Add to that a ₹775 crore boost with new substations in Chaukaghat and Ghazipur.
But real power lies not just in wires, but in wisdom. Staying true to his vision of “education for all,” the Prime Minister opened new doors of learning. Rural education got a lift with 356 libraries and 100 Anganwadi centres. He also laid the foundation for revamping 77 primary schools under the Smart City Mission.
One of the most heartwarming transformations in Purvanchal has come through Banas Dairy. It has helped turn thousands of small dairy farmers into confident entrepreneurs. Over ₹105 crore in bonuses were distributed to livestock-rearing families—most of them women.These women, now proudly known as “Lakhpati Didis”, are a shining symbol of real empowerment.
PM Modi also highlighted how schemes like the Kisan Credit Card, free vaccinations for livestock, and the Rashtriya Gokul Mission are helping farmers. They’re raising healthier animals and finding better markets for their produce.
Once, people from Purvanchal had to travel far for good medical care. Through the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, lakhs of families in Uttar Pradesh have received free treatment and saving lives.PM Modi personally handed out Ayushman Vay Vandana cards to elderly citizens—ensuring free medical care for all above 70, regardless of income.
Development in Kashi is not just about roads and hospitals—it’s about dreams too. With new stadiums and a world-class sports complex, young athletes from Varanasi are now getting the platform they need to shine. PM Modi reminded everyone that if India wants to host the 2036 Olympics, our youth need to begin their journey now—and Kashi is making sure they’re ready.
From the rhythmic beats of the tabla to the intricate designs of zardozi, Varanasi’s rich culture is gaining international fame. Over 30 local products from Varanasi and surrounding districts now carry the prestigious GI (Geographical Indication) tag, including the famous thandai, red stuffed chilli, tiranga barfi and even Jaunpur’s imarti and Pilibhit’s flute.
PM Modi also announced the creation of an Ekta Mall, a space where the diverse crafts and products from across India will be showcased under one roof—right here in Kashi.
As Varanasi stands at the crossroads of tradition and transformation, the city proves one simple truth: development is most meaningful when it touches lives and preserves the soul of a place.With folded hands and firm resolve, Kashi moves forward—proud of its past, and prepared for its future.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Digital Policy Office and the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Data signed the Memorandum of Understanding between Shanghai and Hong Kong on Digital Economy Co-operation (the MoU) in Hong Kong today (April 13) to jointly promote and deepen co-operation in areas such as digital economy, digital transformation and data element development between the two places.
At the Kick-off Ceremony of the Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2025 and the Signing Ceremony of the MoU held during the period of InnoEX, the Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong, and the Director of the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Data, Dr Shao Jun, signed the MoU. Both sides will strengthen collaboration on various fronts, including the promotion of the synergistic development of Hong Kong and Shanghai in digital economy, data element market collaboration and digital identity authentication; jointly taking forward the cross-boundary public services for the convenience and benefit of the public and businesses, co-operation in digital infrastructure, industrial spaces and communication platform; and deepen exchanges and talent cultivation in innovation and technology between the two places.
“The signing of the MoU will further deepen co-operation in innovation and technology between Hong Kong and Shanghai, explore more collaboration opportunities and promote joint development of the digital economy in both places, thereby opening up broader prospects for the development of innovation and technology industries between the two places,” said Mr Wong.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addresses the State Level Cooperative Conference in Bhopal as the Chief Guest Since the formation of the Ministry of Cooperation, there has been a significant change in the cooperative sector under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and now this sector is moving forward rapidly
MoU signed between NDDB and MPCDF to increase the contribution of cooperative dairy societies in milk production in Madhya Pradesh
MOU will expand cooperative dairy to every village of Madhya Pradesh
Setting up of cooperative milk producing societies in villages will increase milk processing capacity manifold, this will also make farmers prosperous
The Modi government, in collaboration with the Madhya Pradesh government, is committed to take every possible step for the welfare of the farmers of the state
During the time of opposition government, the cooperative sector in MP had collapsed, now it is a golden opportunity to revive the cooperative sector
Three multi-state cooperatives created by the Modi government are providing farmers a fair price for their produce, a platform for export and profits are reaching directly to their bank accounts
PACS, which earlier used to provide only short-term agricultural loans, are now providing more than 20 types of services, which has increased their income
Posted On: 13 APR 2025 7:12PM by PIB Delhi
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah today addressed the State Level Cooperative Conference organized in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, as the Chief Guest. Many dignitaries including Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, State Cooperation Minister Shri Vishwas Sarang and Secretary of the Union Ministry of Cooperation Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani were present on the occasion.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that there are a lot of possibilities in the three sectors of agriculture, animal husbandry and cooperatives in Madhya Pradesh and a lot of work is required to exploit them to the fullest. He said that for years the cooperative movement in the country was becoming moribund and was divided at different levels in the country. The reason for this was that the cooperative laws did not change as per the times.
Shri Amit Shah said that in our Constitution, except for multi-state cooperatives, all cooperatives are a state subject. He said that no initiative was ever taken to make laws according to the rapidly changing conditions in the country. Keeping in mind the geographical conditions, rainfall conditions, rural development, agricultural development and animal husbandry dimensions of each state, no thought was ever given at the national level. Shri Shah said that no thought was ever given, because there was no Cooperation ministry at the national level. Shri Shah said 75 years after independence, the Prime Minister of the country, Shri Narendra Modi, established the Cooperation Ministry and he got the privilege of becoming the first Cooperation minister.
Union Minister of Cooperation said that Since the formation of the Ministry of Cooperation, there has been a significant change in the cooperative sector under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and now this sector is moving forward rapidly. He said that the limits that were in our Constitution are still there. Even today, cooperation is a state subject. Shri Shah said that the Government of India cannot make any legal changes in the field of cooperation. However, efforts have been made to revive the Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), promote the dairy sector, cooperation in the field of production, smooth management of urban cooperative banks, district cooperative banks and rural banks. He said that the Ministry of Cooperation first worked on creating model by-laws for PACS and sent it to the state governments for approval. Today the whole of India has accepted these model by-laws. Expressing gratitude to the states for accepting the model by-laws, Shri Shah said that this step has brought new life to the cooperative sector. He said that unless PACS is strengthened, the three-tier cooperative structure cannot be strengthened. He said that earlier PACS used to provide only short-term agricultural loans, in which they used to earn about half a percent income. But today PACS are providing more than 20 types of services and the new reforms will also increase the income of PACS.
Shri Amit Shah said that today PACS have been allowed to provide services like Jan Aushadhi Kendra, water distribution, common service centers. He said that today more than 300 schemes are available to the people on PACS computers. One does not need to go out of the village to get railway tickets, electricity bills, water bills, birth and death certificates, all these facilities are now available in PACS. Shri Shah said that many PACS have earned income from these services. PACS can now also become fertilizer dealers, start petrol pumps, distribute cooking gas and also manage the ‘Har Ghar Nal’ scheme.
Union Minister of Cooperation said that under the new bylaws, work was done to create Multi Purpose PACS (MPACS) by merging PACS, dairy cooperative societies and fishery cooperative societies. He said that the Government of India has computerized all the PACS in the country at a cost of Rs 2500 crore. Madhya Pradesh ranks first in the country in computerization of PACS. Now the District Cooperative Bank and State Cooperative Bank are connected to NABARD due to computer network. Along with this, transparency has also come in the field of cooperation due to the arrangement of online audit.
Shri Amit Shah said that the computerized PACS are working in 13 languages of India. The Government of India has developed such software for PACS that will work for farmer in his language to open a bank account, i.e. it will work
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
In response to and in support of the 10th National Security Education Day, the Fire Services Department (FSD) held an open day today (April 13) at the Fire and Ambulance Services Academy (FASA) in Tseung Kwan O to deepen the public’s understanding of the department’s work in safeguarding national security, public safety and public order, as well as enhancing their awareness of the responsibility in safeguarding national security. The event attracted more than 9 000 visitors.
The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, attended the flag-raising ceremony in the morning. Speaking at the ceremony, he highlighted the FSD’s pivotal role in safeguarding national security. He mentioned that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region search and rescue team, which recently returned from completing a search-and-rescue mission in earthquake-stricken areas of Myanmar, comprised of 41 members from the FSD. Mr Chan commended the search and rescue team’s swift response and professionalism, stating that their efforts demonstrated the country’s commitment to global humanitarian efforts, and exemplified the spirit of taking the promotion of international security as a support, which is one of the five essential elements of the holistic approach to national security.
Accompanied by the Director of Fire Services, Mr Andy Yeung, Mr Chan visited the exhibition on national security, and toured the National Security Education cum Resource Centre in the FASA. The Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, also visited national security education game booths in the company of the Commandant of the FASA, Mr Cheu Yu-kok.
The open day featured exhibition boards and game booths on national security to enhance public awareness of the importance of national security through interactive engagement. Moreover, simulation training facilities, the simulated Pak Shing Kok railway station, the Fire and Ambulance Services Education Centre cum Museum, and the National Security Education cum Resource Centre were open to the public. Members of the public could learn more about the department’s firefighting and rescue services, as well as its mission of “saving those in distress and protecting the community”.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
JPC Innovation and Technology Competition 2024-25 Award Presentation Ceremony cum Carnival held today The Commissioner of Police, Mr Chow Yat-ming; the Under Secretary for Education, Dr Sze Chun-fai; the General Manager of Information Technology Department of Bank of China (Hong Kong), Mr Yung Fai; and the Director of Operations of Police, Mr Chan Tung, officiated at the ceremony.
In his welcome remarks, Mr Chow said that since its establishment in 1974, the JPC has been committed to training young people to become youth leaders and crime-fighting partners through diversified activities, striving to nurture a new generation of law-abiding young people with an affection for the country and Hong Kong, and equipped with positive thinking and an aspiring mindset. He noted that as the Police step up enforcement against “space oil drugs”, the competition introduced the theme of youth drug prevention, encouraging participants to raise anti-drug awareness among young people through creative solutions.
Mr Chow also highlighted the quality of entries received, underscoring the pivotal role of experiential learning in STEAM education, which fosters students’ curiosity while developing their teamwork and problem-solving skills. He added that the JPC will launch more innovative activities to nurture I&T talents for Hong Kong and our country.
The competition aims to encourage primary and secondary school students to utilise their knowledge and skills in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) to construct innovative and feasible “Smart City” solutions. Two “Best Smart City Awards” were introduced to recognise the most innovative entries in artificial intelligence and gerontechnology, while the “Best Safe City Awards” were also presented to acknowledge innovative solutions for fraud prevention and crime fighting, youth drug prevention, and community safety enhancement, ensuring that citizens can continue to thrive in a safe living environment. The competition was divided into four categories, namely junior primary school, senior primary school, junior secondary school and senior secondary school. Over 1700 students from nearly 160 schools participated, and over 1 300 submissions were received. The list of winning teams has been uploaded onto the JPC website.
To further encourage the younger generation to engage with innovation and technology, some winners introduced the creative ideas and stories behind their works at the award presentation ceremony. An I&T carnival was also held and featured a workshop on simulated evidence collection at crime scenes and a number of virtual reality games, allowing participants to learn about the work of the Police, while experiencing the fun of technology.
This is the fourth consecutive year that the JPC has organised the competition which combines experiential learning and policing elements to nurture future young leaders to join hands in preventing and combating crime. The competition was supported by the Education Bureau, the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, the Digital Policy Office, the Association of I.T. Leaders in Education, the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, the Hong Kong Computer Society, the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, the Hong Kong Extra-curricular Activities Masters’ Association, the Hong Kong New Emerging Technology Education Association, the Hong Kong Productivity Council, the Hong Kong STEM Education Alliance and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation. Issued at HKT 16:45
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India – co-leads the Mission Integrated Biorefinery jointly with the Netherlands as part of Mission Innovation (MI) 2.0. The Mission Innovation Annual Gathering-2025, a multilateral platform accelerating clean energy innovation, held at Seoul, South Korea during 9th-11th April 2025 brought together global leaders in clean energy technology. The term “Mission Innovation” was coined by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during COP21, in collaboration with former French President François Hollande. India continues to play an active role under the Mission Innovation initiative.
At the Annual Gathering held in Seoul, the DBT being an integral member of the Indian delegation, participated in discussions on collaborative opportunities among diverse MI missions and platforms. The focus has been to advance the biorefinery approach for fuels, chemicals, and materials. During the event, the DBT presented BioE3 (Biotechnology for Environment, Energy, and Economy) Policy and demonstrated its pivotal role in addressing climate challenges and aligning national priorities under the Integrated Biorefinery Mission were extensively discussed at roundtables and reviewed by Mission Innovation members as well as the Technical Advisory Groups associated with the Missions.
The participants highlighted how the BioE3 Policy promotes sustainable and low-carbon manufacturing of fuels, chemicals, and materials. The Policy is designed to develop enabling technologies that foster an innovation-driven manufacturing ecosystem for a low-carbon future. Further, India’s efforts in integrating Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Bioenergy (CCUB) for the biomanufacturing of fuels, chemicals, and materials were shared with the MI community through roundtable discussions.
Deliberations were also focused on opportunities for research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) using biomass-based biomanufacturing approaches. The DBT also participated in focused sessions on Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing priorities during visits to clean energy facilities, preceding meetings at Hanyang University and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, coordinated by the Indian Embassy in Seoul. It was observed that the Bioinnovations for fuels, chemicals, and materials are the opportunities for Mission Innovation Member countries to accelerate their decarbonization goals.
Central Electricity Authority concurred a record number of Detailed Project Reports of Hydro Pumped Storage Projects during 2024-25. CEA has ambitious plan to concur minimum 13 PSP of 22 GW for 2025-26.
A great investment opportunity ahead in Hydro PSP as so far identified potential crosses 200 GW
Posted On: 12 APR 2025 2:18PM by PIB Delhi
The Central Electricity Authority (CEA), under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, has concurred Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of following 6 Hydro Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) of about 7.5 GW in record time during 2024-25, marking a key milestone in India’s ongoing commitment to developing advanced long term energy storage solutions:
Upper Indravati (600 MW) in Odisha
Sharavathy (2,000 MW) in Karnataka
Bhivpuri (1,000 MW) in Maharashtra
Bhavali (1,500 MW) in Maharashtra
MP-30 (1,920 MW) in Madhya Pradesh
Chitravathi (500 MW) in Andhra Pradesh
This is the outcome of the collaborative efforts of the PSP developers, appraising organisations (CWC, GSI and CSMRS).
A number of steps were taken to resolve the issues and fast track the appraisal process. This is a big achievement since inception of new concept of Off-Stream, close loop PSPs. CEA has made the appraisal process transparent through the Portal “Jalvi Store”. The DPR for appraisal has been made shorter, check list has been provided for ease of submission of chapters to appraising agency and many more such initiatives.
Further, CEA has made ambitious plan to concur minimum 13 PSPs of about 22 GW during 2025-26. Most of these PSPs are targeted to be commissioned in 4 years and latest by 2030. Development of these projects shall boost energy storage capacity drastically in the country, making a major contribution to grid reliability and supporting India’s ambitious renewable energy goals. This further underscores the CEA’s ongoing commitment for facilitating the transition towards a more sustainable and resilient power system.
The participation of private sector in this segment is quite encouraging and with the help of self-identified PSP, the PSP potential in the country has crossed 200 GW and it is further increasing almost every month. Thus, from a meagre 3.5 GW of operational hydro PSP capacity in the country, the development needs to be taken up in an accelerated mission mode to harness this potential. This year two PSPs around 3000 MW will get commissioned and by 2032 we expect around 50 GW. At present 8 projects of 10 GW is under construction and DPR has been concurred for 3 projects of around 3 GW. In addition to this, 49 projects of 66 GW are under Survey and investigation. All these DPRs are expected to be finalised by the developers in 2 years.
Hydro PSPs are vital for the energy transition, as they allow excess electricity generated during off-peak hours to be stored in the form of water in elevated reservoirs. This stored energy can then be used back during non-solar hours peak demand periods, ensuring a reliable, consistent, and flexible power supply.
For developers and investors, it is a great investment opportunity to develop and invest in a long term assets of more than 70- 80 years.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
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Here is an item of interest to swimmers.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (April 12) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Hap Mun Bay Beach in Sai Kung District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Speech by SCMA at Equal Opportunities Commission’s 15th Anniversary Celebration on Implementation of Race Discrimination Ordinance cum Celebration of International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination – Appreciation Event with Community Stakeholders (English only) To effectively perform our roles and functions as “super connector” and “super value-adder”, we always seek to ensure people of all ethnicities enjoy equal opportunities in different aspects of life. First and foremost, the Government leads by example. As the largest employer in Hong Kong, the civil service has strived to enhance employment opportunities for ethnic minorities; over fifty civil service grades have reviewed and adjusted their Chinese-language proficiency requirements to give more opportunities to non-ethnic Chinese applicants to join the civil service.
The Government also strives to promote equal opportunities in the private sectors and the community. To name a few, the Labour Department’s Racial Diversity Employment Programme provide customised employment support services to ethnic minority job seekers. The Education Bureau works with educational establishments at all levels to step up learning support for non-Chinese speaking students, to enhance their proficiency in Chinese, to provide them with a better learning experience, and to smoothen their transition from school to the workplace.??? In addition, ten Ethnic Minority Care Teams and two new support service centres were set up under the Home Affairs Department’s new Care Teams programme. They enhance support and provide holistic services to ethnic minorities, including language tutorials and community integration workshops. All these underline the Government’s commitment to building an equal, inclusive, and harmonious society.Issued at HKT 17:13