National

India and Norway to conduct marine spatial planning in Lakshadweep and Puducherry

New Delhi: India and Norway have agreed to jointly work in the area of marine spatial planning (MSP). This is a part of the Indo-Norway Integrated Ocean Initiative taken up under a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries in 2019. The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Govt.of India, will implement the programme through its National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR). MSP is globally identified as a tool for sustainable and integrated ocean management. In its primary phase, NCCR will develop a marine spatial planning framework for Puducherry and Lakshadweep. These sites have been chosen for the pilot project…
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Sublethal exposure study of lead (Pb) on black clams to provide early warning information on marine pollution

New Delhi: Black clam is one of the most important clam species contributing to more than 70% of clam fisheries in India. A research team in India has concluded that black clams (Villorita cyprinoides) can provide potential early warning information on marine pollution that can help environmental scientists to monitor and manage the overall fitness of the marine environment. In this integrated study involving observation of critical bio-lethal parameters coupled with a bioassay of the black clams, sensitive information could be obtained by the scientists. Results of the study revealed that information on sublethal exposure of metal lead (Pb) and…
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AustralaSian COVID-19 Trial opens in India

New Delhi: AustralaSian COVID-19 Trial (ASCOT) has been expanded into India, with the first patients recruited last week to the first two sites, Christian Medical College and Hospital Ludhiana in Punjab and Sterling Multispecialty Hospital in Pune, Maharashtra. Australasia is a region that comprises Australia, New Zealand, and some neighboring islands. ASCOT has partnered with the George Institute for Global Health to oversee the trial in India given its substantial experience operating clinical trials in the country with a presence in 21 states.George Institute for Global Health is an independent medical research institute headquartered in Australia with offices in China,…
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Dr. Harsh Vardhan dedicates two new databases to the nation

New Delhi: Union Minister for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences and Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, today dedicated to the nation two databases brought out by the Department of Science and Technology on `S&T Awards in India’ and `Indian origin academicians and scholars abroad’. The database on `S&T Awards in India’ is an attempt to build and manage the information about science and technology awards that have been instituted since 1928 in India. It provides data on various aspects such as discipline, periodicity, categories, awards level, chronology and state wise distribution of awards and their sponsors. It will…
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Dr. Harsh Vardhan to present awards on National Science Day

New Delhi: The Department of Science and Technology in the Ministry of Science and Technology is holding a function here on Sunday February 28 to mark the National Science Day, which is celebrated every year since 1987 in remembrance of Nobel Laureate Sir C.V.Raman’s path breaking discovery of Raman Effect in 1930. Union Minister for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences and Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan will grace the occasion and present the prestigious National S&T Communication Awards, AWSAR (Augmenting Writing Skills for Articulating Research) Awards, and SERB (Science and Engineering Research Board)’s Women Excellence Awards. He will…
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India hosts First Meeting of BRICS Finance and Central Bank Deputies

New Delhi : India hosted a Meeting of BRICS Finance and Central Bank Deputies virtually here today and was co-Chaired by Shri. Tarun Bajaj, Secretary Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Dr. Michael Patra, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India. Other participants included BRICS Finance and Central Bank Deputies of Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa. India assumed the BRICS Chairship in 2021, at a time when BRICS is celebrating its 15th anniversary. Under the theme BRICS@15: Intra-BRICS Cooperation, India’s approach is focused on strengthening collaboration through Continuity, Consolidation and Consensus. This was the first meeting on the BRICS Financial Cooperation…
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New geospatial policy will boost innovation in the sector: DST Secretary

  New Delhi: Liberalization of geospatial policies, announced a few days ago by the Government of India, will help to boost innovation in the sector and create a level playing field for the public as well as the private sector, said Secretary, Department of Science & Technology (DST) Prof Ashutosh Sharma, at the National Geospatial Awards Felicitation Ceremony recently.  The Guidelines for acquiring and producing Geo-Spatial Data and Geo-Spatial Data Services, including Maps, was recently released to facilitate access to such data across sectors.  “We aim to utilize the power of geospatial technology to revive various sectors of the Indian…
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Scientist from IIT Kanpur develops washable adhesive and related products

New Delhi: Scientists have developed a sticky mat which takes away dust from a contacting surface, ensuring a clean, hygienic, healthy, and refreshing atmosphere at our home, offices, hospitals, and laboratories as also smooth functioning of many expensive equipments. The mat is a low-cost one and remains washable and usable over many cycles. Prof Animangsu Ghatak from the Department of Chemical Engineering IIT Kanpur, who developed the mat with the support of Department of Science & Technology, Government of India under Make in India initiative, took inspiration from adhesive pad present at the feet of wall climbing animals, like house lizards. The…
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India and Mauritius sign Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement

New Delhi : Dr Anup Wadhawan, Commerce Secretary, Government of India, and Ambassador Mr. Haymandoyal Dillum, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Government of Mauritius signed the India-Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA)  in Port Louis yesterday, in the august presence of Prime Minister of Mauritius Mr Pravind Jugnauth, and External Affairs Minister, Govt of India, Mr S. Jaishankar. CECPA  is the first trade Agreement signed by India with a country in Africa. The Agreement is a limited agreement, which will cover Trade in Goods, Rules of Origin, Trade in Services, Technical Barriers to Trade…
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Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurates DRDO Skill Development Centre for Fire Safety Training

New Delhi : Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has inaugurated Skill Development Centre (SDC) for Fire Safety Training of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at Pilkhuwa in Uttar Pradesh through virtual mode on February 22, 2021. The facility, created by Delhi based DRDO laboratory Centre for Fire, Explosive and Environment Safety (CFEES); is aimed at developing trained human resources, fire safety technology and products to save precious human lives and valued assets. In his inaugural address, Raksha Mantri congratulated DRDO for this significant step in the field of fire safety. He emphasised that in any fire tragedy the nation…
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