The partnership between India and the United States is the most significant event of the 21st century: the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry.

Topic: GS2

News:

• Goyal emphasised that the India-U.S. partnership is the defining moment of the 21st century and that the leaders of both countries.
• Goyal mentioned the 5Ts – Talent, Technology, Tradition, Trade, and Trusteeship – as the vision for the India-U.S. relationship.
• The bilateral trade between India and the U.S. has been the highest in the last couple of years and is aimed to increase multifold in the coming years with a target of US$2 trillion in exports by 2030.
• The Minister encouraged companies from the U.S. to establish their base in India to expand in newer frontiers like Africa and South-East Asia.
• The Minister said that the businesses in both countries could work together to expand to the next level in many sectors.
• The comprehensive & strategic partnership between India and the U.S. is based on a strong foundation of shared values, commitment to the rule of law, transparency, freedom of business, freedom of media, independent judiciary, etc.
• The Minister acknowledged the role played by AMCHAM in the India-U.S. partnership.
• He also released two reports at the event:

1. The India edge – US Industries catalysing the growth trajectory and
2. Future of Urban Mobility– Integration of Platforms.
   

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From Trash to Treasure: A Hackathon on Innovative Solutions for Waste Utilization

Topic: GS3 – waste management

Issue:

• The hackathon is open to undergraduate and above students from across the country and covers four different waste categories.
• The cash prizes and incubation support, industry exposure, and mentoring from top scientists of CPCB are also great incentives for students to participate and come up with innovative ideas.
• It’s important to encourage and support initiatives like these that promote sustainability and environmental responsibility, and it’s great to see that the CPCB is taking a proactive approach towards this.
• The hackathon can inspire more young people to become involved in finding solutions to the waste management challenges facing India and the world as a whole.
  

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National Mission for Clean Ganga Organizes River-Cities Alliance Global Seminar.

Topic: GS3 – environmental conservation.

Issue:

• The trickle started with the Urban River Management Plan and has been flowing ever since.
• The importance of issues related to climate change and urban water management is being highlighted.
• Climate change is a reality and is affecting cities, as seen in Delhi, where blankets are needed in May.
• RCA started with 30 cities on the banks of the river and was eventually expanded to all cities, not restricted to the Ganga Basin.
• Issues related to water, such as floods, droughts, and inadequate waste management, can shut down cities.
• DG, NMCG hoped that urban planners incorporate water management at the planning stage and give it the priority it deserves.

River Cities Alliance:

• The River Cities Alliance (RCA) is a partnership between the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
• The RCA aims to promote sustainable development focused on rivers by connecting river cities.
• The initiative started with 30 member cities in November 2021 and has now expanded to include 109 cities across India and one international member city from Denmark.

DHARA 2023:

• DHARA 2023 is the first annual meeting of the River Cities Alliance (RCA).
• It was held in Pune on February 13–14, 2023.
• The event aimed to inspire RCA members to act for urban river management in their cities.
• DHARA 2023 featured sessions on international best practices and examples for urban river management.
• The event highlighted the challenges of river management in cities and helped NIUA and its partners formulate an effective work plan.
• DHARA 2023 also contributed to the development of a compendium of technological solutions that cities may adopt to enhance their local river management.
  

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A new way to track particles in soft colloids using optical tweezers can be applied in targeted drug delivery.

Topic: GS3 – Science and technology.

Issue:

• Scientists at Raman Research Institute (RRI) have used optical tweezers to track the movements of minute clay particles within soft clay colloids, which can have applications in targeted drug delivery.
• The researchers studied the dynamics and hidden structural details of Laponite, a synthetic clay used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.
• The team used cryogenic field emission scanning electron microscopy (cryo-FESEM) to examine the average pore areas formed by the Laponite microstructures.
• The study found a direct relationship between the morphologies of the clay suspension structures and the probe particle dynamics at micrometre length scales, with beads trapped by the optical tweezer moving much slower in denser network structures.
  

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India-Israel Friendship – Beginning of a New Era of Industrial Research and Development Cooperation

Topic: GS2 – International relations

Issue:

• The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) of the Ministry of Science and Technology of India and the Directorate of Defence Research and Development (DDR&D) of the Ministry of Defence of the State of Israel have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
• The countries look forward to collaborating in high technology areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum and semiconductors, synthetic biology, and more. The agreement aims to strengthen industrial research and development cooperation between India and Israel.
• The move can usher the new beginning of scientific cooperation between the countries India – Israel.

The media and entertainment industry will make an unparalleled impact in the Amrit Kaal – Union Minister of Commerce and Industry.

Issue:

• Union Minister Piyush Goyal spoke at FICCI Frames 2023 and praised the media and entertainment industry for its commitment to taking Indian cinema globally.
• Goyal noted that the industry can showcase India’s growth and potential to become a developed nation by 2047.
• He also commended the industry for adopting modern technologies and growing with digital platforms and startups.
• The Minister highlighted that the media and entertainment industry serve as India’s cultural ambassadors and has a huge potential to connect people and nations, leading to a better understanding and appreciation of different cultures.
• Goyal mentioned recent global awards for Indian art and culture, which conveyed social messages about sustainability and women’s empowerment.
• He urged the industry to build an industry that entertains, empowers, enlightens, and inspires the whole nation on the journey of progress and prosperity.