Current Affairs of 21st January

National Affairs

1. Highlights from PM Narendra Modi’s trip to Karnataka and Maharashtra.

 

The following are the specifics of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s trips to Karnataka and Maharashtra on January 19, 2023:

 

Visit of the PM to Karnataka:

 

The PM went to the districts of Yadgiri and Kalaburagi in Karnataka.

 

Yadgiri:

 

• In Kodekal, Yadgiri District, the PM inaugurated a number of development projects, including one for the development of the National Highway (NH), drinking water, and irrigation.

 

• The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) laid the groundwork for the Yadgir multi-village drinking water supply scheme, which aims to provide potable water to approximately 2.3 lakh households in over 700 rural habitations and three towns in the Yadgiri district.

 

• A 117 MLD (Megaliters Per Day) Water Treatment Plant will be constructed as part of this.

 

• Narayanpur Left Bank Canal – Extension Renovation and Modernization Project (NLBC – ERM) groundbreaking ceremony.

 

• The project will have a canal with a capacity of 10,000 cusecs, cost approximately Rs 4700 crores, and be able to irrigate 4.5 lac hectares of command area.

 

• Over three lakh farmers in 560 villages in the Kalaburgi, Yadagir, and Vijaypur districts will gain from it.

 

• Laying of the foundation stone for the 65.5-kilometre section of NH-150C, a Greenfield road project with six lanes that is part of the Surat-Chennai Expressway. At a cost of more than Rs 2100 crore, it is being built.

 

• The Surat – Chennai Expressway will cut the current route from 1600 kilometres to 1270 kilometres by passing through six states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.

 

Kalaburagi 

 

The PM distributed title deeds to eligible beneficiaries of newly declared revenue villages in Malkhed of the Kalaburagi District.

 

How do title deeds work?

 

These are given to beneficiaries, most of whom come from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) communities. It grants them official government recognition for their land and makes them eligible for government services like drinking water, electricity, roads, and so on.

 

In the five districts of Kalaburagi, Yadgiri, Raichur, Bidar, and Vijayapura in Karnataka, approximately 1475 previously unrecorded habitations have been designated as New Revenue villages.

 

The PM’s trip to Maharashtra:

 

In Mumbai, the PM inaugurated, dedicated, and laid the groundwork for numerous development projects worth approximately Rs 38,800 crores.

 

• Mumbai Metro Rail Lines 2A and 7 are dedicated to the nation. The cost of Mumbai Metro Rail Lines 2A and 7 is approximately Rs 12,600 crores.

 

• The yellow metro line 2A between Dahisar E and DN Nagar is approximately 18.6 kilometres long, while the red metro line 7 between Andheri E and Dahisar E is approximately 16.5 kilometres long. The Prime Minister also laid the groundwork for these lines in 2015.

 

• Launch of the MUMBAI 1 Mobile App and the National Common Mobility Card The app will make it easier to travel, can be displayed at Metro Station entrances, and supports digital payment for tickets using UPI (Unified Payments Interface).

 

• The National Common Mobility Card can be used for quick, contactless, and digital transactions on local trains, buses, and metro corridors in addition to other forms of mass public transportation.

 

• Seven sewage treatment plants will be built at a cost of approximately Rs 17,200 crores. The foundation stone was laid.

 

• Malad, Bhandup, Versova, Ghatkopar, Bandra, Dharavi, and Worli will be the locations of these sewage treatment facilities. They will have a capacity of approximately 2,460 MLD each.

 

• Inauguration of the 20th Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Aapla Dawakhana It will provide people in Mumbai with free access to essential medical services like health checks, medications, investigations, and diagnostics.

 

• The laying of the foundation stone for the redevelopment of three Mumbai hospitals, namely Bhandup Multispeciality Municipal Hospital has 360 beds, Oshiwara Maternity Home has 152 beds, and Siddharth Nagar Hospital in Goregaon (West) has 306 beds.

 

• Inauguration of a project to concretize approximately 400 kilometers of Mumbai’s roads. This project will be developed at a cost of approximately Rs 6,100 crore.

 

• More than 1200 kilometers (kilometers) of Mumbai’s total roads are either already concreted or are in the process of being concreted.

 

• However, potholes present challenges on the remaining approximately 850 kilometres of roads. This obstacle will be overcome by this project.

 

• The foundation stone for the redevelopment of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus has been laid. The project, which will cost more than Rs. 1,800 crore, aims to decongest the southern heritage node of the terminus, improve multimodal integration, and preserve the world-famous iconic structure. Over Rs will be spent on the project. $1,800 billion.

 

• The PM also initiated the transfer of approved loans to over one million beneficiaries under the PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi).

 

Recent Information:

 

• Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, paid a visit to Bengaluru in Karnataka to dedicate the 108-foot-tall bronze statue of Bengaluru founder Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, flag off South India’s first Vande Bharat Express & Kashi Darshana train at KSR railway station, and open the second terminal of Kempegowda International Airport.

 

• Donyi Polo Airport, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh’s first greenfield airport, was dedicated by the PM, as was the 600 MW Kameng Hydro Power Station.

2. The Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of the Center for Maritime Economy and Connectivity was signed by IPA and RIS.

 

A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the establishment of a Centre for Maritime Economy and Connectivity has been signed by the Indian Ports Association (IPA) and the Research & Information System for Developing Countries (RIS).

 

Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, witnessed the signing of the MoA in New Delhi, Delhi.

 

Key Points:

 

• The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Nations will benefit from the Transhipment Port’s proposed projects in Galathea Bay, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

 

• According to the Union Minister, the RIS ought to provide its expertise in policy formulation and support the Indian government’s implementation of policy decisions.

 

• Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launches Bharat Pravah to highlight the role of rivers, ports, and shipping On January 18, 2023, the Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launches “Bharat Pravah – India along its shores,” an initiative to promote literature, dialogue, and communication about the role of rivers, ports, and shipping in everyday life.

 

Bharat Pravah’s History:

 

• The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways would organize events in India on a variety of subjects, such as Rivers and Sea-Centric Development: among others, “Sea, Rivers, Ports, and Ship in Folk Culture and Literature” and “Through a Historical Lens.”

 

• The events will be held in Mumbai, Kolkata, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, Varanasi, Calicut, and other important Indian shipping, waterway, and port hubs.

3. Cyclone-I: Rajasthan hosted the inaugural Indo-Egypt Joint Special Force Training Exercise.

 

The first iteration of a joint exercise between Egyptian Army special forces and Indian Army special forces is being held in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, with the goal of expanding defence cooperation between India and Egypt.

 

Since January 14, 2023, a 14-day exercise program has been in place. The exercise aims to improve India and Egypt’s defence cooperation.

 

Note: The Cyclone I event, which was supposed to take place in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, from January 8 to January 22, 2022, was put off.

 

Concerning Exercise Cyclone I:

 

• The special forces of India and Egypt are brought together on a single platform in this first-of-its-kind exercise.

 

• Cyclone I will engage the Indian Army and Egyptian Army contingents to advance special forces skills like sniping, combat free fall, reconnaissance, surveillance, and target designation. It will also share information on new weapons, equipment, tactics, techniques, and procedures.

 

• Joint planning and drills for special forces operations in a mechanized warfare environment are also part of the exercise, as are surgical strikes on terrorist camps and hideouts, including sniping of high-value targets.

 

• In order to improve diplomatic ties between India and Egypt, this is anticipated to provide insight into the ethos and culture of both armies as well as foster military cooperation and interoperability.

4. In a cash-neutral deal, the RBI and the Government of India swap bonds that mature in 2024.

• In order to simplify its liability profile and encourage market development, the Government of India (GoI) has been collaborating with market participants and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on conversion and switch operations.

 

• As part of these operations, the Government of India entered into a conversion/switch transaction with the RBI on January 17, 2023, which resulted in a settlement on January 18.

 

• The Government of India repurchased bonds totalling Rs. 22,610 crores, or $2.78 billion, for Rs. 98.62, and it issued Rs. 2032 bonds with 8.28% interest to the RBI. at a cost of Rs. 21,025.914 crores 106.05.

 

• Financial Benchmarks India Pvt. was used to complete the transaction. Prices for Ltd. (FBIL) on January 16, 2023.

 

• The Government of India had previously switched bonds worth more than Rs. 820 billion in FY23, which was less than its goal of Rs. one trillion.

 

Banking and Finance

1. The RBI’s Report on State Government Budgets: Three Key Takeaways

A report titled “State Finances:” was published by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). A Study of Budgets for 2022 and 2023,” which will be held on January 16, 2023, with the topic “Capital Formation in India: The Function of States.”

 

The report is a once-a-year publication that compares actual and revised/provisional accounts for 2020–2021 and 2021–2022, respectively, with information, analysis, and an evaluation of state government finances for 2022–2023 (FY23).

 

The following are the three most significant findings from the RBI report:

 

1. Debt to GDP The state’s debt to GDP (gross domestic product) ratio remains extremely high, according to the report.

 

1. The ratio of debt to GDP has decreased from 31.1 per cent in 2020-21 to 29.5 per cent in 2022-23. States may have to pay more to meet their obligations if the debt-deficit burden is high.

 

1. The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) review committee, which was led by N K Singh, suggested that states should have a debt-to-GDP ratio of 20%.

 

1. The report states that state interest payments will rise to 2% of GDP in 2020–21 from 1.7% in 2017–18 and that states will expect them to fall to 1.8% in 2022–23. Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and West Bengal have the highest interest payments to revenue receipts ratios.

 

1. This suggests that a significant portion of these states’ revenues are used to pay interest, leaving them with less money to spend on other areas of high priority like education or health care.

 

Contingent Obligations 

 

• The report asserts that state governments’ contingent liabilities have also significantly increased.

 

• In the event that a state-owned entity defaults on a loan, the obligations of the state government to repay the principal and interest are referred to as contingent liabilities.

 

• State governments issued more guarantees, now totalling Rs. 3.12 lakh crore in 2017, or 2% of GDP, to Rs. 7.4 lakh crore, or 3.7% of the GDP.

 

• At the end of March 2021, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh had the most outstanding guarantees.

 

• The state’s funds are unfavourably impacted by the state-possessed power circulation organizations.
• The 18 major states would incur a cost of 2.3% of GDP for a bailout, according to an RBI study.

 

OPS (Old Pension Scheme) 

 

• Additionally, the report raises new concerns, including the fact that some states would rather return to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

 

• As it became clear that financing the OPS would be difficult, a new pension framework was implemented at the beginning of the 2000s to reduce the state’s financial burden.

 

• States like Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have now decided to withdraw from the new pension scheme, putting state budgets in jeopardy despite the fact that the majority of states agreed to it at the time.

 

• Pensions already receive a significant portion of state tax revenues; in 2020–21, Rs. pensions received an allocation of 3.86 lakh crore.

 

• The OPS will increase pension liabilities even more, making it harder to spend money in a positive way.

2. Jeevan Azad is the new Guaranteed Return Life Insurance Plan from LIC.

 

Jeevan Azad (Plan No.) has been released by the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).

868), a brand-new, unlinked, non-participating plan for life insurance and individual savings.

The plan offers an appealing combination of savings and protection.

 

Key Points:

 

• The limited-period payment endowment plan LIC Jeevan Azad addresses liquidity needs through a loan facility and provides financial support to the family in the event of the untimely death of the life assured during the policy term.

 

• On the maturity date, the survivor will also receive a guaranteed lump sum.

 

• The plan also gives participants the option of receiving death or maturity benefits in instalments, subject to certain conditions.

 

• The plan includes three optional riders that can be purchased for an additional premium: LIC’s Premium Waiver Benefit Rider, Accidental Death and Disability Benefit Rider, and New Term Assurance Benefit Rider.

 

Key Features of Plan of “Jeevan Azad” 

 

• The basic amount that can be insured is Rs. Rs. 2 lakhs, and the maximum is 5 lakhs.

 

• A medical exam will not be required for amounts insured up to Rs 3 lakh, but it is required for amounts insured above Rs 3 lakh.

 

• The premium-paying term is calculated as the policy term minus eight years. The policy can be purchased for a minimum of 15 years or a maximum of 20 years.

 

• The minimum age to apply is 50 years old, and the maximum age to apply is 90 days completed.

 

• Annual, half-yearly, quarterly, or monthly premium payments are all options.

 

• If the life assured dies during the policy’s term after the risk has begun but before the maturity date, the death benefit is paid.

 

• The “Sum Assured on Death,” or the greater of the “Basic Sum Assured” or seven times the annualized premium, will be the death benefit.

 

• The “total premiums paid” up to the date of death cannot be less than 105% of the death benefit.

3. Loans for lifestyle products are offered by Paytail and HDB Financial Services.

 

• Together with HDB Financial Services Limited, Paytail Commerce Private Limited (Paytail) offers loans for lifestyle items like bicycles, electric vehicles (EVs), mobile devices, consumer goods, and kitchen appliances.

 

• The amount of the loan ranges from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 3 lakhs.

 

• Depending on the amount borrowed and the product category, it offers Equated Monthly Instalments (EMIs) for a period of 24 months.

 

• Customers will benefit from the partnership by being able to pay for the product in manageable instalments and receiving instant digital financing for in-store purchases.

 

• Additionally, it would make it possible for retailers in over 85,000 stores across India to create cross- and up-selling opportunities for their products.

 

• One of the most prominent Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) is HDB Financial Services Limited. The MD and CEO of HDB Financial Services Limited are G. Ramesh.

 

• Paytail is a fintech company that offers straightforward EMIs and instant digital financing to businesses. Paytail’s co-founder and CEO are Vikas Garg.

Awards and Recognizations

1. Index of Brand Guardianship for 2023: Ambani leads Indians and ranks second globally.

 

With a Brand Guardianship Index (BGI) score of 81.7, Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), is ranked first among Indians and second globally in the Brand Finance Brand Guardianship Index 2023.

 

With a BGI Score of 83, Jensen Huang, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nvidia, a leading technology company based in the United States, is ranked first globally on the Brand Guardianship Index 2023.

 

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella comes in third, followed by Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen in fourth place and Google CEO Sundar Pichai in fifth place.

 

During the event that was held in conjunction with Deloitte during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, the Brand Guardianship Index 2023, a ranking of the world’s top 100 CEOs or equivalents, was launched.

 

The index’s highlights include:

 

Six Indian CEOs or equivalents rank among the top 100 on the index, with Natarajan Chandrasekaran (ranked eighth) and Mukesh Ambani (ranked second). ii. Six of the top ten are Indian-American, with Satya Nadella (ranked third), Shantanu Narayen (ranked fourth), Sundar Pichai (ranked fifth), and Punit Renjen (ranked sixth). With 44 CEOs or equivalents, the United States of America (USA) leads the index, followed by China with 16 CEOs.

 

Leena Nair, CEO of Chanel, is the highest-ranked female in the Brand Guardianship Index 2023. She is ranked 11th on the list. On the 2023 index, only seven of the 100 brand guardians are women.

 

The tech and media industries make up v.5 of the top 10 CEOs or equivalents on the 2023 index, compared to about 9 out of 10 in 2022.

 

The most prevalent industries in the 2023 ranking are finance and engineering. With 40 years of service, Mukesh Ambani is the ranking’s longest-serving CEO.

 

Note: The Brand Guardian’s job is to increase the value of the brand and the business, as stated by Brand Finance.

 

About the Index of Brand Guardianship:

 

The Brand Guardianship Index is a balanced scorecard of measures that measure a CEO’s capacity to protect the brand and preserve long-term shareholder value.

 

The index has “Equity” factors, which represent perceptions at the present time, “Performance” factors, which represent the concrete outcomes of these perceptions, and “Investment” factors, which support future performance.

 

The Brand Guardianship Index and Brand Guardianship Ranking are derived from a survey of 1,000 market analysts and journalists, two stakeholder groups whose opinions on chief executives’ reputations are well-informed and influential.

 

Note: India is home to only 50 of the people who took part in the survey from November to December 2022.

2. The 2023 Isa Award for Humanitarian Service from Bahrain: Nepalese Dr Sanduk Ruit was chosen as the fifth Laureate.

 

Dr Sanduk Ruit, a well-known Nepali ophthalmologist, was awarded the Isa Award for Service to Humanity 2023, Bahrain’s highest civilian honour, on January 17, 2023.

 

He has been named the 5th laureate of the Isa Award in 2021 and 2022 for his efforts to prevent blindness, community service, and accomplishments.

 

A gold medallion, a certificate of merit, and a cash prize of one million dollars are included in the award.

 

At the award announcement ceremony in Bahrain’s Manama, Sheikh Mohammad bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, a member of the royal family, presented the prize to Dr Sanduk Ruit.

 

The ISA Award:

 

• His Majesty the King of Bahrain, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, established the “Isa Award for services to Humanity” in 2009.

 

• After a rigorous selection process, individuals or organizations are selected to receive the ISA Award every two years by an expert jury team.

 

• Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the former King of Bahrain, is the honoree of the award.

 

• Since 2013, this honorary award has been given out.

 

• Dr Jemilah Mahmood is one of the first four recipients of the ISA award; Dr Samanta Achyuta (2015); The Children’s Cancer Hospital in Egypt, more commonly referred to as Hospital 57357, as well as The Edhi Charitable Foundation

 

Dr. Sanduk Ruit’s Bio:

 

The Himalayan Cataract Project was founded with Dr Sanduk Ruit as a co-founder. He was the first to offer high-quality microsurgical procedures to patients in faraway eye camps.

 

He made it possible for countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia to afford and access cutting-edge eye care.

 

He is affectionately referred to as the “God of Sight” due to the fact that he saved the eyesight of 1,20,000 people who would have gone blind without treatment.

 

Dr Sanduk Ruit has taught more than 650 doctors how to treat preventable blindness.

 

Awards:

 

Dr Sanduk Ruit was presented with the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Peace and International Understanding in the year 2006.

 

In 2015, he was given the National Order of Merit Gold for his outstanding work in preventing blindness in Bhutan and helping hundreds of people regain their sight.

 

He was awarded the Padma Sri in 2018 by the Indian government for his work in medicine (Nepal).

 

In addition, Nepal’s Prime Minister National Talent Award in 1975 and the well-known Prabal Janasewa Shri (First) Honorary Degree in 2076 were presented to him.

3. The 2022 Inclusive Finance India Award is won by ESAF Bank.

In recognition of its efforts to advance the objective of financial inclusion and support inclusive growth, ESAF Small Finance Bank has won the prestigious Inclusive Finance India Awards 2022.

 

Anantha Nageshwaran, Chief Economic Advisor, presented the award to Paul Thomas, ESAF Bank’s Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), at the 19th Inclusive Finance India Summit in New Delhi.

 

The Inclusive Finance India Awards are a joint venture between HSBC India and ACCESS Development Services.

 

The ESAF’s Financial Inclusion projects—ESAF Dhansree, ESAF Udyog Jyothi, LSEDP (Local Sustainable Economic Development Project), ESAF Balajyothi, ESAF Vayojyothi, and ESAF Garshom—are recognized with this award.

 

Science and Technology

1. The first fuselage for the Indian Army’s Boeing AH64 Apache Combat Helicopters is delivered by Tata Boeing Aerospace.

 

The first fuselage for the Indian Army’s contract for six AH-64E Apache Combat helicopters was delivered by Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL), a joint venture between Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and the American aircraft manufacturer Boeing Company.

 

The Director General and Colonel Commandant of Army Aviation, Lieutenant General Ajay Kumar Suri, received the aircraft’s primary body, the fuselage, in a formal ceremony.

 

TBAL transports the fuselage to Arizona, which is located in the United States of America (USA), for final assembly. The Indian Army is expected to receive the first Apache in February 2024. The cutting-edge TBAL facility in Hyderabad, Telangana, was where the fuselage was built.

 

Backdrop

 

The purchase of 39 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters from the United States had already been approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security.

 

The Indian Air Force (IAF) then signed a deal in September 2015 to acquire 22 Apache AH-64E helicopters from The Boeing Company (US).

 

Additionally, the Indian Army will receive any new Apache purchases made by the Government of India (GoI).

 

As a result, the Government of India signed a contract in February 2020 to purchase six brand-new Apache helicopters for the Indian Army at a cost of approximately 800 million USD.

 

Key Points:

 

By April 2024, deliveries of all six AH-64 Apache Combat Helicopters are anticipated.

 

The Indian Army’s capabilities will be significantly enhanced by the Apache.

 

In December 2022, seven technicians and four Army Aviation pilots began training in the United States in preparation for their induction.

 

India has received four cutting-edge Boeing aircraft: 

 

The Chinook and Apache helicopters, the P-8I Poseidon multirole maritime mission aircraft, and the C-17 Globemaster III

 

Apache AH-64 Attack Helicopters 

 

With over 1,275 AH-64 Apaches operating worldwide, the Apache attack helicopter is regarded as the most advanced and deadly helicopter in the world.

 

Over 4.9 million flight hours have been completed by these helicopters worldwide, 1.3 million of which have been in combat.

 

A variety of weapons, including air-to-ground Hellfire missiles, are delivered by helicopter.

 

TBAL (Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited) 

 

The purpose of the facility is to supply the US Army and other international customers with fuselages for Boeing’s AH64 Apache helicopters from a single global source.

 

For this multirole combat helicopter, the facility makes secondary structures and vertical spare boxes. Additionally, it produces intricate aerostructures for the Boeing 737 and 777.

 

TASL (Tata Advanced Systems Limited)

 

In India, TASL leads the private sector in aerospace and defence solutions.

 

It is a 100% Tata Sons subsidiary and the TATA Group’s strategic aerospace and defence division.

 

TASL is a holding and operational company at the same time.

2. Tripartite Agreement signed between UCSL, Department of Fisheries & 5 Fishermen SHGs to build Advanced Fishing Vessels 

 

A tripartite agreement was signed on January 19, 2023, between the Department of Fisheries in Kerala and Udupi Cochin Shipyard Limited (UCSL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) and ten Deep-Sea Tuna Long Liner-cum-Gill netter fishing vessels will be constructed by five fishermen Self-Help Group (SHG) societies from Kerala.

These cutting-edge fishing vessels will cost 14 crores of rupees.

 

Signatories:

 

Adeela Abdulla, Director of Fisheries for the Kerala Government, signed the tripartite agreement; with Harikumar A. A., UCSL’s Chief Executive Officer, and five fishermen from various SHGs in Kerala.

 

Key Points:

 

The vessels follow the standard design for deep-sea fishing under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).

 

Advanced navigation and communication systems, such as GPS (Global Positioning System), Automatic Identification System, distress alert transmitter, fish finder, and magnetic compass, will be installed on the vessels.

 

The vessel has a length of 22.7 meters and a breadth of 6.4 meters, can carry 12 people and has a top speed of 8 knots.

 

The safety provided by these vessels will increase fishers’ productivity and income.

3. IIT Guwahati and AMTRON and RCH sign a memorandum of understanding to promote drone technology in Northeast India.

The Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati (IIT-G) in Assam and Assam Electronics Development Corporation Ltd (AMTRON) and RC Hobbytech Solutions Pvt. Ltd. entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on January 18, 2023. Ltd. (RCH) in order to enhance and develop drone-based technology in Northeast India.

 

Professor Parameswar K. Iyer, Officiating Director of IIT Guwahati (Assam), S. Sundar, IFS, Managing Director (MD) of AMTRON, and Biswajit Dey, Co-Founder of RCH, signed the Memorandum of Understanding.

 

Agriculture, disaster management, wildlife conservation, and health care are just a few of the many industries covered by the memorandum of understanding.

 

In this endeavour for the greater good of the region, members of the IIT Guwahati Drone Centre and Technology Incubation Hub will play a crucial role.

 

Professional training programs in the use of drones will also be supported by the MoU. 

 

These programs will provide a variety of services, such as drone-based surveys and mapping, courses on Geographic Information Systems, coding, AI (artificial intelligence)-related courses, and other courses that are related and will be held on the IIT Guwahati campus.