Current affairs 17 December 2024

Govt Unveils "Jalvahak" Scheme to Boost Inland Waterways Cargo.

• The government launched the Jalvahak scheme to incentivize long-haul cargo transport on the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Barak rivers.
• The scheme targets cargo owners transporting goods over 300 km via inland waterways.
• Minister Sonowal flagged off 3 cargo ships and 2 barges from Kolkata's GR Jetty, marking the start of regular cargo services on National Waterways 1 and 2.

India Defines "Green Steel" Standards, Launches Star Rating.

• India is the first nation to define green steel, capping emissions at 2.2 tonnes CO2 per tonne of steel, with a star-rating system to classify emissions performance.
• The ₹15,000 crore Green Steel Mission promotes sustainable production, allocating 37% of public procurement to top-rated steel.
• The industry plans a ₹260,000 crore transition to green technologies.

WHO Affiliate to Observe Traditional Medicine Day in India.

• Starting January 10, 2025, Ayush Medical Coding and Records Day will be observed annually, as decided at the 10th World Ayurveda Congress in Dehradun.
• The Hyderabad-based National Institute of Indian Medical Heritage will collaborate with CCRAS to enhance capacity-building in traditional medicine.
• Focus on implementing global health intervention classifications in traditional practices.

India, Sri Lanka, UAE Collaborate on Energy Pipeline & Solar Projects.

• India, Sri Lanka, and UAE will implement a multi-product pipeline from India to Sri Lanka, ensuring affordable and reliable energy supply.
• Leaders agreed to expedite the solar power project in Sampur and scale its capacity to meet Sri Lanka's energy needs.
• The initiative strengthens cooperation in energy security and sustainable development.

C-DOT, Trois Infotech partnered on Drone-Based Face Recognition Tech.

• Centre for Development of Telematics partnered with Trois Infotech under the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) to develop Face Recognition Using Drone technology, advancing indigenous telecom solutions.
• Fund Indian startups and R&D institutions to design telecom solutions and bridge India's digital divide.
• It aims to facilitate affordable broadband and mobile services.