Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX)
1-Jul-2023: IN-FN maritime partnership exercise off Visakhapatnam
Indian Naval ships INS Rana, a guided missile destroyer, and INS Sumedha, an indigenously built offshore patrol vessel undertook a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with French Navy ship FS Surcouf, in the Bay of Bengal on 30 June 2023. The French Navy’s La Fayette class frigate Surcouf visited Visakhapatnam from 26 – 29 June 2023 and participated in a variety of activities with Indian Navy ships which included professional and social interactions, sports fixtures and cross deck visits.
National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission
1-Jul-2023: Prime Minister launches National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission from Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh
“Sickle Cell Disease is a disease that impacts tribal sections of societies significantly. The government is committed to eliminate the disease before India celebrates its Amrit Kaal in 2047.” This was stated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi as he launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSCEM) in Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that today marked a landmark in Shahdol, as with the initiative of NSCEM, and the distribution of Ayushman Bharat cards, the country comes closer to prioritizing the health of tribal communities. The Prime Minister said that he had been working with tribal communities since before he became the Chief Minister of Gujarat, and understands the debilitating impact the disease has on the human body.
Index of Eight Core Industries
30-Jun-2023: Index of Eight Core Industries (Base: 2011-12=100) for May, 2023
The combined Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) increased by 4.3 per cent (provisional) in May 2023 as compared to the Index of May 2022. The production of Cement, Fertilizers, Steel, Coal, and Refinery Products increased in May 2023 over the corresponding month of last year. ICI measures combined and individual performance of production of eight core industries viz. Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement and Electricity. The Eight Core Industries comprise 40.27 percent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
Final growth rate of Index of Eight Core Industries for February 2023 is revised to 7.4 per cent. The cumulative growth rate of ICI during April-May 2023-24 reported 4.3 per cent (provisional) as compared to the corresponding period of last year.
The summary of the Index of Eight Core Industries is given below:
- Coal - Coal production (weight: 10.33 per cent) increased by 7.2 per cent in May, 2023 over May, 2022. Its cumulative index increased by 8.2 per cent during April to May 2023-24 over corresponding period of the previous year.
- Crude Oil - Crude Oil production (weight: 8.98 per cent) declined by 1.9 per cent in May, 2023 over May, 2022. Its cumulative index declined by 2.7 per cent during April to May, 2023-24 over the corresponding period of previous year.
- Natural Gas - Natural Gas production (weight: 6.88 per cent) declined by 0.3 per cent in May, 2023 over May, 2022. Its cumulative index declined by 1.5 per cent during April to May, 2023-24 over the corresponding period of previous year.
- Petroleum Refinery Products - Petroleum Refinery production (weight: 28.04 per cent) increased by 2.8 per cent in May, 2023 over May, 2022. Its cumulative index increased by 0.7 per cent during April to May, 2023-24 over the corresponding period of previous year.
- Fertilizers - Fertilizers production (weight: 2.63 per cent) increased by 9.7 per cent in May, 2023 over May, 2022. Its cumulative index increased by 15.7 per cent during April to May, 2023-24 over the corresponding period of previous year.
- Steel - Steel production (weight: 17.92 per cent) increased by 9.2 per cent in May, 2023 over May, 2022. Its cumulative index increased by 12.2 per cent during April to May, 2023-24 over the corresponding period of previous year.
- Cement - Cement production (weight: 5.37 per cent) increased by 15.5 per cent in May, 2023 over May, 2022. Its cumulative index increased by 13.7 per cent during April to May, 2023-24 over the corresponding period of previous year.
- Electricity - Electricity generation (weight: 19.85 per cent) declined by 0.3 per cent in May, 2023 over May, 2022. Its cumulative index declined by 0.7 per cent during April to May, 2023-24 over the corresponding period of previous year.