Inflation dips for 7th month to 3.2%, lowest since July 2019
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
31-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
Centre developing legislative framework for blue economy: Govt in Lok Sabha
The central government is taking a systematic approach towards a legislative framework for implementation of the Blue Economy policy, the ministry of earth sciences informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The draft national policy on blue economy was placed in the public domain in February 2021. (PTI photo) The draft national policy on blue economy, covering seven thematic areas including ocean governance and marine spatial planning, was placed in the public domain in February 2021 and revised in July 2022 after inter-ministerial and stakeholder consultations, the response said adding that the policy is aiming to harness ocean resources sustainably for economic growth while protecting marine ecosystems ensuring national security and it also provides the foundational basis for future legislation, the response said. The deep ocean mission is a subset of the broader blue economy concept which is focused on technological development for exploring deep ocean resources, promoting climate change advisory services, conservation of deep-sea biodiversity, research on ocean biology, and harnessing energy and freshwater from the ocean. Also Read:'Samudrayaan': India's first manned deep ocean mission to be launched by 2026 end 'The current focus is on strengthening the existing environmental legal framework through targeted reforms, including amendments to existing laws and empowering the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change's umbrella legislation the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. These reforms aim to introduce specific rules to address critical challenges such as e-waste (management), plastics waste management, batteries waste management, and end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) scrapping,' said Jitendra Singh, minister of state (MoS) for earth sciences. He was responding to questions by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP, Brijmohan Agrawal on three questions. Agrawal asked about the major legislative steps taken by the government for the Blue Economy district from policy-based approaches such as the Deep Ocean Mission along with the draft legislation; Secondly, he asked about the inter-ministerial consultations or projected timelines for a Blue Economy Law; and lastly, he asked about the existing mechanism which ensures sector-specific, legally binding environmental among others. Responding to the questions, Singh said that the various sectors in the blue economy are governed by different laws. Singh added that the regulatory gaps and overlaps are being addressed through the PARIVESH portal of Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change which acts as a single window for environmental, forest, wildlife, and coastal regulation zone clearances and the National Sagarmala Apex Committee and PM Gatishakti portal also aid in integrated planning. 'There are dedicated laws and guidelines for investment, accountability, and liability including 100% FDI is permitted via the automatic route in sectors like sea-ports and aquaculture. Offshore mineral block auctions are open to foreign bidders with specified conditions. The Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, adopts international liability conventions and mandates compulsory insurance for pollution damage. Offshore safety is governed by the Oil Mines Regulations, 2017, and a draft Offshore Safety Directive', the MoS said. 'The 'Harit Sagar' Green Port Guidelines (2023) mandate ESG reporting for terminal operators. The Deep Ocean Mission requires Environmental and Social Due Diligence for its projects. Maritime Zones Act, 1976 along with updated rules like the Offshore Wind Energy Lease Rules, 2023, provides the legal framework for leasing and regulating offshore energy and mineral projects,' the response said.
New Indian Express
24-07-2025
- New Indian Express
Crucial test: Samudrayaan inches closer to mission
BENGALURU: India's ambitious first-manned ocean mission Samudrayaan is inching closer to reality, with ISRO on Wednesday announcing that the testing of the personnel sphere of the Matsya-6000 submersible, along with the development of materials for realisation, were successfully carried out at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). 'The first welding on the actual hardware and detailed evaluation has been completed. High-penetration welding of this scale, ie. of 80-mm weld thickness, over 7,100-mm length with 32 minutes of weld duration, was carried out for the first time in the country,' ISRO said. Matsya-6000 is a sphere comprising a diameter of 2,260-mm, made of Titanium, and is expected to withstand external pressure of up to 600bar under low temp situations of -3 degrees C. It is capable of carrying a three-member crew, up to 6 km deep into the ocean. The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) signed an MoU with VSSC for the development of the special human-occupied spherical vessel, as a part of Samudrayaan, under the Deep Ocean Mission. The scientists also said a major challenge in realising the spherical vessel was the development of reliable, high-penetration Electron Beam Welding process and the high-energy (7.5MeV) X-ray facility for the Non-Destructive Evaluation. This is essential for the certification of the human-rated product, the ISRO team said. The Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Bengaluru developed the process and infrastructure for the welding process and NDE. ISRO said the LPSC has the facility and expertise to carry out welding up to 20-mm thickness. To meet the high-power demand, the EBW machine was augmented from 15kW to 40kW rating, along with additional facilities for chemical cleaning and handling equipment for the higher size and mass. For the NDE, the existing X-ray facility in kV range was augmented to 7.5MeV range. Multiple NDE techniques were employed, which complement each other in ascertaining weld quality, including Time of Flight Diffraction and Dual Linear Array Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing, the team concluded.
Time of India
24-07-2025
- Time of India
India develops 71 radiation-bred crop varieties, generates 56,681 MUs of nuclear power in 2024-25: Govt
New Delhi: India has developed 71 crop varieties using radiation-induced technologies, generated 56,681 million units (MUs) of nuclear electricity in 2024-25, and established 28 food irradiation facilities for shelf-life extension and food preservation, the government informed the Lok Sabha. Responding to a question, Minister of State for Atomic Energy Jitendra Singh stated that atomic energy has applications across multiple sectors including agriculture, healthcare, food preservation, defence, water treatment, and electricity generation. Agriculture and food processing Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has developed 71 new crop varieties—such as rice, wheat, pulses, oilseeds, jute, and sorghum—through radiation-induced mutagenesis and cross-breeding. These are in commercial cultivation and possess attributes such as early maturity and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress. To improve food storage and export logistics, radiation processing has been used to extend the shelf-life of agricultural produce. Mangoes can now be stored for up to 35 days for export by sea, while onion and potato shelf-life has been extended to 7.5 and 8 months, respectively. A total of 28 food irradiation facilities are operational across India, 22 of which are privately owned. In Uttar Pradesh, a facility by Solas Industries is operational in Mathura since 2021, and another is under construction in Lucknow by Q-Line Health Care. Radiation-based cold chain transportation technologies such as SHIVAY and MATSYA have been developed. SHIVAY, a patented refrigerated transport system using liquid nitrogen, has been transferred to Tata Motors and Furmech, Indore. MATSYA has been deployed on Sagar Harita, a fishing vessel, for preserving fresh catch under controlled conditions. Healthcare and radioisotopes BARC produces isotopes like Ruthenium-106 (Ru-106) for eye cancer treatment and Yttrium-90 (Y-90) derived from nuclear waste for other cancer therapies. Other radioisotopes produced include Iodine-125, Iodine-131, Lutetium-177, Samarium-153, and Strontium-89. These are supplied through the Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology (BRIT) for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. At the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) in Kalpakkam, indigenous production of Strontium-89 has been demonstrated. The product meets quality control standards of US, European, and international pharmacopeia. The Medical Cyclotron Facility (MCF) continues production of isotopes for cancer diagnosis and treatment, in collaboration with BRIT. At Indore, a 10 MeV electron beam linear accelerator (linac) facility has sterilised over 1 crore medical devices since 2021. Defence and industrial applications BARC-developed Bhabha Kavach bullet-proof jackets, qualified for BIS Level 5 protection, are in use by BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, and the Indian Army. The cargo container scanner system developed by BARC is ready for deployment after field trials. Water treatment and environment A cotton cloth-based radiation-grafted matrix has been developed to remove dye from textile effluents. The filtered water is reusable for industrial applications. The technology has been transferred to private firms for commercialization. Power generation India's nuclear power plants generated 56,681 MUs of electricity in 2024-25, contributing around 3% of the total electricity generation. This helped avoid 49 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions. The average tariff was ₹3.83 per unit. Other applications Kalpakkam Mini Reactor (KAMINI), powered by U-233, continues operations for neutron radiography and component testing in strategic sectors. It also supports neutron beam experiments and space programme pyrotechnic testing. BRIT manufactures Iridium-192 (Ir-192) radiography devices for industrial use and supports petrochemical diagnostics. Radiation is also used to develop crops resilient to different agro-climatic conditions. Gamma ray-induced Trichoderma strains help manage soil-borne crop diseases. DAE is collaborating with ICAR and state agricultural universities on research involving nuclear applications in agriculture. Till date, 39 radiation processing facilities for food and medical device sterilisation have been commissioned, with two operating in Uttar Pradesh.
