Air services agreements are signed bilaterally to improve seamless air connectivity between two sovereign nations.
Union cabinet has recently approved the revised air services agreement between India and Morocco.
Under the agreement, both countries designate one of more airlines.
These designated airlines of either country
Have the right to establish offices in the territory of the other country for the promotion end sale of air services.
Can enter into cooperative marketing arrangements with the designated carriers of same party, other party and third country.
Can operate any number of services to/from the six points specified in the Route Schedule to the agreement.
O-SMART
Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modelling and Science (O-SMART) is an umbrella scheme for the development of ocean activities.
It encompasses a total of 16 sub-projects addressing ocean development activities by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Its implementation period is from 2017-18 to 2019-20.
It aimed at stepping up ocean research and setting up early warning weather systems.
The important deliverables under the scheme are,
Strengthening of ocean observations, modelling, ocean services for fishermen,
Setting up marine coastal observatories for tracking marine pollution in 2018,
Setting up Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Plant (OTEC) in Kavaratti in Lakshadweep.
Setting up of the state-of-the-art Early Warning Systems to deal with ocean disasters like tsunami, storm surges.
The technologies developed under this Scheme will help in harnessing the vast ocean resources of both living and non-living resources from the seas.
Exercise KAKADU
It is a multilateral regional maritime engagement exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Navy and supported by the Royal Australian Air Force.
It is held biennially in Darwin and the Northern Australian Exercise Areas (NAXA).
The 14th edition of the exercise is going to be held in Darwin this year.
It would see participation from 25 different countries.
Exercise derives its name from Kakadu National Park, which is a protected area in the northern territory of Australia.
Indian ship Sahyadri is going to participate in this exercise.
International Energy Agency
Ministry of Science and Technologyand the International Energy Agency (IEA) has recently signed a MoU on Enhancing Innovation for Clean Energy Transition.
It seeks to deepen co-operation in support of clean energy innovations to accelerate the R&D of clean energy technologies in India.
The agreement will be coordinated by Mission Innovation India Unit set up by Department of Biotechnology.
IEA is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organization established in the framework ofthe Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Only OECD member states can become members of the IEA.
Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Morocco, Singapore and Thailand are the associate members of IEA.
The IEA acts as a policy adviser to its member states, but also works with non-member countries,especially China, India, and Russia.
Its flagship releases are World Energy Outlook and Key World Energy Statistics.
Krishna Kutir
Krishna Kutir is a special home for 1000 widows set up in Uttar Pradesh by the Ministry of Women & Child Development under SwadharGreh scheme.
It is the largest ever facility of its kind created by a government organization.
The construction will be funded by union government and managed by U.P government.
SwadharGreh
SwadharGreh scheme envisages providing shelter, food, clothing and health as well as economic and social security forwomen victims.
Women victims of difficult circumstances who are in need of institutional support for rehabilitation arebeing given help so that they could lead their life with dignity.
It focuses on establishing one SwadharGreh in each district.
ARIIA
Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) is a new annual ranking of higher educational institutions.
It will be based on innovation and will be launched on October 15, the birth anniversary of former President APJ Abdul Kalam.
It will work parallel toNational Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) published annually.
NIRF focuses on research (New knowledge) and ARIIA focuses on innovation (Puts the new knowledge to use).
ARIIA takes in to account innovation ecosystems supported through teaching and learning, innovative solutions to improve governance of the institution, revenues generated and ideas of entrepreneurship.
