NITI Aayog and Japanese agency sign Record of Discussions

05 Mar 2026 CW Team

In New Delhi, NITI Aayog and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed the Record of Discussions (RoD) for the Project for Promotion of the Programme for Japan - India Cooperative Actions Towards Sustainable Development Goals – Phase Two. The RoD was signed in the presence of Shri Rohit Kumar, Additional Secretary and Mission Director of the Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programme, and Takeuchi Takuro, Chief Representative of JICA India. The initiative is intended to strengthen bilateral development cooperation focused on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).\n\nNITI Aayog described the collaboration as a reaffirmation of the India-Japan development partnership and said it would advance joint efforts to accelerate inclusive development in underserved regions. The programme will bring together institutional strengths, shared knowledge and on-ground experience to support localised interventions in Aspirational Districts and Aspirational Blocks. Officials indicated that the partnership aims to leverage evidence-based approaches to address priority gaps.\n\nThe project will focus on strengthening policy frameworks and implementation systems across six themes: global partnership; health and nutrition; education; agriculture and water resources; financial inclusion and skill development; and basic infrastructure. It will prioritise institutional capacity building, improved monitoring and evaluation and effective localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals at district and block levels. Planned activities include people to people and capacity-building exchanges, Japan-India knowledge forums and the identification and dissemination of best practices.\n\nRepresentatives of JICA praised the implementation record of the Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programme and noted that India’s district and block level monitoring systems are widely regarded as strong. The signing of the RoD was described as a mutually beneficial step that further strengthens the bilateral partnership for development cooperation. Stakeholders said the arrangement reflects a shared commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 through strengthened institutional capacity and evidence-based governance in Aspirational Districts and Aspirational Blocks.

Building Material

05 Mar 2026

Operational Excellence Redefined!

Operational excellence in cement has moved far beyond the old pursuit of ‘more tonne’. The new benchmark is smarter, cleaner, more reliable production—delivered with discipline across process, people and data. In an industry where energy can account for nearly 30 per cent of manufacturing cost, even marginal gains translate into meaningful value. As Dr SB Hegde, Professor, Jain College of Engineering & Technology, Hubli and Visiting Professor, Pennsylvania State University, USA, puts it, “Operational excellence… is no longer about producing more. It is about producing smarter, cleane..

CMC Reviews State Progress on Polluted Rivers and Sewage Management

The 21st meeting of the Central Monitoring Committee (CMC) on river rejuvenation was held under the chairpersonship of Shri V. L. Kantha Rao, Secretary of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation in the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The meeting was attended by senior officials including the Director General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and representatives of state governments and state pollution control boards. The committee reviewed the latest status of polluted river stretches based on the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) 2025 report and e..

India Proposes Biomanufacturing Working Group With Delaware

Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh proposed a small India–Delaware biomanufacturing working group to convert discussions into collaborations in research, manufacturing and startup ecosystems. The proposal was made during his meeting with a visiting US delegation led by Delaware Governor Matt Meyer at Seva Teerth. Both sides focused on bilateral collaboration in pharma, biotechnology, clean energy and innovation-led industrial growth. The minister said science, technology and biotechnology are a key pillar of the India–US strategic partnership and that India seeks d..