Need to switch to clean, shared mobility: NITI Aayog
New Delhi, Aug 30 : With India having 14 of the 20 most polluted cities of the world, the NITI Aayog on Thursday said there was a need to change the entire nature of Indian cities by switching to shared, connected and zero emission mobility systems.
The government think tank is planning to hold a series of events as part of the "Mobility Week" from August 31 to September 6, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar told the media here.
A total of 18 events in six days will take place in the run up to "MOVE: The Global Mobility Summit" on September 7 and 8 which will be attended by global and Indian leaders from across the mobility sector, he said.
"By partnering with organisations working in the mobility space across the country and the globe, we'll be better prepared to formulate India's go-forward strategy on mobility. The summit will also enable India to learn from development in other countries", Kumar said.
He said the NITI Aayog held consultations with all states in the run-up to the event and that over 15 states had already shared their plans.
Kumar said that it won't be just a substantive event, but would lead to policy decisions.
"The aim is to showcase that mobility is not an elite activity. It is possible to generate growth and employment through disruptive forms of mobility," he said.
The NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said the summit will have events like workshops, seminars and hackathons, which will showcase the potential of India's young generation and how the country is ready to harness it to move towards a "sustainable future that is shared, connected, and emission free".
The summit will see over 1,200 participants expected from across the world including leaders from the government, industry, research organisations, academia, think tanks and civil society, an official statement said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
EAM Jaishankar meets Jamaican PM, gifts over 10 BHISHM Cubes
Kingston (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and discussed ways to further deepen "political, economic and people-to-people cooperation."
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Holness.
"Pleased to call on Prime Minister @AndrewHolnessJM in Kingston. Conveyed the greetings of PM @narendramodi," Jaishankar posted on X.
"Discussed deepening our political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. Value his commitment towards further strengthening India-Jamaica relations," the post further read.
Also, the external affairs minister handed over 10 BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes as a gift to Jamaica.
"Formally handed over 10 BHISHM Cubes as a gift from India to Jamaica, in the presence of PM @AndrewHolnessJM, Health Minister @christufton and FM @kaminajsmith," Jaishankar posted on X.
"The BHISHM Cube mobile hospital system, designed for rapid deployment, will help Jamaica during disasters and emergencies. The gift of these cubes is a statement of friendship, a commitment to disaster preparedness, and an outcome of innovation," the post said.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with the Indian diaspora and discussed India's ongoing transformation in infrastructure, human development and technology-driven governance and entrepreneurship with them.
He also highlighted the cricket bond between both countries as India gifted a scoreboard to Jamaica.
A scoreboard was dedicated at Sabina Park in Kingston. It is the home of the Jamaica cricket team and is the only Test cricket ground in the Caribbean island nation.
The minister expressed hope that the new scoreboard would witness many memorable innings, including those symbolising the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Cricket has long been a strong cultural bridge between India and Jamaica, which is part of the West Indies cricket team.
Jamaican players, including Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding, have played a major role in shaping the legacy of West Indies cricket in the international arena, contributing to its dominance in earlier decades and its continued global appeal.
