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• Global Twitter Press Conference on Innovation (Free Available)
• India and ASEAN to Explore Areas of Cooperation in New and Renewable Energy (Free Available)
• Indo-Asean Cooperation to Reduce Dependence on FOSSIL Fuels (Only For Premium Members)
• Aadhaar based Direct Cash Transfers - Rollout to begin from 1 January 2013 in 51 districts, Half the country to be covered by 1.4.2013 (Only For Premium Members)

Global Twitter Press Conference on Innovation:

Mr. Sam Pitroda, Adviser to the Indian Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations and Chairman, National Innovation Council will host the first global press conference on Twitter to discuss ‘Global Innovation Roundtable’. The Global Twitter Press Conference will be conducted on 2nd November, the concluding day of the Global Innovation Roundtable hosted by the National Innovation Council, Government of India.

The National Innovation Council is organizing the Second Global Innovation Roundtable on the 1st and 2nd November 2012 in New Delhi, India. The Roundtable will see participation of leaders of Innovation from more than 15 countries, participating in 10 sessions spread over two days. The roundtable will offer a forum for sharing ideas and experiences among all the participating countries to identify mechanisms to collaborate on inclusive innovation that meets global needs of inclusion, access and equity. The Global Innovation Roundtable will be webcasted live over two days at http://wstech.wstream.net/innovation/121101/. The National Innovation Council, Government of India, hosted the first Global Innovation Roundtable in November 2011 in New Delhi, India.

The National Innovation Council (www.innovationcouncil.gov.in) was set up by the Prime Minister of India, Dr.Manmohan Singh, in 2010. The Council helps implement strategies for Inclusive Innovation in India and is preparing a Roadmap for Innovation for 2010-2020. The Council will present its second annual ‘Report to the People’ 2012 to the Hon’ble President of India on 2nd November 2012.

The Twitter press conference will talk about the deliberations and outcomes of the Global Innovation Roundtable and will take up questions from Indian and international media. Mr. Sam Pitroda will host the conference from his Twitter handle @pitrodasam and will invite other Global Innovation Roundtable participants to join in. The Twitter Press Conference will start at 19:00 hours Indian Standard Time (13:30 hours GMT) and is scheduled for 1.5 hours. The hash tag for the conference will be #innovation. The website of the Global Innovation Roundtable http://globalinnovationroundtable.gov.in/media.html will provide all details of the Global Press Conference.

India and ASEAN to Explore Areas of Cooperation in New and Renewable Energy

The Government of India is hosting a meeting of the Ministers of Renewable Energy of ASEAN countries and India in New Delhi on 7th November 2012. In the meeting, the Ministers in-charge of Renewable Energy of ASEAN member countries and India would deliberate upon and discuss policy and regulatory framework for promotion of renewable energy in ASEAN member countries and INDIA. Financing of renewable energy, cooperation in research and development, technology transfer and resource assessment would be specific issues that would engage their attention.

Prior to the Ministerial level meeting, a two-day workshop on renewable energy of experts and policy planners from ASEAN countries and India is being organized by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Global Innovation Technology Alliance (GITA) and is scheduled in New Delhi on 5-6 November 2012. The workshop aims at sharing of experience among participating countries on the development and deployment of renewable energy, and also identifies institutions for establishing long term cooperation between institutions in India and ASEAN countries. The workshop would also discuss technological strengths and manufacturing base of the participating countries in order to forge useful partnership. The workshop would have the benefit of discussing possible topics/projects for industrial R&D to be considered under ASEAN-India S&T Development Fund (AISTDF) which is jointly created by DST and Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India and managed by “Global Innovation and Technology Alliance” (GITA)-A Section 25 Company.

Discussion on Global Technology trends in Renewable Energy Technologies, Renewable Energy Technologies and manufacturing base in ASEAN countries and India, development and deployment of renewable energy, identification of areas of co-operation in R&D and technology transfer, identification of institutions for establishing long term cooperation, Focus on cooperation in resource assessment of renewable energy sources, identification of industrial R & D projects for support under ASEAN-India S&T Development Fund are the major objectives of the Workshop.

About 250 participants including Policy makers and senior officials responsible for renewable energy activities in ASEAN member countries, Technology and Industry experts, from the participating ASEAN countries are expected to participate. The eminent speakers from Government, Industry and Experts will share their knowledge and expertise through presentations, panel discussions and case studies. Experts from GITA and International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Abu Dhabi would make presentations on their activities.

The two day Workshop will include a Technical Session covering the following themes

• Trends in Renewable Energy Technologies: Wind Power, Solar, Biomass.
• Assessment of Potential and identification of potential locations.
• Possible areas of cooperation in R&D and Technology Transfer.
• Identification of industrial R&D projects for support under ASEAN-India S& T Development Fund.
• Future Areas of cooperation in Renewable Energy.

The Programme will be inaugurated by Shri Gireesh B.Pradhan, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The resolution for cooperation in Renewable Energy among the ASEAN countries will be adopted in the Ministerial Meeting on 7th November, 2012.

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