Srinagar, Aug 30: The comprehensive sanitation and waste management system implemented during this year’s Amarnath Yatra has received national recognition, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighting the arrangements and scientific waste management model in his “Mann Ki Baat” address.

The prime minister’s mention in the latest edition of his monthly radio address comes shortly after the conclusion of the annual yatra on August 28.

“It appreciably recognises the coordinated efforts undertaken to manage sanitation and waste across the challenging Himalayan terrain,” an official spokesperson said here.

The Directorate of Rural Sanitation, Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj in Jammu and Kashmir implemented a comprehensive sanitation and waste management framework across the Baltal and Pahalgam axes, base camps and key yatra locations, the spokesperson said.

He said the system was designed to cater to the requirements of lakhs of pilgrims while ensuring that cleanliness and environmental protection remained central to the management of the pilgrimage.

As part of the extensive sanitation arrangements, more than 8,000 sanitation facilities and supporting infrastructure were deployed across the yatra ecosystem, the spokesperson said.

These included prefabricated sanitation structures, toilets, bathing facilities and pucca bases, providing pilgrims with clean, safe and dignified sanitation facilities during the pilgrimage, he added.

The infrastructure was backed by dedicated sanitation personnel deployed across the yatra routes, camps and high-footfall areas.

Their responsibilities extended beyond routine cleaning and included the continuous upkeep of sanitation facilities, cleanliness of public spaces, prevention of litter accumulation and maintenance of hygienic conditions along the pilgrimage routes, he said.

“A robust scientific solid waste management system was simultaneously operationalised to manage the substantial quantum of waste generated during the yatra,” the spokesperson said.

“The system ensured end-to-end waste management, covering segregation at source, collection, transportation, processing and scientific disposal. Also, waste generated at base camps and along the yatra routes was systematically channelled for appropriate processing,” he said.

Under the Zero Waste to Landfill approach, a total of 414.46 metric tonnes of waste was collected and processed during the pilgrimage, he said.

The intervention assumed particular significance given the fragile ecological character of the Himalayan terrain through which the yatra passes.

Integrating sanitation infrastructure with scientific waste management helped minimise the environmental footprint of the large-scale pilgrimage while maintaining essential public health and hygiene standards, he added.

He said the prime minister’s mention of the sanitation and waste management efforts in the latest edition of his monthly radio address provides national recognition to the concerted efforts undertaken by the administration and sanitation teams to establish a sustainable framework for managing the waste and sanitation during one of the country’s major annual pilgrimages.

“With over 8,000 sanitation facilities deployed and 414.46 MT of waste collected and processed, the yatra demonstrated how infrastructure, manpower, technology and behavioural change can work together to create a cleaner and more environmentally responsible pilgrimage experience,” Director General Rural Sanitation Anoo Malhotra said.

Bishkek, Aug 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday arrived in Kyrgyzstan, where he is scheduled to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and hold a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines.

The prime minister was received at the airport by Kasymaliev Adylbek Aleshovich, chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers.

A traditional Kyrgyz dance performance was also held at the airport to welcome the prime minister.

Modi is visiting Kyrgyzstan at the invitation of President Sadyr Zhaparov to participate in the 26th SCO Summit on August 31-September 1.

The 10-member SCO is marking 25 years of the organisation.

It was founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan with India and Pakistan joining as full members in 2017, followed by Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024.

Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with SCO leaders, including with Kyrgyz President Zhaparov and Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the sidelines of the summit.

In his departure statement on Saturday, Modi said he looked forward to advancing India’s vision for the region, anchored in “security, connectivity and opportunity, and to working with fellow members for a region free from the scourge of terrorism, separatism and extremism”.

“I also look forward to meeting President Zhaparov and other SCO leaders,” he said.

He will also attend the opening ceremony of the 6th World Nomad Games.

The prime minister said this visit will strengthen India’s strategic partnerships in Central Asia, deepen its civilisational connect with the region, and advance a shared pursuit of peace, stability and prosperity.

Tashkent, Aug 30: India and Uzbekistan on Sunday decided to elevate their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and set a target of USD 5 billion in annual trade by 2030 following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The two sides inked 11 agreements for boosting engagement in several key sectors, including mining and tourism and agreed to establish a framework for long-term supply of Uranium from Uzbekistan to India in line with cooperation in the civil-nuclear energy sector.

The Modi-Mirziyoyev talks focused on expanding cooperation in areas of trade, investment, infrastructure, critical minerals, mining, defence and security, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, health, information technology, digital public infrastructure, including UPI and education.

The two sides also set a target of USD 5 billion in annual bilateral trade by 2030, Modi said in his press statement. The current volume of bilateral trade between the two nations is over USD 1 billion.

Both the leaders announced elevating the India-Uzbekistan strategic ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reflecting the growing depth and expanding scope of cooperation.

Modi and Mirziyoyev witnessed the exchange of agreements covering a wide range of areas such as mining, culture, education, tourism, ayurveda, among others.

“Uzbekistan is at the heart of Central Asia and is at the heart of India’s engagement in the region,” Modi said.

The prime minister added: “A stronger India-Uzbekistan partnership will be a powerful force for peace, progress and prosperity in Central Asia.”

Delving into the ambitious agenda of future cooperation between the two sides, Modi said India and Uzbekistan will encourage their defence industries to look at co-development and co-production of military hardware.

On trade and investment, he said issues relating to market access, banking, payment systems and connectivity will be addressed in a structured way.

“The close defence and security cooperation between our two countries reflects our deep mutual trust. In the future, we will promote direct linkages, co-production, and co-development between our defence industries,” Modi said.

“We believe that terrorism, extremism, and separatism pose serious challenges to the entire region.”

“Maintaining a policy of zero tolerance against these threats has been, and will continue to be, our shared resolve,” he added.

A Letter of Intent for the restoration and conservation of the Buddhist sites of Fayaz Tepa and Kara Tepa in Uzbekistan was also agreed upon.

These ancient Buddhist monasteries in southern Uzbekistan highlight how Buddhism spread along the Silk Road and flourished in Central Asia.

The two sides announced that a commercial pact was firmed up between NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) and Uzbekistan’s National Interbank Processing Centre JSC to enable UPI apps of India to scan national QR – UZQR for making merchant payments in the Central Asian nation.

The announcements made at the end of the talks between Modi and Mirziyoyev included a grant of USD 1 million for afforestation in the Aral Sea region.

Modi landed in Tashkent on Saturday on a two-day visit to bolster ties with Uzbekistan in a range of areas, including trade, investment, defence and clean energy.

“We are celebrating the 15th anniversary of our strategic partnership. I am delighted that, on this special occasion, we are elevating our ties to the level of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” Modi said in his opening remarks at the bilateral talks.

“We will move forward by setting concrete goals within this framework,” he said in Hindi.

The prime minister also made a mention of the “productive talks” he had with the Uzbek president over dinner last night.

“We had a productive discussion over dinner last night and took several important decisions.”

“We will establish a Coordination Council at the level of foreign ministers to provide direction to all aspects of our cooperation through close coordination,” Modi said.

The prime minister said both sides will also elevate their existing joint commission from the level of secretaries to that of ministerial level.

“Both sides will jointly organise a business summit featuring business leaders from both nations.”

“We will also establish a long-term arrangement for the supply of uranium,” he said without elaborating.

A joint statement said the prime minister and the Uzbek president agreed to explore cooperation in the fields of geology, mining, nuclear energy, industrial cooperation, and critical and strategic minerals, including projects for the processing of mineral resources, production of value- added products and recycling initiatives.

“They also expressed interest in encouraging Indian companies to participate in the development of prospective mineral deposits in Uzbekistan and Uzbek enterprises for joint collaboration in India. The leaders expressed interest in extended cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy,” it said.

The statement said Modi and Mirziyoyev agreed to expand cooperation in the field of critical minerals through the implementation of joint projects in geological exploration, mining, mineral processing, and the development of integrated value chains.

The Uzbek president said his country is determined to boost ties with India in diverse sectors.

“We are aiming to advance cooperation in sectors such as energy, culture, critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, jewellery, and agriculture. “

“We will prepare roadmaps for each of these sectors; specific teams from India will visit here, and our teams will travel to India, enabling us to clearly define our objectives in these fields,” he said.

The joint statement said the two leaders welcomed the close alignment of their positions and the growing importance of Central Asia.

Amid a complex geopolitical situation, they stressed the need for a free, open and rules-based international order. Building on their multilateral cooperation, it said.

“The leaders highly appreciated the progress achieved in regional cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening engagement within Central Asia–India format at the level of Heads of States and other levels,” it said.

New Delhi, Aug 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was today conferred with the “Oliy Darajali Do’stlik” Order (Order of Highest Friendship) by the President of Uzbekistan, H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev for his contribution to the strengthening of friendship between the two countries. This is Uzbekistan’s highest honour for foreign leaders.

Accepting the honour, Prime Minister Modi dedicated the accolade to the 1.4 billion people of India and conveyed that it is a symbol of the enduring friendship between the two countries and civilisations. He noted that the words of appreciation spoken for him by President Mirziyoyev was a tribute to the age-old friendship between India and Uzbekistan and their shared heritage. Prime Minister further added that the honour brings added responsibility for India to work together with Uzbekistan as Global South partners for the betterment of humanity.

The conferment of the “Oliy Darajali Do’stlik” Order reflects the deep-rooted civilisational ties and the steadily deepening India-Uzbekistan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

New Delhi, Aug 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday appealed to citizens to unite against drug abuse and build a stronger future for the youth, noting that addiction engulfs not just an individual but impacts the entire society.

In his monthly radio address ‘Mann Ki Baat’, he noted that the ‘Drug-Free Youth for a Developed India’ campaign is rapidly gaining momentum across the country and stressed that its objective is clear: ‘Drug-free youth, drug-free India’.

The prime minister said he was happy that this campaign has not remained merely a formality as many people, especially the youth, are becoming a part of it in large numbers.

“After all, this is our collective resolve for the health, happiness, and bright future of India’s youth. Let us all play our part in this noble mission to keep India’s youth away from drugs and free from addiction,” he said.

Modi said drug addiction does not just engulf a single individual as the entire family and society have to bear the consequences.

“I would like to commend those who raise awareness against drugs and step forward to help individuals struggling with addiction,” he said.

The Drug-Free India through the ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan’ (NMBA) is a flagship initiative of the government. The campaign seeks to prevent substance abuse through awareness generation, community participation, treatment, rehabilitation, aftercare and social reintegration.

The prime minister also highlighted the PM SVANidhi Yojana welfare scheme for street vendors, noting that lakhs of women are gaining strength from it.

Lakhs of women across the streets of cities and towns are engaged in selling vegetables or fruits, running tea stalls, while some are selling flowers, earthen lamps, and ‘pooja’ material, he noted.

“Often, a mere lack of capital prevents their businesses from growing further. But now, lakhs of such mothers and sisters are gaining new strength through the ‘PM SVANidhi Yojana’,” he said.

Modi said this aspect of ‘women empowerment’ is not discussed as much as it should be since women account for approximately 46 percent of the beneficiaries of the ‘PM SVANidhi Yojana’.

“This means that around 35 lakh women across the country are expanding their businesses by connecting with this scheme,” he asserted.

Referring to two women — one from Ghaziabad and the other from Bengaluru —who have benefitted from the ‘PM SVANidhi Yojana’, the prime minister said when a woman’s business grows, the future of her entire family advances along with it. “Children receive better education, household needs are met, and the woman’s self-confidence is strengthened. This is, indeed, a living example of ‘women’s empowerment’,” he said.

Modi said the month of August brings with it myriad hues of patriotism all around as during this time, the spirit of love for the nation intensifies in everyone’s heart.

He said the ‘National Handloom Day’, the anniversary of the ‘Quit India Movement’, the ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’ make this month special and the ‘Independence Day’ and ‘National Space Day’ fill every countryman with pride.

The prime minister said the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign further strengthens this sentiment and this year has become even more special as it marks the 150th anniversary of ‘Vande Mataram’.

He said this celebration of the tricolour was not limited to India alone; this year, through the ‘Suryapath Tiranga’ initiative, the national flag embarked on a unique journey across the globe.

“The tricolour was hoisted in Suva, Fiji, at the first light of dawn. Subsequently, it was unfurled at Indian Missions and Posts across Asia, Africa, Europe, and eventually San Francisco in America. You can imagine how magnificent those scenes must have been; as the Sun traversed across the world, the Indian tricolour was hoisted in its wake,” he said.

Referring to the ‘Mission ShaktiSAT’, Modi said today the dreams of the country’s daughters are soaring from the earth to outer space.

“And you will be proud to know that India is bringing together thousands of daughters who are nurturing such dreams, from across the globe. This initiative is named ‘Mission ShaktiSAT,” he said.

The prime minister said through it, 12,000 girl students from 108 countries are getting the opportunity to learn satellite technology and to advance in the field of innovation.

“The goal of this entire initiative is truly special: preparations are underway to send a satellite – developed entirely through the participation of female students – into lunar orbit,” he said.

In his radio address, Modi also referred to the rising demand for avocados.

Hardly anyone knew about this fruit in the past and both its value and demand were low. However, today it is frequently seen on dining tables, he said.

“It has become a preferred choice in the health and premium markets. This is also very helpful for our farmer brothers and sisters,” he said.

The prime minister said many farmers, who were earlier cultivating other crops, are now engaged in avocado farming, which is allowing them to earn additional income.

During the radio address, Modi also shared the inspirational stories of Mumbai resident Krishna Seshadri, who has started a website called www.bharatrajya.com which shares information about little-know erstwhile kingdoms of India.

He also spoke about Nagaland’s Phek district resident Vesalu Puro, who has benefitted from flower cultivation, and Odisha’s Maithili Bhue, who is now involved in forest conservation, among others.

The prime minister is currently on a state visit to Uzbekistan and the radio broadcast is usually recorded a few days in advance and played on the last Sunday of every month.

Srinagar, Aug 30: The Department of Consumer Affairs has notified the Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026 on 27 August 2026. The Rules will come into force 180 days from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

The Rules provide for Indian Standard Time (IST) as the common time reference across the country for legal, administrative, commercial and other official purposes. The 180-day period will allow Government departments, businesses, institutions and other organisations to make the required changes to their systems before the Rules come into force.

The need for a common time reference has increased with the growing use of digital and technology-based systems. Banking and digital payments, telecommunications, railways, power systems, computer networks and government records depend on accurate time and time stamps. Differences between time sources can affect the coordination and recording of such activities. The Rules are aimed at ensuring that important systems across the country use accurate and consistent Indian Standard Time.

The common time reference will support: Accurate time-stamping of banking and digital payment transactions; coordination of railways, airports and other transport systems; reliable operation of telecommunication and internet networks; accurate time-keeping in power systems; maintenance of government and legal records; and coordination of emergency and other time-sensitive services.

Use of Indian Timing Sources

The Government is developing infrastructure to disseminate accurate Indian Standard Time across the country through Indian institutions and Legal Metrology laboratories. The Rules also provide for the use of NavIC, India’s satellite navigation system, and other approved Indian timing sources for reliable and secure time dissemination.

At present, several systems use foreign satellite-based time sources. The development of an Indian time dissemination infrastructure will provide additional options for critical systems and reduce dependence on external time sources.

White Rabbit Technology Demonstration

As part of the ‘One Nation, One Time’ initiative, a White Rabbit Technology-based Indian Standard Time Dissemination Demonstration Network was commissioned at the Regional Reference Standard Laboratory (RRSL), Bengaluru, in July 2026.

The system has demonstrated the dissemination of Indian Standard Time for sectors including banking, telecommunications, power, transportation and digital governance. The Department has also demonstrated secure dissemination of IST between RRSL Bengaluru and NSE Chennai, in collaboration with CSIR-NPL, ISRO, SEBI, NSE, BSNL and other stakeholders.

The 180-day period before commencement of the Rules will provide stakeholders time to review their existing systems, undertake necessary technical changes and prepare for implementation.The Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026 will provide a common Indian Standard Time reference for time-dependent systems and official purposes across the country.