To accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage and to put focus on sanitation, the Prime Minister of India launched the Swachh Bharat Mission on 2nd October, 2014.The Mission Coordinator was given to the Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) with two Sub-Missions, the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) and the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban),which aims to achieve Swachh Bharat by 2019, as a fitting tribute to the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, which in rural areas shall mean improving the levels of cleanliness in rural areas through Solid and Liquid Waste Management activities and making Gram Panchayats Open Defecation Free (ODF), clean and sanitized. It is India's biggest ever cleanliness drive and 3 million government employees and school and college students of India participated in this event. The core objectives of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) are to bring about an improvement in the general quality of life in the rural areas, by promoting cleanliness, hygiene and eliminating open defecation and to accelerate sanitation coverage in rural areas to achieve the vision of Swachh Bharat by 2ndOctober 2019. A massive community mobilization for Plastic Waste Shramdan and banning of Single Use Plastics was organized under Swachhata Hi Sewa program in 2019 through large scale for cleaning of public and tourist places, markets, statues, hospitals and bus stands.

Fisheries conflicts are among the persistent problems affecting the security of food, livelihoods and fishing environments crucial to poor fishing communities in developing states in India. Most conflicts arise from excessive fishing efforts due to increasing population and economic motivations. Conflicts are not all undesirable as some disputes become a catalyst for much needed reforms for policy and economic improvements. However, a framework for analyzing conflicts in fisheries is necessary to organize interventions relevant to the nature of conflicts, and the needs and capacities of fisheries stakeholders in the region. Thematic policy recommendations for managing fishing capacity and related conflicts in small-scale fisheries in the region are identified for further consideration by fisheries stakeholders.

As the World focusses itself to celebrate year 2023 as the International Year of Millets, let us set our goals straight to promote their consumption and production. Type A or value addition, as secondary agriculture activity in pearl millet is the key to enhance the shelf life of the commodity and bring 'taste bhi, health bhi' value proposition to the consumer table. Pearl Millet's popularity is more in rural India, while urban India still needs to accept it as a great source of nutrition. There is huge scope and unharnessed potential for millets in general and pearl millet in particular. Innovations through Research and Development to develop new varieties and value-added products will promote their wider acceptance among consumer group of different age and income groups. Alongside, awareness campaigns in different forms will help promoting consumption. Remunerative prices to the farmers and a robust inclusion of Millets in the Public Distribution System could be another way to enhance Millet based Food Systems.