South Asia Economic Summit
- South Asia Economic Summit (SAES) was started in 2008. It is a regional platform for discussing and analyzing economic and development issues and challenges faced by South Asian countries and advancing the cause of regional integration and cooperation.
- Envisaged as a Davos-like event in South Asia, the SAES brings together stakeholders from the government, private sector, research/academic community and civil society to generate innovative and actionable ideas for consideration by the region’s policymakers and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
- The whole process is led by a group of five eminent think tanks that take turns to organize the annual event in one of the SAARC countries.
- The think tanks are Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Bangladesh; Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), India; South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), Nepal; Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Pakistan and Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS), Sri Lanka.
The 10th South Asia Economic Summit (SAES) will begin at Kathmandu
- The theme of three day summit is “Deepening Economic Integration for Inclusive and Sustainable Development in South Asia”.
- The summit is being organised by National Planning Commission and Ministry of Commerce of Nepal and South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment, Nepal.
Steel Pavilion
- The Union Minister of Steel Shri Chaudhary Birender Singh inaugurated Ministry of Steel’s Pavilion at India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2017
- Shri Chaudhary Birender Singh announced and inaugurated a new initiative of Ministry of Steel – the #myLOVESTEELidea challenge.
- This contest is aimed at encouraging Start-Up India, Stand-Up India by inviting fresh business ideas based on steel, and offering one-time financial support to help translate the idea into reality.
- Start-up India: Stand-Up India is one of the core economic development initiatives of the government, and also the theme of IITF 2017, which aims at promoting entrepreneurship and business in various sectors.
Hunar Haat inaugurated in IITF 2017
- “Hunar Haat”, a spectacular platform of Ministry of Minority Affairs where exquisite pieces of Handicraft & Handloom prepared by inmates of Tihar Jail and master artisans from across the country are displayed, was inaugurated at India International Trade Fair at Pragati Maidan
what is humat haat
- Ministry of Minority Affairs is organising “Hunar Haat” under “USTTAD” scheme at different parts of the country and “Hunar Haat” have become a successful mission to provide employment and employment opportunities and national as well international markets for thousands of master artisans, craftsmen and culinary experts.
’USTTAD’’ (Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development) scheme
- The ‘’USTTAD’’ scheme is for all areas of the country from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat
Objectives
- To build capacityof master craftsmen/artisans and training of young generation through the master craftsmen/ artisans for traditionalarts/crafts.
- Set up standards of identified arts/ crafts and their documentation.
- To establishlinkagesof traditionalskills with the global market.
- To improve employability of existing workers, school dropouts etc.
- To generate means of better livelihood for marginalized minorities and bring them in the mainstream.
- To enable minorities to avail opportunities in the growing market.
- To ensure dignity of labour.
- Design development and Research in traditional arts/crafts.
Pre-ponement of introduction of BS -VI grade auto fuels in NCT Delhi
- The Government of India has been making concerted efforts in line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s Commitment at COP 21, to reduce vehicular emissions and improve fuel efficiency with an aim to reduce the carbon footprints and keep a healthy environment. India has followed the regulatory pathway for fuel quality and vehicle emissions standards termed as Bharat Stage (BS).
what is being done?
- The Ministry of Petroleum and natural Gas has successfully introduced the BS-IV grade transportation fuels across the country w.e.f April 1st 2017.
- With the launch of BS-IV grade fuel, a new era of clean transportation fuels has begun which will benefit all citizens of our country by substantially reducing pollution levels.
- Migration to BS-IV grade fuels shows India’s resolve to cut down emissions.
why was the decison taken?
- Taking into account the serious pollution levels in Delhi and adjoining areas, Petroleum Ministry in consultation with Public Oil Marketing Companies has decided for preponement of BS-VI grade auto fuels in NCT of Delhi w.e.f 01.04.2018 instead of 01.04.2020.
Bharat stage emission standards
- They are emission standards instituted by the Government of India to normalize the productivity of air pollutants from internal combustion engine equipment.
- The standards and the timeline for implementation are set by the Central Pollution Control Board under the Ministry of Environment & Forests and Climate Change. Bharat Stage norms are based on European regulations.
History of Emission Norms in India
- According to a report of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the first emission norms were introduced in India in 1991 for petrol and 1992 for diesel vehicles. Each stage specifies a certain limit on the pollutants released, which is controlled by the type of fuel made by the oil companies and the upgradations and modifications made by the auto firms to their vehicles to control the pollutants released from the vehicle.
- In the year 2000, passenger cars and commercial vehicles met Euro I equivalent India 2000 norms.
- The first Auto Fuel Policy was announced in August 2002 which layed down the Emission and Fuel Roadmap upto 2010.
- Four-wheeled vehicles moved to Bharat Stage III emission norms in 13 metro cities from April 2005 and rest of the country moved to Bharat Stage II norms.
- Bharat Stage IV for 13 Metro cities was implemented from April 2010 onwards and the rest of the country moved to Bharat Stage III. Bharat stage IV norms were extended to additional 20 cities from October 2014 onwards.
PM bows to Bhagwan Birsa Munda on his Jayanti
- Birsa Munda, also known as Bhagwan Birsa, was born on November 15, 1875 in Ulihatu region of Jharkhand. Munda played an important role in achieving independence for tribal people who were dominated by the British and their exploitative policies.
- Popularly known as ‘Dharti Abba’ or the Earth Father, Birsa went on to become a folk hero inspiring other Adivasis in their struggle for forest rights in modern times
- Bisra in his early twenties, started a movement called ‘Ulgulan’, or ‘The Great Tumult’
- He fought for the tribals’ natural right over forests and land that the British acquired from them. He was captured by British authorities and died in prison at a young age of 25.
How did he help?
- He travelled from village to village in the entire Chotanagpur region (present day Jharkhand and parts of Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar and Chhattisgarh) organising the Adivasis against the land settlement system imposed by the British, the Scroll report states.
- Birsa also worked for upliftment of his community.
- he helped the community uproot superstition, stop animal sacrifice and avoid alcoholism He demanded tribal farmers to boycott ‘beth begari system’ (forced labour).
- Birsa had in his short life raised a tribal guerrilla army to fight the British, achieving cult status in India. The country, after Independence, honoured him by hanging his portrait in Parliament’s central hall. He is the only tribal leader to have been so honoured
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