NATIONAL AFFAIRS:-
Indian Embassy to host business event to promote India-Oman trade
News:- In association with the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), the Indian Embassy in Muscat, is organising a trade and investment promotion event.
Date:- March 30 from 9 am.
Highlights:- The focus of the event will be on healthcare, food industry, information technology, mining and minerals and the construction and infrastructure sectors.
The business-to-business (B2B) meeting will be held at the Hotel Crowne Plaza, Muscat on March 30. Omani enterprises dealing in the above mentioned sectors have been invited to attend the B2B meeting with Indian companies.
The purpose is to provide Indian companies from these sectors a platform to explore opportunities for exports, business tie-ups, investments and project work in Oman.
Sixty Indian companies have already indicated their presence. For further information and details they should contact [email protected] or call at 00968-24684326.
The Embassy will also host a briefing seminar for Indian enterprises at the Embassy’s auditorium to make them aware of the opportunities in Oman for exports, project work and investments. Omani corporates active in the above sectors will make presentations to representatives of the participating Indian companies.
India and Oman, maritime neighbours, enjoy excellent political relations. Under their strategic partnership, cooperation and exchanges between the two countries have been expanding. Bilateral trade, which grew to US$5.77 billion during the 2013 to 2014 period, has since been declining in value. It had amounted to U.S.$4.18 billion during the 2014 to 2015 period.
Participants:- Apex Chambers in India, such as the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Federation of Indian Export Organisation (FIEO), the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) and the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) will be organising delegations of Indian companies to showcase their products and services in the afore-mentioned sectors for Omani business enterprises.
Outcome:- Mutual investment between Oman and India is estimated at US$7.5 billion. As per the information made available by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of Oman, there are over 2,900 Indian enterprises in Oman with an estimated investment of US$4.5 billion. Omani investments in India are pegged at US$3 billion.
There is a huge potential for collaboration between India and Oman in the healthcare, IT, food processing, construction and infrastructure and mineral and mining sectors.
Centre notifies new bio-medical waste management rules
News:- Days after notifying new rules to manage plastic and e-waste, the government notified new bio-medical waste management rules, bringing in its ambit vaccination camps, blood donation camps, surgical camps or any other health-care activity which generates hazardous medical waste.
Announced on:- 27th March
Bar-code system:- The rules also make provisions for phasing out the use of chlorinated plastic bags, gloves and blood bags within two years and establishing a ‘Bar-Code System’ for bags or containers containing bio-medical waste for disposal.
The bar-coding system will help the government agencies in proper monitoring of movement of waste containers from generating points to treatment facilities.
It also prescribe more stringent standards for incinerator to reduce the emission of pollutants in environment.
Announced by:- Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar while releasing the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016.
Capacity:-
- The bio-medical waste comprises of human and animal anatomical waste, treatment apparatus like needles, syringes and other materials used in health care facilities in the process of treatment and research.
- Waste is generated during diagnosis, treatment or immunisation in hospitals, nursing homes, pathological laboratories and blood banks. At present, 484 tonnes per day (TPD) of bio-medical waste is generated from 1,68,869 health-care facilities (HCFs) in the country. Total 447 TPD out of 484 TPD of such waste is treated.
- There are 198 common bio-medical waste treatment facilities (CBMWF) in operation and 28 are under construction in different parts of the country. Scientific disposal of biomedical waste through segregation, collection and treatment in an environmentally sound manner is required to minimise the adverse impact on health workers and on the environment.
- The hospitals are required to put in place the mechanisms for effective disposal either directly or through common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facilities. The hospitals, servicing 1000 patients or more per month, are required to obtain authorisation and segregate bio-medical waste and send it for treatment.
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Under the new rules, state governments will have to provide land for setting up common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facility. It also has provision to impart training to all its health-care workers and immunise them regularly.
Haryana cabinet approves Jat reservation bill
News:- The Haryana Cabinet approved the Jat reservation bill to provide reservation to Jats and four other castes in government jobs and educational institutions. However, a formal announcement in this connection will be made by chief minister Manohar Lal in the state assembly.
Date:- 28th March
Chaired by:- The chief minister on Monday morning.
Highlights:- Sources claimed that the cabinet has decided to give reservation to Jats under a newly created category for backward classes (BC-3). There are already 27% reservation in government jobs for backward classes in two categories; BC-1 and BC-2.
The BJP-led state government had said it will bring the bill to give reservation to Jats and four other castes — Jat Sikhs, Bishnois, Tyagis and Rors in the ongoing Budget Session which is scheduled to end on March 31.
The community has been demanding reservation in the existing backward classes (BC) category. The Backward Classes quota is bifurcated in two categories — BC-A and BC-B having 16 and 11% reservation respectively.Some Jat leaders said they had lost hopes for the reservation after the incidents of violence during the agitation, but their repeated meetings with the chief minister, cabinet ministers and senior officers revived their hopes for the bill.
In a meeting on March 19, the chief minister and agriculture minister OP Dhankar met khap leaders and assured them to bring the Jat reservation Bill during the Budget session.
A committee headed by chief secretary DS Dhesi to review the Jat reservation had earlier submitted its report to the state government.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS:-
China launches first cyber security organisation: Report
News:- China has launched its first cyber security public organisation aimed at better safeguarding national cybersecurity and guiding internet companies in perform their duties.
Announced on:- 26th March, 2016
Organization name:- The CyberSecurity Association of China,
Launched in:- Beijing
Launched on:- 25th March
Components:- Academic institutes, individuals and internet companies including Tencent and popular internet security company Qihu 360.
Reported by:- Global Times.
Aim:- The organization will focus on promoting self-discipline in the industry, accelerating the establishment of industry standards and cyber security studies and participating in international cooperation.
Note:- During the launch, Wang Xiujun, deputy director of the China Administration of Cyberspace, the country’s internet regulator, said that she hoped the association could emphasize on safeguarding the country’s internet security and building up China as an internet power, while attracting more cutting-edge cybersecurity enterprises and talent to enhance the industry’s authority. In February, China launched its first special fund for cybersecurity with an initial capital of 300 million yuan ($46 million) to realise the nation’s strategic goal of becoming a strong internet power.
Over 60 dead in a suicide blast outside park in Pakistan’s Lahore
News:- Over 60 people, including women and children, enjoying Easter holiday at a popular park, were on killed and more than 200 others injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore, the capital of Punjab province.
Date:- 27th March
Announced by:- Deputy Inspector General Lahore Police Haider Asharaf said. He said about 8-10 kilogrammes of explosive might have been used in the blast.
Causulties:- A large number of people including Christians were present in the Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park in Iqbal Town area when the powerful blast occurred, leaving many in a pool of blood.
Punjab minister Bilal Yasin said over 200 people have been injured in the blast.
Location:- The park is located in a posh-locality in Lahore — a comparatively peaceful city in an otherwise violence-wracked Pakistan which is also the hometown of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Initiatives taken:- The army has joined rescue officials to shift the injured to hospitals. An emergency has been declared in city hospitals and appeals have been made to people to donate blood.
Eyewitnesses said there were scattered body parts all around the park, where a large number of families, especially women and children, were present on a Sunday evening. The crowd was “unusually large” because of Easter. Punjab government has announced a three-day mourning in the province. Several leaders, including Prime Minister Sharif and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan, have condemned the blast.
Christians leaders also strongly condemned the attack.
Rockets fired at Afghanistan parliament
News:- Militants fired four rockets at the Afghan parliament with one impacting the new building that was built with India’s assistance.
Date:- 28th March
The incident:-The incident took place when senior security officials were on their way to the building to brief lawmakers on the current situation in the country, Khaama Press reported.
Four rockets were fired on the parliament building. One of the rockets impacted the building, two others landed in surrounding areas while one of them landed in an army base nearby, eyewitnesses were quoted as saying.
A lawmaker said the MPs and other people in the building were safe.
Today’s attack came just over three months after the new Parliament building, built with India’s assistance, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The swanky new building was built by India at a cost of USD 90 million.
The Parliament building project was started by India in 2007 as a mark of friendship and cooperation to help rebuild Afghanistan.
Today’s incident also comes days after a heavy blast rocked Kabul after a bike packed with explosives was detonated.
SPORTS AFFAIRS:-
Zaheer Khan named Delhi Daredevils captain
News:- Former India pace spearhead Zaheer Khan was appointed captain of Delhi Daredevils for the upcoming ninth edition of Indian Premier League.
Date:- 28th March
AWARDS & HONOURS:-
63rd National Film Awards: List of winners
News:- The 63rd National Film Awards winners have just been announced.
Best Film: Baahubali – The Beginning
Best Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali for ‘Bajirao Mastani’
Best Actor: Amitabh Bachchan for ‘Piku’
Best Actress: Kangana Ranaut for ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’
Source: Jobsnews