HIMACHAL PRADESH
Him Ira shops to be opened for SHGs
As many as 24,500 self-help groups (SHGs) formed under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) have been selling their products under ‘’Him Ira’’ brand and the logo of the Himachal Pradesh State Rural Livelihoods Mission registered in 2019-20.
The main objective of setting up Him Ira shops and a weekly market was to provide a platform to women SHGs to sell their products.
It has been targeted to set up 100 shops in different parts of the state. So far, Him Ira shops have been established in 46 locations.
These SHGs had launched a new initiative to prepare hygienic food for employees of various departments, offices and canteens located in educational institutions and government offices.
In the first phase, the Department of Technical Education has agreed to provide space to SHGs to set up Him Ira kitchens in its 14 educational institutions. The first such canteen has been established at Arki-ITI, Solan district. Similarly, “Him Ira Annapurna Meals on Wheels,” has also been started.
INTERNATIONAL
World Book and Copyright Day is Designated on 23rd April
Each and Every year on April 23, UNESCO celebrates World Book and Copyright Day. This year, to celebrate World Book and Copyright Day, UNESCO launched the “Bookface Challenge”.
In the year 1995 is the first World Book and Copyright Day was observed. On this day, UNESCO awarded children and youth literature prizes. In addition, this day will also enhance the understanding of copyright law and other measures to protect intellectual property rights.
UNESCO decided to celebrate World Book and Copyright Day on April 23 because it is the birthday anniversary of William Shakespeare, Miguel Cervantes and Inca Galaciso de la Vega.
Every year, UNESCO and other international organizations choose the “Book Capital of the World” as the capital of the year. This year, Tbilisi, Georgia, was selected as the Book Capital of the World.
English Language Day is on 23rd April
English Day is celebrated on April 23 every year, which is the anniversary of the United Nations.
This day coincides with William Shakespeare’s birthday and death day and World Book Day. English is one of the most popular languages in the globe. This day will look forward to language-related development, history, culture and achievements.
English is the most widely used language or “world language”. Therefore, it is called the modern lingua franca. In addition to French, English is also the working language of the United Nations (UN). English Day is the result of the 2010 initiative of the Department of Global Communications. It establishes language days for each of the six official languages of the organization.
NATIONAL
Cabinet Approves India-Bangladesh Cooperation in Trade
The Union Cabinet approved the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Director General of Trade Remedies of India and Trade and Tariff Commission of Bangladesh. The agreement was once signed to expand the cooperation in the region of exchange remedies.
The agreement objectives to promote trade of information, alternate treatments and other things to do in accordance with the provisions of World Trade Organisation.
The settlement generally centered on countervailing, anti-dumping and protect measures in bilateral alternate between India and Bangladesh.
The Countervailing Duties, also known as CVDs are import tariffs. They are imposed to nullify the unfavourable results of subsidies. CVDs are additionally called anti-subsidy duties.
Suppose a country finds out that a foreign country is subsidising its imports. This will purpose damage to home suppliers. Thus, the domestic country can impose responsibilities on such goods to shield its home suppliers. These obligations are imposed solely beneath World Trade Organisation rules.
The countervailing obligations are imposed on subsidised products on exporting country. On the other hand, anti-dumping obligations are imposed on imports that are of low price.
Urea Produced Through Coal Gasification Subsidy Policy
The Cabinet has approved an exclusive subsidy policy for Talcher Fertilizers Limited (TFL) to produce urea through coal gasification. Urea is a widely used fertilizer in India.
Capacity and location: TFL is building a urea plant with an annual output of 1.27 million tons based on coal gasification technology in Odisha State, with an estimated investment of Rs. 13,277 million.
This will be the only plant that produces nitrogenous soil nutrients (urea) through coal gasification.
Coal gasification is the method of converting coal into synthesis gas, which is a mixture of hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2).
FOSS4GOV Innovation Challenge to Accelerate Adoption of FOSS
MeitY publicizes #FOSS4GOV Innovation Challenge to accelerate the adoption of Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) in the Indian Government.
India is nicely placed to come to be a vivid hub for Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) innovations, due to the giant quantity of 4G information subscribers in India, 96% of whom get admission to the digital world by way of open-source primarily based cell operating structures (primarily Android). Some of India’s largest government tasks (including Aadhaar) and many science start-ups have additionally been constructed with the usage of FOSS. Acknowledging the practicable of FOSS, a Policy issued on Adoption of Open-Source Software by the Indian government in 2015.