India's G20 Presidency
4-Jun-2023: G20 India Presidency: 3rd HWG Meeting
“The threat of pandemics is far from over. The need is to integrate and strengthen One Health-based surveillance systems.” This was stated by Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare during her address to the 3rd Health Working Group meeting under G20 India Presidency, here today. Shri G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Tourism, Prof SP Singh Baghel, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog were also present on the occasion.
Underlining the importance of global collaboration and partnerships, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar said that “the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted that partnerships are most fruitful only when developed during peacetime and not amidst an ongoing pandemic; and that we need to focus on creating resilient health systems, with primary health as its cornerstone.” She further stated that “partnership we share as G20 members is vital and facilitates in building trust, sharing knowledge, creating networks and working together to achieve meaningful impact and results.”
Stock limits
2-Jun-2023: Centre imposes stock limits on Tur and Urad dal applicable to wholesalers, retailers, big chain retailers, millers and importers in order to prevent hoarding and speculation
In order to prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation and also to improve affordability to the consumers in respect of tur dal and urad dal, the Government of India has issued an order where it has imposed stock limits on the pulses applicable to wholesalers, retailers, big chain retailers, millers and importers. The Removal of Licensing Requirements, Stock Limits and Movement Restrictions on Specified Foodstuffs (Amendment) Order, 2023 has been issued with immediate effect from today i.e. 2nd June 2023.
Under this order, stock limits have been prescribed for tur and urad until 31st October 2023 for all States and Union Territories. Stock limits applicable to each of the pulse individually will be 200 MT for wholesalers; 5 MT for retailers; 5 MT at each retail outlet and 200 MT at depot for big chain retailers; last 3 months of production or 25% of annual installed capacity, whichever is higher, for the millers. In respect of importers, the importers are not to hold imported stock beyond 30 days from the date of Customs clearance. The respective legal entities are to declare the stock position on the portal (https://fcainfoweb.nic.in/psp) of Department of Consumer Affairs and in case the stocks held by them are higher than the prescribed limits then, they shall bring the same to the prescribed stock limits within 30 days of issue of the notification.
The imposition of stock limits on tur and urad is another step in the consistent efforts taken by the Government to crackdown on prices of essential commodities. The Department of Consumer Affairs had been closely monitoring the stock position of tur and urad through stock disclosure portal which has been reviewed on weekly basis with the State Government. Extensive interactions with various stakeholders such as importers, millers, retailers had been held to ensure disclosure of stocks, including visits by senior officers to the states of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu to assess the ground situation.
National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC)
1-Jun-2023: NHPC and VUCL, Nepal sign MoU for development of Phukot Karnali Hydro Electric Project (480MW) in Nepal
NHPC Limited (A Govt. of India Enterprise) and Vidhyut Utpadan Company Limited (VUCL), Nepal signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) in New Delhi today for development of Phukot Karnali Hydro Electric Project (480MW) in Nepal. The MoU was signed in the presence of Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Nepal Shri Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.
NHPC Limited, a Schedule ‘A’ Enterprise of the Government of India with ‘MINI RATNA’ status, is a premier PSU in India for development of hydropower and Vidhyut Utpadan Company Limited (VUCL), Nepal is responsible to develop, build, own and operate large-scale hydropower projects in public-private partnership model in Nepal.