The ‘first ever’ India Tourism Mart (ITM) will be organised by Tourism Ministry in partnership with the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) and with the support of State /UT Governments.
The objective of the event is to create an annual Global Tourism Mart for India in line with major international travel marts being held in countries across the world.
It will provide a platform for all stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industries to interact and transact business opportunities.
It will include pavilion for States & Union Territories to showcase their unique tourism destinations and products.
Institutions of Eminence
The Government has shortlisted Six Institutions of Eminence (IoEs) including 3 from Public Sector and 3 from Private Sector.
Public Sector - Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, IIT Bombay and IIT, Delhi.
Private Sector - Jio Institute (Reliance Foundation), Pune, Birla Institute of Technology & Sciences, Pilani, Rajasthan; and Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka.
These institutes were selected based on the recommendations of Empowered committee set up for this purpose.
These institutions will get financial assistance up to Rs. 1000 Crore over the period of five years under this scheme.
Other Benefits - These Institutions shall be provided with greater autonomy
to admit foreign students up to 30% of admitted students;
to recruit foreign faculty upto 25% of faculty strength;
to offer online courses upto 20% of its programmes;
to enter into academic collaboration with top 500 in the world ranking Institutions without permission of UGC;
free to fix and charge fees from foreign students without restriction;
flexibility of course structure in terms of number of credit hours and years to take a degree;
complete flexibility in fixing of curriculum and syllabus, among others.
These institutions are expected to make into top 500 world rankings in a decade.
India Smart Cities Fellowship Program
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) will engage 30 young graduates/post graduates and PhDs from the selected fields as Smart Cities Fellows.
The fields are Urban Planning, Urban Design, Engineering, Information and Technology, Urban Mobility, Finance, Social Sector, and Environmental issues.
They engage with office of mission director, Smart Cities and CEOs of selected Smart Cities for the period of 1-year extendable upto 3 years.
It is designed to provide valuable experience to the youth interested in smart cities specifically, and urban renewal sector in general.
India Smart Cities Internship (ISCI) Program
MoHUA will engage students pursuing Under Graduate/Graduate/Post Graduate degree as Interns to help implementation of Smart City Projects in various States/Cities.
The internship will be on unpaid basis for a period of 6 to 12 weeks.
It is designed to give them exposure in the areas of development under Smart cities Mission.
The areas include Urban Planning, Urban Design, Engineering, Information and Technology, Urban Mobility, Finance, Social Sector, and Environmental issues.
They will be given an Experience Certificate at the end successful completion of the program.
National Green Tribunal
Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel recently assumed charge as chairperson of the NGT.
Justice Goel, who retired as a Supreme Court judge on July 6, has been appointed for five years.
He is the third chairperson of the NGT since its inception in 2010.
NGT was established in 2010 under NGT Act with its principal bench in Delhi.
Its objective is to provide an effective and speedy disposal of cases pertaining to environment protection, conservation of forests and for seeking compensation for damages caused to people or property due to violation of environmental laws.
The NGT has the power to hear all civil cases relating to environmental issues that are linked to the following laws -
The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974;
The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980;
The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981;
The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986;
The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991;
The Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
There is a bar on civil court to take cases under these listed laws in Schedule 1 of NGT act.
The NGT has not been vested with powers to hear any matter relating to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and various laws enacted by States relating to forests, tree preservation etc.
The NGT is not bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by principles of natural justice.
Asian Development Bank
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved $503-million for lining project of the Son canal in Shahabad-Bhojpur region of Bihar.
The project would benefit the agriculture sector immensely in the region.
ADB now has 67 members of which 48 from within Asia and Pacific while remaining 19 from outside.
It is headquartered at Manila, Philippines.
The bank admits the members of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and non-regional developed countries.
ADB assists its members, and partners, by providing loans, technical assistance, grants, and equity investments to promote social and economic development.
Other Projects implemented by ADB - East coast economic corridor, solar rooftop investment program, Mechi river bridge project in Indo-Nepal border, TAPI gas pipeline, South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Program, supporting fiscal reforms in West Bengal State.
World's largest mobile manufacturing plant
South Korea in partnership with India recently inaugurated Samsung’s mobile manufacturing plant, touted as the biggest in the world, in Noida.
It will almost double its manufacturing capacity to 120 million by 2020 from 68 million now.
