President of India has recently launched Udyam Sangam to mark UN SME (Small and Medium sized Enterprises) Day.
In April 2017, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 27 would be World SME day.
The inaugural event was celebrated last year, including in Melbourne.
The day was designed to highlight and celebrate the significant contribution SMEs make to the global economy and to the UN’s global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Sampark Portal
The portal was recently unveiled by the President of India.
It is under the Ministry of MSME.
The portal will act as a bridge between the talent pool and those enterprises seeking trained man power.
Solar Charakha Mission
The mission was recently launched by the President of India.
The mission is under the Ministry of MSME.
It is technology revolution scheme in the cotton industry, under which Charkas (Spinning wheel for making Khadi) are operated using solar energy.
Charkhas spun by hand have a limit on production.
Thus developing wheels with more spindles that can run on solar power will increase the production.
It will cover 50 clusters and every cluster will employ 400 to 2000 artisans.
Government of India will disburse subsidy of Rs. 550 crore to the artisans.
The aim is to grow khadi sales from Rs. 26,000 crores to 1 lakh crores.
India and Seychelles
India has recently gifted a Dornier maritime patrol aircraft to Seychelles.
It will enhance the surveillance capabilities of the island nation.
The aircraft was built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
It can be used for multiple purposes like EEZ monitoring, maritime surveillance, pollution monitoring and control, search and rescue and commuter services.
It is equipped with a 360 degree surveillance radar, satellite communication, traffic collision and avoidance system, enhanced ground proximity warning system and other sensor as requested by the operator.
India has also announced a $100 million line of credit under which Seychelles can purchase military hardware from India.
However, there was no clarity on the nature of the cooperation over the development of Assumption island.
Global Solar Bank
International Solar Alliance (ISA) plans to setup global solar bank to finance $150 billion of power projects.
ISA will approach multilateral development banks (MDBs) to create a special purpose vehicle (SPV).
This SPV would become a Global Solar Bank.
8 MDB’s will be rolled in with which ISA has signed joint declarations.
They are World Bank, African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, AIIB, New Development Bank, European Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
Oxytocin Ban
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has restricted the manufacture of Oxytocin formulations for domestic use to public sector only from 1st July 2018.
It has also banned the import of Oxytocin and its formulations.
From 1st July 2018, no private manufacturer will be allowed to manufacture the drug for domestic use.
Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Ltd (KAPL) is the only public sector company, authorised for manufacturing this drug for domestic use.
Oxytocin in any form or name will not be allowed to be sold through retail Chemist.
Oxytocin - It is a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland in human.
It is also called as Love Hormone.
It plays a role in reproduction, child birth and lactation, apart from social interaction in humans.
It also has physical and psychological effects, including influencing social behavior and emotion.
Oxytocin is used both for humans and animals, to accelerate normal labour.
It is being misused in the livestock industry to stimulate the mammary gland and induce milk production in farm animals.
The drug’s abuse in animals shortens their lives and makes them barren sooner.
