GUJARAT
Gujarat: Marginal increase seen in palm oil prices
While the retail prices of sunflower and soyabean oil will remain unaffected, consumer
prices of palm oil may move up marginally, said edible oil industry players. The Union
Budget announced the imposition of agriculture infrastructure and development cess, thus
pushing up effective duty on crude palm oil (CPO).
Although, the basic custom duty (BCD) on crude palm oil (CPO) was reduced to 15% from
27.5%, the finance minister also imposed 17.5% agriculture infrastructure cess on it.
According to industry players, there will, however, be no change in consumer prices of
sunflower and soyabean oil as the effective duty post reduction in BCD and imposition of
cess works out to be 38.5%, which is the same as earlier.
INTERNATIONAL
First ASEAN-India Hackathon 2021 Concludes
The first-ever ASEAN-India Hackathon was organised from February 01-04, 2021, by the
Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs.
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) implemented the initiative with the
support of nodal agencies from all ten ASEAN countries.
The ASEAN-India Hackathon 2021 aimed at enhancing the cooperation between India and
ASEAN countries in science, technology, and education, through collaboration.
Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweala set to become first female Chief of WTO
Nigerian economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has been chosen as the next Director General of
the World Trade Organization (WTO).
She would be the first woman as well as the first African national to lead the organization.
Okonjo-Iweala, the former finance minister of Nigeria, will succeed Roberto Azevedo, who
stepped down in August 2020.
Pakistan Launched Surface-To-Surface Ballistic Missile Ghaznavi
The strike capability of ballistic missiles can reach 290 kilometres.
The Ghaznavi missile was launched to commemorate the culmination of the Army Strategic
Forces Command’s annual field training exercise.
The Ghaznavi ballistic missile can launch nuclear warheads and conventional warheads with
a range of up to 290 kilometres.
The missile has been tested for day and night modes.
Pakistan also tested the nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile Shaheen-III on
January 20, 2021. The missile has a range of up to 2,750 kilometres.
NATIONAL
Reliance Industries gets world's first 'carbon-neutral' oil from US
Billionaire Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries Ltd has received the world’s first
consignment of ‘carbon-neutral oil’ from Oxy Low Carbon Ventures (OLCV), a division of
United State oil major Occidental.
This feat will further help the oil major to accomplish its target of becoming a net zero-
carbon company by 2035.
The Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Sea Pearl containing the carbon-neutral oil from the
Permian basin, unloaded the cargo at Jamnagar on January 28, 2021.
It must be noted that Reliance operates the world’s largest single-location oil refining
complex at Jamnagar in Gujarat with a capacity of 68.2 million tonnes a year.
Stardust 1.0: The First Rocket To Use Biofuels
Stardust 1.0 was launched from Loring Commerce Center, a former military base in Maine,
USA.
This is the first commercial space launch driven by biofuels. Compared with traditional
rocket fuels, biofuels are non-toxic to the environment.
Stardust 1.0 is a launch vehicle suitable for students and budget payloads.
The rocket is 20 feet high and mass about 250 kg.
The maximum payload mass of the rocket is 8 kg.
These rockets will help launch small satellites called CubeSats into space in a way that is
relatively cheaper and less toxic to the environment than using traditional rocket fuel.
Initiatives in National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP)
National Handloom Development Programme is a central sector scheme that aims to
support weavers inside and outside the cooperative fold, including Self-Help Groups, NGOs,
etc.
This is a central sector scheme that aims to support weavers inside and outside the
cooperative fold, including Self-Help Groups, NGOs, etc.
It follows a demand-based approach to the integrated and holistic development of
handlooms and the welfare of handloom weavers.
It supports weavers in obtaining raw materials, design inputs, technology upgrades,
marketing, providing support through exhibitions, and establishing permanent
infrastructure in the form of Urban Haats, marketing complexes, and development of web
portals for e-marketing of handloom products.
