GUJARAT

Gujarat is sixth biggest direct selling market: Survey

Gujarat has been ranked at sixth position in India’s direct selling market as the state managed to garner 6.99% share in overall sales of direct selling companies across India in 2016-17. In western region, Gujarat comes second after Maharashtra, revealed an annual survey 2016-17 by Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA).
With sales of Rs 722 crore in 2016-17, Gujarat finds its place among the top 10 states in India when it comes to direct selling market, which is valued at Rs 10,324.2 crores. Maharashtra is on the top with market share of 12.89% (sales worth Rs 1,330 crore) followed by West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.

According to the report, the Indian direct selling industry has been growing at an annual rate of 8.42% during the past five years. However, the industry is now facing a critical challenge from e-commerce websites which sell direct selling products without its consent.

The direct selling industry in India offers huge opportunities in terms of economic growth, self-employment and women empowerment. The total sales of the industry grew to Rs 10,324.2 crore in 2016-17 from Rs 8,308.5 crores in 2015-16 registering 24% growth in the sales.

INTERNATIONAL

Bangladesh’s first satellite to go aloft on May 7

Bangladesh is all set to become a member of the exclusive club of satellite-owning countries as its first commercial satellite “Bangabandhu-1” will likely be flying to space on May 7 from the US.

Bangladeshi Telecommunication and ICT Minister Mustafa Jabbar made the announcement.

The satellite will be launched from Florida’s Cape Canaveral.

In September 2016, Bangladesh signed a 14-billion-taka (about $180 million) loan agreement with the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) to finance the country’s first-ever satellite “Bangabandhu-I”.

India ranks 138 in World Press Freedom Index

India slipped in the annual World Press Freedom Index 2018 for the second straight year, falling two places to rank 138th among 180 countries in the latest list.

The country was ranked 136th in 2015, gained three places to 133rd in 2016, and fell back to 136th last year.

Norway once again topped the list, while North Korea found itself at the bottom.

World Malaria Day is an international observance commemorated every year on 25 April and recognizes global efforts to control malaria.

Globally, 3.3 billion people in 106 countries are at risk of malaria.

WMD is one of eight official global public health campaigns currently marked by the World Health Organization (WHO), along with World Health Day, World Blood Donor Day, World Immunization Week, World Tuberculosis Day, World No Tobacco Day, World Hepatitis Day and World AIDS Day.

World Malaria Day 2018 theme is ‘Ready to beat malaria’.

· India Signs Loan Agreement with World Bank For US$ 125 Million

Loan Agreement for IBRD credit of US$ 125 (equivalent) for the “Innovate in India for Inclusiveness Project” was signed with the World Bank in New Delhi.
The Objectives of the project is to nurture indigenous innovation, foster local product development and accelerate commercialization process by bridging critical skill and infrastructure gaps to promote affordable and innovative healthcare products generation for inclusive development and increasing competitiveness in India.
The closing date of Innovate in India for Inclusiveness project is 30 June, 2023.

NATIONAL

Foreigners can now travel to Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur without a permit

Foreign tourists, except those from Pakistan, China and Afghanistan, would now be allowed to visit some of the most pristine locations of the country.

The home ministry has decided to relax the six-decade-old Protected Area Permit regime from Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur for five years with effect from April 1.

Under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958, all areas falling between the Inner line and the International Border of some states were declared as protected areas.

Human Resource Development Ministry Launches Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0

Human Resource Development Ministry has launches Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0 in New Delhi.

Addressing the launching ceremony at AICTE headquarters through video message, Minister of Human Resource Development Shri Prakash Javadekar said that the students are the real agents of change who can develop, empower and brighten the future of the country.

Shri Javadekar said that Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0 is in line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision to transform India, in which students from colleges and universities will go to nearby villages to get acquainted with the life of the village people and the problems faced by them in day to day life.

Exercise HARIMAU SHAKTI 2018

As part of ongoing Indo-Malaysian defence cooperation, a joint training exercise HARIMAU SHAKTI will be conducted in the dense forests of Sengai Perdik, Hulu Langat, Malaysia from 30 April 18 to 13 May 18.

The exercise is aimed at bolstering cooperation & coordination between armed forces of both the nations and to share the expertise of both the contingents in conduct of counter insurgency operations in jungle terrain.

· Madras HC, 1st Court in South India To Introduce E-Court Fee Payment Facility

The Madras High Court became the first court in south India and overall eighth in the country to introduce e-court fee payment facility.
It was jointly launched by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Chief Justice Indira Banerjee.
The new system will enable litigants who file cases in High Court to pay judicial stamp duty to the government through e-stamps, which can be purchased both online and offline.
It will pave way for easier and secure way of paying stamp duty.

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