Month: April 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed “Fastrack”, “Greenlane”, “Lightshadow” and “Twilight”, for three consecutive days from March 31 to yesterday (April 2). A total of 14 suspected illegal workers and two suspected employers were arrested.
 
     During the anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD Task Force officers raided 55 target locations, including commercial buildings, massage parlours, residential buildings and restaurants. Fourteen suspected illegal workers and two suspected employers were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised four men and 10 women, aged 34 to 59. Among them, three women were suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card. Two men, aged 35 and 67, were suspected of employing the illegal workers and were also arrested.

     An ImmD spokesman said, “Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties.”
 
     The spokesman warned, “As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years’ imprisonment. As stipulated in section 20(1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance, the Chief Executive may make a deportation order against an immigrant, prohibiting the immigrant from being in Hong Kong at any time thereafter if the immigrant has been found guilty in Hong Kong of an offence punishable by imprisonment for not less than two years. Under the prevailing laws, it is an offence to use or possess a forged Hong Kong identity card or a Hong Kong identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years’ imprisonment.”
 
     The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years’ imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years’ imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
 
     According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee’s identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker’s valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman reminded all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.
 
     Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threats and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 03 APR 2025 2:13PM by PIB Delhi

The US President issued an Executive Order on Reciprocal Tariffs imposing additional ad-valorem duties ranging from 10% to 50% on imports from all trading partners. The baseline duty of 10% will be effective from April 05, 2025 and the remaining country specific additional ad-valorem duty will be effective from April 09, 2025. The additional duty on India as per the Annex I of the Executive Order is 27%.  

The Department of Commerce is carefully examining the implications of the various measures / announcements made by the President of the USA. Keeping in view the vision of Viksit Bharat, the Department is engaged with all stakeholders, including Indian industry and exporters, taking feedback of their assessment of the tariffs and assessing the situation. The Department is also studying the opportunities that may arise due to this new development in the US trade policy.

The Hon Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, and the Hon President of USA, Mr. Donald Trump have announced on 13 February 2025 ‘Mission 500’ – aiming to more than double the bilateral trade to US $500 Billion by 2030. Accordingly, discussions are ongoing between Indian and US trade teams for the expeditious conclusion of a mutually beneficial, multi-sectoral Bilateral Trade Agreement. These cover a wide range of issues of mutual interest including deepening supply chain integration. The ongoing talks are focused on enabling both nations to grow trade, investments and technology transfers. We remain in touch with the Trump Administration on these issues and expect to take them forward in the coming days.

India values its Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership with the United States and is committed to working closely with the US to implement the India-US ‘Catalysing Opportunities for Military Partnership, Accelerated Commerce & Technology’ (COMPACT) for the 21^st century to ensure that our trade ties remain a pillar of mutual prosperity and drive transformative change for the benefit of the people of India and the US.

 

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Abhishek Dayal/Abhijith Narayanan

(Release ID: 2118182) Visitor Counter : 128

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Government gazetted today (April 3) the Gas Safety (Amendment) Bill 2025 to regulate the safe use of hydrogen used or intended to be used as fuel.
 
The Bill aims to amend the Gas Safety Ordinance (Cap. 51) to establish a regulatory framework governing the importation, manufacture, storage, transport, supply and use of hydrogen that is used or intended to be used as fuel.
 
A Government spokesperson said, “The Government has been actively promoting the development of hydrogen energy in Hong Kong. Establishing a comprehensive and holistic regulatory framework to regulate the use of hydrogen as fuel can enhance public confidence in hydrogen safety and create an environment conducive to the local development of hydrogen energy in Hong Kong. The framework covers a range of safety aspects, including gas quality, safety of installations and facilities, personnel and emergency handling, etc.
 
“The Government promulgated the Strategy of Hydrogen Development in Hong Kong in June 2024, setting out the four major strategies of improving legislation, establishing standards, aligning with the market, and advancing with prudence to create an environment conducive to the development of hydrogen energy in Hong Kong, so that Hong Kong would be able to capitalise on the environmental and economic opportunities brought about by the recent development of hydrogen energy in different parts of the world, and in our country in particular. The Bill will provide a clear legal framework and stable regulatory environment for the local hydrogen energy industry, enabling both local and international investors to develop hydrogen-related businesses in Hong Kong with greater confidence,” the spokesperson supplemented.
 
The Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading on April 16.  

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 03 APR 2025 1:59PM by PIB Delhi

The Army Commanders’ Conference, an apex level biannual event, is being held in New Delhi from 01^st Apr to 04^th April 2025.  During the event, Indian Army’s apex leadership comprehensively deliberated upon all aspects of existing security scenarios, situation along the borders, in the hinterland and challenges for the present security apparatus. In addition, the conference also focused on issues pertaining to organisational restructuring, logistics, administration, human resource management, modernisation through indigenisation, induction of Niche technologies and assessment of impact of the various existing global situations. The main highlight of the third day of the conference was the address by the Raksha Mantri, Shri Rajnath Singh, to the senior leadership of the Indian Army, which was preceded by a brief on the “Year of Reforms”.

The Raksha Mantri reaffirmed the faith of the billion-plus citizens in the Indian Army as one of the most trusted and inspiring organisations in the country. He highlighted the commendable role played by the Army in guarding our borders and fighting terrorism apart from providing assistance to the civil administration in every need of hour.  The Raksha Mantri also remarked “The Army is present in every domain from Security, HADR, Medical Assistance, to maintaining the stable internal situation in the country. The role of Indian Army is incomparable in Nation building as also in the overall national development”.  He reiterated his happiness to be present in the Army Commander’s conference and complimented the Army leadership for successfully taking ahead the ‘Defence and Security’ vision of the Nation to new heights.  He also complimented the Indian Army’s approach on the infusion and absorption of cutting edge technology. 

The Hon’ble Raksha Mantri stressed upon the present Geo Strategic uncertainties and the complex world situation which effects everyone  globally.  He stressed upon that the present world is an inter connected world and such incidents whether happening in our neighbourhood or far off countries will effect everyone. He stated that “Unconventional and asymmetric warfare, including hybrid war will be part of the future conventional wars. Cyber, information, communication, trade and finance have all become an inseparable part of future conflicts. This necessitates that Armed Forces will have to keep all these facets in consideration while planning and formulating strategies”.  Raksha Mantri stated that keeping in mind the present dynamic geo-strategic changes and the ongoing  global security scenarios with the uncertainities the armed forces should prepare a dynamic perspective planning addressing both the long term and short term challenges.  In the present global context the importance of Military Intelligence incoporating the modern technology cannot be stressed upon more.

On the current situation along the Northern borders, the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri expressed full confidence in the troops and complemented the Armed Forces for standing firm and vigil and the same should continue. The Raksha Mantri complimented the efforts of BRO, which has led to the quantum improvement of road communication in the borders both Western and Northern, while working under difficult conditions.

Referring to the situation along the Western borders, he complimented the Indian Army’s response to cross border terrorism, however the proxy war by the adversary continues. The Hon’ble Raksha Mantri said “I compliment the excellent synergy between the CAPF/ Police forces and the Army in tackling the menace of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. The synergised operations in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are contributing to increased stability in the region and the same should remain”.

The Raksha Mantri complimented the forces for the high standard of operational preparedness and capabilities which he has always been experiencing first hand during his visits to forward areas. He also paid tributes to all the brave hearts for making the ultimate sacrifice in the defence of the motherland. He complimented the significant contributions made by the Army in military diplomacy to further our national security interests by creating sustainable cooperative relationships with foreign Armies and also emphasised upon the important role of Defence Attaches in achieving the same.  We must delibrate on the re-orintentation of role of the Defence Attaches in line with the organisational aim.

The Hon’ble Raksha Mantri stressed upon the technological advancement taking place in every sphere of our life and applauded the Armed Forces for aptly incorporating them.  He appreciated the Army’s efforts to develop niche technologies in collaboration with civil industries, including premier educational institutions and thereby progressing towards the aim of ‘ Modernisation through Indigenisation’ or ‘Atamnirbharta’.  He emphasised that a regular interface of Armed Forces with the emerging technologies is a must. Raksha Mantri commended on the initiative of discussions being done with Niti Ayog on achieving the aim of ‘Viksit Bharat’ during this Army Commander Conference.  He also remarked that the government is committed in every manner towards the welfare of the Veterans and the Next of Kin of all categories of Battle Casualties and the nation remains indebted to the sacrifices made by vallant soldiers and their family.

He concluded by saying that issues related to “Defence diplomacy, indigenisation, information warfare, defence infrastructure and force modernisation should always be deliberated upon in such a forum. Doctrinal changes whenever required should be made to make the Armed Forces future ready.  The recommendation and suggestions made by the senior leadership in such like forum as Commanders Conference should be deliberated upon and be taken to a logical conclusion with midcourse review and modification if required.  The Nation is proud of its Army and the Government is committed to facilitate the Army in their forward movement, on the road to reforms and capability modernisation”.

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SC   

(Release ID: 2118177) Visitor Counter : 29

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 03 APR 2025 1:45PM by PIB Delhi

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) convened its Annual Convention for Deans and Heads of Departments (HoDs) from partner institutions focused on Environment and Ecology in Goa. During the two days’ convention; 45 delegates from 32 partner institutions, alongside senior BIS officials, delved into the theme “Sustainability through Standards.”

In his welcome address, Shri Praveen Khanna, Deputy Director General (Southern Region), underscored the pivotal role of academic institutions in developing national and international standards.

Shri Sanjay Pant, Deputy Director General (Standardization-II), highlighted the significance of standardization in addressing sustainability challenges. “Standardization is the foundation of sustainability. By collaborating with academia, we can develop research-driven standards that address environmental challenges and create a lasting impact for future generations,” said Shri Sanjay Pant.

He introduced the newly established Environment and Ecology Department (EED), consolidating various BIS standardization activities into a dedicated division. Since its inception, the EED has released nearly 100 standards through its nine specialized committees.

The convention included comprehensive technical sessions on ongoing initiatives within the Environment and Ecology Division Council (EEDC) where 8 expert panels are engaged in standardization across crucial areas, including Air Quality Management, Water Quality Management, Waste Management, Environmental Monitoring, Sustainable Habitat, Sustainable Agriculture, Circular Economy, and Biodiversity & Ecosystem

Featured speakers included Dr. Alok Sinha (IIT Dhanbad), Dr. Anju Singh (IIM Mumbai), and Ms. Shabnam Bassi (GRIHA Council), who emphasized the necessity of addressing gaps in existing standards to bolster national climate initiatives such as the National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC).

Utilizing the ‘Know Your Standards’ feature on the BIS Care App, participants evaluated existing standards and pinpointed new areas for development. Key discussions included: Waste Management & Recycling; Water Quality & Management; Sustainable Construction & Materials; Environmental Monitoring & Pollution Control; Green Energy & Climate Change Mitigation; Health & Safety Standards and Campus & Industrial Sustainability

On the second day, delegates observed a live demonstration of BIS’s digital solutions, which included the Academic Dashboard, a platform enabling partner institutions to access standards, submit research projects, and contribute to technical committees. BIS also presented tools for downloading and commenting on draft standards, facilitating involvement in international standardization efforts.

A special session led by Shri Ritesh Baranwal (Director, Finance, BIS) concentrated on the role of standards in sustainability and sustainable finance. His presentation illustrated how financial frameworks can underpin sustainability initiatives through standardization.

The BIS Annual Convention reinforced the organization’s dedication to collaborating with academia to formulate standards that address vital environmental and ecological issues. BIS aims to establish robust, research-driven standards that contribute to a more sustainable future by fostering partnerships among experts, researchers, and policymakers.

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Abhishek Dayal/Nihi Sharma

(Release ID: 2118173) Visitor Counter : 58

Source: Government of India

EPFO Simplifies Claim Settlement Process; Two Major Reforms Undertaken to Enhance Ease of Living for EPF Members and Ease of Doing Business for Employers

Removal of Requirement to Upload Image of Cheque Leaf / Attested Bank Passbook to Benefit Over 7.7 Crore Members of EPFO

Removal of Employer Approval Requirement for Seeding Bank Account Details with UAN to Immediately Benefit Nearly 15 Lakh Members with Pending Approvals

Posted On: 03 APR 2025 1:41PM by PIB Delhi

In yet another step towards enhancing the Ease of Living for EPF members and Ease of Doing Business for employers, Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has introduced two key simplifications in its claim settlement process. These measures will significantly streamline the process of claim settlement and reduce grievances related to claim rejections.

1. Removal of Requirement to Upload Image of Cheque Leaf / Attested Bank Passbook

EPFO has completely dispensed with the requirement of uploading an image of a cheque leaf or attested bank passbook while filing online claims. This requirement was initially relaxed on a pilot basis for certain KYC-updated members. Since its launch on 28^th May, 2024, the move has already benefited 1.7 crore EPF members.

Following the successful pilot, EPFO has now extended this relaxation to all members. As the bank account holder’s name is already verified with the EPF member’s details at the time of bank account seeding with the Universal Account Number (UAN), this additional documentation is no longer necessary.

By removing this requirement, EPFO is set to immediately benefit around 6 crore members, eliminating claim rejections due to poor-quality/unreadable uploads and reducing associated grievances.

2. Removal of Requirement of Employer Approval for Seeding Bank Account Details with Universal Account Number (UAN)

To streamline the process of seeding bank accounts with UAN, EPFO has now removed the requirement of employer approval after bank verification.

Currently, every member is required to seed his/her Bank Account with UAN in order to get their PF withdrawals seamlessly credited to such account. During the F.Y. 2024-25, 1.3 crore members have submitted their requests for seeding their Bank Accounts and the requests after due matching with the respective Bank/NPCI are to be approved by the Employer through DSC/E-Sign.

It is seen that around 36,000 requests for seeding of bank account are being raised by the members on a daily basis and the banks take an average of 3 days to complete the verification. However, after the bank verification, the average time taken by the Employer to approve the process is about 13 days resulting in piling up of workload at the level of the Employer and consequent delay in the seeding of Bank Account for the Member. Further, this approval step is not adding any value to the verification process.

Out of 7.74 crore members who are presently contributing each month, already 4.83 crore members have seeded their Bank Accounts in UAN with 14.95 Lakh approvals are pending at the level of the Employers.

Accordingly, with a view to facilitate ‘Ease of Doing Business’ to the Employers and ‘Ease of Living’ to the Members, the role of Employer to approve the verification of bank account has now been dispensed with in the seeding process of the member’s Bank Account. This will immediately benefit over 14.95 lakh members whose approvals are pending with the Employers.

The above simplified process will also facilitate those members who want to change their already seeded Bank Account by entering their new Bank Account no. along with the IFSC code duly authenticated through Aadhaar OTP.

The members who are yet to seed their Bank Account or change their seeded Bank Account can take advantage of the above simplified process to get their Bank Account seeded at the earliest.

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Himanshu Pathak

(Release ID: 2118168) Visitor Counter : 71

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Department of Health (DH) today (April 3) summarised the situation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection and released the findings of a survey on HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among female sex workers (FSWs) in Hong Kong in 2024. The decline in the number of new cases of HIV infection in Hong Kong for the ninth consecutive year and a prevalence rate well below the global average reflected the success of Hong Kong’s prevention and control efforts. However, due to the high proportion of late presentation, the DH encouraged the public to undergo HIV antibody testing, and to use condoms regularly and correctly to minimise the risk of HIV infection.

“In the year of 2024, the DH received 365 new HIV cases, including 297 males and 68 females aged between 14 and 89. Among the cases with a reported route of transmission, 312 cases (99 per cent) acquired the infection through sexual contact, including 216 through homosexual or bisexual contact and 96 through heterosexual contact. Almost half of the cases (44 per cent) were reported by public hospitals, clinics, and laboratories, followed by Acquired Immuodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) service organisations. The cumulative total of locally reported HIV infections since 1984 is 12 403. The prevalence of HIV infection among the general public in Hong Kong remained at 0.1 per cent, well below the global average, demonstrating the effectiveness of AIDS control and prevention in Hong Kong,” said the Consultant (Special Preventive Programme) of the Public Health Services Branch of the Centre for Health Protection of the DH, Dr Bonnie Wong.

“A total of 74 new AIDS cases, including 63 males and 11 females, were reported during the same period. Since 1985, a cumulative total of 2 557 confirmed AIDS cases has been reported in Hong Kong. The most common AIDS-defining illness was Pneumocystis pneumonia,” she added.

Although the number of new HIV infection has declined for nine consecutive years since 2015, the proportion of late presenters among newly reported cases in Hong Kong has been as high as 40 to 50 per cent, with a higher proportion of late presenters among those not belonging to high-risk populations, such as men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs and sex workers.

Late presenters refer to individuals with a very low CD4 cells (one kind of immune cell) count (less than 200 cells/mm3) or those who have already progressed to AIDS at the time of HIV diagnosis. Late presentation indicates that these individuals were not diagnosed and put on treatment in a timely manner at an earlier stage of infection, resulting in a weakened immune system. Late presentation can lead to an increased risk of opportunistic infections and malignancies, leading to a higher mortality rate. In addition, as a result of an unsuppressed viral load, late presenters contribute to an increased risk of HIV transmission in the community.

In addition, the DH has recently completed a community survey related to transmission risk of HIV and STIs, titled “HIV/AIDS Response Indicator Survey 2024 for Female Sex Workers” (HARiS 2024 for FSWs).

“The survey is a public health surveillance programme conducted by the DH to regularly monitor the situation of HIV infection and the related risk behaviours among female sex workers to guide the implementation of the Recommended HIV/AIDS Strategies for Hong Kong (2022-2027). The survey revealed that the proportion of respondents who had their last HIV test in the preceding year increased from 37 per cent in a similar survey in 2022 to 55 per cent, reflecting the effectiveness of HIV prevention interventions. Since the Strategies’ target of 80 per cent has not been achieved, prevention efforts should continue. The survey also revealed that condom use among respondents was generally satisfactory, with 99 per cent of respondents using condoms when having sex with non-regular clients. However, condom use when having sex with regular clients was less consistent among some respondents, indicating the need to strengthen the condom promotion programme,” Dr Wong said.

She reminded members of the public to use condoms consistently and properly to reduce the risk of acquiring HIV and STIs. In addition, vulnerable populations at higher risk of contracting HIV and STIs (including men who have sex with men, FSWs and their clients and injecting drug users) should undergo HIV and STI testing regularly, at least once a year. People with HIV should seek specialist care and HIV treatment as soon as possible for viral suppression and health restoration. The DH will continue to collaborate with various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to raise awareness and knowledge among FSWs on HIV and STI prevention.

There are community resources available that enable members of the public to undergo HIV antibody testing. Members of the public can reserve a free, anonymous and confidential HIV antibody test by visiting the HIV Testing Service website or calling the AIDS Hotline (2780 2211). They can also order HIV self-test kits (oral fluid-based and blood-based (finger prick) testing kits) on the HIV Testing Service website, and collect the self-test kits at various pick-up locations in Hong Kong.

​Dr Wong stressed that HIV infection is a manageable chronic disease. Early HIV treatment with antiretroviral drugs can effectively prevent the progression to AIDS and other complications. Lifelong antiretroviral treatment is indicated for all people with HIV, and the treatment remarkably improves their health and possibility of survival. Moreover, those who achieve sustained viral suppression to an undetectable level with treatment will not transmit the virus through sex, i.e. Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U).

The public may visit the following pages for more information on HIV/AIDS: the Virtual AIDS Office, the Red Ribbon Centre, the HIV Testing Service website and the Gay Men HIV Information website.