Category: MIL-OSI

Source:

[MEDIA RELEASE – Apia: 12 Mar 2025.] As SPWAN (Samoa Police Women Advisory Network) commemorated International Women’s Day 2025 under the theme “Accelerate Action” their commitment to making a lasting difference in our community was clearly demonstrated through their thoughtful contributions to SVSG. Their visit to the Campus of Hope not only provided essential goods but also brought an abundance of hope, encouragement, and solidarity to the survivors of violence and abuse we care for.

Around 30 female officers from the SPWAN visited the SVSG Campus, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Papali’i Monalisa Tia’i-Keti and Assistant Commissioner Papali’i Efo Peiko Moalele.

This ongoing partnership between SVSG and SPWAN is a powerful reflection of our shared mission to protect, uplift, and empower the most vulnerable members of our community. We deeply commend SPWAN’s dedication to service and their steadfast support for women, children, and victims of violence.

The visit and generous donation from this remarkable group of women in positions of authority have greatly uplifted the spirits of the young survivors at the Campus of Hope. In particular, their presence has empowered the young female residents to embrace resilience and take positive action toward change. It is truly inspiring to witness how these women, who dedicate their lives to law enforcement as police officers, also serve as powerful role models by reaching out and giving back to support vulnerable victims in our community.

SVSG President Siliniu. Lina Chang, expressed her heart felt gratitude to the SPWAN leaders and members and reiterated on the words of blessing, quoted; “May your leadership and advocacy continue to inspire meaningful change. Fa’afetai tele lava for standing with us on this journey of hope and healing.”

The young residents of the Campus of Hope ended the day with uplifted spirits and hearts full of happiness.

END.

SOURCE – Samoa Victim Support Group

March 26, 2025

Source:

KEYNOTE ADDRESS By Honourable Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, Prime Minister And Minister Of Tourism at the Official Opening of the Samoa Tourism Exchange 2025 – (Wednesday, 5th March 2025, Samoa Tourism Cultural Village)

Lau Susuga i le Taitai ole Sauniga, Reverand Ellice Soliola

Honourable Members of Cabinet

Distinguished Members of the Diplomatic Corps

Distinguished Guests/ Participants

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Talofa Lava and a pleasant good evening to you all.

I am delighted to be in your company for the Opening ceremony this evening of the 2025 Samoa Tourism Exchange. On behalf of the Government, and especially the people of Samoa, it is my pleasure and honour to warmly welcome all of you to our beloved country, Beautiful Samoa.

The theme for this year, Resilient Tourism and a Sustainable Future, could not be more fitting, as we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of global travel while safeguarding the natural and cultural heritage that makes Samoa unique.

As we embark on this journey together, it’s essential to acknowledge that tourism has long been a cornerstone of our economy, providing vital income, employment, and opportunities for cultural exchange. It serves as a gateway, welcoming visitors to share in the beauty and richness of our Samoan heritage. Tourism is not just an Industry; it is now a key part of who we are as a community.

The past few years have tested our resilience as an industry with the tourism sector facing significant challenges. Natural disasters, climate change, evolving travel trends, and global crises have threatened to disrupt our livelihoods and diminish our resilience. It is essential that we adapt and innovate in response to these growing global challenges.

Resilience in tourism is not merely about withstanding challenges; it involves thriving in the face of adversity and turning obstacles into opportunities. It requires a collective effort to invest in smart infrastructure, empower local communities, embrace digital innovation, and adopt sustainable practices. As a nation, we must ensure that our tourism sector not only survives but flourishes.

To our tourism operators, Sustainability is no longer an option; it is a necessity. This means prioritizing eco-friendly initiatives, supporting local businesses, and respecting the traditional ways of life that make Samoa unique. As we welcome visitors, we also entrust them with the responsibility to cherish and protect our islands—this is the essence of sustainable travel.

To our international agents and wholesalers. As we engage in discussions throughout this exchange, let us remember the power of storytelling. Every visitor to our islands is an opportunity to share our vibrant culture, our traditions, and our way of life. When we tell our stories authentically, we invite the world to experience the warmth of our “aiga,” our family, our people, and our island home.

As I conclude, I would like to acknowledge the support from the Government of New Zealand through the Samoa Tourism Resilient and Recovery (STRR) Program, which made this event possible. Furthermore, I recognised the valuable contributions of all our sponsors for this year’s event, particularly our Main Sponsors, Fiji Airways, and Air New Zealand, in enhancing the experiences for all delegates at this event. Faafetai Faafetai tele lava.

I am pleased to declare the Samoa Tourism Exchange 2025 officially opened and wish you well in your deliberations.

God bless, Soifua ma ia manuia.

March 26, 2025

Source:

KEYNOTE ADDRESS by the Prime Minister, Hon Fiame Naomi Mataafa (Friday, 7 March 2025, 5.30pm, Chinese Embassy, Vailima)

Lau afioga Masiofo Faamausili Leinafo Tuimalealiifano

Your Excellency Ambassador and Your Good Lady

Distinguished Good Ladies

Members of the Diplomatic Corps

Invited Guests,

Talofa and good evening,

I am pleased to join the reception this evening to celebrate “International Women’s Day” an annual event to recognize women’s contribution across all fields, to raise awareness about gender equality and to promote the empowerment of women in all spheres of society.

I want to thank the Ambassador of China, His Excellency Fei Mingxing and Madam Li Wenjun for hosting this reception. It is a significant occasion as it is an opportunity to honour and recognise the role of women in our society and their significant contribution to the development of their families, the government and society as a whole. It also provides a platform to evaluate the national scorecard towards gender equality and to address the disparities that remain.

This year’s theme is a call to accelerate action for all women and girls towards gender equality. It gives emphasis to the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality. It calls for increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face, both in personal and professional spheres. For Samoa, it is a reminder to us all to make serious commitment to address the stark realities of unequal opportunities, underrepresentation in parliament and the issue of ever-pervasive gender-based violence.

I also understand that 2025 is a pivotal moment in the global pursuit of gender equality and women’s empowerment, as it marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic relations with China. The Beijing Platform remains the most progressive and widely endorsed blueprint for women’s and girls’ rights worldwide. It guides policies, programmes and investment that impact critical areas of our lives, such as: education, health, peace, media, political participation, economic empowerment, and the elimination of violence against women and girls. Addressing these issues, along with emerging priorities around climate justice and the power of digital technologies, is urgent, with just five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. So, it is appropriate that we are hosted in the premises of the Chinese embassy to celebrate these milestones.

Much progress has been achieved in advancing the situation of women in Samoa. Parliament though fractured, continues to look at the best way to address the underrepresentation of women in parliament. Women are now leading the governance institutions of a few male dominated sports such as soccer and cricket. There is growing recognition and support of organisations providing services for victims of violence particularly women and children. There is significant movement in developing screening programs for women’s health issues. Development partners are collaborating with the government in initiatives to promote and accelerate the empowerment of women and youth. However, there is much more to be done still.

I note and acknowledge the presence of many of our female leaders from all walks of life this evening. Your achievements and contributions to society has made a huge difference in promoting, empowering and elevating the status of women in society. Women have a place at all levels of our society, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices resonate throughout generations and capture attention. I would like to share with you one Samoan adage that I believe suitably defines the ambience of this evening which is; “E au le Ina’ilau a tamaitai”. It speaks about women in our society having the determination and fortitude to achieve excellence in whatever they set out to do.

Samoa’s delegation is attending the 69th Commission on the Status of Women that will bring together countries to New York for the next two weeks to review and assess the current challenges that affect the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Excellencies and Ladies,

Tonight’s reception is one of the many undertakings that we share with the Embassy of China to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Samoa and China’s strong friendship since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1975. The unveiling of the Commemorative Logo to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our partnership adds prominence to this evening’s celebrations.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in proposing a toast:

“To all the women and girls of Samoa and those present here this evening, I wish you all a Happy International Women’s Day.”

Soifua.

Photo by the Government of Samoa (Leota Marc Membrere)

March 26, 2025

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 26 MAR 2025 4:58PM by PIB Delhi

The Union Cabinet approved the National Quantum Mission (NQM) on 19th April 2023 at a total cost of Rs.6003.65 crore for a period of eight years.

The aims of the mission are:

1. To seed, nurture and scale up scientific and industrial R&D and create vibrant & innovative ecosystem in Quantum Technology (QT).
2. To accelerate QT led economic growth and ecosystem in the country.
3. To be among the leading nations in the development of Quantum Technologies.

The objectives of the mission are:

1. Develop intermediate scale quantum computers with 20-50 physical qubits (3 years), 50-100 physical qubits (5 years) and 50-1000 physical qubits (8 years) in various platforms like superconducting and photonic technology.
2. Develop satellite based secure quantum communications between two ground stations over a range of 2000 kilometers within India as well as long distance secure quantum communications with other countries.
3. Develop inter-city quantum key distribution over 2000 km with trusted nodes using wavelength division multiplexing on existing optical fiber.
4. Develop multi-node Quantum network with quantum memories, entanglement swapping and synchronized quantum repeaters at each node (2-3 nodes).
5. Develop magnetometers with 1 femto-Tesla/sqrt(Hz) sensitivity in atomic systems and better than 1 pico-Tesla/sqrt(Hz) sensitivity in Nitrogen Vacancy-centers;Gravity measurements having sensitivity better than 100 nano-meter/second² using atoms and Atomic Clocks with 10^-19 fractional instability for precision timing, communications and navigation.
6. Design and synthesis of quantum materials such as superconductors, novel Semiconductor structures and topological materials for fabrication of quantum devices for development of qubits for quantum computing and quantum communication applications, single photon sources/detectors, entangled photon sources for quantum communications, sensing and metrological applications.

This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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NKR/PSM

(Release ID: 2115324) Visitor Counter : 32

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 26 MAR 2025 4:28PM by PIB Delhi

Flood management and anti-erosion schemes are formulated and implemented by concerned State Governments as per their priority. The Union Government supplements the efforts of the States by providing technical guidance and promotional financial assistance for management of floods in critical areas. Since Xlth plan till date, Central Assistance amounting to Rs. 2382 crore has been released to flood management projects of North Eastern States under centrally sponsored scheme “Flood Management & Border Areas Programme (FMBAP)” of Ministry of Jal  Shakti.

Budgetary support of Rs. 400 crore has been kept under FMBAP scheme in current F.Y. 2024-25 for the entire country, out of which central assistance of Rs.121.50 crore has been released to flood management projects in North Eastern Region (NER). A total of 208 Flood Management Projects have been completed in North Eastern states so far.

During the last 7 years(FY- 2017-18 to FY 2023-24), a total of 13 projects costing Rs.62.85 crore were sanctioned under Schemes of NEC for contributing to check erosion and control flood in NER. Moreover, a project titled “Protection of Majuli Island from Flood and Erosion of River Brahmaputra’ was sanctioned in 2017 with an approved cost of Rs.207 crore under Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources-Central.

This information was given by the Minister of State of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Dr. Sukanta Majumdar in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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Samrat/Allen

(Release ID: 2115291) Visitor Counter : 113

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 26 MAR 2025 4:29PM by PIB Delhi

The Government of India had introduced a new scheme UNNATI (Uttar Poorva Transformative Industrialization Scheme) on March 9, 2024 for extending support to the industries for enhancing regional infrastructure, create employment opportunities, and promote resilience and prosperity in the region. Under the UNNATI Scheme, the following incentives are provided to the industrial Units:

i. Capital Investment Incentive (CII)

ii. Capital Interest Subvention (CIS)

iii. Manufacturing & Services linked incentive (MSLI)

Under the UNNATI scheme the total budget outlay of the Scheme is Rs 10,037 cr. The total budget outlay is divided into two parts – Part A and Part B. Part A of the scheme, with an outlay of Rs 9,737 cr., if for providing incentives to eligible new industrial units and those undergoing substantial expansion. Part B of the scheme, with an outlay of Rs 300 cr. is for implementation & institutional arrangements for the scheme. 60% of the scheme outlay of part A is earmarked to all States of North Eastern Region (NER). The districts are categorized in two zones: Zone A (industrially advanced districts) and Zone B (industrially backwards districts) based on NER district SDG index (2021-22).A total of 56 units registration has been granted in the scheme till date

In addition to the above, Government of India, with an intent to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation, startups and encouraging investments in the country also launched the Startup India initiative on 16th January 2016. For the North Eastern States, 2,109 entities have been recognized as startups by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) as on 31^st January 2025.

Further,to facilitate credit access for the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) & Micro Finance sectors in the North Eastern Region, the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) has been providing annual budgetary allocation to North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (NEDFi), a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) under administrative control of MDoNER, in the form of an interest free loan under the North East Enterprise Development Scheme (NEEDS) for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26, with a total allocation of Rs. 300 crore.

 The initiatives undertaken by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) for promotion of entrepreneurship in Northeastern states under Startup India, are as follow:

1. ASCEND Startup Workshop Series and Women for Startups Workshops: The Government has organized a series of startup workshops – ASCEND (Accelerating Startup Calibre & Entrepreneurial Drive), for entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, and students from the North-eastern region.
2. Knowledge Exchange and Capacity Building Workshops: DPIIT organized knowledge exchange workshops for dissemination of good practices and mutual learning among States and UTs.
3. Startup India Yatra Initiative: Startup India launched Startup India Yatra in 2017 to promote entrepreneurship in rural and non-metro regions across States.
4. WING: As a part of DPIIT’s program WING – a capacity development program for existing and aspiring women entrepreneurs.  
5. District Outreach Initiative: DPIIT is promoting entrepreneurship by striving to establish at least one DPIIT-recognized startup in every district of India.

This information was given by the Minister of State of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Dr. Sukanta Majumdar in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

 

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Samrat/Allen

(Release ID: 2115292) Visitor Counter : 122

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 26 MAR 2025 4:31PM by PIB Delhi

National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) conducted the first all-India Time Use Survey (TUS) during January – December 2019. The latest TUS conducted during January to December 2024 for which factsheet was released in the month of February,2025. TUS provides a framework for measuring time dispositions by the population on different activities. It is an important source of information about the activities that are performed by the population and the time duration for which such activities are performed. One distinguishing feature of TUS from other household surveys is that it can capture time disposition on different aspects of human activities, be it paid, unpaid or other activities with such details which is otherwise not possible in other surveys. In recent years, time use surveys have gained much impetus among policy makers and other data users for their usefulness in measuring various aspects of gender statistics. The primary objective of the Survey is to measure the participation of men and women in paid and unpaid activities. TUS is an important source of information on the time spent in unpaid caregiving activities, volunteer work, and unpaid domestic service-producing activities of the household members. It also provides information on time spent on learning, socializing, leisure activities, self-care activities, etc., by the household members. TUS provides estimates of indicators of time use in both rural and urban areas with different levels of disaggregation like gender, age, etc. These can be used for planning, policy formulation, decision support and as input for further statistical exercises by various Departments and Ministries of the Government, other organizations, academicians, researchers and scholars, etc.

The Government of India has implemented various initiatives aimed at promoting education and learning activities, particularly among women. Education being in the Concurrent List, enhancing the quality of education is the responsibility of both the Central and State Governments. Various schemes/ projects/ programmes run by the Government have been aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. NEP 2020 aims to ensure that no child loses opportunity to learn and excel because of the circumstances of birth or background. This policy aims at bridging the social category gaps in access, participation, and learning outcomes, including providing greater access to women. The Central Government has taken various measures to promote higher education among the students across the nation including women, such as fee reductions, establishment of more institutes, scholarships, priority access to national level scholarships to aid students with poor financial backgrounds to pursue their education.

TUS provides a framework for measuring time dispositions by the population on different activities including learning, socializing, leisure activities, self-care activities, etc., by the household members. It also provides estimates of indicators of time use in both rural and urban areas with different levels of disaggregation like gender, age, etc. These can be used for planning, policy formulation, decision support and as input for further statistical exercises by various Departments and Ministries of the Government, other organizations, academicians, researchers and scholars, etc.

As per the TUS 2024 factsheet published in the month of February, 2025, estimated percentage of persons and minutes spent in a day on an average per participant in Learning activities are given in Table-1 for different categories of persons.

 

 

This information was given by Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation; Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Planning and Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture Rao Inderjit Singh in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

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Samrat/Allen

(Release ID: 2115295) Visitor Counter : 105

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Government of India

RAPID APPROVAL OF HOUSES UNDER PM-JANMAN

Government is ensuring real-time monitoring & accountability with shifts in sanctioning mechanisms from the Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti Portal to the Pradhan Mantri AWAS Portal

Posted On: 26 MAR 2025 4:36PM by PIB Delhi

The provision of pucca house to the PVTG households is one of the interventions under the PM JANMAN which is being implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD). For implementation of PM JANMAN, Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) through the State Governments/UT Administration has undertaken habitation level data collection exercise through PM Gati Shakti mobile application to estimate PVTG population and also gaps in infrastructure including that of housing. The existing guidelines of the Abhiyan stipulate that the gaps captured through the mobile app are to be cross-verified by the concerned Ministries and State line Departments. Accordingly, PMAY-G houses under the Abhiyan are being sanctioned on Awaas Soft portal of MoRD in accordance with established norms of the program. After the approval, the data is updated/integrated on PM Gati Shakti to monitor sanctions in relation to the gaps. As per information from MoRD, both the implementation and evidence-based monitoring of the PMAY-G scheme is being done through end to end transaction based e-governance model with the help of AwaasSoft and AwaasApp. All the functions through identification of beneficiaries, sanction, release of installments, reporting of completion, etc. are all done on AwaasSoft and using mobile application “AwaasApp”. The physical and financial progress is monitored through various reports available on AwaasSoft, which is open to the public.

As per information from MoRD, under PMAY-G, there is a grievance redressal mechanism set up at different levels of administration viz., Gram Panchayat, Block, District and the State. The cases of irregularities reported by the Hon’ble Members of Parliament, Members of State Assembly and general public directly or through CPGRAMS are taken up with the State Government for taking necessary action.

This information was provided by the Minister of State for the Ministry of Tribal Affairs Shri Durgadas Uikey in reply to an unstarred question (No: 3019) in Rajya Sabha today.

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Pawan Singh Faujdar/Divyanshu Kumar

(Release ID: 2115300) Visitor Counter : 101

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region