Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Overall Wage and Payroll Statistics
 
     According to the figures released today (March 28) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), the average wage rate for all the selected industry sections surveyed, as measured by the wage index, increased by 3.5% in nominal terms in December 2024 over a year earlier.
 
     About 63% of the companies reported increase in average wage rates in December 2024 compared with a year ago. A total of 33% of the companies recorded decrease in average wage rates over the same period. The remaining 4% reported virtually no change in average wage rates.
 
     After discounting the changes in consumer prices as measured by the Consumer Price Index (A), the overall average wage rate for all the selected industry sections surveyed increased by 1.8% in real terms in December 2024 over a year earlier. 
 
     As for payroll, the index of payroll per person engaged for all the industry sections surveyed increased by 3.4% in nominal terms in the fourth quarter of 2024 over a year earlier. 
 
     After discounting the changes in consumer prices as measured by the Composite Consumer Price Index, the average payroll per person engaged increased by 2.0% in real terms in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared with a year earlier.
 
     The wage rate includes basic wages and other regular and guaranteed allowances and bonuses. Payroll includes elements covered by wage rate as well as other irregular payments to workers such as discretionary bonuses and overtime allowances.  The payroll statistics therefore tend to show relatively larger quarter-to-quarter changes, affected by the number of hours actually worked and the timing of payment of bonuses and back-pay.
 
Sectoral Changes
 
     For the nominal wage indices, year-on-year increases were recorded in all selected industry sections in December 2024, ranging from 3.0% to 4.1%.
 
     For the real wage indices, year-on-year increases were also recorded in all selected industry sections in December 2024, ranging from 1.3% to 2.3%.
 
     The year-on-year changes in the nominal and real wage indices for the selected industry sections from December 2023 to December 2024 are shown in Table 1.
 
     As for the nominal indices of payroll per person engaged, year-on-year increases were recorded in all selected industry sections in the fourth quarter of 2024, ranging from 1.7% to 4.3%.

     For the real payroll indices, year-on-year increases were also recorded in all selected industry sections in the fourth quarter of 2024, ranging from 0.3% to 2.8%.
 
     The year-on-year changes in the nominal and real indices of payroll per person engaged for selected industry sections from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the fourth quarter of 2024 are shown in Table 2. The quarterly changes in the seasonally adjusted nominal and real indices of payroll per person engaged in the same period are shown in Table 3.
 
Commentary
 
     A Government spokesman said that wages and labour earnings saw increases in all surveyed industries in the fourth quarter of 2024 over a year earlier, alongside the tight labour market.
 
     The average wage rate for all selected industries rose by 3.5% in nominal terms in December 2024, at a similar pace of increase in September 2024. After discounting for inflation, the average wage rate increased by an accelerated 1.8% in real terms.
 
     Payroll per person engaged, which includes basic wage, discretionary bonuses and other irregular payments, recorded a steady increase of 3.4% in nominal terms and faster growth of 2.0% in real terms in the fourth quarter of 2024. All selected industries saw increases in payroll per person engaged in both nominal and real terms.
 
     Looking ahead, continued economic expansion should render support to the labour market, as well as wages and labour earnings in the near term, though some industries may be affected by the United States’ trade protection measures and other external uncertainties.
 
Other Information
 
     Both wage indices and payroll indices are compiled quarterly based on the results of the Labour Earnings Survey (LES) conducted by C&SD. Wage index only covers employees up to the supervisory level (i.e. not including managerial and professional employees), whereas payroll index covers employees at all levels and proprietors actively engaged in the work of the establishment.
 
     Apart from the differences in employee coverage, wage statistics are conceptually different from the payroll statistics.  Firstly, wage rate for an employee refers to the sum earned for his normal hours of work. It covers basic wages and other regular and guaranteed allowances and bonuses, but excludes earnings from overtime work and discretionary bonuses, which are however included in payroll per person engaged. Secondly, the payroll index of an industry is an indicator of the simple average payroll received per person engaged in the industry. Its movement is therefore affected by changes in wage rates, number of hours of work and occupational composition in the industry. In contrast, the wage index of an industry is devised to reflect the pure changes in wage rate, with the occupational composition between two successive statistical periods being kept unchanged. In other words, the wage index reflects the change in the price of labour. Because of these conceptual and enumeration differences between payroll and wage statistics, the movements in payroll indices and in wage indices do not necessarily match closely with each other.
 
     It should also be noted that different consumer price indices are used for compiling the real indices of wage and payroll to take into account the differences in their respective occupation coverage. Specifically, the Composite Consumer Price Index, being an indicator of overall consumer prices, is taken as the price deflator for payroll of workers at all levels of the occupational hierarchy.  The Consumer Price Index (A), being an indicator of consumer prices for the relatively low expenditure group, is taken as the price deflator for wages in respect of employees engaged in occupations up to the supervisory level.
 
     Detailed breakdowns of the payroll and wage statistics are published in the “Quarterly Report of Wage and Payroll Statistics, December 2024”. Users can browse and download the publication at the website of C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1050009&scode=210).
 
     For enquiries on wage and payroll statistics, please contact the Wages and Labour Costs Statistics Section (1) of C&SD (Tel:  2887 5550 or email: wage@censtatd.gov.hk).

Source: Government of India

 Indian Railways uses Covered wagons for bulk onion transportation; 271 onion rakes loaded in 2023-24

In 2023-24 Indian Railways through CONCOR transported 27771 refrigerated containers for temperature-sensitive cargo including fruits and vegetables

Posted On: 29 MAR 2025 5:33PM by PIB Delhi

For bulk transportation of onions, covered wagons are already being utilized over Indian Railways.  271 onion rakes were loaded during 2023-24.  

However, no request has been received from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution regarding the deployment of trains with refrigerated wagons for onion transportation.

Indian Railway is providing rail based refrigerated container services through Container Corporation (CONCOR) to facilitate movement of cargo that requires temperature-controlled environment, including fruits and vegetables. During 2023-24, a total of 27,771 refrigerated containers were moved through Rail by CONCOR.

The temperature-controlled storage facilities of CONCOR have been established at Nashik, New Azadpur, Dadri and Sonipat at a total investment of about Rs 129 crore.  

This information was given by the Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in Rajya Sabha yesterday.

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Dharmendra Tewari/Shatrunjay Kumar

(Release ID: 2116608) Visitor Counter : 291

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) today (March 28) published the March 2025 issue of its Quarterly Bulletin and Half-Yearly Monetary and Financial Stability Report.
 
The Quarterly Bulletin carries a feature article entitled “The Hong Kong Bond Market in 2024”. The Half-Yearly Report provides detailed analyses of the global and local economy, as well as the monetary and financial conditions in Hong Kong. It also examines the recent performance and risks of the local banking sector.
 
The Quarterly Bulletin and the Half-Yearly Report can be viewed on and downloaded from the HKMA website.

Source: Government of India

Indian Railways Holds about 4.90 Lakh Hectares of Land as of March 2024

Surplus Railway Land Leased for Commercial Development While Retaining Ownership

Posted On: 29 MAR 2025 5:35PM by PIB Delhi

As on 31.03.2024, the total land in possession of Indian Railways is about 4.90 lakh hectares out of which 8812 Ha land has been leased for various purposes. This includes railway land leased/licensed for passenger facilities, cargo related facilities, commercial development, etc. Zone-wise details of total railway land, total leased land are as under:

(Figures in hectares)

 

The land in possession of Indian Railways is utilized for providing fixed infrastructure such as tracks, stations, terminals, workshops, production units, etc. In addition, railway land is also leased/licensed to Government departments, Kendriya Vidyalaya, public service utility providers, private sectors for railway related activities like passenger facilities, cargo related facilities, etc. keeping ownership with Railways as per the extant policy.

The surplus vacant railway land which is not required for operational purpose in near future is entrusted to Rail Land Development Authority for leasing the railway land for commercial development. The ownership of commercially developed railway land always remains with Railways.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in Rajya Sabha yesterday.

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Dharmendra Tewari/Shatrunjay Kumar          

(Release ID: 2116610) Visitor Counter : 350

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) in partnership with The Guimet – National Museum of Asian Arts in France, the Museum Summit 2025, an international mega event in the museum sector, successfully concluded today (March 29). The Summit was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre for two consecutive days, receiving a record-high total registration of over 7 000. One-third of them were non-Hong Kong registrants, from 39 countries.
 
The registrants of the Summit were from a wide range of sectors. Apart from local, the Mainland and overseas museum counterparts, representatives from cultural and art institutions and galleries, there were also practitioners from various industries including museum-related service or product suppliers, educational institutions, production houses, public institutions, as well as finance, technology, tourism, cultural communication, vocational training, etc. The Summit proved to be an expanding platform for dialogues, networking and business opportunities.
 
With the theme of “Going Beyond”, this year’s Summit brought together over 30 cultural leaders and professionals from renowned museums and institutions across 17 countries to exchange and share their professional experiences, research findings and innovative concepts, as well as delegations comprising over 40 museum practitioners from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Museum Alliance and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
 
Addressing the closing ceremony, the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan said, Hong Kong has been achieving progressive developments. For museums, there are M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District. The LCSD manages 15 museums and two art spaces, with the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Museum of History, Hong Kong Science Museum and Hong Kong Heritage Museum as our flagships. There are also many interesting private museums like our partners this year, the Tsz Shan Monastery Buddhist Art Museum, the Art Museum of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, amongst others. They are all telling the Hong Kong stories with a multiplying breadth and depth.
 
Ms Chan said, like museums, and the society at large, the Museum Summit endeavoured to reinvent itself and go beyond usual parameters in its fourth edition. This Summit included topics like cultural tourism and social wellness in our dialogues, alongside the need to leverage technological advancements and achieve sustainability as its themes. These expanded roles were reflecting the transformative power of museums to connect people with heritage. She said, museum was no longer something about the past; rather it had become an integral element of the city’s cultural life. It was also an indispensable part of the city’s pride of its people and warm welcome to guests from across the globe.
 
Other than the discussion sessions, this year’s Summit also arranged various extended programmes for speakers, moderators, delegation and attendees, which received an attendance of around 1 000. Highlights included local cultural visits, such as visiting Tai Fu Tai Mansion in San Tin, Yuen Long, and experiencing and intangible cultural heritage items including Cantonese Opera and Nanyin performances. They also visited local museums, and participated in Museum Night at the Hong Kong Museum of Art, enjoyed live music performances and guided tours of the galleries. They will travel to Shenzhen to visit the Shenzhen Museum, the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning, the Shenzhen Art Museum (New Venue), and the Sea World Culture and Arts Center.

Source: Government of India

PRESIDENT OF INDIA INAUGURATES NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ‘ENVIRONMENT – 2025’

IT IS OUR MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE A LEGACY OF A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT TO THE COMING GENERATIONS: PRESIDENT DROUPADI MURMU

Posted On: 29 MAR 2025 1:07PM by PIB Delhi

The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu inaugurated a two-day National Conference on ‘Environment – 2025’ in New Delhi today (March 29, 2025).

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that all days related to the environment give the message that we should keep their objectives and programs in mind every day and make them a part of our daily life as far as possible. Environmental protection and promotion will be possible only through continuous activism based on awareness and everyone’s participation.

 

The President said that our children and the younger generation have to face and contribute to environmental transition on a much wider scale. She highlighted that elders in every family worry about which school or college their children will study in, and what career they will choose. This worry is justified. But, we all also have to think about what kind of air our children will breathe, what kind of water they will get to drink, whether they will be able to hear the sweet sounds of birds or not, whether they will be able to experience the beauty of lush green forests or not. She said that these topics have economic, social, and scientific aspects, but the most important thing is that the challenges related to all these topics also have a moral aspect. It is our moral responsibility to provide a legacy of a clean environment to the coming generations. For this, we will have to adopt an environmentally conscious and sensitive lifestyle so that the environment is not only protected but also enhanced and the environment can become more vibrant. Balancing clean environment and modern development is both an opportunity and a challenge.

 

The President said that we believed that nature, like a mother, nourishes us, and we should respect and protect nature. The basis of the Indian heritage of development is nourishment, not exploitation; protection, not elimination. Following this tradition, we want to move forward toward a developed India. She was happy to note that over the last decade, India has achieved several examples of early completion of its Nationally Determined Contributions as per international agreements.

 

The President said that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has played an important role in the environmental governance of our country. It has played a decisive role in the field of environmental justice or climate justice. The historic decisions given by NGT have a wide impact on our lives, our health, and the future of our earth. She urged the institutions associated with the environment management eco-system and citizens to continuously strive for environmental protection and promotion.

 The President said that our country and the entire world community have to follow a path that is environment friendly. Only then will humanity make real progress. She stated that India has presented many exemplary examples to the world community through its green initiatives. She expressed confidence that with the participation of all stakeholders, India will play the role of green leadership at the global level. She said that we all have to make India a developed nation by the year 2047 where the air, water, greenery, and prosperity attract the entire world community.

 The National Conference on ‘Environment – 2025’, being organised by NGT, aims to bring together key stakeholders to discuss pressing environmental challenges, share best practices, and collaborate on future action plans for sustainable environmental management.

Click here to see the President’s Message 

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MJPS/SR/SKS

(Release ID: 2116543) Visitor Counter : 1068

Source: Government of India

India-U.S. Trade Talks in New Delhi Concludes

Sectoral expert level engagements under the BTA to start virtually in the coming weeks

Posted On: 29 MAR 2025 5:45PM by PIB Delhi

As a follow up to the India-U.S. Joint Statement of 13 February 2025, wherein the two sides agreed to expand bilateral trade to reach $ 500 Billion by 2030, including through the conclusion of a Bilateral Trade Agreement, representatives of India’s Department of Commerce and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative convened in New Delhi from 26-29 March 2025.

In order to realize the shared objective of promoting growth that ensures fairness, national security and job creation, both sides have through four-days of discussions in New Delhi broadly come to an understanding on the next steps towards a mutually beneficial, multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), with the goal to finalize its first tranche by fall 2025. Sectoral expert level engagements under the BTA will start virtually in the coming weeks and pave the path for an early negotiating round in person. During these discussions the two sides also had a productive exchange of views on deepening bilateral cooperation in priority areas including increasing market access, reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers and deepening supply chain integration in a mutually beneficial manner.

The meeting in New Delhi follows the visit of Union Commerce and Industries Minister Shri Piyush Goyal to Washington, D.C. from 4-6 March 2025 during which he met his U.S. counterparts – U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and subsequent video conferences between the two sides.

The successful conclusion of the discussions reflects progress in efforts to expand India-U.S. bilateral trade and investment relations to promote prosperity, security and innovation in both the countries. These steps are designed to unlock new opportunities for businesses, drive bilateral economic integration, and reinforce the economic partnership between India and the United States.

India and the United States expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of the meeting and reaffirmed their dedication to ongoing collaboration. Both sides look forward to building on this milestone in the coming months to finalize the BTA, ensuring it aligns with the shared goals of prosperity, resilience, and mutual benefit.

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Abhishek Dayal/Abhijith Narayanan

(Release ID: 2116613) Visitor Counter : 3684

Source: Government of India

Arbitration and mediation mechanisms crucial for India’s emergence as a global manufacturing hub: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal

Legal reforms and a robust arbitration framework will boost investor confidence and economic growth: Shri Goyal

Posted On: 29 MAR 2025 1:23PM by PIB Delhi

Arbitration and mediation mechanisms are crucial for India’s emergence as a global manufacturing hub, stated Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, while addressing the Special Plenary Session at the United International Avocat Conference in Delhi today. In his speech, he underscored the importance of a strong legal and arbitration framework in supporting India’s rapid economic growth and its ambition to become a global manufacturing hub.

Shri Goyal noted that arbitration and mediation play a pivotal role in reducing judicial delays and ensuring a stable and transparent business environment. He emphasized the need for confidence in arbitration mechanisms and acknowledged concerns regarding the influence of large corporations and international biases. The Minister urged stakeholders to strengthen arbitration practices in India to make them more efficient and impartial, thereby fostering a more investor-friendly climate.

Reflecting on India’s growth trajectory, Shri Goyal highlighted the nation’s robust economic performance, stating that India is the fastest-growing major economy and is on track to becoming the fourth-largest global economy by 2025-26. He attributed this progress to significant policy reforms, including the simplification of business regulations and the decriminalization of over 180 legal provisions through the Jan Vishwas Act. The Minister emphasized that these reforms have built international trust in India as a reliable investment destination.

He explained that the Jan Vishwas was named with the intent of fostering mutual trust between the government and the people. The objective was to assure citizens that the government believes in them and does not seek to penalize minor mistakes with severe legal consequences. Instead, the focus is on simplifying processes and ensuring that errors can be rectified through reasonable measures rather than lengthy judicial scrutiny.

Shri Goyal also said that the government is now working on Jan Vishwas 2.0, aimed at further reducing legal complexities. “Incidentally, we are now moving towards Jan Vishwas 2.0. At least, businesses and individuals should be free of unnecessary tension and difficulties, worrying about every small action in their lives. If anyone has ideas, we welcome them. We are actively engaging with legal experts, but even now, we are open to suggestions on any law that can help make the lives of businesses and citizens easier,” he added.

Discussing India’s advantages as a global manufacturing hub, Shri Goyal pointed out key factors such as a young workforce, technological advancements, and a vast domestic market that enhances manufacturing competitiveness. The Minister also highlighted India’s digital transformation, with extensive 5G connectivity improving ease of business operations across the country.

Addressing ongoing legal reforms, Shri Goyal stressed the need for modernizing India’s judicial and arbitration systems to align with global best practices. He reaffirmed the government’s resolve to enhance arbitration efficiency through technology integration and internationally benchmarked laws. The Minister quoted Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, stating, “Justice is at the root of independent self-governance, and without justice, even the existence of a nation is not possible.”

Shri Goyal concluded by encouraging the legal fraternity to play a key role in drafting clear, robust, and globally competitive legal frameworks that support India’s aspirations as a global economic powerhouse. He emphasized that a strong legal infrastructure will not only facilitate economic growth but also reinforce India’s reputation as a trusted partner in the global trade ecosystem.

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Abhishek Dayal/ Abhijith Narayanan/ Ishita Biswas

(Release ID: 2116545) Visitor Counter : 629

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 29 MAR 2025 6:46PM by PIB Delhi

Today, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) of the day clocked 153 as per the daily AQI Bulletin provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). In view of significant improvement in the daily average AQI of Delhi and also considering the meteorological/ weather forecasts by IITM/ IMD, the Sub-Committee on Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) met today to review the current air quality scenario in the region and accordingly take an appropriate decision on the actions under Stage-I of GRAP in place in the entire National Capital Region (NCR) since 24.03.2025. While comprehensively reviewing the overall air quality parameters of Delhi-NCR and other aspects, the Sub-Committee observed as under:

 

• AQI of Delhi has shown significant improvement due to strong surface winds and improved meteorological conditions prevailing in Delhi-NCR. The AQI of Delhi has been recorded as 153 for 29.03.2025 (in ‘Moderate’ category). Further, the forecast by IMD/IITM also predicts AQI to mainly remain in ‘Moderate’ category in coming days.

Therefore, keeping in view this trend of improvement in the overall AQI of Delhi and also the forecasts by IMD/ IITM indicating the average air quality of Delhi to stay in ‘Moderate’ category in the coming days (for which forecast is available), the CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP unanimously decided to revoke Stage-I of the extant schedule of GRAP in the entire NCR, with immediate effect.

All the agencies of the concerned State Govts./ GNCTD in the NCR, in an effort to sustain the better AQI levels as being experienced currently and not to let the air quality slip to the ‘Poor’ category, however need to ensure that all statutory directions, advisories, orders etc. issued by the Commission are followed and implemented in right earnest, including the rules/ regulations/ guidelines issued by MoEF&CC and the Central Pollution Control Board and related instructions/ guidelines issued by the respective State Govts./ GNCTD and Pollution Control Boards/ DPCC, across all contributing sectors.

In this context, all the agencies concerned are also required to take note of various actions and the targeted timelines as envisaged in the comprehensive policy issued by the Commission to curb air pollution in the NCR and take appropriate actions accordingly in the field, particularly the dust mitigation measures for C&D activities & Roads/Open areas, which becomes a pre-dominant factor in the coming months determining the air quality in Delhi-NCR.

The Sub-Committee, shall be keeping a close watch on the air quality scenario and review the situation from time to time for further appropriate decision depending upon the air quality in Delhi and forecast made by IMD/ IITM.

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VM/GS

(Release ID: 2116627) Visitor Counter : 317