Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Country Parks Hiking and Planting Day 2025May 4 Wong Nai Tun Irrigation Reservoir, Tai Lam Country Park
An AFCD spokesman said, “The event aims to promote messages related to caring for nature and tree preservation via public engagement activities. AFCD staff and volunteers will share information on the seedlings and promote hiking etiquette to enhance participants’ awareness of nature conservation.”
Seedlings for the tree planting activities were raised in the Tai Tong Nursery of the AFCD in Yuen Long. The department has been planting local species in country parks to enhance the biodiversity and ecological value of country parks in recent years. About 230 000 tree seedlings were planted in country parks last year by AFCD staff and various organisations.
Details of the activities and the latest information are available on the Nature in Touch website (www.natureintouch.gov.hkIssued at HKT 15:32
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Over 1 Million Resources Hired Through GeM in FY 2024-25
Source: Government of India
Over 1 Million Resources Hired Through GeM in FY 2024-25
GeM Revolutionises Government’s Manpower Outsourcing Service
Posted On: 02 APR 2025 12:20PM by PIB Delhi
Digital procurement platform, Government e-Marketplace (GeM), has achieved a significant milestone by facilitating the hiring of over 1 million manpower resources by government organizations in the current fiscal year (2024-25). This milestone underscores GeM’s commitment to transforming public procurement through transparency, compliance, and efficiency.
Manpower outsourcing of GeM provides government buyers with a seamless solution to hire outsourced resources. Over 33,000 service providers on the platform enable buyers to engage manpower based on diverse criteria, including minimum wages and fixed remuneration. Various skilled and unskilled roles such as Security Personnel, Horticulture Staff, Multi-Tasking Staff, Data Entry Operators, and Facility Management Professionals can be hired through the portal.
Speaking on this achievement, CEO of GeM, Shri Ajay Bhadoo, stated, “GeM has harnessed digital capabilities and has emerged as a one-stop-shop for procurement of all possible services required by government buyers at various levels of administration. Our manpower outsourcing service not only simplifies the hiring process for government organizations but also ensures strict labour compliance through our comprehensive Service Level Agreement.”
Key features of GeM’s manpower outsourcing service include:
- Flexibility to select resources based on skills, profiles, educational qualifications, and experience
- Specialized role categories addressing specific government needs
- Transparent pricing models, including minimum wage and fixed remuneration options
- Comprehensive Service Level Agreement (SLA) framework ensuring legal compliance and clear obligations for all parties
GeM’s adherence with labour laws and regulations ensures that all transactions meet statutory requirements, providing government buyers with peace of mind while engaging outsourced resources.
The milestone of 1 million manpower resources hired through GeM in FY 2024-25 demonstrates the growing trust and adoption of the platform across government sectors.
Established in 2016, GeM provides government buyers with an end-to-end digital platform to carry out public procurement at cost-effective rates. In FY 2019-20, the platform expanded to include services as a separate segment, initially offering basic services like manpower hiring, cab hiring, security services, and cleaning & sanitation services. Over the last five years, GeM has expanded its portfolio to more than 330 services, including complex offerings like drone services, AR/VR services, cloud services, and cybersecurity services.
***
Abhishek Dayal/ Abhijith Narayanan/ Ishita Biswas
(Release ID: 2117636) Visitor Counter : 64
Government cautions public on fake information about so-called “Government Investment Platform”
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
A government spokesman today (April 2) cautioned the public not to believe in a video circulating online, which appears to be artificially generated and falsely presents the Financial Secretary promoting a so-called “Government Investment Platform”. The Government clarified that the information is totally fictitious and is intended to deceive. The spokesman advises the public not to fall for the scam. The matter has been referred to the Police for further investigation.
LCQ5: Functions of Radio Television Hong Kong and the Information Services Department
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ5: Functions of Radio Television Hong Kong and the Information Services Department
Radio Television Hong Kong and the Information Services Department are government departments under the purview of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau respectively. There are views that the aforesaid two departments, both being official media agencies, have overlapping functions. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the specific functions and staff establishment of the two departments;
(2) whether it will, under the financial philosophy of keeping the expenditure within the limits of revenues while exploring new sources of income and managing costs, review how the structure of the two departments can be streamlined to reduce expenditure; and
(3) whether it has explored ways to further enhance the compatibility of the two departments and the feasibility of their merger; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
Having consulted the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and the Information Services Department (ISD), our consolidated reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon Junius Ho is as follows:
As a government department and the only public service broadcaster in Hong Kong, Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) firmly implements the public purposes and mission under the Charter of RTHK, including promoting understanding of “one country, two systems”, proactively assisting in strengthening the dissemination of government information, engendering a sense of citizenship and national identity, and promoting sports and culture and social inclusion. RTHK currently operates five digital television channels and eight AM/FM radio channels. Unlike commercial broadcasters, programmes produced and broadcast by RTHK have to cater for the needs of the mass audience as well as the minority groups including ethnic minorities and the non-Chinese speaking group etc. In this connection, apart from disseminating government information, the radio and television programmes of RTHK also cover various aspects including news, public affairs, national education, sports, culture, lifestyle and education programmes etc.
As for the ISD, it is responsible for the Government’s public relations, news dissemination, publicity and publication matters, and serves as a communication link between the Government and mass media including newspapers, television, radio, and magazines. The ISD also makes good use of the Internet, disseminating government information to the public directly by multi-media content so as to enhance the public’s understanding of and support for the Government’s work. In addition, the ISD also provides professional public relations advice to the Government and promotes government policies and services through different communication platforms and means (including RTHK), with a view to projecting an accurate image of Hong Kong within and outside the city while telling the good stories of Hong Kong.
In view of the above, although RTHK and the ISD are both government departments and both carry the responsibility of disseminating government information, RTHK, as the public service broadcaster; and the ISD, being responsible for the Government’s public relations, perform different duties. There is no overlapping of their functions. As regards staff establishment, the establishment ceilings of RTHK and the ISD in 2024-25 are 762 and 451 posts respectively. Most of the civil service posts of RTHK belong to the Programme Officer grade while most of the civil service posts of the ISD belong to the Information Officer grade. The requirements for work nature, skills and experience of the two grades are different and hence merging the two departments with distinct functions may not be the most effective way to increase revenue and reduce expenditure in terms of overall operations. In addition, regardless of whether the merge would be implemented by having the Director of Information Services or the Director of Broadcasting to oversee both the ISD and RTHK, it would be difficult for the head of the merged department to manage the work of the two departments of which their missions, scopes of services and modes of operation are distinctly different. On the contrary, the merge may confuse the public with the role of RTHK as a public service broadcaster and the ISD in promoting the Government, which may be counterproductive to the Government’s overall public relations works.
Notwithstanding the above, in response to the Productivity Enhancement Programme announced in the 2025-26 Budget, both RTHK and the ISD will comprehensively review their staffing and operation. In particular, RTHK will introduce appropriate measures including streamlining its structure and utilising technology for programme production etc to reduce manpower without affecting the quality of RTHK’s programmes and services. At present, RTHK has been committed to deploying artificial intelligence (AI) in developing smart broadcasting. Last year, RTHK officially launched the AI Lab, streamlining production flow with AI technology, as well as adopting various AI-generated tools to enhance productivity. This will not only improve the quality of programmes but also result in a more cost-effective use of manpower. Besides, the ISD will continue to make effective use of existing platforms of the Government while keeping in view market developments and global trends to step up the Government’s work in policy promotion and information dissemination. The ISD will also closely monitor the implementation of programmes under its purview and review their effectiveness regularly for the sake of more flexible and effective use of resources.
Despite the different roles of RTHK and the ISD, we agree that the two departments can co-operate with each other and leverage their strengths, to promote government’s policies and disseminate government information more effectively. As such, both sides will continue to strengthen collaboration, for instance, the ISD is actively planning to work with RTHK on programme production under the theme of “Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the War of Resistance” to promote patriotism through storytelling in a vivid manner. RTHK can leverage the ISD’s strength in running a wide range of platforms and make use of those platforms to enhance the reach of its programmes, taking advantage of the synergy to tell good stories of the country and Hong Kong. Meanwhile, RTHK will continue to solidify its role as the public service broadcaster, including striving to strengthen its partnership with different broadcasters in the Mainland and other regions, continuing to produce different types of programmes on various themes in order to provide diversified radio and television programme choices for the public.
Issued at HKT 14:50
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PARLIAMENT QUESTION: SERICULTURE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
Source: Government of India
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: SERICULTURE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
Posted On: 02 APR 2025 1:04PM by PIB Delhi
The Government has been implementing the Silk Samagra scheme for the overall development of silk sector in the country. Based on the proposals received from the States, support is provided through central assistance, for the development of necessary infrastructure through beneficiary oriented components including setting up of silkworm seed production units, rearing houses, Chawki Rearing Centres (CRCs), silk reeling & weaving units, Common Facility Centres, State-wise, Centres of Excellence.
The State-wise central funds allocated/ released and utilized during the last five are given below.
Presently, there are no proposals for new sericulture infrastructure projects pending approval. The Financial assistance for infrastructure development under Silk Samagra & Silk Samagra-2 scheme has been provided to states for implementation with the defined sharing pattern. The pattern of assistance under the ongoing Silk Samagra-2 scheme for individual farmers, cooperatives (SPV/FPO/SHG/NGO), and private entities is given below:
|
# |
Particulars |
GOI (CSB) % |
State % |
Beneficiary % |
|
A |
All states other than NE states |
|||
|
1 |
General States- General Category |
50 |
25 |
25 |
|
2 |
General States – For SC & ST |
65 |
25 |
10 |
|
3 |
Special Status States |
80 |
10 |
10 |
|
B |
Seri Business Enterprise / Entrepreneurs |
|||
|
1 |
General- New/ existing |
30/20 |
20 |
50/60 |
|
2 |
SC & ST and Special status & NE states- New/ existing |
40/30 |
30 |
30/40 |
|
C |
North East states |
|||
|
1 |
Group activity/ Community based programmes |
100 |
– |
– |
|
2 |
Common Facility/ State infrastructure |
90 |
10 |
– |
|
3 |
Individual Beneficiary |
90 |
– |
10 |
Project Monitoring Committee (PMC) at State Level, Apex Approval & Monitoring Committee at Central Silk Board level and Joint verification of the benefits/ assets at field ensure the effective implementation and utilization of funds under Silk Samagra-2 scheme.
|
State-wise Central funds allocated/ released & utilised during the last 5 years under Silk Samagra & Silk Samagra-2 scheme |
|||||||||||||
|
(Rs. in Lakh) |
|||||||||||||
|
# |
State |
2019-20 |
2020-21 |
2021-22 |
2022-23 |
2023-24 |
|||||||
|
SILK SAMAGRA |
SILK SAMAGRA-2 |
||||||||||||
|
Allocated/ Released |
Utilised |
Allocated/ Released |
Utilised |
Allocated/ Released |
Utilised |
Allocated/ Released |
Utilised |
Allocated/ Released |
Utilised |
||||
|
1 |
Karnataka |
5,507.29 |
5,507.29 |
5,756.07 |
5,756.07 |
1,0140.19 |
10,140.19 |
1,538.38 |
895.25 |
8,585.08 |
8,585.08 |
||
|
2 |
Andhra Pradesh |
2,748.01 |
2,587.52 |
2,251.10 |
1,997.26 |
2,496.27 |
2,026.64 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
1,280.51 |
0.00 |
||
|
3 |
Telangana |
1,021.66 |
1,021.66 |
1,391.71 |
1,391.71 |
567.79 |
265.51 |
3,421.71 |
1,158.48 |
77.14 |
0.00 |
||
|
4 |
Tamilnadu |
1,452.21 |
1,276.55 |
1,432.52 |
1,069.93 |
1,968.09 |
1,711.35 |
3,335.46 |
3,128.80 |
4,565.32 |
1,219.25 |
||
|
5 |
Maharashtra |
475.55 |
475.55 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
106.68 |
105.25 |
284.94 |
248.38 |
2,267.46 |
0.00 |
||
|
6 |
Kerala |
305.35 |
200.12 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
||
|
7 |
Uttar pradesh |
455.77 |
441.47 |
357.00 |
357.00 |
2,529.74 |
2,180.27 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
2,304.468 |
1,190.575 |
||
|
8 |
Madhya Pradesh |
0.00 |
0.00 |
8.26 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
293.18 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
||
|
9 |
Chattisgarh |
218.32 |
218.32 |
84.75 |
84.75 |
1,478.19 |
1,194.41 |
2,895.83 |
1,497.27 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
||
|
10 |
West Bengal |
447.80 |
447.80 |
5.51 |
5.51 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
721.12 |
658.41 |
749.49 |
0.00 |
||
|
11 |
Bihar |
0.00 |
0.00 |
364.63 |
364.63 |
1,177.44 |
965.92 |
1,031.48 |
38.48 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
||
|
12 |
Jharkhand |
44.65 |
0.00 |
54.24 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
273.94 |
100.18 |
39.68 |
0.00 |
||
|
13 |
Orissa |
261.93 |
70.64 |
226.97 |
149.93 |
76.63 |
0.00 |
355.92 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
||
|
14 |
Jammu & Kashmir |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
546.65 |
518.03 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
399.29 |
0.00 |
||
|
15 |
Himachal Pradesh |
213.79 |
213.79 |
772.86 |
772.86 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
||
|
16 |
Uttarakhand |
928.98 |
917.16 |
269.74 |
269.74 |
511.82 |
473.43 |
784.09 |
239.95 |
148.27 |
0.00 |
||
|
17 |
Haryana |
217.76 |
0.00 |
26.56 |
0.00 |
241.24 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
||
|
18 |
Punjab |
107.90 |
107.90 |
117.72 |
117.72 |
241.73 |
239.73 |
81.76 |
75.06 |
446.38 |
0.00 |
||
|
19 |
Assam |
74.14 |
74.14 |
97.68 |
57.68 |
672.42 |
435.51 |
2,150.14 |
545.47 |
11.70 |
0.00 |
||
|
20 |
BTC |
0.00 |
0.00 |
758.50 |
758.50 |
909.13 |
909.13 |
1,936.03 |
1,809.11 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
||
|
21 |
Arunachal Pradesh |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
2,364.26 |
2,343.69 |
2,619.15 |
2,203.93 |
851.70 |
640.16 |
||
|
22 |
Manipur |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
3,248.96 |
228.99 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
||
|
23 |
Meghalaya |
0.00 |
0.00 |
62.46 |
0.00 |
1,039.11 |
797.87 |
632.08 |
115.20 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
||
|
24 |
Mizoram |
0.00 |
0.00 |
470.13 |
470.13 |
967.63 |
945.86 |
2,006.90 |
1,777.12 |
706.15 |
561.51 |
||
|
25 |
Nagaland |
0.00 |
0.00 |
237.35 |
237.35 |
2,249.35 |
2,248.94 |
1,521.04 |
1,382.80 |
2,304.49 |
2,170.81 |
||
|
26 |
Sikkim |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
119.00 |
0.00 |
629.57 |
168.06 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
||
|
27 |
Tripura |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
152.00 |
152.00 |
1448.23 |
0.00 |
||
|
Total |
14,481.08 |
13,559.90 |
14,745.75 |
13,860.76 |
30,403.37 |
27,501.72 |
29,913.70 |
16,422.93 |
26,185.35 |
14,367.38 |
|||
This information was provided by THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES SHRI PABITRA MARGHERITA in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
*****
DHANYA SANAL K
(Lok Sabha US Q4958)
(Release ID: 2117662)
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: IMPLEMENTATION OF PM MITRA SCHEME
Source: Government of India
Posted On: 02 APR 2025 1:05PM by PIB Delhi
With a view to develop integrated large scale and modern industrial infrastructure facility for the entire value-chain of the textile industry, the Government has approved setting up of 7 (Seven) PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks in Greenfield/Brownfield sites with a scheme outlay of Rs. 4,445 crore for the period 2021-22 to 2027-28. The Government has finalised 7 sites viz. Tamil Nadu (Virudhnagar), Telangana (Warangal), Gujarat (Navsari), Karnataka (Kalaburagi), Madhya Pradesh (Dhar), Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow) and Maharashtra (Amravati) for setting up PM MITRA Parks. Once completed, it is expected that each PM MITRA Park will generate 3 lakh (direct/indirect) employment opportunities.
Post approval of sites received by the Government, the selected States/SPVs have started a series of activities on ground including provision of road, water and power, infrastructure till the park gate, preparation of sites and other related infrastructure. Environmental Clearance have been obtained for PM MITRA sites in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Telangana. In respect of PM MITRA Park at Amravati Maharashtra, tender of infrastructure development for Rs. 111 crore has been finalized and work order issued. The foundation stone of the PM MITRA Park Amravati Maharashtra was laid by the Hon’ble Prime Minister in September 2024. In-principle approval has been accorded to the proposal of the Government of Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh for implementation of PM MITRA Parks by the Government of Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh through their implementing agencies.
The scheme envisages a Development Capital Support (DCS) of 30% of total project cost upto Rs. 500 crore for Greenfield Park and Rs. 200 crore for Brownfield Park subject to scheme guidelines. The scheme also envisages a Competitive Incentive Support (CIS) of upto Rs. 300 crore per park as an incentive to manufacturing units to set up early in the park. The incentive is subject to fulfilment of conditions as outlined in detailed scheme guidelines.
In order to effectively implement the PM MITRA Scheme, MoUs as well as JV agreements have been signed between Government of India and PM MITRA States. Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) have been incorporated in all Greenfield PM MITRA Parks with State Governments’ holding 51% stake in the SPV and remaining 49% being held by the Government of India.
To encourage private sector participation in the scheme, a Master Developer (MD) led model for developing PM MITRA Park on a Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) basis has been envisaged in addition to other models of development.
This information was provided by THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES SHRI PABITRA MARGHERITA in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
*****
DHANYA SANAL K
(Lok Sabha US Q4990)
(Release ID: 2117663) Visitor Counter : 70
Owner of chain retail store convicted of engaging in commercial practice involving misleading omission for selling clothes
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
An owner of a chain retail store was convicted of undertaking a commercial practice involving a misleading omission to consumers, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO), and was fined $30,000 at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts today (April 2). A total of 63 pieces of clothes involved in the case were also confiscated.
Customs earlier received information alleging that clothes with suspected false descriptions of the country of origin were put on sale in a chain retail store. Customs officers then test-purchased the clothes from three branches of the store located in Sha Tin and Tseung Kwan O. It was found that the clothes bore two country of origin labels, namely “made in korea” and “MADE IN CHINA”. Customs subsequently took enforcement action against the three branches and seized a total of 63 pieces of clothes, with a value of $9,000, which bore dual places of origin.
Under the TDO, any trader who engages in a commercial practice that omits or hides material information or provides material information in a manner that is unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely, and as a result causes, or is likely to cause, an average consumer to make a transactional decision, commits an offence of misleading omissions. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
LCQ22: Overseas Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ22: Overseas Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices
| ETO(Revised Estimate)(number of posts)(HK$ million)(number of posts)(HK$ million)(number of posts)(HK$ million)*Total operational expenses include personal emoluments, personnel related expenses, departmental expenses and other charges. The Dubai, Bangkok, Jakarta and Singapore ETOs altogether account for 28 per cent of the total staff establishment of the 14 existing overseas ETOs, and about 24 per cent of their total operational expenses.Issued at HKT 16:38 NNNN Fraudulent websites and internet banking login screens related to Dah Sing Bank, LimitedSource: Hong Kong Government special administrative region Fraudulent websites and internet banking login screens related to Dah Sing Bank, Limited NNNN LCQ6: Regulation of use of electronic screen products by children and adolescentsSource: Hong Kong Government special administrative region LCQ6: Regulation of use of electronic screen products by children and adolescents NNNN |