Secretary of the Ministry of Minority Affairs Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, along with Joint Secretary CPS Bakshi arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 8th April 2025.
Their visit aims to thoroughly review the ongoing preparations for this year’s Haj pilgrimage. The visit underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring a seamless and well-organized pilgrimage for Indian Haj pilgrims.
The Haj pilgrimage for 2025 is set to take place in early June.
Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India, along with Joint Secretary Shri CPS Bakshi arrived in Jeddah on April 8th, 2025. Their visit aims at thoroughly reviewing the ongoing Haj preparations. The visit underscores the… https://t.co/GcLug1VkdT
— Ministry of Minority Affairs (@MOMAIndia) April 9, 2025
The Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Annapurna Devi, will be visiting Arunachal Pradesh from 10th April to 13th April 2025, to attend various programs under Poshan Pakhwara. During her visit, she will focus on a range of field visits and review meetings aimed at enhancing the implementation of Government of India schemes.
Smt. Annapurna Devi will be visiting the districts of Kra Daadi and Lower Subansiri, where she will participate in activities related to Poshan Pakhwara.
In addition to attending the Poshan Pakhwara programs, the Minister will visit schools, Anganwadi centers, Hospitals, cooperatives, and Self Help Groups (SHGs) in the region to interact with beneficiaries and assess the impact of Government schemes. These visits are aimed at ensuring the effective implementation of key government welfare schemes aimed at women, children, and marginalized communities.
The Minister will also conduct review meetings with the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and district officers to discuss the progress of various schemes of the Government of India, including the flagship initiatives under the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The review sessions will focus on enhancing the effectiveness of ongoing programs and identifying areas where further improvements are needed to ensure the welfare of women, children, and vulnerable sections of society.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (April 9) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Åšrem District of Wielkopolskie Region in Poland, and in Lambton County of Ontario Province in Canada, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 6 600 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Poland, and about 400 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Canada last year.
“The CFS has contacted the Polish and Canadian authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
​Hong Kong Customs yesterday (April 8) detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 11 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of over $2.4 million.
A male passenger, aged 55, arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected cannabis buds inside his check-in suitcase. The man was subsequently arrested.
The arrestee has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (April 10).
Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.
Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities 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/en).
Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan leads India at third BIMSTEC Ministerial meeting on Agriculture at Kathmandu India implementing targeted measures using digital technologies to empower farmers: Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Shri Chouhan urges BIMSTEC member countries to participate in WAVES – 2025
Posted On: 09 APR 2025 2:33PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan led India at the 3rd BIMSTEC Agriculture Ministerial Meeting (BAMM) in Kathmandu, Nepal today. The one-day event was graced by the Agriculture Ministers and Senior Agriculture officials of the BIMSTEC countries namely India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand and Sri Lanka. This meeting provided an opportunity for a greater regional cooperation in the field of Agricultural development.
Over the past decade, BIMSTEC has emerged as a significant forum for promoting regional development, connectivity and economic progress in the Bay of Bengal region. “Agriculture and Food Security” is one of the BIMSTEC core areas of cooperation. This was the third meeting of BAMM, the highest decision-making body shaping regional agricultural cooperation. The 1st BAMM took place in Myanmar on 12 July 2019, followed by the 2nd BAMM in India on 10 November 2022. During the 3rd BAMM, the Agriculture Ministers deliberated on ways and means to infuse greater momentum to the BIMSTEC agriculture sector including fisheries and livestock cooperation.
In his address, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that BIMSTEC is a natural choice for India to fulfil its key foreign policy priorities of ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East Policy’. BIMSTEC has the potential to connect South and Southeast Asia. We have a shared history and a rich cultural heritage that makes us natural partners. Minister mentioned that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi , India has been implementing targeted measures such as direct transfer of cash to farmers, improving access to institutional credit, Soil Health Card, National Food Security Mission, Crop Insurance, Namo Drone Didi Scheme for providing drones to women. India is focusing on using digital technologies to empower farmers. Along with this, organic farming and natural farming are also being promoted while maintaining focus on environmental protection and soil health.
He reiterated India’s commitment to strengthen agricultural cooperation within BIMSTEC and felt happy to note that India has taken the initiative under BIMSTEC Agriculture Cooperation (2023-2027) by organizing trainings and workshops in the field of seed development, animal health and pest management. India also offers fully funded BIMSTEC Scholarships for students from BIMSTEC member nations to pursue M.Sc. and Ph.D. in India. This reflects our collective efforts towards enhancing capacity building in the agriculture sector in the region.
To further strengthen cooperation among BIMSTEC countries, India has proposed the establishment of ‘BIMSTEC Centre of Excellence for Agriculture Cooperation in India’. This centre will play an important role in resolving and operationalizing various commitments of BIMSTEC in agriculture and allied sectors in a timely manner. This centre will focus on precision agriculture, mitigating climate risk, natural farming, gender equality and artificial intelligence. It will serve as a platform for sharing knowledge and skills on emerging technologies including drones, digital technologies to ensure food security, nutrition and livelihood security in the region.
Shri Chouhan shared that Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi has announced the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit- 2025 in December 2024 which aims to bring together the world of entertainment, creativity and culture. It will serve as a premier platform for creativity and technological innovation for content creators, facilitate the exchange of knowledge, and provide an opportunity to engage in meaningful collaboration on issues with media and entertainment industry leaders from around the world. This event is being held in Mumbai during 1-4 May 2025 and urged the BIMSTEC member countries to participate in this mega event.
He expressed gratitude to leaders of BIMSTEC countries for the efforts made during the 6th BIMSTEC Summit to effectively implement the Plan of Action for Strengthening BIMSTEC Agricultural Cooperation (2023-2027). He expressed gratitude for the directions to enhance cooperation in sustainable development of fisheries and livestock to improve the livelihoods of people in the region and ensure food security. He concluded by stressing that BIMSTEC is central to our efforts to ensuring food security, climate adaptation and making Agriculture Sustainable in the region and reiterated the commitment of India towards these efforts.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has expressed deep grief over the demise of veteran leader Thiru Kumari Ananthan.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said;
“Thiru Kumari Ananthan Ji will be remembered for his noteworthy service to society and passion towards Tamil Nadu’s progress. He also made many efforts to popularise Tamil language and culture. Pained by his passing away. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti.”
Thiru Kumari Ananthan Ji will be remembered for his noteworthy service to society and passion towards Tamil Nadu’s progress. He also made many efforts to popularise Tamil language and culture. Pained by his passing away. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti.
Stretch, Breathe, Stay Updated: IDY 2025 Newsletter Goes Live IDY Newsletter reflects the spirit of IDY 2025 theme ‘Yoga for One Earth, One Health’, as envisioned by the Prime Minister: Ayush Minister
Posted On: 09 APR 2025 1:59PM by PIB Delhi
In the run-up to the 10th International Day of Yoga (IDY), the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY), Ministry of Ayush has launched a dedicated newsletter to provide timely updates, foster awareness, and encourage public participation in the global celebration of yoga. With just weeks to go for the event, the newsletter will serve as a vital communication tool to engage stakeholders and audiences worldwide.
The Minister of State (IC), Ministry of Ayush, Shri Prataprao Jadhav highlighted the thought behind the initiative and mentioned that, “This newsletter is a vital step towards ensuring timely and transparent updates for citizens and stakeholders alike. It reflects the spirit of IDY 2025 theme ‘Yoga for One Earth, One Health’, as envisioned by the Prime Minister in Mann Ki Baat. I commend MDNIY for its dedicated efforts in bringing this initiative to life.”
The Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha mentioned, “The publication of this newsletter is an effort to bring citizens closer to yoga. It encourages widespread participation in IDY 2025 and promotes holistic well-being, aligning with our shared vision of health and harmony for all.
The Joint Secretary, Ms. Monalisa Dash mentioned, “This newsletter reflects our integrated approach to International Day of Yoga 2025. It brings together voices and efforts from across institutions, helping ensure that the IDY message resonates strongly and inclusively across all sections of society.”
The Director, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY), Dr. Kashinath Samagandi emphasised that “Publication of this newsletter has been a collaborative journey. Timely cooperation from IDY event organisers nationwide is crucial to ensure accurate, comprehensive updates that reflect our collective commitment to promoting yoga and wellness at every level of society.”
The newsletter aims to disseminate timely information and keep the public informed about the latest developments, including event plans, milestones, and logistical preparations. It will also generate excitement and awareness among citizens, institutions, media houses, and international partners, reinforcing the central message of holistic health and well-being through yoga.
Designed to promote participation, the newsletter will share details on registration portals, participation guidelines, and community-led initiatives. It will also showcase the country’s preparedness, including ground-level activities, rehearsals, and signature campaigns like Harit Yoga.
A key objective of the newsletter is to strengthen stakeholder engagement, aligning government bodies, yoga institutions, educational organisations, and global missions under a common vision. The Ministry will also use the platform to highlight innovative campaigns, digital tools like yoga apps, and the special theme ‘Yoga for One Earth One Health’ introduced for the year.
Functioning as a communication bridge, the newsletter will regularly feature updates on pre-events, curtain raisers, and international collaborations. It will spotlight success stories from previous editions and include expert insights from renowned yoga practitioners and scientists.
With the Prime Minister’s vision of making yoga a unifying force for humanity, the newsletter will further promote government messaging, celebrating India’s role in leading this global wellness movement.
This initiative also aims to foster global outreach, highlighting activities of Indian embassies and diaspora communities, ensuring that the spirit of IDY resonates across continents.
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), under the Ministry of Labour and Employment has launched a revolutionary step towards digital empowerment by introducing Universal Account Number (UAN) generation and activation using Aadhaar Face Authentication Technology (FAT) through the UMANG Mobile App. This contactless and secure service marks a major leap in providing hassle-free and fully digital experiences to crores of EPFO members.
Simplifying the UAN Process for Employees
Until now, UANs were largely generated by employers using employee data submitted to EPFO. While Aadhaar details were validated, inaccuracies in fields such as father’s name, mobile number, or date of birth were common. These errors often required corrections during claim processing or while accessing other EPFO services. In many cases, the UAN was not even communicated to the employee, and mobile numbers were missing or incorrect, making direct communication difficult. Furthermore, UAN activation through Aadhaar OTP validation on EPFO Member portal was a separate process to be completed by the member causing confusion.
In the financial year 2024-25 alone, out of 1.26 crore UANs allotted, only 44.68 lakh (35.30%) were activated by members. Several reminders were given to employers to get employees to activate their UAN using Aadhaar OTP so that in future any benefit under the Employment Linked Scheme could be potentially provided using DBT.
New Aadhaar FAT-Based Process: Direct and Secure
To address these persistent challenges, EPFO has now enabled direct UAN generation and activation using Face Authentication via the UMANG App. This service can be used by both employees and employers and offers several key benefits:
100% validation of Aadhaar and user using Face Authentication.
All data of user is pre-populated directly from Aadhaar database.
Mobile number of user is matched with mobile registered with Aadhaar.
UAN activation on EPFO portal simultaneously completed during generation process.
UAN generation directly done by Employee himself/herself and e-UAN card PDF can be downloaded by Employee removing any dependency with Employer.
At the time of employment, Employee can hand copy of e-UAN card PDF and UAN to Employer for onboarding with EPFO.
Access to EPFO services such as passbook viewing, KYC updates, claim submission, and more are immediately unlocked.
The process steps are as follows:
Download Umang App from Playstore and install.
Download AadhaarFaceRD App from Playstore and install.
Open UMANG App and go to “UAN Allotment and Activation” under UAN services Through Face Auth.
Enter Aadhaar Number and Mobile linked with Aadhaar (this will be matched with Mobile registered with Aadhaar for sending OTP).
Tick on Checkbox for consent.
Validate OTP received.
Camera will be enabled to capture live photo image – Once the color outline of image turns green from red means that image capture is successful (This is similar to how anyone uses Digiyatra app)
After matching with image in Aadhaar database, UAN will be generated and sent by SMS to mobile.
After generating UAN, the Employee can download the UAN card from the UMANG App or Member Portal (UAN is auto-activated in the Member Portal)
UAN Activation for Existing Members
Members who already have a UAN but have not yet activated, can now easily activate their UAN through the UMANG App.
Enhanced Security Through Biometric Authentication
Biometric authentication using Face Authentication provides a higher level of security compared to traditional methods such as demographic or OTP-based authentication. It ensures accurate and tamper-proof identity verification at the very entry point into the EPFO system.
This secure verification will also pave the way for a wide range of self-service options for members, eliminating the need for employer or Regional Office intervention in many future services.
Employers encouraged to use UAN generation through FAT mode for higher efficiency and lower errors
Accordingly, employers are advised to adopt and promote this method immediately and assist first-time employees in generating their UANs using face authentication. This will ensure timely and authenticated registration into the EPFO system.
Collaboration with My Bharat
EPFO will also promoting digital life certificate through Jeevan Pramaan using the Face Authentication Technology by collaborating with volunteers from MY Bharat to provide services to pensioners at their doorstep shortly.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority, as representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, announced today (April 9) the relevant per annum interest rate for the first interest payment of Silver Bond Series due 2027 (Issue Number: 03GB2710R) (the Bonds) issued under the Infrastructure Bond Programme.
According to the Issue Circular dated September 30, 2024, for the Bonds, the first interest payment of the Bonds is scheduled to be made on April 23, 2025, and the relevant interest rate is scheduled to be determined and announced on April 9, 2025, as the higher of the prevailing Floating Rate and Fixed Rate.
On April 9, 2025, the Floating Rate and Fixed Rate are as follows:
Floating Rate: +1.63 per cent (Annex)
Fixed Rate: +4.00 per cent
Based on the Floating Rate and Fixed Rate set out above, the relevant interest rate for the first interest payment is determined and announced as 4.00 per cent per annum.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Joint Meeting of Four Expert Groups of APEC Energy Working Group and associated workshops held in Hong Kong for first time This joint meeting brings together four expert groups of the APEC EWG for the first time, namely the Expert Group on Energy Data and Analysis, the Expert Group on Energy Efficiency and Conservation, the Expert Group on New and Renewable Energy Technologies and the Expert Group on Clean Fossil Energy. They are being held in conjunction with the APEC Workshop on Promoting Energy Efficiency Enhancement in Electricity Generation and the 8th Oil and Gas Security Network Forum. Over 100 experts and delegates from 18 APEC member economies as well as three international organisations have gathered to share and exchange experiences on topics such as energy security, clean energy, renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy data and analysis, and sustainable development.
Mr Tse said in his welcome remarks that APEC economies consume approximately 60 per cent of the world’s energy. As the member economies pursue rapid and ongoing economic growth and urbanisation, energy demand and carbon emissions in the region will continue to rise, making it crucial to accelerate the transition to green energy, mitigate climate change risks and ensure energy security and sustainable economic development.
He also said that Hong Kong is striving to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050, and will cease using coal for electricity generation by 2035. Hong Kong is actively implementing various decarbonisation measures, including planning infrastructure to import more zero-carbon electricity from neighbouring regions, enhancing energy efficiency in buildings, developing green transportation and promoting hydrogen energy development for achieving a green and sustainable future.
Mr Poon shared Hong Kong’s developments in the field of energy at the meeting. He thanked the APEC member economies for their continuous efforts in combating climate change, and stressed the importance of maintaining a rapport among the members for meeting the challenges from climate change.
Hong Kong has been actively participating in, and hosting meetings of, the APEC EWG and its expert groups, giving full play to the contribution from the energy sector to the economic and social well-being of the APEC region, while mitigating the environmental impact of the energy supply and its use with other APEC member economies. Issued at HKT 16:18