MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Government of India

Prime Minister meets Crown Prince of Dubai

Reaffirms commitment to strengthen India-UAE Ties

Posted On: 08 APR 2025 4:07PM by PIB Delhi

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi met with His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai in New Delhi. Shri Modi reaffirmed commitment to strengthen India-UAE Ties. He also said that Dubai has played a key role in advancing the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The Prime Minister wrote on X;

“Glad to meet HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai. Dubai has played a key role in advancing the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This special visit reaffirms our deep-rooted friendship and paves the way for even stronger collaboration in the future.

@HamdanMohammed”

 

 

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MJPS/ST

(Release ID: 2120045) Visitor Counter : 99

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following are the opening remarks (English translation) by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, at the special meeting of the Legislative Council Finance Committee today (April 8):

Chairman,
 
I would like to brief Members on the key areas of work of the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) in 2025-26.

On youth development, since the launch of the Youth Development Blueprint, the HYAB has been co-ordinating with various bureaux to implement at full steam some 160 measures as set out therein. To ensure that the Blueprint measures are progressing with the times, the bureaux have also introduced around 90 new measures subsequently.
 
We will continue to take forward various exchange and internship programmes outside Hong Kong, helping young people broaden their horizons and explore our country and the world. Moreover, a new round of funded projects under two funding schemes on youth entrepreneurship will be rolled out gradually in 2025 to support aspiring youth entrepreneurs.

Following the success last year, we will organise the second Youth Development Summit in the second half of 2025 to facilitate exchange among youths from different regions.
 
To expand spaces and network for the youth, as announced in the 2024 Policy Address, the HYAB will set up, for “Youth Link” members, a physical platform for interaction in the Nam Cheong District Community Centre and the adjacent Tung Chau Street Temporary Market, and we will also establish a new interactive space and set up a video studio at the Youth Square, for rolling out the “Good Stories of Hong Kong Youth” Programme. The Government will also convert the Kai Tak Community Isolation Facility into a youth development facility, which includes setting up a “Youth Post” hostel and creating spaces for youth cultural, arts and sports exchanges. The HYAB has promptly enhanced our speed and efficiency in pressing ahead with these projects, in particular that we have completed the tender exercise and selected the operator of “Youth Post”. The operator will not only set up a youth hostel but also organise youth activities and international exchange programmes encompassing cultural, art and sports elements in accordance with a detailed five-year conceptual plan.
 
As regards civic and national education, we will continue to work closely with the Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education in 2025-26 to promote civic and national education through various channels and diverse means, such as seminars, thematic exhibitions and interactive dramas, with a view to helping the general public develop positive values, civic awareness and sense of patriotism, as well as enhancing their awareness of the rule of law.
 
On family and women’s development, to promote women’s workplace development, the HYAB will launch the “She Inspires” two-year pilot mentorship programme in the second quarter of this year, pairing local female university students who aspire to pursue a career in the professional or business sectors with women leader mentors, and provide related training and activities. The preparatory work is under way, and we have received enthusiastic responses and support from outstanding local women. We have successfully recruited about 50 mentors.
 
On improving district governance, the achievements of the seventh-term District Councils in its first year are there for all to see. All the District Council members have focused on livelihood issues, liaised closely with members of the public, reflected public views inside and outside the District Councils, and assisted in boosting the local economy, improving the living environment as well as resolving problems people faced. I hope that District Council members will continue to carry out solid district work, serve people in innovative ways and build a better and harmonious community together.
 
The 452 District Services and Community Care Teams in the 18 districts have been fully operational for a year and a half. As of end-January 2025, they have visited around 390 000 households in need, and provided about 43 000 times of support services. In addition to provision of caring services, Care Teams also assist in handling incidents and emergencies. The Government will increase the funding for Care Teams in their next term of service, with the estimated provision for 2025-26 amounting to $319.1 million, so that Care Teams can provide more in-depth and extensive caring services.
 
As regards ethnic minorities (EMs), to further strengthen the support for EMs to integrate into the community, the Home Affairs Department will invite one more existing support service centre for EMs to provide interpretation and translation services for EMs to alleviate the inconvenience they face due to language barriers. The service is targeted to commence in 2025.
 
The Government is committed to promoting good building management. We will launch, this June at the earliest, a one-year Pilot Scheme on Joint Property Management in the districts of Yau Tsim Mong, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon City and Tsuen Wan to help owners of “three-nil” buildings and aged single-block buildings engage the same property management company to jointly manage their buildings. The Government has earmarked $7 million for running the Pilot Scheme.
 
On combating illegal betting, as stated in the Budget Speech in recent years, quite some members of the public have expressed concerns about the problem of illegal basketball betting in Hong Kong. According to the latest information provided by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the illegal market turnover for basketball betting in 2024 was estimated to be at around $70 billion to $90 billion. To combat illegal betting activities in an effective manner, we launched a one-month public consultation last Wednesday (April 2) on the proposed regulation of basketball betting activities. We will decide the way forward having regard to public views.
 
My colleagues and I are happy to answer questions from Members. Thank you.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The symposium on safeguarding national security for the social welfare sector of Hong Kong, jointly organised by the Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) and the Social Welfare Department (SWD) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Connecting Hearts, was held today (April 8) to further enhance the sector’s awareness of safeguarding national security.

     Officiated by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, the symposium attracted over 8 000 participants from the social welfare sector of Hong Kong, who took part both online and offline. The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun; the Director-General of the Social Work Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Mr Liu Songlin; and Vice-Chairman of the Connecting Hearts and head of the Connecting Hearts Academy, Professor Annie Tam, also attended the symposium.

     Addressing the symposium, Mr Chan said that the HKSAR Government has achieved fruitful results in safeguarding national security and promoting patriotic education over the past year or so, including the completion of the legislation on Article 23 of the Basic Law that ensures the smooth implementation of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance as well as the amendments to the Social Workers Registration Ordinance which foster a better environment for social welfare professionals to leverage their expertise.

     Mr Chan said that the social welfare sector is charged with the important and long-term responsibilities in serving the community and caring for members of the public. It is also their mission and duty to safeguard national security. He urged the social welfare sector to continue collaborating with the HKSAR Government to sustain efforts in safeguarding national security, thereby ensuring the healthy development of welfare services in Hong Kong and enhanced safeguards for public well-being.

     A sharing session was held at the symposium where Mr Sun was joined by six representatives from different fields of the social welfare sector, including professors from education institutions, management of social welfare organisations and professional social workers, to explore how the sector can fulfil the responsibility of safeguarding national security and promote patriotic education. Mr Sun said that the LWB and the SWD have been working closely with social welfare organisations in the previous year to promote national security education within the sector through organising symposiums, seminars and visits with a view to enhancing the sector’s understanding of national affairs. A dedicated fund of $500 million was rolled out last year, in which $100 million was allocated to non-governmental organisations operating subvented welfare services to arrange Mainland exchange tours and national studies programmes for their staff members. Among these tours and programmes, the “Thousands of Hong Kong Social Workers Exploring the Motherland” exchange tours organised by the Connecting Hearts have achieved remarkable results. Visits to Chaozhou, Shaoguan, Guangzhou and Foshan have attracted about 1 400 participants in total.

     Member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Ms Starry Lee, and the Director of the National Security and Legal Education Research Centre of the Education University of Hong Kong, Professor Gu Minkang, also shared their valuable insights on patriotic education as well as national security and the law at the symposium respectively, which enabled participants to have deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the relevant topics.

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 08 APR 2025 4:02PM by PIB Delhi

Ministry of Mines organized a National Workshop and Roadshow on the Exploration Licence (EL) regime and the upcoming Tranche-1 Auction of EL blocks at The Ambassador Hotel, today. The workshop served as a vital platform for engaging with stakeholders, fostering awareness, and sharing in-depth information on the policy, technical, and procedural aspects of the EL regime introduced under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023.

Delivering the keynote address Secretary, Ministry of Mines, Shri V.L. Kantha Rao highlighted the transformative potential of the EL regime in unlocking India’s deep-seated and critical mineral reserves. He noted that the policy marks a shift from passive ownership to active exploration, empowering private entities to undertake large-scale early-stage exploration for minerals like Lithium, REEs, Gold, Diamond, and PGEs.

To provide an overview of the Exploration Licence framework and its regulatory features, Shri Mustaq Ahmad, Director, Ministry of Mines, presented a detailed session on how the regime fosters private sector participation, facilitates advanced technologies, and creates a strong pipeline of mineral assets essential for India’s growth.

The Geological Survey of India (GSI) presented a technical snapshot of the EL blocks identified for Tranche-1 auction, based on preliminary reconnaissance. Shri S.K. Basir, Deputy Director General, GSI, outlined the geological potential of the blocks across ten states and emphasized their strategic importance.

To demystify the auction process, Shri Lovesh Singla, Vice President, SBI Capital Markets, explained the transparent e-auction methodology, eligibility criteria, and structure of the tender documents. This was followed by a walkthrough of the MSTC portal by Shri Setu D Sharma, Senior Manager, MSTC, highlighting the digital systems in place to ensure secure, real-time, and efficient bidding.

Further, Shri Sebabrata Das, Senior Geologist, National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET), introduced the financial support scheme available for EL holders under which partial reimbursement of eligible exploration expenses will be provided, reducing risk and encouraging higher participation.

Concluding the workshop, Shri Sanjay Lohiya, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Mines, reaffirmed the government’s vision to enable a competitive, technology-driven, and investment-friendly exploration ecosystem. He emphasized the need for collaboration between public and private players and urged all stakeholders to actively participate in the auction process.

Participants were also briefed on key auction timelines: the pre-bid conference is scheduled for April 22, 2025; the last date for submission of queries is April 30, 2025; tender documents are available for purchase until May 16, 2025; and bid submissions will close on May 26, 2025.

The workshop was attended by representatives from Central and State governments, PSUs, industry associations, exploration firms, and investors, reinforcing the Ministry’s commitment to fostering an informed and transparent exploration regime in India.

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(Release ID: 2120042) Visitor Counter : 36

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is the English translation of the opening remarks by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, on public finance at the special meeting of the Legislative Council Finance Committee today (April 8):

Chairman and Honourable Members,

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 08 APR 2025 6:46PM by PIB Delhi

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today hailed the completion of 10 years of the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana, calling it a journey of “empowerment and enterprise.” He noted that with the right support, the people of India can do wonders.

Since its launch, the MUDRA Yojana has disbursed over 52 crore collateral-free loans worth ₹33 lakh crore, with nearly 70% of the loans going to women and 50% benefiting SC/ST/OBC entrepreneurs. It has empowered first-time business owners with ₹10 lakh crore in credit and generated over 1 crore jobs in the first three years. States like Bihar have emerged as leaders, with nearly 6 crore loans sanctioned, showcasing a strong spirit of entrepreneurship across India.

Responding to the X threads of MyGovIndia about pivotal role of Mudra Yojna in transforming the lives, the Prime Minister said;

“#10YearsofMUDRA has been about empowerment and enterprise. It has shown that given the right support, the people of India can do wonders!”

 

 

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MJPS/ST

(Release ID: 2120152) Visitor Counter : 47

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 08 APR 2025 6:44PM by PIB Delhi

In a notable advancement towards strengthening India’s energy independence and economic growth, the Ministry of Coal has signed Coal Mine Development and Production Agreements (CMDPAs) with the successful bidders of two coal mines—Marwatola-II and Namchik West—under the 11th round of commercial coal mining auctions.

These agreements mark another step toward the country’s goal of achieving self-reliance in coal production. Singhal Business Private Limited has secured the Marwatola-II block, while PRA Nuravi Coal Mining Private Limited has emerged as the successful bidder for Namchik West.

Of the two coal mines, one is fully explored and the other is partially explored. Combined, they are projected to generate an estimated annual revenue of Rs. 106.14 crore, based on a total Peak Rated Capacity (PRC) of ~0.34 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). To operationalise these mines, a capital investment of approximately Rs. 55 crore will be required.

In terms of employment potential, the two blocks are expected to create around 460 direct and indirect job opportunities, contributing to the socio-economic development of their respective regions.

With these additions, the Ministry of Coal has now signed CMDPAs for a total of 120 coal mines auctioned under the commercial coal mining framework. These mines represent a cumulative PRC of 265.64 MTPA, with an estimated annual revenue generation of Rs. 37,300 crore and a projected investment of Rs. 39,900 crore. Moreover, they are expected to provide employment to nearly 3,59,200 individuals across the country.

The Ministry remains committed to strengthening domestic coal production through a transparent, investor-friendly auction process, ensuring energy security and supporting inclusive growth in line with the vision of a self-reliant India.

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Shuhaib T

(Release ID: 2120151) Visitor Counter : 52

Source: Government of India

Meeting between Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Israel’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Mr. Avi Dicter

Agreement signed to strengthen cooperation in the field of Agriculture

Work Plan exchanged between India and Israel in Horticulture Sector

Under the leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi, India is continuously working to strengthen its agriculture sector- Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan

India is a country that moves forward with the philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”- Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Agreed to work together on food security, technology transfer, quality seeds, expanding CoEs, R&D, pest management, capacity building, and post-harvest technologies

To explore a Five-Year Seed Improvement Plan (FYSIP) to boost agricultural productivity and sustainability

Through joint efforts in agriculture, both countries will achieve meaningful outcomes and promote innovation and technology exchange

Posted On: 08 APR 2025 6:42PM by PIB Delhi

To enhance cooperation in the field of agriculture and food security, a high-level meeting was held today at the International Guest House, National Agricultural Science Complex, New Delhi, between the Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Israel’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Avi Dicter. The meeting marks the first official visit of Mr. Avi Dicter to India in his capacity as Agriculture and Food Security Minister of Israel.

Both countries have taken a significant step forward in strengthening their agricultural partnership with the signing of Agriculture Cooperation Agreement and Work Plan during the high-level meeting held in New Delhi today. This Agreement will strengthen the cooperation in the fields of soil and water management, horticultural & agricultural production, post-harvest and processing technology, agriculture mechanization, animal husbandry and research & development.

Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan highlighted that India believes in the ideals of “Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramayah” (May all be happy, may all be free from illness) and “Parhit Saris Dharma Nahi Bhai” (There is no religion greater than serving others). He further emphasized that under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India is emerging as the fastest-growing major economy in the world.

He praised the role of MASHAV in the success of India-Israel Agricultural Work Plans, particularly through the network of 43 Centers of Excellence (CoEs) of which 35 fully functional CoEs across India. He noted that Israel’s concept of Villages of Excellence (VoE), aiming to connect 30 villages to each CoE, is a transformative step towards rural outreach. The Hon’ble Minister extended a cordial invitation to Israel delegation for World Food India 2025.

Mr. Avi Dicter, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security of Israel, highlighted that Israel and India share a deep bond and both countries can work together in the development of high yielding seed varietiesand technology among other areas. He also added that given the challenges of climate change innovation in the agriculture sector is required to ensure food security in future.

The two sides agreed on the need to work together on several key areas, including food security, technology transfer, the development of high-quality seeds, the expansion of Centers of Excellence (CoE), research and development, pest management, capacity building, and the advancement of post-harvest technologies. Additionally, they agreed to explore to a Five-Year Seed Improvement Plan (FYSIP) to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability.

Considering the challenges of increasing population and decreasing landholdings, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan emphasized the need to enhance agricultural productivity. He underlined the importance of collaborative efforts between Indian and Israeli scientists to ensure that improved seeds reach farmers. The meeting also saw discussions on various innovations and other important issues related to agriculture.

Israeli side also showed keen interest in india’s digital agriculture mission and the way it is empowering farmers in India.

Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan reiterated India’s commitment to global welfare, highlighting how India and Israel can contribute significantly to resolving the global food security crisis. A Joint Working Group is being established to ensure continuous dialogue and the development of a clear roadmap with defined goals and timelines.

Both sides shared challenges & priorities in their agriculture sector and also reviewed the ongoing collaborations in the horticulture sector. They also exchanged views on the issues related to market access.

Besides the Ministers of Agriculture and Food Security of Israel, Ambassador Mr Reuven Azar and Yakov Poleg, Deputy Director General Foreign Trade and International Cooperationalso participated as part of members of the Israeli delegation. From the Indian side, Secretary DA&FW and DARE Sh. Devesh Chaturvedi along with Joint Secretaries of International Cooperation Division (IC), Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), Natural Resource Management (NRM), Plant Protection (PP) and Joint Secretary (WANA) from Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) participated in the meeting.

The meeting concluded with warm wishes for a successful and productive visit to India.

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PSF/KSR/AR

(Release ID: 2120150) Visitor Counter : 55