MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Government of India

Union Minister of Jal Shakti Shri C. R. Patil reviews key Projects of Wildlife Institute of India under the aegis of National Mission for Clean Ganga

Shri C. R. Patil launches a Digital Platform to Boost Freshwater Biodiversity Conservation

Union Minister lauds the commendable work being carried out by the National Mission for Clean Ganga and Wildlife Institute of India

MoJS releases a series of knowledge products developed under the initiatives

Posted On: 17 APR 2025 2:37PM by PIB Delhi

Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C. R. Patil, chaired a review meeting of various projects implemented by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and supported by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in New Delhi. The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Ministry and WII.

The union Minister expressed his appreciation for the commendable work being carried out by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and WII in restoring aquatic biodiversity, improving river health, building local capacities, and engaging communities in conservation. He acknowledged the impact of extensive outreach and capacity-building programs conducted across the basin and highlighted the role of WII in mass awareness initiatives, particularly those involving Ganga Praharis. Additionally, he suggested organizing a Ganga Prahari Conclave to strengthen continued engagement with volunteers and advised exploring new conservation initiatives focused on the Mugger crocodile in the rivers.

During the event, Shri C. R. Patil also released a series of knowledge products developed under these initiatives. These included Hydrophytes: Green Lungs of Ganga Volumes I & II and Protocols for Collection, Storage and Transportation of Biological Samples of Freshwater Macrofauna. These publications represent the strong scientific foundation and practical relevance of the Ministry’s biodiversity conservation efforts.

It emerged in the review that a structured and multidisciplinary conservation plan was initiated by WII under the aegis of NMCG. The core aim of the project was to establish a science-based aquatic species conservation strategy for the Ganga River through a six-pronged approach: creating a dedicated conservation monitoring center, planning aquatic species restoration, building institutional capacity, establishing rescue and rehabilitation centers, initiating community-based conservation programs, and spreading education on biodiversity conservation.

A key highlight of the meeting was the launch of an important digital platform –information dashboard www.rivres.in, developed under the Ministry of Jal Shakti and WII. The dashboard – part of the Ganga Aqualife Conservation Monitoring Centre/National Centre for River Research – serves as a comprehensive digital hub offering ecological insights, conservation case studies, and information on physiography, biodiversity, and community engagement activities across major Indian rivers, including the Ganga, Barak, Mahanadi, Narmada, Godavari, Cauvery, and Pamba.

Community engagement has been a cornerstone of this conservation model. Thousands of stakeholders—including forest officers, veterinarians, schoolteachers, NSS volunteers, and local communities—have been trained through over 130 capacity-building programs. More than 5,000 Ganga Praharis, many of them women, have been mobilized to act as frontline conservation volunteers. Their involvement has enhanced biodiversity monitoring, supported rescue operations, and strengthened local stewardship.

A massive river survey, covering over 12,000 kilometers across 22 rivers, was conducted using advanced technologies like GPS-enabled data collection, SONAR-based depth profiling, and ecological monitoring apps. Project Dolphin was launched, aiming to conserve dolphins and their habitat while supporting local livelihoods through eco-tourism and other initiatives.

The review concluded with a vote of thanks and a renewed commitment to advance data-driven, inclusive, and sustainable freshwater ecosystem conservation efforts through the continued partnership between the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Wildlife Institute of India.

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Dhanya Sanal K

(Release ID: 2122386) Visitor Counter : 69

Source: Government of India

India to emerge as a developed nation and number one military power in the world: Raksha Mantri

“India’s defence sector is moving ahead on the path of self-reliance, it is also ready to play a very important role in making global supply chains resilient”

Our Defence capabilities are like a credible deterrence, to maintain peace & tranquillity. Peace is possible only when we remain strong: RM

Posted On: 17 APR 2025 2:04PM by PIB Delhi

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh laid out a compelling vision for a self-reliant and future-ready India at a Defence Conclave in New Delhi today on April 17, 2025. With a clear focus on indigenisation, innovation, and global leadership, he declared that India is not only securing its borders but also positioning itself as a key player in the international defence ecosystem. “The day is not far when India will not only emerge as a developed country, but our Military Power will also emerge as the number one in the world,” he bolstered.

Raksha Mantri reiterated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the revival and strengthening of the defence sector is one of the biggest priorities for the government. He further stated that the government’s first and foremost challenge was to change the mindset that India would simply import to meet its defence needs. “India will reduce its dependency on imports and create a defence industrial complex that will not only meet India’s needs but will also strengthen the potential of defence exports,” he emphasised.

 “Today, while India’s defence sector is moving ahead on the path of self-reliance, it is also ready to play a very important role in making global supply chains resilient,” Raksha Mantri emphasised. He added that the Make in India program is not only strengthening the country’s defence production but also has the capability to make the global defence supply chain resilient and flexible. He further stated that while India’s defence manufacturing capabilities are aimed at national security and strategic autonomy, they are also insulating manufacturing from global supply shocks.

Shri Rajnath Singh underlined that India’s growing defence capability is not meant to provoke conflict. “Our defence capabilities are like a credible deterrence, to maintain peace and tranquillity. Peace is possible only when we remain strong,” he added.

On the evolving nature of warfare, Shri Rajnath Singh underscored that in the coming days, conflicts & wars will be more violent and unpredictable. The Cyber & Space Domains are rapidly emerging as new battlefields and along with this, a war of narrative & perception is also being fought all over the world. To address these challenges, he mentioned that the focus is on holistic capacity building and continuous reforms. Raksha Mantri also announced that the Ministry of Defence had declared 2025 as the ‘Year of Reforms’.

Reflecting on reforms, Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted that corporatising the over 200-year-old Ordnance Factories was a bold but necessary step. “Today Ordnance Factories are performing very well in their new form and have become profit making units. I believe that changing a structure that is more than two hundred years old is a very big reform of this century” he added.

Raksha Mantri also outlined the government’s indigenisation drive, noting the release of five positive indigenization lists by the Armed Forces and five by Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs). “The total number of defence equipment, weapon systems and platforms included in the list of the Services is 509. These will now be produced in India. Similarly, the total number of items included in the DPSU lists is 5,012 including strategically-important Line Replacement Units, sub-systems, spares and components,” he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh also underlined the fact that the government has reserved 75 per cent of the defence budget for procurement from domestic companies. He pointed out that defence production in India has risen from Rs 40,000 crore in 2014 to over Rs 1.27 lakh crore today. “This year, defence production should cross Rs 1.60 lakh crore, while our target is to produce defence equipment worth Rs 3 lakh crore by the year 2029,” he added.

On defence exports, Raksha Mantri underscored that the figures had surged from Rs 686 crore in 2013–14 to Rs 23,622 crore in 2024–25. “Defence products made in our country are being exported to about 100 countries. “our defence exports should reach Rs 30,000 crore this year and Rs 50,000 crore by the year 2029,” he announced.

Shri Rajnath Singh underlined the government’s commitment to fostering innovation, particularly among the youth and start-ups. He stated that to encourage cutting-edge technology in the defence sector, iDEX was launched, which offers financial support of up to Rs 1.5 crore to selected start-ups. Building on its success, iDEX Prime was introduced, enhancing this support to Rs 10 crore. Further, the newly launched ADITI scheme provides assistance of up to Rs 25 crore to help scale breakthrough innovations. “The target is to strengthen the hands of our start-ups and MSMEs and for this, the Ministry of Defence has approved purchases worth more than Rs 2,400 crore from start-ups/MSMEs, and projects worth more than Rs 1,500 crore have been approved for development of new technology,” he added.

Highlighting India’s growing strategic capabilities, Raksha Mantri mentioned that the country now stands shoulder to shoulder with developed nations in critical areas such as missile technology (Agni, BrahMos), submarines (INS Arihant), aircraft carriers (INS Vikrant), artificial intelligence, drones, cyber defence and hypersonic systems. “Aero engine manufacturing remains a challenge,” he said, while also pointing to significant progress under the Kaveri engine project and ongoing discussions with global players like Safran, GE and Rolls Royce to build domestic capabilities.

With emphasis on India’s success in shipbuilding, Shri Rajnath Singh stated that more than 97% of the war ships of Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard are now built in Indian shipyards. Ships built by India are also being exported to friendly countries like Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Maldives.

Senior officials, experts and dignitaries including former Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande, former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba, former Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat and former Defence Secretary Shri Sanjay Mitra also attended the conclave.

 

VK/SR/KB

(Release ID: 2122381) Visitor Counter : 139

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     To tie in with the Hong Kong Reading for All Day on April 23, the Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will hold the second Hong Kong Reading Week (HKRW) from April 19 to 27. Under the theme of “Zoom/LIBRARY”, the HKRW will have about 450 online and on-site events to cultivate good reading habits among members of the public to broaden their horizons.

     The HKPL will participate in the reading promotion event 2025 Hong Kong Reading+, organised by the Hong Kong Publishing Federation (HKPF) and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, at New Town Plaza in Sha Tin from April 18 to 27. On April 19, the HKPL and HKPF will hold the launching ceremony of Hong Kong Reading Week 2025 and 2025 Hong Kong Reading+. The HKPL will introduce its electronic resources to the public and hold handicraft workshops at the event venue, where the HKPF will hold author sharing sessions, an exhibition, music performances, workshops and more. 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed “Twilight”, and joint operations with the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed “Champion”, for three consecutive days from April 14 to yesterday (April 16). A total of eight suspected illegal workers and two overstayers were arrested.
 
     During the anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD Task Force officers raided 17 target locations including commercial buildings, residential buildings and restaurants, and arrested two suspected illegal workers. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised two women, aged 41 and 43.
 
     During operations “Champion”, enforcement officers raided 55 target locations in Central, Eastern and Western districts. Six suspected illegal workers and two overstayers were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised four men and two women, aged 29 to 55. The arrested overstayers comprised one man and one woman, aged 46 and 49.
 
     An ImmD spokesman said, “Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties.”
 
     The spokesman warned, “As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years’ imprisonment. As stipulated in section 20(1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance, the Chief Executive may make a deportation order against an immigrant, prohibiting the immigrant from being in Hong Kong at any time thereafter if the immigrant has been found guilty in Hong Kong of an offence punishable by imprisonment for not less than two years.”
 
     The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years’ imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years’ imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
 
     According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee’s identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker’s valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman reminded all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.
 
Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threats and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Urban Renewal Authority (URA) Sai Yee Street/Flower Market Road Development Scheme Plan (DSP). 

“The approved DSP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the implementation of the URA Sai Yee Street/Flower Market Road Development Scheme,” a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (April 17). 
 
The development scheme area, covering about 29 315 square metres, is designated as “Other Specified Use” annotated “Mixed Use (1)” and “Other Specified Use” annotated “Mixed Use (2)”. By adopting the “linked-site” approach and the “Single Site, Multiple Use” model, the DSP intends to achieve a holistic replanning of land uses in the Sai Yee Street/Flower Market Road area through redevelopment of various existing Government, Institution or Community (G/IC) facilities with adjoining urban fabric for a comprehensive mixed-use development, with a combination of various types of compatible uses including residential, commercial (hotel/office/retail), G/IC, a sizeable public open space (i.e. Waterway Park), cultural, recreational and entertainment uses.
 
The approved URA Sai Yee Street/Flower Market Road DSP No. S/K3/URA5/2 is available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Tsuen Wan and West Kowloon District Planning Office and (iv) the Yau Tsim Mong District Office. 
 
Copies of the approved DSP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centre in North Point. The electronic version of the DSP can be viewed at the Town Planning Board’s website (www.tpb.gov.hk).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

​Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) announced today (April 17) that More Mushroom Feast, a brand under the Mainland’s More Mushroom Company, has officially opened its first branch outside Mainland China, in Hong Kong. The new restaurant is the company’s regional headquarters, aiming to promote its wild mushrooms and free range chicken stone pot cuisine to the world, connecting global diners with authentic Eastern mushroom cuisine.
 
Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK Mr Arnold Lau said, “We are delighted to welcome More Mushroom Feast to Hong Kong, as it will use the city as its regional headquarters and be first branch outside Mainland China. Hong Kong’s status as a global culinary hub will not only facilitate More Mushroom Feast’s business growth, but also enhance its brand awareness, supported by our strategic location, robust infrastructure and diverse consumer base.”
 
Marketing Manager of More Mushroom Company Ms Star Zhou said, “As an international finance, trade and logistics centre that attracts a global high-net-worth clientele, Hong Kong aligns closely with our strategic goals and positioning, which is also why it serves as our regional headquarters. The unique cultural ecology of Hong Kong, where Eastern and Western cultures converge, also supports More Mushroom Company’s aim to internationalise regional traditional ingredients.”
 
She added, “More Mushroom Feast emphasises on ecology and nature, using its original dishes and innovative business models to enter into the Hong Kong market. The new restaurant is located at New Town Plaza, Sha Tin. The flagship restaurant features a stylish and youthful environment designed to appeal to health-conscious consumers. Its signature dish, wild mushrooms and chicken stone pot, uses natural wild mushrooms and authentic free range chicken, served in a motuo stone pot that emphasises the unique flavours of its ingredients and the natural essence of the products.”
 
More Mushroom Feast is recognised as a pioneering ecological concept brand in China, focusing on wild mushrooms and free range chicken. The brand offers an unprecedented experience for health-conscious customers with its innovative, natural, healthy, delicious and sustainable dishes and products. It has been well received by customers of all ages in various cities across Mainland China, including Shenzhen, Shanghai, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Zhuhai and Zhengzhou with different cultural styles and characteristics.

To receive a copy of the photos, please visit www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72177720325138755.

Source: Government of India

Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) advises coaching centres to strictly adhere to Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and Guidelines for the Prevention of Misleading Advertisements in the Coaching Sector, 2024

CCPA issues notices to few coaching centres relating to IIT-JEE & NEET for misleading claims and unfair trade practices

Posted On: 17 APR 2025 12:46PM by PIB Delhi

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has advised coaching centres to strictly adhere to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and Guidelines for the Prevention of Misleading Advertisements in the Coaching Sector, 2024.

The Authority clearly outlines that it is essential their representations are accurate, clear, and free from misleading claims or the concealment of important information from consumers. Additionally, coaching centres should avoid making assurances of guaranteed success. Coaching centres must clearly disclose key details in their advertisements, including the student’s name, rank, course type, and whether the course was paid. Disclaimers must be prominently displayed in the same font size as other important information to ensure consumers are not misled.

Following the recent declaration of results for examinations such as IIT-JEE and NEET, the CCPA observed that coaching centres are not adhering to the Guidelines for the Prevention of Misleading Advertisements in the Coaching Sector, 2024.

Considering the violation of the Act and the Guidelines, CCPA recently has issued Notices to few coaching institutes pertaining to following issues: –

1. Guaranteed placement/selection
2. Assurance of rank in JEE/NEET
3. Violation of consumer rights
4. Misleading advertisement and
5. Unfair trade practices including promised services not provided, admission cancelled but fee not refunded, deficiency in service, non/partial refund of fees.

Abovementioned claims and practices appear to be violating various provisions of the Act including Section- 2(28) and 2 (47) of Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisement in Coaching Sector, 2024.

The Guidelines for the Prevention of Misleading Advertisements in the Coaching Sector, 2024, were issued on 13th November 2024. These guidelines prohibit coaching centres from making false or misleading claims/advertisements to promote their services and from engaging in deceptive or unfair practices. These guidelines represent a vital step toward preventing the exploitation of students and ensuring that they are not misled by false promises or compelled into unfair contracts. The guidelines are framed to enhance transparency and fairness in the sector, helping students and their families make informed decisions based on accurate and truthful information. These guidelines supplement existing regulations and further strengthen the regulatory framework governing advertisements in the coaching sector.

In a significant move to protect consumer rights and ensure transparency in the coaching sector, the CCPA has, over the past three years, taken action against misleading advertisements, unfair trade practices, and violations of consumer rights by coaching centres.

In this regard, the CCPA has issued 49 notices and imposed a total penalty of ₹77.60 lakhs on 24 coaching centres and directed them to discontinue misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices.

CCPA had earlier taken action against coaching centres offering services for competitive exams including UPSC CSE, IIT-JEE, NEET, RBI, NABARD, among others, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring that no false or misleading advertisements are made in contravention of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

 

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Abhishek Dayal/Nihi Sharma

(Release ID: 2122361) Visitor Counter : 10

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) today (April 17) published the Investigation Report IVR-2025-03 on the investigation into a taxiing incident involving a Boeing 737-800BCF freighter (registration mark VP-BEN) operated by Siberia Airlines at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) on October 14, 2021.

At 00.03am that day, the freighter touched down at the then North Runway of HKIA. While following the instruction of Air Traffic Control (ATC) to vacate the runway via Taxiway (TWY) A7, the freighter mistakenly taxied onto a paved area yet to be commissioned for operational use between TWYs A6 and A7 and stopped in front of marker boards in that unopened area. No person was injured in the incident, and there was no damage to the aircraft, runway or airport facilities.

The investigation identified that the flight crew members concerned had no prior knowledge of the presence of the paved and unopened area at HKIA and mistook the area for the assigned runway exit. The investigation team made two safety recommendations. While Siberia Airlines should assess the pilots’ pre-flight understanding of pertinent aeronautical information regarding flight safety and operations such as those stated in the Aeronautical Information Circular, the Airport Authority Hong Kong should conduct a holistic safety risk assessment during the planning and implementation phases of work projects in aircraft movement areas to ensure the continued effectiveness of risk mitigation measures taken in relation to aircraft operations.

The investigation was conducted by a team of professional investigators in strict adherence to international standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). “The objective of the investigation was to identify the circumstances and causes of the incident with a view to preventing a recurrence,” an AAIA spokesperson said.

Throughout the investigation, all parties concerned were properly consulted on the report. The report is available for downloading on the AAIA webpage (www.tlb.gov.hk/aaia/eng/investigation_reports/index.html). 

The AAIA, an independent investigation authority formed under the Transport and Logistics Bureau, is responsible for the investigation of civil aircraft accidents and incidents in accordance with the Hong Kong Civil Aviation (Investigation of Accidents) Regulations (Cap. 448B) and with reference to the ICAO standards.