Tying in with Hong Kong Reading for All Day on April 23, Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) will hold its second Hong Kong Reading Week (HKRW) from April 19 to 27.
About 450 online and on-site events will be staged to encourage the public to cultivate good reading habits.
HKPL will also participate in a reading promotion event, 2025 Hong Kong Reading+, that will kick off at New Town Plaza in Sha Tin tomorrow.
Organised by the Hong Kong Publishing Federation and sponsored by the Cultural & Creative Industries Development Agency, this ten-day initiative will make use of the HKPL’s electronic resources. It will also feature handicraft workshops, sessions with authors, an exhibition, music performances, and more.
On Hong Kong Reading for All Day, reading locations will be set up at selected Leisure & Cultural Services Department venues, public libraries, community libraries and other local venues, for a “Read Together for Half an Hour” event.
The Hans Andersen Club will also set up a reading location on the same day at Lok Fu Place, where it will be staging a carnival.
On April 26, a prize presentation ceremony will be held at the Hong Kong Central Library (HKCL) for this year’s 4.23 World Book Day Creative Competition.
The public can view winning works by students from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau at the HKCL, which will hold fun day activities on April 26 and 27.
There will be sessions with authors and book making workshops at the HKCL on April 27. In addition, a pop-up library offering a virtual reality tour of China’s natural landscape and cultural attractions, and more, will be set up at D·PARK, Tsuen Wan on the same day.
Furthermore, the HKPL and RTHK Radio 5 have invited celebrities from different sectors to help celebrate the joy of reading.
With the Chief Executive in Council approving the draft Urban Renewal Authority Sai Yee Street/Flower Market Road Development Scheme Plan(DSP), the Town Planning Board said it provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the plan’s implementation.
The development scheme area, covering about 29,315 sq m, 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.
A combination of various types of compatible uses includes residential, hotel, office, retail, G/IC, a sizeable public open space, cultural, recreational and entertainment uses.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Appointments to Lump Sum Grant Steering Committee announced The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, welcomed the appointments and also thanked the outgoing members, Mr Kirin Law Tsz-yeung, Mr Armstrong Lee Hon-cheung and Ms Wong May-kwan, for their contributions to the LSGSC in the past.
Chaired by the Director of Social Welfare, the LSGSC monitors the implementation of the Lump Sum Grant Subvention System (LSGSS) and identifies areas for improvement. It also facilitates the sharing of information and experiences among the Social Welfare Department, non-governmental organisations, their staff and service users on the implementation of the LSGSS.
The list of non-official members of the LSGSC in the new term is as follows:
Miss Vena Cheng Wei-yan Ms Cheung Kwok-chun Ms Cheung Lai-wah Miss Chow Tsz-ki Miss Chu Lai-ling Mr Thomas Chu Sai-ming Mr Dennis Fong Wai-kuk Mr Joseph Hung Hin-ching Mr Ip Chi-wai Ms Lai Chau-ha Mrs Patricia Lau Mr Lee Chi-hung Ms Yanmi Leung Ho-yan Dr Pamela Leung Pui-yu Ms Rachel Leung Wai-ling Mr Webster Ng Kam-wah Mr Sy Ching-tam Mr Tse Wah-wan Miss Alice Wan Ngai-teck Mr Roland Wong Ka-yeung Mr Addy Wong Wai-hung Issued at HKT 12:00
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong updates methodology for compiling greenhouse gas emission inventory and releases emission inventory for 2023 Since 2013, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been compiling its GHG emission inventory based on the Global Warming Potential (GWP) values provided in the Second Assessment Report (AR2) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). As decided by the UNFCCC at the 27th Conference of the Parties in 2022, GWP values set out in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) shall be used to calculate GHG emission inventory by no later than the end of 2024.
In compliance with the requirement of the UNFCCC, the Government has used the AR5’s GWP values to compile the 2023 GHG emission inventory and update previous GHG emission figures to reflect annual variations and long-term trends.
Based on the calculation using AR5’s GWP values, Hong Kong’s total GHG emissions in 2023 amounted to approximately 34.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e), representing a decrease of about 20 per cent compared to 2005 levels and a decrease of about 25 percent from the peak emissions in 2014. The per capita GHG emissions in 2023 reached a new low since 1990, at approximately 4.58 tonnes CO2-e. It is nearly 30 per cent lower than those in 2005 and 2014, and is about a quarter of that of the United States and 60 per cent of that of the European Union. The carbon intensity was about 0.012 kilograms of CO2-e per Hong Kong dollar of GDP, representing a decrease of about 46 per cent compared to 2005.
The three main sources of GHG emissions in Hong Kong remain to be electricity generation (61 per cent), transport (18 per cent), and waste management (8 per cent). With the gradual replacement of coal with natural gas and zero-carbon energy for electricity generation, popularisation of electric vehicles, decrease in municipal solid waste quantity and increase in landfill gas recovery and utilisation (for energy production) in Hong Kong, GHG emissions from electricity generation, transport, and waste management have declined by approximately about 32 per cent, 7 per cent, and 10 per cent, respectively, compared to 2014.
To align with the country’s “dual carbon” target to achieve the peak of carbon emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060, the Government will continue to implement the four major decarbonisation strategies, namely, net-zero electricity generation, energy saving and green buildings, green transport and waste reduction, outlined in Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050, to reduce Hong Kong’s carbon emissions by half from the 2005 levels before 2035 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2050.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Trade Unions (Amendment) Bill 2025 gazetted The Bill seeks to amend the Trade Unions Ordinance (Chapter 332) to strengthen the regulation of trade unions to safeguard national security and improve the trade union regulatory regime, thereby facilitating the healthy development of trade unions.
A spokesperson for the Labour Department said, “The proposed amendments will strengthen the statutory powers of the Registrar of Trade Unions to supervise and regulate trade unions to better fulfil the duty of safeguarding national security under the Hong Kong National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (6 of 2024). At the same time, the amendments give due regard to the freedom and right of Hong Kong residents to form and join trade unions, and will not adversely affect the operation of law-abiding trade unions.”
The spokesperson added, “Subject to a smooth passage of the Bill, the amendment ordinance will come into operation on the expiry of six months after the day on which it is published in the Gazette. During this period, the Labour Department will further publicise and explain the amendments to trade unions to facilitate their understanding and compliance.”
The Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council (LegCo) for first and second readings on April 30. The Government will fully work with the LegCo to scrutinise the Bill, with a view to seeking the LegCo’s support and passage of the Bill. Issued at HKT 9:30
Union MoS for Health & Family Welfare Shri Prataprao Jadhav inaugurates FSSAI’s National Stakeholder Consultation on Sustainable Packaging Significance of eco-friendly packaging solutions highlighted
India has the Potential to lead the world towards sustainability: Shri Jadhav
“What we need today is a shift towards alternatives that are sustainable, recyclable, and biodegradable”
Over 1500 stakeholders representing food businesses, packaging industries, recycling associations, regulatory bodies, environmental organizations, consumer groups, farmer groups, government departments participated in the consultation to deliberate on the future of sustainable food packaging in India
Posted On: 17 APR 2025 10:38AM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav, inaugurated a National Stakeholder Consultation on “Sustainable Packaging for Food Business: Emerging Global Trends and Regulatory Framework” organized by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) at Mumbai on 16th April 2025.
In his address, Shri Jadhav highlighted the growing importance of sustainable packaging of food items. He announced that the guidelines for the use of rPET in packaging have been prepared by FSSAI after extensive consultations with all stakeholders and in line with the best global practices. He also mentioned that a logo has been developed for easy identification and to benefit consumers of food products.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Jadhav stated that “shifting towards sustainable methods of packaging is the need of the hour.” He stressed that the usage of plastic is a growing concern globally, as it stays undecomposed in the environment for years having detrimental consequences. “What we need today is a shift towards alternatives that are sustainable, recyclable, and biodegradable”, he further stated.
Hailing India’s age-old traditional methods, Shri Jadhav also emphasized the need to connect the ancient ecological practices to modern techniques to ensure sustainability stating that “India has the potential to lead the world in this direction.”
He also appreciated the efforts of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and FSSAI for providing an important platform in the form of National Stakeholders Consultation to deliberate upon crucial issues that affect the health and wellbeing of the country.
The Minister of State also held an informal open consultation session with stakeholders, providing them an opportunity to share their challenges and discuss future avenues for improvement and growth. The consultation brought together over 1500 stakeholders representing food businesses, packaging industries, recycling associations, regulatory bodies, environmental organizations, consumer groups, farmer groups, government departments to deliberate on the future of sustainable food packaging in India.
The consultation was part of an ongoing series of national-level stakeholder discussions aimed at holding critical deliberations on critical issues that requires multi-stakeholder engagement. Under the aegis of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, FSSAI has launched this pivotal initiative to convene such National Stakeholder Consultations to foster greater inclusivity, transparency, and evidence-based policymaking in the formulation of food safety regulations. By actively engaging with industry, academia, consumer groups, farmer groups and regulatory bodies, FSSAI seeks to incorporate sector-specific perspectives and ground-level insights into its regulatory framework, ensuring that policies are both practical and aligned with public health priorities.
The consultation featured a Technical Session wherein Chairperson of FSSAI’s Scientific Panel on Packaging presented on the detailed scientific basis, risk assessment principles, transparent consultative approach employed by FSSAI while framing robust scientific standards.
Representatives from BIS talked about the Global and Indian standards on food packaging and the overview of the existing IS standards for packaging materials. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) shared about the role that CPCB plays in driving sustainable practices through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) under Plastic Waste Management Rules. Representatives from Industry presented innovative approaches being adopted to develop eco-friendly, lightweight, and recyclable packaging solutions tailored for food and beverage products, importance of plastic waste recovery and recycling to support circular economy and Consumer concerns and expectations towards sustainable food packaging.
The session concluded with a technical debrief by Dr. Alka Rao, Advisor (Science & Standards and Regulations), wherein she emphasized the importance of stakeholder collaboration in advancing sustainable packaging solutions that align with food safety standards and support India’s broader environmental goals.
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HFW/MoS inaugurates FSSAI’s National Stakeholder Consultation on Sustainable Packaging /17April 2025/1
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Housing Authority announces Well Being·Start-Up 2.0 Programme to further support youth entrepreneurship The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) today (April 17) announced the Well Being·Start-Up 2.0 Programme, providing further support to youth entrepreneurship by extending the coverage of the programme with the introduction of public-private partnership.
The Secretary for Housing and Chairman of the HA, Ms Winnie Ho, and the Permanent Secretary for Housing and Director of Housing, Miss Charmaine Lee, along with the Chairman of the HA’s Commercial Properties Committee, Ms Serena Lau, as well as the programme mentors and representatives from the commercial sector, participated in the event at Domain in Yau Tong, marking a new milestone for the programme.
The HA hopes the programme will promote youth entrepreneurship, creating mutual benefits and win-win outcomes for residents, retail tenants and the community. The success of the programme’s first phase was showcased and several awards were presented to recognise the outstanding entrepreneurial teams including the Best Business Plan, the Most Creative Product, the Most Promising Business, and the Most Popular Business at the event.
Ms Ho said, “The Well Being·Start-Up Programme has garnered significant support across various sectors. To further support youth entrepreneurship, the HA has expanded the programme with Well Being·Start-Up 2.0. This includes the introduction of an entrepreneurial ladder with staged rental concessions and the provision of more shopping centres and shops. In addition, Well Being·Start-Up 2.0 will be extended to private shopping centres so that commercial partners can join hands to assist Hong Kong’s young entrepreneurs by providing them with more entrepreneurial opportunities and enabling them to develop their careers. This also injects vitality and innovation into the community and new dynamics into Hong Kong’s retail landscape. Together with the HA’s 12 shops, the programme will provide approximately 50 shops in total, a five-fold increase in scale compared to its first phase. This demonstrates the synergy of public-private partnership in fostering a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
Well Being·Start-Up 2.0 Programme
To support the stable growth of entrepreneurial teams from the programme’s initial phase, the HA will provide a three-year staged rental at discounted market rents. This enables the entrepreneurs to allocate funds flexibly for their investment in business development and gradually adapt to market rental levels in their business operations. The HA will conduct annual reviews to ensure the programme effectively fosters the sustainable development of these teams. In addition, the HA has also expanded the total number of shops to 12, creating more entrepreneurial opportunities for young people.
To extend the coverage and impact of the programme, the HA also encourages private shopping centres and landlords in the commercial sector to join the programme. So far, the HA has garnered support from more than 10 organisations to provide some 40 shops and pop-up stores. The commercial sector will develop tailored programmes based on the uniqueness of the shops to address the diverse needs of youth entrepreneurship. Issued at HKT 12:15
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Appointments to Lump Sum Grant Independent Complaints Handling Committee announced The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, welcomed the appointments and also thanked the four outgoing members, Ms Teresa Au Pui-yee, Miss Diana Chung Wai-yee, Mr Wilson Tam Wai-shun and Mr Gary Wong Chi-him for their contributions to ICHC in the past.
The ICHC handles Lump Sum Grant-related complaints that cannot be dealt with satisfactorily by subvented non-governmental organisations. It also relays decisions and recommendations to the Social Welfare Department for appropriate follow-up action to enhance the Lump Sum Grant Subvention System.
The membership list of the ICHC in the new term is as follows:
Chairman ———– Mr Albert Wong Shun-yee
Vice-chairman ———– Mr Dennis Fong Wai-kuk
Members ———– Ms Heidi Chui Hoi-yee Ms Jodi Kwok Chui-man Ms Yanmi Leung Ho-yan Mr Lucas Ngan Chun Dr Jimmy Wong Chi-ho Ms Ada Yip Chun-chun Issued at HKT 12:01
Coal Ministry Rationalizes Registration Fee for the Coal Import Monitoring System (CIMS) Portal The New Flat Fee Model is in Alignment with other Import Monitoring Systems
New Fee Structure Effective from 15th April, 2025
Posted On: 17 APR 2025 3:15PM by PIB Delhi
In a strategic move to strengthen transparency and efficiency in the coal import monitoring, the Ministry of Coal has implemented the Coal Import Monitoring System (CIMS). By enabling real-time monitoring and informed decision-making in coal imports substitution, this initiative represents a significant milestone in the Government vision of ensuring Atmanirbhar Bharat.
CIMS is a digital platform developed to streamline the reporting of coal imports, ensuring timely and accurate data for effective policy formulation and sectoral analysis. Coal importers are now required to register the details of their consignments in the CIMS portal on or prior to the arrival of shipments in the Port in India.
To further promote ease of doing business and ensure uniformity across import monitoring platforms, the Ministry of Coal has rationalized the registration fee of the CIMS Portal.
The registration fee has been revised to a flat rate of Rs. 500 (Rupees Five Hundred only) per consignment, effective from 15th April, 2025. This replaces the earlier fee structure, which ranged from Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,00,000 per consignment, and rationalization in registration fee aligns CIMS with similar Import Monitoring Systems such as the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS), Non-Ferrous Import Monitoring System (NFIMS), and Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS)—all of which operate under a flat fee model.
Importers are required to obtain an Automatic Registration Number from the CIMS portal, which is to be quoted in the Bill of Entry at the time of customs clearance. The Ministry of Coal remains committed to facilitating trade, enhancing transparency, and streamlining regulatory processes to support India’s growing industrial and energy needs.
Curtain Raiser: India Steel 2025 “India set to host the largest international steel event in Mumbai from April 24–26, 2025”
Hon’ble Prime Minister to inaugurate the flagship event of Steel Industry
Posted On: 17 APR 2025 3:14PM by PIB Delhi
The India Steel 2025 is set to take place from *24 April to 26 April, 2025*, at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai. This 6th edition of the biennial international exhibition and conference will bring together leading stakeholders from across the global steel value chain to discuss the future trajectory of the sector, with a sharp focus on growth, sustainability, resilience, and innovation.
India is on a trajectory to achieve a production capacity of 300 million tonnes and a per capita consumption of 160 kg by 2030, in line with the National Steel Policy. Keeping in view this ambitious growth in the steel sector, the conference is being organised to unlock new opportunities for inter-state and international collaboration, facilitate knowledge exchange, and showcase India’s policy reforms and infrastructure initiatives aimed at enhancing the ease of doing business across the steel value chain.
The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India will address the premier Steel Industry event of the country on 24th April 2025 through Video conferencing , in the esteemed presence of dignitaries including Hon’ble Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries Shri H. D. Kumaraswamy, Hon’ble Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries Shri Bhupathi Raju Srinivasa Varma, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Devendra Phadnavis and Hon’ble Chief Minister of Chattisgarh Shri Vishu Deo Sai.
The conference will see presence of high-level participation from various Central Ministries and States including Chief Ministers and Union Ministers indicating the critical importance of Steel as an important clog in the wheel of Atmanirbhar Bharat. Among those who will grace the program with their presence include Union Ministers, Hon’ble Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries Shri H. D. Kumaraswamy, Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of Railways Shri. Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon’ble Minister of New & Renewable Energy and Consumer Affairs Shri Pralhad Venkatesh Joshi, Hon’ble Minister of Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy , Hon’ble Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries Shri Bhupathi Raju Srinivasa Varma, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Shri Vishnu Deo Sai and Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Mohan Charan Majhi. They will preside over key sessions of the conference, reflecting the multi-sectoral relevance of steel in India’s economic and industrial strategy.
Senior officials of the Government of India, including Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Secretary, Ministry of Steel and Secretary, Ministry of Coal will also chair key sessions during the event.
The event will also have a presence of global Industry leaders and senior Foreign dignitaries leading high-level delegations, including the Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, Ambassadors of Australia, Mozambique, and Mongolia, reflecting the deepening international engagement and strategic cooperation in the steel sector.
Key highlights of the International Conference-cum-Exhibition includes:
– Exhibition and Innovation Showcase: Displaying cutting-edge technologies and advancements in the steel industry.
– Roundtable Conferences: Discussions on sector-specific topics, international collaboration, and emerging trends including CEOs roundtable and Sectoral roundtables.
– Reverse Buyer-Seller Meet (RBSM): Facilitating trade opportunities and fostering new business engagements.
– International Engagement: Country specific sessions involving key steel-producing nations, including the South Korea, Sweden, Australia, and Mongolia. These discussions will explore joint research, technology transfer, and resilient supply chains to de-risk India’s steel production and drive global competitiveness.
The event will also focus on themes like augmenting domestic consumption, showcasing futuristic steel applications, and fostering global partnerships
With more than 12,000 business visitors, 250 exhibitors, and 1,200 conference delegates representing various sectors, Government departments, State Governments, country delegations, and domestic and international buyers from India and abroad, the conference would be one of the biggest Steel event globally.