Union Government launched ENVIS portal use
The Government today reiterated the need to
reach out to the people on environmental issues and creating more awareness
among them. ENVIS Portal runs parallel with the objectives of Digital India
which works on improving the digital literacy in the environment sector and
deliver services digitally. It will play important role integrating network of
ENVIS centres. The purpose of the scheme
is to integrate country-wide efforts in environmental information collection,
storage, collation, retrieval and dissemination. The ENVIS network presently
consists of 69 centers.
Arun Jaitley releases India, Bharat 2016 Reference Annual books
Information & Broadcast Minister
(I&B) Arun Jaitley on Thursday released the 'India 2016' and 'Bharat 2016
Reference Annual' books.
The Bharat 2016 and India 2016 Reference
Annual books give a comprehensive digest of country's progress in different
fields. The book deals with all aspects of development from rural to urban,
industry to infrastructure, science and technology, art and culture, economy,
health, defence, education and mass communication.
The books have sections on general
knowledge, current affairs, sports and important events.
Cabinet approves WTO's trade facilitation pact
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the
proposal for notification of commitments under the Trade Facilitation Agreement
(TFA) of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The agreement, which is part of the WTO's
Bali ministerial package of 2013, contains provisions for expediting the
movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods in transit. It also
sets out measures for effective cooperation between customs and other appropriate
authorities on trade facilitation and custom compliance issues.
"These objectives are in consonance
with India's ease of doing business initiative," said an official release.
The Cabinet also approved the ratification
and acceptance of the Instrument of Acceptance of Protocol of TFA to the WTO
Secretariat and constitution of the National Committee on Trade Facilitation
(NCTF).
The committee would be set up under the
joint chair of the revenue and commerce secretaries to facilitate both domestic
coordination and implementation of the
provisions of the agreement.
The agreement will come into force after it
is formally accepted by two-thirds of the WTO membership. Till now, 69
countries of the 162 members of the WTO have ratified this pact.