2nd World Cotton Day, Kolkata East West Metro Corridor Project, ‘Natural Gas Marketing Reforms’ approves by Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, India and Japan Signing MoC for Cybersecurity, Ban on seven chemicals that are hazardous to health & environment listed under Stockholm Convention
2nd World Cotton Day- India gets its first ever Brand & Logo for Cotton
- Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, Union Minister of Textiles and Women & Child Development launched the 1st ever Brand & Logo for Indian Cotton on 2nd World Cotton Day on 7th October, 2020.
- Now India’s premium Cotton would be known as ‘Kasturi Cotton’ in the world cotton Trade.
- The Kasturi Cotton brand will represent Whiteness, Brightness, Softness, Purity, Luster, Uniqueness and Indianness (means ‘being an Indian’ socially,culturally and spiritually).
- However, the importance of Cotton in Indian economy as Cotton is one of the principal commercial crops of India and it provides livelihood to about 6.00 million cotton farmers.
- India is the 2nd largest cotton producer and the largest consumer of cotton in the world.
- India produces about 6.00 Million tons of cotton every year which is about 23% of the world cotton.
- India produces about 51% of the total organic cotton production of the world, which demonstrates India’s effort towards sustainability.
- To ensure sustainability, integrity and end-to-end traceability of the organic products, a certification system based on comparable international standards verified through internationally acceptable institutional system is required to be put in place.
- Accordingly, Ministry of Textiles through APEDA under Ministry of Commerce and Industry has prescribed a certification system for organic Cotton which will be introduced in phases in the entire textile value chain.
- Similarly, prescribing a certification system for non-organic Cotton has also been taken up with APEDA so that usages of cotton can be suitably augmented.
- The Minister stated that Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) made ever highest Minimum Support Price (MSP) operation of cotton and hopeful that during the new cotton season, the procurement under MSP will be increased.
- CCI has opened 430 procurement centres in all cotton growing states and payments are being made digitally to farmers account within 72 hours.
- Further, leveraging the technology, a mobile app, “Cott-Ally” has been developed by CCI for providing latest news regarding weather condition, Crop situation and best farm practices.
- Discount of Rs.300/- per candy is being offered by CCI in its regular sale to MSME mills, Khadi and Village industry, Cooperative sector mills to enhance their competitiveness and efficiency.
- It was also stated that cotton may be used across all dimension of Technical Textiles.
- Further, Hon’ble Minister has intimated that Government has passed bills for the welfare of the farmers, which also be beneficial to the industries.
Revised cost approves for Kolkata East West Metro Corridor Project for Kolkata City and surrounding urban areas
- The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved the revised cost estimates for construction of Kolkata East West Corridor project as per realigned route.
- The Kolkata East-West Metro Corridor Project is a crucial infrastructure project for sustainable development of Kolkata City and adjoining urban localities.
- The project will ease traffic congestion and provide a cleaner mobility solution to lakhs of daily commuters.
- It will provide seamless connectivity to Kolkata, Howrah and Salt Lake through Rail-based mass rapid Transit system.
- It will also integrate all other modes of transport like Metro, Railways and bus transport by constructing efficient and seamless transport interchange hubs.
- The project envisages construction of 16.6 Km long Metro Railway Corridor including tunnel below river Hooghly which is the 1st transportation tunnel in India under any major river as well as Howrah Station which is one of the deepest Metro stations in India.
Implementation Strategies & targets:
- The project will be implemented by Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited which is a CPSE under Ministry of Railways.
- Estimated completion cost of the project is – Rs. 8575 crore with Ministry of Railway’s share as Rs.3268.27 crore, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ share as Rs.1148.31 crore and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) loan of Rs.4158.40 crore.
- 5.3 Km long elevated corridor is already commissioned since 14.02.2020.
- Further 1.67 Km commissionedon 05.10.2020.
- The target date for completion of the entire project is December,2021.
Major Impact:
- The mega project envisions creation of an efficient transit connectivity between business district of Kolkata with industrial city of Howrah in west and Salt Lake City in east through a safe, accessible and comfortable mode of public transport.
- The project will ease traffic congestion and provide a cleaner mobility solution for city dwellers.
- It will provide an economic, efficient and eco-friendly transit solution to the city of Kolkata.
- It will alleviate the massive transport problem of Kolkata area which will boost productivity and growth by reducing commuting time.
- It will integrate multiple modes of transport like the Metro, Sub-urban Railways, ferry and bus transport by constructing interchange hubs.
- This will ensure smooth and seamless mode of transport to lakhs of daily commuters.
Project Benefits:
- Benefit to people by providing a safe, efficient and environment friendly transport system.
- Reduction in commuting time.
- Reduced fuel consumption.
- Reduction in capex on road infrastructure
- Reduction in pollution and accident
- Enhanced Transit Oriented Development (TOD)
- Increase in value of land bank in the corridor and generate additional revenue
- Creation of jobs
- Incorporates the spirit of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” and “Vocal for Local”.
'Natural Gas Marketing Reforms' approves by Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
- ‘Natural Gas Marketing Reforms’ approval by Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs is an another significant step to move towards gas based economy.
- The objective of the policy is to prescribe standard procedure to discover market price of gas to be sold in the market by gas producers, through a transparent and competitive process, permit Affiliates to participate in bidding process for sale of gas and allow marketing freedom to certain Field Development Plans (FDPs) where Production Sharing Contracts already provide pricing freedom.
- The policy aims to provide standard procedure for sale of natural gas in a transparent and competitive manner to discover market price by issuing guidelines for sale by contractor through e-bidding.
- This will bring uniformity in the bidding process across the various contractual regimes and policies to avoid ambiguity and contribute towards ease of doing business.
- The policy has also permitted Affiliate companies to participate in the bidding process in view of the open, transparent and electronic bidding.
- This will facilitate and promote more competition in marketing of gas.
- However, rebidding will have to be done in case only affiliates participate, and there are no other bidders.
These reforms in gas sector will further deepen and spur the economic activities in the following areas:
- The whole eco-system of policies relating to production, infrastructure and marketing of natural gas has been made more transparent with a focus on ease of doing business.
- These reforms will prove very significant for Atmanirbhar Bharat by encouraging investments in the domestic production of natural gas and reducing import dependence.
- These reforms will prove to be another milestone in moving towards a gas based economy by encouraging investments.
- The increased gas production consumption will help in improvement of environment.
- These reforms will also help in creating employment opportunities in the gas consuming sectors including MSMEs.
- The domestic production will further help in increasing investment in the downstream industries such as City Gas Distribution and related industries.
The Government has taken transformative reforms in the upstream sector with a view to make investment easier focusing on ease of doing business.
- The Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) which is investor driven acreage auction process, has increased substantial acreages in the country.
- No blocks were allocated between 2010 and 2017 which has impacted the long term viability of the domestic production.
- Since 2017 more than 1.6 lakh sq.km area under 105 exploration blocks have been allocated.
- This will ensure sustainability of the domestic production in long run.
- Government brought a series of reforms in Gas sector and as a result investment of more than Rs. 70,000 crore is being made in the East coast.
- Gas production from East coast will contribute to Atmanirbhar Bharat by meeting increasing energy needs of the country.
- In February 2019, Government implemented major reforms in upstream sector and brought paradigm shift by focusing on production maximization.
- Acreages under OALP rounds are being allocated based on work programme only in Cat II and Cat III basins.
- The domestic gas production has complete marketing and pricing freedom.
- All discoveries and field development plans approved after 28 Feb, 2019 have complete market and pricing freedom.
India and Japan is Signing Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in the field of Cybersecurity
- The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for signing a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in the field of cybersecurity between India and Japan.
- The MoC will enhance cooperation in areas of mutual interest, which include inter-alia, capacity building in the area of cyberspace, protection of critical infrastructure, cooperation in emerging technologies, sharing information on cyber security threats/incidents and malicious cyber activities, as well as best practices to counter them, Developing joint mechanisms for practical cooperation to mitigate cyber threats to the security of Information Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure etc.
- India and Japan commit to an open, interoperable, free, fair, secure and reliable cyberspace environment and to promote the Internet as an engine of innovation, economic growth, and trade and commerce that would be consistent with their respective domestic laws and international obligations, and with their wide-ranging strategic partnership.
Cabinet ratifies ban on seven chemicals that are hazardous to health & environment listed under Stockholm Convention
- The Stockholm Convention is a global treaty to protect human health and environment from POPs, which are identified chemical substances that persist in the environment, bio-accumulate in living organisms, adversely affect human health/ environment and have the property of long-range environmental transport (LRET).
- Exposure to POPs can lead to cancer, damage to central & peripheral nervous systems, diseases of immune system, reproductive disorders and interference with normal infant and child development.
- POPs are listed in various Annexes to the Stockholm Convention after thorough scientific research, deliberations and negotiations among member countries.
- Considering its commitment towards providing safe environment and addressing human health risks, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) had notified the ‘Regulation of Persistent Organic Pollutants Rules, on March 5, 2018 under the provisions of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The regulation inter alia prohibited the manufacture, trade, use, import and export seven chemicals namely
(i) Chlordecone,
(ii) Hexabromobiphenyl,
(iii) Hexabromodiphenyl ether and Heptabromodiphenylether (Commercial octa-BDE),
(iv) Tetrabromodiphenyl ether and Pentabromodiphenyl ether (Commercial penta-BDE),
(v) Pentachlorobenzene,
(vi) Hexabromocyclododecane, and
(vii) Hexachlorobutadiene, which were already listed as POPs under Stockholm Convention.
The Cabinet’s approval for ratification of POPs demonstrates India’s commitment to meet its international obligations with regard to protection of environment and human health.
It also indicates the resolve of the Government to take action on POPs by implementing control measures, develop and implement action plans for unintentionally produced chemicals, develop inventories of the chemicals’ stockpiles and review as well as update its National Implementation Plan (NIP).
The ratification process would enable India to access Global Environment Facility (GEF) financial resources in updating the NIP.
The Cabinet further delegated its powers to ratify chemicals under the Stockholm Convention to Union Ministers of External Affairs (MEA) and Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MEFCC) in respect of POPs already regulated under the domestic regulations thereby streamlining the procedure.
India had ratified the Stockholm Convention on January 13, 2006 as per Article 25(4), which enabled it to keep itself in a default “opt-out” position such that amendments in various Annexes of the convention cannot be enforced on it unless an instrument of ratification/ acceptance/ approval or accession is explicitly deposited with UN depositary.
