RAJASTHAN
- Rajasthan 1st to allow MSMEs to start business without approvals
- Rajasthan has become the first Indian state to allow MSMEs to start projects without any approvals or clearances. Moreover, for three years no inspections.
- Attempting to attract investment, the Rajasthan government notified rules last week under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (Facilitation of Establishment and Operation) Ordinance, 2019, that require an investor to submit only a “declaration of intent” to set up a new enterprise and start work after receiving an “acknowledgement certificate”.
- The ordinance provides exemptions from approvals and inspections under any Rajasthan law but enterprises are required to follow the prevailing rules and regulations. It also empowers state government departments to exempt any enterprise from any approval or inspection under any Central law that allows the state to exercise such powers.
- However, after the expiry of three years, the enterprise will have to obtain required approvals within six months. Companies incorporated after March 5, when the ordinance was promulgated, will be eligible.
- Slowdown in new investment and the urgency to create jobs for the youth have been the driving forces behind the ordinance which the state government expects to pass into law in the coming assembly session. More than 90% of industry in Rajasthan comprises MSMEs.
INTERNATIONAL
- World’s highest weather stations installed on Mount Everest
- A team of Tribhuvan University and National Geographic Society scientists and researchers have installed the world’s highest, fully automated weather stations atop Mount Everest.
- Total five weather stations, including one at a record height of 27,657 feet, were installed on the Earth’s highest mountain above sea level.
- The weather station will record data on temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed, and wind direction.
- UNCTAD World Investment Report 2019
- According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Investment Report 2019, India received foreign direct investments (FDI) worth USD 42 billionin 2018.
- India attracted over 77% of the total foreign direct investments that came to the South Asian region.
- The global FDI slipped by 13%in 2018, to US$1.3 trillion from $1.5 trillion in 2017, the third consecutive annual decline.
- India’s rank as a source country for FDI dropped one place to the 10th position as it was overtaken by Spain.
- Investment in India rose by 6% to USD 42 billion.
- Among others in the South Asian region, FDI flows to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka rose to a record level, to USD 3.6 billion and USD 1.6 billion, respectively, while Pakistan witnessed a 27% decline in investment to USD 2.4 billion.
NATIONAL
- India can boost exports of 350 products to US, China amid trade war: Study
- Commerce Ministry of India made a study the trade war between the US and China offers an opportunity to India for boosting exports of as many 350 products such as chemicals and granite to these countries.
- The ongoing trade war between the US and China an opportunity to India for boosting exports around 350 products such as chemicals and granite to these countries.
- These products are part of the study carried out by the commerce ministry.
Both the US and China are imposing heavy import duties resulted in trade war kind of situation. - Around 151 domestic products includes diesel, X-ray tubes to displace the US exports to China.
- Around 203 Indian goods like rubber and graphite electrodes have the advantage to displace Chinese exports to the US.
- The Indian products can tap chinese market include copper ores, rubber, paper, paperboard, equipment for transmission voice/data in a wired network, tunes and pipes.
- The Federation of Indian Export Organisations President Ganesh Kumar Gupta the trade war between the US and China is benefitting India.
- Suman Rao from Rajasthan Crowned Miss India 2019
- Suman Rao from Rajasthan has won the Femina Miss India World 2019 beauty pageant.
- 20-year-old Suman, a college student, will represent India at Miss World 2019 in Thailand.
- Shivani Jadhav from Chhattisgarh clinched Femina Miss Grand India 2019 title.
- Shreya Shanker from Bihar won Miss India United Continents 2019 title during the grand finale.
- Central Government granted the approval to set up of e-Foreigner Tribunal (e-FT) in Assam
- Central Government has permitted to set up e-Foreigner Tribunal (e-FT) in Assam.
- It is a quasi-judicial authority which assesses the question of the authenticity of a person’s citizenship.
- It should be set up by July 31, 2019, when the final list of National Register of Citizens (NRC) is published.
- The CEO of e-FT Mission Anand Prakash Tiwari said that the proposed integrated e-FT IT system will be implemented across the state for effective monitoring and resolution of cases registered with Foreigner Tribunal.
- demands fingerprinting of messages from WhatsApp to trace origin
- TheIndian government has demanded Whatsapp, the Facebook-owned messaging application, to digitally fingerprint messages that are sent on its platform without breaking the encryption.
- The move is to ensure traceability of all content shared through the WhatsApp platform, without reading the message. The decision is in line with draft amendments to intermediary guidelines of theInformation Technology Act released in December 2018, which requires all internet platforms to ensure traceability of the origin of all content shared through them.
- This step may proivde harm free speech on the internet and can increase government control on private data. This will require the government to introduce accountable measures at its end, to ensure data protection.
- The government demands thus, after the misinformation and rumours around child kidnappings on the platformwhich led to a spate of lynchings across India in 2018. This made the government to demand strictly WhatsApp to introduce ways in which the origination of message can be traced in an effective manner.