W20 (Women 20) for India's G20 Presidency

W20 (Women 20) is an official engagement group under the G20 which was established during the Turkish presidency in 2015. Its primary objective is to ensure that gender considerations are mainstreamed into G20 discussions and translated into the G20 Leaders’ Declaration as policies and commitments that foster gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.

W20 India took over the presidency from W20 Indonesia on 12 December 2022. W20, under India’s presidency, is focused on actualizing Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of “Women-Led Development” with a with the vision to create a world of equality and equity where every woman lives with dignity and where every woman gets the opportunity to thrive, transcend and transform their lives and those of others. W20, 2023 is focusing on removing barriers to women-led development and ensure an enabling environment and ecosystem for women to realize their full potential, transforming their lives as well as of others.

The goal that has been set by the W20 2023 is to ensure continuity of the W20 agenda from the past presidencies while establishing a stronger W20 global and national network. These inclusive consultations and actions will be feeding into the W20 Communique and G20 Leaders’ Declaration. W20, 2023 aims to ensure that the W20 communique is representative and comprehensive and will provide solutions to enhance the status of women across the globe.

There are five priority areas of W20 under India’s Presidency which include, Women in Entrepreneurship, Women Leadership at Grassroots, Bridging the Gender Digital Divide, Education & Skill Development and Women & Girls as change makers Climate Resilience Action.

Dr. Sandhya Purecha, Chairperson of Sangeet Natak Akademi is the chair of W20. Other eminent Indian Delegates of the group include, Dr.Jyoti Kiran Shukla, ex-chairperson of the 5th Rajasthan Finance Commission, Prof. Shamika Ravi, Member Economic Council of Prime Minster of India, Ms.Bharati Ghosh IPS (Retd.), Ms.Raveena Tandon, Actor, Ms.Bansuri Swaraj, Advocate, Supreme Court of India and Dharitri Patnaik, Entrepreneur & Philanthropist as Chief Coordinator of W20 Secretariat. W20 has approximately 100 delegates representing the 19 countries and EU which works collaboratively and intensely on the five task forces, the policy recommendations and drafting of the Communique. Since taking over from W20 Indonesia, W20 India has signed more than 15 MOUS with various organizations as knowledge and network partners, conducted 40 Jan Bhagidari programs with thousands of women across 10 states in India.

The Inception Meet at Aurangabad, Maharashtra will be held on 27-28 February, 2023. This will be followed by two other W20 International meets at Jaipur, Rajasthan on 13th-14th April and at the W20 Summit in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu on 15th-16th June.

The city of Aurangabad is all set to host the Inception Meeting of W20. ‘Pursuit of gender equality, equity and dignity for women-led development’ is the theme of the Inception meeting and it envisages discussing, deliberating and developing a cogent strategy to target gender-related issues. The Meeting will welcome International delegates from G20 nations, guest countries and International organizations.

The Inception meeting of W20 will be privileged to have the presence of the Honourable Minister of Women & Child Development and Minority Affairs, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani who will share her valuable thoughts on gender equality and women’s empowerment with the august gathering. Dr. Bhagat Kishanrao Karad, MoS, Ministry of Finance, Government of India and Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister, Government of Maharashtra. will also attend Further, the meeting will be marked by the presence of Shri Amitabh Kant, India’s G20 Sherpa, Dr. Gulden Turktan, Founder chair of W20 and Ms Uli Silalahi, chair of W20 Indonesia 2022.

Various panel discussions during the Inception meeting will deliberate on empowering women in nano, micro & start up enterprises; role of women as change makers in climate resilience action; creating an enabling ecosystem for women leaders at the grassroots; improving access through infrastructure and skill to bridge the gender digital divide; creating pathways for education, skill development and entrepreneurship; and on women led development in India. The stories of unconventional women in India breaking barriers in different fields including in the Indian Navy, in grassroots entrepreneurship, etc., will also be shared with delegates.

In addition, the Inception meeting will have cultural programmes and a visit to the heritage sites of Aurangabad, ancient Ellora caves to showcase the historical and cultural heritage of Maharashtra. Today India is witnessing a rapid transition from women’s development to women-led development. The country is moving with the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister of a new India where women are equal partners in the sustainable development of the country. India is committed towards nurturing a society where empowered women live with dignity and contribute as equal partners.

W20 meetings are envisaged to play a pivotal role in driving collaboration and providing further impetus to gender equity and women’s economic empowerment.

India stands third in world in terms of fish production

India stands third in the world in terms of fish production. The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has taken several initiatives for the development of fisheries and attract farmers towards fisheries along with agriculture to increase their income through its various schemes namely (i) implementation of Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) - Blue Revolution: Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries for a period of 5 years from 2015-16 to 2019-20 (ii) Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) with effect from the financial year 2020-21 to 2024-25 in all States/Union Territories (iii) Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) with a total fund size of Rs 7522.48 crore implemented for a period of 5 years from 2018-19 to 2023-24 for providing concessional finance, (iv) issuance of Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) to fishers and fish farmers.

PMMSY implemented inter-alia envisages fisheries developmental activities namely construction ponds, Re-circulatory Aquaculture System (RAS), inland cages, sea cages, finfish hatcheries, deep sea fishing vessels, biofloc units, ornamental fish rearing units, seaweed rafts, monoline tubes for seaweed cultivation, integrated fish farming, Fishing Harbours/Fish Landing Centres, ice plants/cold storages, fish feed mill/plants, fish transportation facilities, retail markets, disease diagnostic centre & quality testing labs, aquatic referral labs, sagar mitras, livelihood & nutritional support to fishers during ban/lean period. These activities significantly contribute towards enhancing fish production, doubling fishers and fish farmers income and generation of employment.

Under PMMSY, financial assistance is provided to various States/UTs for taking up fisheries developmental activities. During last two years i.e 2020-21 & 2021-22 and current financial year 2022-23, Department of Fisheries, Government of India under PMMSY has accorded approval to the fisheries developmental proposal of States/UTs amounting to Rs. 11010.00 crore with central share of Rs. 3864.99 crore. Further, the Department through National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) is providing grant for taking up various training programmes in fisheries in collaboration with States/UTs, Quasi-government organizations involved in fisheries sector, National and Regional level institutions, Kirishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), Farmers Training Centres (FTCs), Universities, Colleges of Fisheries and other Academic institutions.

APEDA organizes Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference

Under the visionary leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India has organized the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference today at Subramaniam Hall, NASC Complex, Pusa Road, New Delhi to stimulate the exports of millets from India and provide market linkage to the producers.

Around 100 Indian millet exhibitors from different parts of the country and around 100 international buyers from various countries like the USA, UAE, Kuwait, Germany, Vietnam, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Bhutan, Italy and Malaysia have been invited to the Conference. This conference provides an excellent opportunity for trade and networking among the participants. APEDA requested 30 potential millet importing countries to send their major buyers for this conference to visit the exhibition and travel around the stalls of 100 exhibitors of unique products of millets. Additionally the details of all the millet exhibitors under different categories in the exhibition area have been displayed digitally through which the importers can source millets directly from this list of Indian millet producers. The Virtual Trade Fair (VTF) is operational 24X7 365 days wherein exhibitors and buyers can interact based on the products displayed in the VTF.

The conference will also feature a series of informative sessions, including keynote, and presentations in a digital platform. These sessions will focus on various aspects of millet and its value-added products, processing, packaging, and export potential providing valuable insights for both exhibitors and buyers.

The event is expected to generate a significant impact on the millet industry, further promoting its growth and development in the global market. The Conference organised by APEDA provided a platform for B2B meetings between International and National Buyers, Exporters, Progressive Growers, FPOs of millets to explore direct marketing and export opportunities for millets and its value-added products.

India’s export of Millets is 64 million USD in the year 2021-22. There is an increase in export of Millets by 12.5 % during the period April-December 2023 as compared to the same period last year. Export of millets has witnessed a change in paradigm in the last decade. The major importing countries were USA, Australia, Japan, Belgium etc in 2011-12 which had been shifted to Nepal (USD 6.09 million), UAE (USD 4.84 million) and Saudi Arabia (USD 3.84 million) in 2021-22. Kenya, Pakistan were also among the potential import destinations of India in the last decade. The other seven destinations in the current top-ten list of India’s millet export are Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, UK, Yemen, Oman and Algeria. India is exporting millets to 139 countries across the globe. The export of value-added products of Indian millets are also spread across the world.

Today India has the potential to lead the world as a key player in the global supply chain of millet & its value added products. APEDA in the forefront with the mandate of export promotion of agri products of the nation selected these unique products from the nutritional millet basket & displayed in the global market targeting to bring a global millet revolution. APEDA participated in the opening ceremony of the International Year of Millets 2023 organised by FAO at its HQ in Rome, Italy displaying different varieties of Millets and value-added Millet products. APEDA organised a Buyer-Seller Meet for export promotion of Millets at Jakarta, Medan, Nepal, Brussels , Belgium. In addition, Virtual Buyer Seller Meet was organized with Malaysia, EU, UAE, Malaysia, Japan and Algeria.

An exclusive millet gallery was set up during GULFOOD 2023 wherein start-ups, new entrepreneurs, FPOs, exporters, and women entrepreneurs displayed their millet products to give wide publicity to the Indian millets & its value-added products before the importers across the world and 5000 participant companies from 125 countries.

APEDA in association with Indian Missions abroad promoted Indian millets during the Republic Day celebrations. Millets products were sourced from various Startups and sent to the Embassy of India in various countries like Doha, Qatar, Italy, Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Malaysia, Russia, Tokyo, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea Saudi Arabia, Perth, Denmark, Argentina, Egypt, Canada, Guatemala, Algeria, and China for promotion during the Republic Day celebrations.

APEDA has formulated a robust strategy focussing to expand the global basket with millets and its value-added products to achieve USD 100 million targets by 2025 with monumental efforts to broaden global reach. India is marching ahead in the International Year of Millets 2023 with a basket of nutritiously rich Indian Millets – popularly known as Shree Anna in the global market.

India is flourishing the nutritious millet basket with a range of innovative value-added products of millet. APEDA in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Millets Research and respective State Agricultural universities has incubated more than 200 start-ups to develop a range of millet-based value-added products, Ready to Eat, Ready to Cook and Ready To Serve products, easy meal solutions as wholesome food suitable for all age groups.

India is the largest producer of millet. The country is enriched with a wide range of millets produced in major millet-growing states like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, etc. India produced 17.96 million Metric Tonnes (MT) of Millets. Millet grown in India is Pearl Millet, Sorghum, Finger Millet, and minor Millets like Proso Millet, Kodo Millet, Little Millet, Foxtail Millet, Browntop Millet, Barnyard Millet, Amaranthus, and Buckwheat. The Indian government has also been promoting Millet production as part of its National Food Security Mission. As a result of these factors, millet production in India is expected to continue to grow in the coming years.

As we are progressing ahead in IYOM 2023, India is enriched with unique varieties of value-added products of millets which range from millet pizza base, millet ice creams, ice cream cones and cups, millet cakes & brownies, breakfast cereals, traditional Indian dosa, poha, upma, pasta, noodles millet milk, tea, consumable millet tea cups that are so environment friendly that they can either be consumed directly or utilized as feed/fodder.

A lot of value-added products have been created with millets such as Idli, Dosa, Idiyappam, Roti, Puttu, Upma, Porridge, Chapati, Pancakes, Vermicelli upma, Pasta, Noodles, Macaroni, Semolina/Suji, Muesli, Instant mixes, Mudde as Breakfast items, Halwa, Adhirasam, Kesari, Nutritious ball, Payasam/Kheer as Sweets, Vada, Pakoda, Murukku, Bhelpuri, Boli, Pappads, Ready to eat mixes, Flakes, Puffs, Millet Laddus, Millet rusks as Snacks and some bakery products like Bread, Cake, Cookies, Soup sticks,Edible biscuit cups, Health bars, Spreads, Muffins, etc. Beverages like Beer, Soups, Malted millet-based beverage, Germinated Ragi drink mix, Multigrain drink mix, Ready to drink beverages have also been created with millets. In addition to these, some other food items created with millets include Biryani, Weaning foods/infant foods, Chat mixes, etc.

APEDA has shown to the world the nutritious millets that India has to offer. The journey in the promotion of Millet has made a positive impact showing pick up in millet exports. Gearing up to take India from a leading producer to the leading exporter of Millets, contributing towards a prosperous future for millions of Indian farmers across the country and making valuable additions to achieve food & nutritional security. The journey has just begun to bring the goodness of Indian Millets to the global consumer.

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO): A Background

The SCO is an inter-governmental regional organization of Central Asia or Eurasia. It was established in 2001 in the present form. Its primary objective is to promote cooperation among members for peace stability and prosperity in the region. At present, it has eight members. Iran has joined as its 9th member; which will be admitted as full member in 2023.

The SCO was originally formed in 1996 as Shanghai Five by five countries- Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. Shanghai Five (1996) emerged from a series of border demarcation and demilitarization talks which the four former Soviet republics held with China to ensure stability along the borders. With the joining of Uzbekistan in 2001, it was renamed as SCO. India and Pakistan joined in 2017. India's membership was supported by Russia, which China supported Pakistan's membership as a counterbalance to India's accession.

The SCO Charter was adopted in 2022 and came into force in 2003. Its Head¬quarter is located in Beijing, China. RATS or Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure is the permanent body of the SCO. The RATS is located in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and works a permanent organ for addressing the challenge of terrorism and extremism in the region.

India joined first as an Observer in 2005 and elevated to the position of permanent membership in 2017. The Chairmanship of SCO is rotated among mem¬bers in alphabetical order. Thus, India has become the Chair of SCO for the year 2023. It means the next summit of the SCO will be held in India in 2023. The Summit is the highest decision-making body of the SCO.

Oscar Awards 2023: Celebrating Excellence in the Film Industry

The Oscar Awards is one of the most prestigious and celebrated events in the film industry. Every year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes outstanding achievements in various categories, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress, among others. With the 95th Academy Awards take place in 2023, winners list mention below:

The history of the Oscars

The Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, first took place in 1929, with the aim of recognizing and honoring excellence in the film industry. Over the years, the awards have become increasingly prestigious, with winners often considered to have achieved the highest level of recognition in their field. The Oscars ceremony has evolved over time, with changes to the categories, voting system, and eligibility criteria.

Controversies surrounding the Oscars

Over the years, the Oscars have been the subject of controversies, including criticisms of the lack of diversity in nominees and winners. The #OscarsSoWhite campaign in 2016 drew attention to the lack of recognition for people of color in the film industry. The Academy has since taken steps to increase diversity, including expanding its membership and nominating more diverse films.

Winners of the Oscars 2023

Actor in a leading role - Brendan Fraser (The Whale)
Actress in a Leading Role - Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
Actress in a Supporting ARL - Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
Animated Feature Film - Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio ( Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson, Gary Ungar, and Alex Bulkley)
Cinematography - All Quiet on the Western Front James Friend
Costume Design - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever(Ruth Carter)
Best Directing - Everything Everywhere All at Once(Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert)
Best Documentary Feature Film - Navalny(Daniel Roher, Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller, and Shane Boris)
Best Documentary Short Film - The Elephant Whisperers(Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga)
Best Film Editing - Everything Everywhere All at Once(Paul Rogers)
International Feature Film - All Quiet on the Western Front(Germany)
Makeup and Hairstyling - The Whale(Adrien Morot, Judy Chin, and Annemarie Bradley)
Best Music (Original Score) - All Quiet on the Western Front(Volker Bertelmann)
Best Music (Original Song) - Naatu Naatu(from RRR; Music by M.M. Keeravaani; Lyric by Chandrabose)
Best Picture - Everything Everywhere All at Once (Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, and Jonathan Wang, Producers)
Best Production Design - All Quiet on the Western Front (Production Design: Christian M. Goldbeck; Set Decoration: Ernestine Hipper)
Best Short Film (Animated) - The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse(Charlie Mackesy and Matthew Freud)
Best Short Film (Live Action) - An Irish Goodbye (Tom Berkeley and Ross White)
Best Sound - Top Gun: Maverick(Mark Weingarten, James H. Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor)
Best Visual Effects - Avatar: The Way of Water (Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett)
Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) - Women Talking Screenplay by Sarah Polley
Best Writing (Original Screenplay) - Everything Everywhere All at Once Written by Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert

Impact of the Oscars on the film industry

Winning an Oscar can have a significant impact on the careers of filmmakers and actors, increasing their visibility and prestige. It can also boost the box office success of films, with winning films often seeing an increase in ticket sales following the awards ceremony. However, the Oscars also have their critics, who argue that the emphasis on awards can detract from the artistic and cultural value of films.

Will Credit Suisse and UBS merge? Swiss National Bank's statement sends markets into a frenzy!

Credit Suisse's stock price rose 4% after the Swiss National Bank (SNB) said it was ready to act in the case of a takeover. The statement was seen as an effort to calm the markets, which had been jittery since reports emerged that Credit Suisse was exploring a potential merger with UBS. However, Credit Suisse's CEO Thomas Gottstein has denied that any merger talks are currently underway.

The SNB's statement comes amid concerns that a merger between the two largest Swiss banks could create a too-big-to-fail institution and undermine Switzerland's financial stability. Some analysts believe that a merger could be beneficial for the Swiss banking sector, which is facing increased competition from international players.

Credit Suisse has been under pressure since it was hit by the Greensill and Archegos scandals last year, resulting in billions of dollars in losses. The bank has been trying to rebuild its reputation and shore up its balance sheet by cutting costs and restructuring its business. However, investors remain skeptical about the bank's ability to turn its fortunes around.

In summary, Credit Suisse's stock price rose after the Swiss National Bank reassured the market that it was ready to take action in the event of a merger. Although Credit Suisse has denied that any talks are currently underway, there are concerns that a potential merger with UBS could undermine Switzerland's financial stability. Credit Suisse has been struggling since the Greensill and Archegos scandals and is attempting to rebuild its reputation and balance sheet.

14th edition of Aero India 2023 in Bengaluru

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the 14th edition of Aero India 2023 at Air Force Station, Yelahanka in Bengaluru on 13th February. The theme of Aero India 2023 is “The Runway to a Billion Opportunities' and will witness participation by more than 80 countries along with 800 defence companies including around 100 foreign and 700 Indian companies. In line with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’, the event will focus on displaying indigenous equipment/technologies and forging partnerships with foreign companies.

In line with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’, the event will focus on displaying indigenous equipment/technologies and forging partnerships with foreign companies. Prime Minister’s emphasis on Aatmanirbharta in the Indian Defence sector will also be displayed, as the event will showcase the country’s progress in design leadership, growth in UAVs Sector, Defence Space and futuristic technologies. Further, the event will promote the export of indigenous air platforms like Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-Tejas, HTT-40, Dornier Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). The event will also help in integrating domestic MSMEs and start-ups in the global supply chain and attract foreign investments including partnerships for co-development and co-production.

Aero India 2023 will witness participation by more than 80 countries. Ministers of about 30 countries and 65 CEOs of global and Indian OEMs are likely to participate in Aero India 2023.

Aero India 2023 exhibition will witness the participation of more than 800 Defence companies including around 100 foreign and 700 Indian companies. The Indian companies participating in the exhibition include MSMEs and start-ups, which will showcase the advancement of niche technologies, growth in aerospace and defence capabilities in the country. Major exhibitors in Aero India 2023 include Airbus, Boeing, Dassault Aviation, Lockheed Martin, Israel Aerospace Industry, BrahMos Aerospace, Army Aviation, HC Robotics, SAAB, Safran, Rolls Royce, Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Forge Limited, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and BEML Limited.