ASSAM

• State facing shortage of security forces

• At a time when vested interest groups are trying to create divide in the society, particularly with the process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) nearing completion, the State Government is facing serious problems due to severe shortage of force. The problem is likely to ease out only if the forces withdrawn from Assam are redeployed after the elections in other parts of the country are over.

• The security cover provided to the candidates and leaders of the political parties have not been withdrawn after the elections and it would have to be kept till the election process is over. Moreover, adequate security cover had to be given to the centres where the hearings for the claims and objections on the draft of the NRC are going on.

• The forces withdrawn from the State would be redeployed in Assam immediately after the elections in other states of the country are over and the situation is likely to improve as soon as the forces reach the State. But , till date, the Government has not decided whether it would have to seek additional forces from the Centre during the time of publication of the final NRC. 

  INTERNATIONAL

  • Sino Indian border trade opened at Nathu La in Sikkim

   

  • The 14th editionof the annual Sino-Indian border trade opened at Nathu La in Sikkim on 1st May 2019. A function was held to mark the occasion. Officials and traders of both the countries were present at the border to mark the commencement of the border trade.
  • There are 3 open trading border postsbetween India and China namely:
    Nathu La in Sikkim
    2. Shipkila in Himachal Pradesh
    3. Lioulekh (or LiDulech) in Uttarakhand.

  Bilateral border Trade:

  • The bilateral border trade between the two countries is organised four days a week for six months, between May 1 and November 30, every year. It was resumed in 2006 after a gap of 44 years.
  • A total of 36 items, from dairy products, are on India’s export list comprising dairy products to utensils, while a total of 20 items, including carpets, quilts, and jackets among others, are in the country’s import list from theTibet Autonomous Region (TAR). Last year, the export of goods from India stood at Rs 45.03 crore, while items worth Rs 3.23 crore were imported from the TAR.

   

  • Netherlands is now the 3rd largest FDI in India

   

  • The Netherlandsis now the third largest foreign direct investor (FDI) in India. The Netherlands has invested around $2.67 billion across sectors in India during 2017-18. The Netherlands is also the second largest destination for foreign investment by Indian companies, after Singapore, with investments worth $12.8 billion in 2017.

  Dutch-India Dialogue on Trade & Technology:

  • TheIndian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad, and the Netherlands Business Support Office in Hyderabad jointly organised the Dutch-India Dialogue on Trade & Technology on 1st May 2019, in connection with the National Day celebrations of the Netherlands.
  • The objective of the dialogue was to strengthen business partnership between India and the Netherlands in the times of rapid technological changes.

   

  • India is a key strategic partner for the Netherlands, both economically and geopolitically.

   

  • The partnership can greatly contribute towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

   

  • During 2017-18, the bilateral trade topped $ 8.77 billion while the Indian exports to the Netherlands grew at 14.7%, imports were up by 18.2%

   

  • The UK becomes the first parliament to declare a climate emergency

   

  • The UK is the first national government to declare an environmental and climate emergency.

   

  • The decision marks a renewed sense of urgency in tackling climate change.

   

  • Eleven days of protests by the Extinction Rebellion activist group caused major disruptions in central London in recent weeks.

   

  • There is no single definition of what that means climate emergency but many local areas say they want to be carbon-neutral by 2030.

   

  NATIONAL

  • UN report raises concerns over illegal sand mining

   

  ð  India and China top a list of countries where illegal sand mining has become a major environmental problem, according to a report released by the United Nations Environment Programme.

  ð  In 2017, China recorded the highest use of cement (which includes sand aggregates) in the world, at an estimated 2.4 billion tonnes. India came second, with 270 million tonnes, followed by the US (86.3 million tonnes), the report said.

   

  • Global demand for sand and gravel is about 50 billion tonnes a day, according to the report.

   

  • To put the amount in perspective, that’s an average of 18 kg per person per day. Other countries where illegal coastal sand extraction is a problem include Morocco, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

   

  • Centre mandated all Electric Vehicles (EVs) to use the green number plates

   

  • The Central government has asked the state transport departments to make it mandatory for all Electric Vehicles (EVs)to use the green number plates, irrespective of the year in which they were bought.
  • According to the announcement, all EVs should use green number plates wherein the private electric vehicles will get white lettering on a green background and commercial EVs will get yellow lettering. The aim is to help distinguish green vehiclesto provide easy identification for preferential treatment in parking, free entry in congested zones besides other proposed benefits like concessional toll.