Consulate General of India, Vancouver www.cgivancouver.gov.in
Celebrating 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji…
Vol. 03, Issue No. 50 December 20, 2019.
Do you know? With only 1.5% of India's area, #Punjab is the leading producer of various agro & food processing commodities! Explore opportunities in food processing worth USD 496 Mn in the state on IIG at http://bit.ly/Punjab_IIG
India Perspectives India Perspectives is the flagship publication of the Ministry of External Affairs. Richly illustrated, this magazine provides our readers with an insight into India’s culture and tradition along with elements of contemporary India. Click here to read more…. Ministry of External Affairs, India
Follow us on:
Vol. 03, Issue 50, December 20, 2019.
Consulate News
Consulate General of India Vancouver
Press release on Relaxation in OCI Guidelines till 30th June 2020 (December 20, 2019) 1. • • •
2.
The following OCI guidelines have been in force since 2005: OCI card needs to be re-issued each time a new passport is acquired by the cardholder up to the age of 20 years. OCI card is required to be re-issued once on acquiring a new passport after completing 50 years of age. Re-issuance of OCI card is not required each time a passport is issued to a cardholder between 21 and 50 years of age. This is to inform that Government of India has decided to grant temporary relaxation till 30th June 2020 in the following cases:
(i) In case an OCI card holder below the age of 20 years has not got OCI card re-issued on change of passport, he/she may travel on the strength of his/her existing OCI card bearing old passport number subject to the condition that along with the new passport, the OCI cardholder carries old passport mentioned in the OCI card. (ii) In case an OCI card holder who has attained the age of 50 years and got his/her passport renewed subsequently but has not got his/her OCI card re-issued on renewal of passport, he/she may travel till June 30, 2020 on the strength of existing OCI card along-with the new and old passports. 3.
It is, however, advised that OCI cardholders may take steps to comply with the existing OCI guidelines in Para 1 above and renew their OCI cards as required by the rules.
Vancouver December 20, 2019 1|P a g e
Vol. 03, Issue 50, December 20, 2019.
India – Alberta Bilateral Trade Honorable Prasad Panda, Minister of Infrastructure, Alberta, Canada called on IT and Industries Minister Honorable K. T. Rama Rao in Hyderabad on December 16, 2019. Investment opportunities between Telangana State and Alberta Province were discussed in the meeting.
Indian Handicrafts Industry & Exports THE handicrafts sector is important for the Indian economy as it is one of the largest employment generators and accounts for a significant share in the country’s exports. The state and regional clusters contribute significantly to handicrafts export. The Indian handicrafts industry is fragmented, with more than seven million regional artisans and more than 67,000 exporters/export houses promoting regional art and craftsmanship in the domestic and global markets. •
Handicraft exports from India increased by 1.65 per cent year-on-year during April-November 2018 to US$ 2.42 billion. During this period, the exports of various segments registered positive growth like Shawls as Artwares (77.50 per cent), Woodwares (23.57 per cent), and Miscellaneous Handicrafts (19.74 per cent).
•
Indian handicrafts are exported across geographies, with the top 10 destinations being the US, the UK, the UAE, Germany, France, Latin American countries (LAC), Italy, the Netherlands, Canada and Australia. For more information: https://www.ibef.org/exports/handicrafts-industry-india.aspx
Stone Handicraft of Rajasthan THE geologically old land of Rajasthan, rich in different kinds of hard rocks like granites, marbles, quartzite, slates, and other metamorphic rocks, has been a stone-carver's paradise. Right from the medieval times, the ready availability of high-quality stone (the use of brick was almost unknown) made it easy for the Rajasthani builder to construct strong and beautiful forts, palaces, and temples. Rajasthan continues to be one of major centers of stone carving in the country. The capital city Jaipur is the center of marble carving in Rajasthan. Here one can see artisans creating marble images of the deities as well as domestic utensils such as bowls for grinding spices and kneading dough. The quarries at Makrana are quite famous, for it is from these quarries that the marble used in the Taj Mahal was mined. Also built using marble from Makrana mines were the exquisite Dilwara Jain temples at Mt Abu. Rupbas (near Agra) and Karauli still produce the red sandstone that was used by the Mughals to build their forts and palaces at Agra, Delhi, and Fatehpur Sikri. Source: http://www.industries.rajasthan.gov.in
In east Rajasthan, Kota produces gray stone for floor making, Barmer produces yellow marble for delicate carvings, and Ajmer produces granites. Click here for Artisans and more information… 2|P a g e
Vol. 03, Issue 50, December 20, 2019.
India’s New Unicorn - Ola Electric FOUNDED on December 03, 2010 by Bhavish Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati, Ola Cabs is a leading Indian Transportation Network Company (TNC) offering services that include peer-to-peer ridesharing, ride service hailing, taxi and food delivery. Ola Cabs has expanded to a network of more than 1,500,000 drivers across 250 cities and also have foothold in international markets vz Australia, New Zealand and UK. The Bangalore based Ola became a unicorn in September 2018, and is now valued at $5 billion.
Source: https://www.mission-electric.in
Ola’s Mission Electric - An Electric Mobility System: •
In July 2019, it spun off another unicorn, the electric vehicle manufacturer Ola Electric, with a Softbank investment of $250 million, a $1 billion valuation, and a high level of entrepreneurial confidence.
•
Mission Electric is a platform to work with driver-partners, cities, vehicle manufacturers, battery companies, and others to make sustainable technologies cost-effective and viable in daily mobility.
•
Ola will initially place 10,000 E-rickshaws and Electric auto-rickshaws in its service in the next 12 months.
Important Trade Fairs in India – To know more, click on
How to File Quality Complaints / Trade Disputes to DGFT? 3|P a g e
Vol. 03, Issue 50, December 20, 2019.
Cultural Heritage - Festivals of India Christmas (December 25, 2019) This festival does not need an introduction. Celebrated throughout the country and even worldwide, this is the primary festival of Christians. In India, this festival is celebrated with grandeur in churches and near coastal areas. In many areas, you can find Santa Claus giving gifts to children. Place of Celebration: Throughout the country Unique Attractions and Activities to enjoy during the festival: • • •
Special mass, cultural performances and programs in churches and communities You can find decorated Christmas trees in malls and other public places Certain destinations have parades and feasts during Christmas Source: https://www.travelogyindia.com/blog/top-fairs-andfestivals-in-india-in-december#15_Christmas
Rajasthan Winter Festival (29th – 31st Dec, 2019) Celebrated in Rajasthan, this is a colorful festival to relish in this state. The main element of this festival is a large fair for local artisans to showcase their works. In addition, you can find many cultural activities and attractions during this festival. If you want an adventure time, this is the right festival to take part. Place of Celebration: Mount Abu Unique Attractions and Activities to enjoy during the festival: • • • • • •
Gair, Ghoomar, Daph and other dance performances Music performances Boating and rowing races take place in the Nakki Lake Fireworks at night Kite flying contest Fair conducted for handicrafts and handlooms Source: https://www.travelogyindia.com/blog/top-fairs-andfestivals-in-india-in-december#22_Rajasthan_Winter_Festival
India News Section 1. Land rights for indigenous people in India wins global prize A groundbreaking project that secured land rights for thousands of indigenous people in India won a top global prize on Monday, highlighting the difficulties that lower-caste communities face in claiming land despite laws in place to benefit them. Read more… (Reuters, This is Money, Sunday, 15th December 2019, 11:07 am)
2. Indian scientists see new type of magnetic explosion on Sun Using images from NASAs Solar Dynamics Observatory, a team of scientists including those from the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics in Bengaluru has observed a magnetic explosion the likes of which has never been seen before. Read more… (IANS, Can India, Wednesday, 18th December 2019, 10:08 am)
3. Water & birds return to 18-acre dried Chennai lake, thanks to this IFS officer! Up until a few years ago, the Otteri lake inside Chennai’s Vandalur Zoo would witness thousands of migratory birds every winter. Flying in from the frozen lands of the Arctic Circle, these birds would call the picturesque lake their home for the next few months. Read more… (Sayantani Nath, The Better India, Sunday, 15th December 2019, 10:41 am)
4|P a g e
Vol. 03, Issue 50, December 20, 2019. 4. Good news for climate change: India gets out of coal and into renewable energy In the often-grim world of climate reporting, there is at least one upbeat story: India has been aggressively pivoting away from coal-fired power plants and towards electricity generated by solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. This means that the amount of carbon dioxide the country emits into the atmosphere should come down dramatically. Read more… (Tim Buckley, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Tuesday, 17th December 2019, 10:54 am)
5. Transformative forestry revolution from the arid Indian desert "Although I was born and brought up in a desert in Rajasthan, India, my heart always yearned for greenery. Since early childhood, I had a strong affinity towards plants and found myself engaged in a plethora of plantation activities," said Shyam Sundar Jyani, Associate Professor and Head, P.G. Dept. Of Sociology, Govt. Dungar College, Bikaner, Rajasthan. Read more… (Oishimaya Sen Nag, World Atlas, Saturday, 14th December 2019, 10:39 am)
6. IIT-B student invents portable diabetic foot screener that can save millions of lives Nishant Kathpal’s journey to creating a portable diabetic foot screener began when he was barely 16 and had to undergo an operation for gastrointestinal perforation. Read more… (Ananya Barua, The Better India, Friday, 13th December 2019, 11:44 am)
7. Indian scholars develop revolutionary tech to treat cancer University scientists in India, in breakthrough research, have developed technology to leverage a patient’s immune system to cure cancer. Read more… (Samaya Dharmaraj, Open Gov, Thursday, 12th December 2019, 10:41 am)
8. Kudumbashree builds homes and success stories “I want a sit-out too for my house. And I’m positive that I will be calling Kudumbashree again for the same. They constructed my house last year. As a beneficiary, these women construction workers explained every part of their work in a scientific, but easy manner. The thing with employing them is that they’re very accurate and careful,” says Bindu K V, who is a Kudumbashree worker herself. Bindu’s house in Arayankavu, Ernakulam, was built by Kudumbashree Constructions, an all-women group, in 2018 at a cost of `4 lakh. Read more… (Deena Theresa, New Indian Express, Wednesday, 18th December 2019, 10:35 am)
9. How these women entrepreneurs started up small and are now earning in crores Entrepreneurship is no cakewalk. It’s rife with many challenges – starting up, initial investment, the right product fit, looking for funding, marketing, distribution…the list is endless. Read more… (Rekha Balakrishnan, Your Story, Monday, 16th December 2019, 10:24 am)
Tenders BHEL tender for Supply of & IC of Module Cleaning System 50 MW SPV Mahagenco (RFQ No. KVR000003) Ref.- RFQ No. KVR000003 Dt.11.12.2019 Due Dt. 23.12.2019 (E-tender) Item- Supply of & IC of Module Cleaning System 50 MW SPV Mahagenco Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Electronics Division, Bengaluru has the requirement above mentioned item. In this regard, BHEL has floated an open tender on 11.12.2019. The complete tender document (comprising of technical specification, forms to be filled up, terms / conditions, instructions for tender submission etc.) has been uploaded on BHEL EPS website - https://bhel.abcprocure.com/ , click on search, type the RFQ no. in keyword, click search, list will appear and click on the RFQ no. for tender details. Kindly note that the tender is due on 23.12.2019, 13:00:00 Hrs. (IST) Please submit your offer on e-tender portal https://bhel.abcprocure.com/ .
More tenders…
5|P a g e