Consulate General of India, Vancouver www.cgivancouver.org
Vol. 02, Issue No. 15 April 13, 2018.
India in Vancouver Weekly Newsletter
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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
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Vol. 02, Issue. 15, April 13, 2018.
Consulate News Consul Jasbir Singh addressed the gathering on the 641st Birth Anniversary celebrations of Shri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj at the Nagar Kirtan on April 07, 2018. Premier John Horgan and Hon’ble BC MLAs also greeted members of Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha.
Consul General Ms. Abhilasha Joshi is with Asha Kanwar, President & CEO of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) in Commonwealth Big Lunch at University of British Columbia. (April 12, 2018)
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Vol. 02, Issue. 15, April 13, 2018.
Easter – Vishu Celebrations (Organized by Kerala Cultural Association of British Columbia) Kerala Cultural Association of British Columbia (KCABC) organized Easter – Vishu Celebrations on Saturday April 07th, 2018 at Khanna Banquet Hall, Surrey. Mr. Om Prakash, Consul Passport, Consulate General of India, Vancouver attended the ceremony and delivered a felicitation speech. The glimpse of the ceremony can be seen in below photos.
Important Trade Fairs in India – To know more, click on
The National Teachers’ Congress (NTC), Pune, India was founded in the year 2016, with the active support from Government of Maharashtra. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra is the Chief Patron of this platform. It is also supported by University Grant Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) (Ministry of HRD), Association of Indian University (AIU) and the UNESCO Chair of Human Rights, Democracy, Peace & Tolerance, Pune. In addition to that, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra has galvanized support from the Education Ministers of all Indian States. 2. The platform of National Teachers’ Congress was founded with the objective to inspire the teaching community of undergraduate and postgraduate colleges of India. Nearly 6000 teachers from all parts of India and 1000 Teachers of Indian origin from abroad gathered at its Second Annual Edition held during 10-12 January, 2018 and were exposed to extensive deliberations & dialogue for three days. 3. Its Third Annual Edition is scheduled during January 4-6, 2019 at MIT World Peace University, Kothrud, Pune, India. Even grater number of University teachers from India and Indian University teachers living in foreign countries are expected to participate in this unique discourse and share their experiences with their contemporaries in India Please click here to view brochure and more details. Website: http://nationalteacherscongress.com 2|P a g e
Vol. 02, Issue. 15, April 13, 2018.
Nomination for Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, 2019 Government of India has introduced self-nomination for Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award - 2019. Therefore, Indian Communities / Associations / Individuals are encouraged to nominate any individual or association for PBSA 2019. The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) is the highest honour conferred on overseas Indians. 2. Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) is conferred on a person of Indian origin and non-resident Indians or an organization/institution established and run by a PIO/NRI who has made significant contribution in any of the following fields: • • • • • • • •
Better understanding of India Support to India’s causes and concerns in a tangible way Building closer links between India, the overseas Indian Community and Germany Social and humanitarian causes in India or abroad Welfare of the local Indian community Philanthropic and charitable work Eminence in one’s field or outstanding work, which has enhanced India’s prestige in Germany Eminence in skills which has enhanced India’s prestige in Germany (for non-professional work)
3. Click here to download copy of the Gazette Notification and Nomination Form for Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2019 4. Complete nomination forms may be sent to the email address: pbsaward@mea.gov.in and the hard copy at the following address: Dr. Manoj Kumar Mohapatra, Joint Secretary (OIA.II), Ministry of External Affairs, Room No.916, Akbar Bhawan, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi – 110021, India. Please send nominations by 15 May, 2018. Incomplete nomination form will not be entertained.
Anti-Smuggling Unit, Central Board of Excise and Customs, Department of Revenue’s tenders for procurement of Instruments and Upgradation of Infrastructure for Revenue Laboratories, as per DPR, for procurement of instruments & infrastructure improvement – reg. Directorate of Logistics, Central Board of Excise and Customs, Department of Revenue has floated Global Tenders for supply, installation and commissioning of (i) Microwave Digestion System [No.17(AS)2018]; (ii) Digital Polarimeter [No.18(AS)/2018]; (iii) Auto Titrator [No.19(AS)/2018]; (iv) Automatic Karl Fisher Titrator [No.20(AS)/2018]; (v) Automatic Nitrogen Analyzer [No.21(AS)/2018]; (vi) Automatic Flash Point Apparatus [No.22(AS)/2018]; and (vii) Automatic Distillation Apparatus [No.23(AS)/2018]; for laboratories of Customs & Central Excise. 2. It may be noted that the tenders have been uploaded on the Central Public Procurement Portal website on 19.03.2018 and are available on e-Portal till 03.05.2018 for submission of bids online up to 1300 hours. The tenders will be opened online at http://eprocure.gov.in at 1500 hours on 04.05.2018. Interested Tenderers/bidders may download the Tender Enquiry Documents (TED) and submit their tenders online at Central Public Procurement Portal website: https://eprocure.gov.in/eprocure/app. Click here to read more about above mentioned tenders.
BHEL Tender for Supply of 1core x 630sqmm Aluminium, XLPE insulated, Unarmoured cable for 10MW SPV Plant, WBSEDCL, Santaldih Item- Supply of 1core x 630sqmm aluminium, XLPE insulated, unarmoured cable for 10MW SPV Plant, WBSEDCL, Santaldih Ref.- RFQ SPKSCPV015 Dt. 07.04.2018 Due Dt. 16.04.2018 Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Electronics Division, Bangalore has the requirement above mentioned item. In this regard, BHEL has floated an open tender on 07.04.2018. The complete tender document (comprising of technical specification, forms to be filled up, terms / conditions, instructions for tender submission etc.) has been uploaded to following website: http://www.bhel.com/tender/view_tender.php?tenderid=38004 Tender Name: Supply of 1corex 630sqmm aluminium, XLPE insulated, unarmoured cable for 10MW SPV Plant, WBSEDCL, Santaldih Kindly note that the tender is due on 16.04.2018, 13:00:00 Hrs. 3|P a g e
Vol. 02, Issue. 15, April 13, 2018.
Cultural – Heritage Tourism in India Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh Sanchi, variously known as Kakanaya, Kakanava, Kakanadabota and Bota-Sriparvata in ancient times, has a singular distinction of having remarkable specimen of Buddhist art and architecture right from the early Mauryan period (c. third century BC to twelfth century AD). Sanchi is famous in the world for stupas, monolithic Asokan pillar, temples, monasteries and sculptural wealth. It was Emperor Asoka who laid the foundations of a religious centre at Sanchi fascinated probably by the location of the hill or because of his Queen Devi, who was the daughter of a merchant of Vidisha. He erected the Great Stupa (Stupa 1) here after redistribution of mortal remains of Lord Buddha for erecting several stupas all over the country in order to spread Buddhism. This stupa was originally a low structure of brick, half the diameter of the present edifice hemispherical in shape with raised terraces at the base. It was enclosed by a wooden railing and a stone umbrella at the top. This Great Stupa served as a nucleus to the large Buddhist establishment during the later period. The Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi entered the UNESCO world heritage list in 1989.
News from India 1. PM inaugurates India's mega defence exhibition - DefExpo 2018
DefExpo 2018 inauguration event web-cast
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the tenth edition of Defence Expo at Mahabalipuram in Tamilnadu on Thursday. The PM expressed happiness that more than 500 Indian companies are participating in the exhibition, while the number of multinational companies is over 150. He highlighted how the country is taking rapid strides on the path of development under 'Make in India' program, especially in defence manufacturing sector. Prime Minister Modi recounted the many initiatives and reforms brought about in the Defence sector. In 2014 Defence export permissions stood at 118 worth about 577 million US dollars. They have increased to 794 more export permissions, for a total value of over 1.3 billion dollars in less than four years. There has been an impetus for Export promotion in the Defence sector. Offset guidelines have been made more flexible. Government has de-notified some items to be manufactured by private sector, especially MSMEs. Govt is also setting up two defence industrial corridors -- one in Tamil Nadu, and another in Uttar Pradesh. Read more… (DD News, 12-04-2018, 9:12 pm)
2. PM Modi remembers Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar on the occasion of National Maritime Day PM Modi remarked that the maritime sector of India has the potential to power the transformation of the country. He also said that Dr. Ambedkar gave a lot of importance to waterways, irrigation, canal networks and ports and that has resulted in the development and prosperity of the country. Read more… (narendramodi.in, April 05, 2018)
3. IIT Delhi Sets Up India's First Massive MIMO Lab IIT-Delhi (IIT-D) has set up a radio lab with an array of antennas for "standardisation, research and manufacturing" of 5G equipment, the institute said on Tuesday. "In an effort to establish India as a key global player in the standardisation, research and development and manufacturing of 5G equipment, a Massive MIMO radio laboratory has been setup at IIT Delhi and will be inaugurated on April 13. This will be the first such lab in India," an IIT-Delhi statement said. Saif Khan Mohammed, an IIT-D professor working on the Massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) technology, said it will help curb the emittance of radiation harmful to our health and also will allow less radio interference for better communication. Read more… (Indo-Asian News Service, 10 April 2018)
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Vol. 02, Issue. 15, April 13, 2018. 4. Auto Sales: Indian Auto Industry Registers Over 12 Per Cent Growth in FY 2018 The 2017-18 financial year turned out to be a major success for the Indian automotive industry, which has registered almost double-digit growth during last fiscal year. India overtook Germany as the fourth largest global automotive market, right behind China, the United States and Japan. The total vehicle sales in India during FY 2018 grew by 9.2 per cent with total sales of 4.02 million units, compared to Germany, which saw a growth of a decent 2.19 per cent, with total sales accounting for 3.81 million. This includes the sale of passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, sold during April 2017 -March 2018..... As for production, the industry produced a total of over 29 million vehicles including passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, three-wheelers, two-wheelers and quadricycle during April-March 2018. The industry registered a production growth of 14.78 per cent compared to the 25.3 million vehicles made during April-March 2017, over the same period last year. Read more… (By CarAndBike Team, NDTV.com, Published: Apr 10, 2018 04:13 PM)
5. Modi to flag off India's most powerful rail engine: All about the locomotive Prime Minister Narendra Modi today flags off India's first high-speed electric locomotive from Bihar's Madhepura loco factory, in addition to a new bi-weekly Humsafar Express that will ply between Katihar to New Delhi. Here are the key highlights of India's first high-speed electric locomotive: • The engine has been built in Madhepura' Electric Locomotive Factory in collaboration with French firm AlstomNSE -0.47 % under 'Make in India' initiative. • This is India's first 12,000 horsepower (HP) electric locomotive. Prior to this, 6,000 HP locomotive was India's most powerful electric engine. • With the new locomotive, India will join the elite list countries including Russia, China, Germany and Sweden who have 12,000 HP rail engines. • The factory will roll out 800 such engines in next 11 years. • Out of 800, five will be imported while 795 will be manufactured in India. Read more… (ET Online, Apr 10, 2018, 12.30 PM IST)
6. Why MNCs are moving core operations to India BENGALURU: The centre of gravity of Fortune 500 companies is shifting to India. The future strategies of these companies are being invented here,” says Lalit Ahuja, a retired Navy man who runs Ansr, a venture in Bengaluru that helps multinational companies establish engineering and research and development centres — known as global inhouse centres or GICs — in India. Among the companies it’s worked with are Target, JCPenney, AB (Anheuser-Busch) Inbev, Saks Fifth Avenue and Grant Thornton. “Conversations are no longer about cost. It is digital technology that is bringing companies here,” says K S Viswanathan, IT industry body Nasscom’s head of industry initiatives whose responsibility includes dealing with GICs. A total of 1,150 multinationals have global in-house centres that employ more than 8 lakh people in the country. Read more… (Sujit John and Shilpa Phadnis, TNN, Apr 10, 2018, 10:50 IST)
7. Massive Make in India success! India becomes world’s second largest mobile phone producer in three years India is now the second largest mobile phone producer in the world after China, as per information shared by Indian Cellular Association with Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad… According to data shared by ICA, India accounted for 11 per cent of global mobile production in 2017 compared to 3 per cent in 2014. India replaced Vietnam to become second largest producer of mobile phones in 2017. With the rise in mobile phone production, imports of the devices in the country also reduced to less than half in 2017-18. The fast track task force, a body under Ministry of Electronics and IT, has set target to achieve around 500 million mobile phone productions in India by 2019, with value estimated to be around USD 46 billion. Read more… (By: PTI, New Delhi, Financial Express, April 1, 2018 7:53 PM)
8. Direct tax collections surge 18% to cross Rs10 trillion (USD 153.36 B approx.) mark in FY18: Arun Jaitley Direct tax collection has grown by 18% to cross Rs10.02 trillion in the fiscal ended on 31 March 2018, finance minister Arun Jaitley said on Tuesday. He said demonetisation and goods and services tax (GST) implementation has resulted into higher formalisation of economy which is evident from additional one crore IT returns being filed in the previous fiscal. “Direct tax collections for FY2017-18 has been Rs 10,02,607 crore (18 per cent higher than previous year). The data reveals the efficiency of tax department and rise in no. of honest tax payers. This historical revenue receipt is a factual testimony of accountable governance under PM @narendramodi ji,” Jaitley tweeted. He said the number of income tax returns filed rose to 6.84 crore during 2017-18, compared to 5.43 crore filed in 2016-17. This represents a 26% growth in filing of ITRs. Of the total ITRs filed, 6.74 crore returns were e-filed. Read more… (livemint.com, Last Published: Tue, Apr 03 2018. 09 36 PM IST)
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Vol. 02, Issue. 15, April 13, 2018. 9. Incredible India My friend, former Foreign Affairs Secretary Ambassador Delia Domingo Albert, has not stopped raving about the Solar Lolas project where a number of elderly Aeta women from rural Zambales were trained to be solar engineers in India, bringing back solar technology for their own and other communities which are out of the power grid. I thought this was commendable and an inclusive technology transfer from India to us. But India has given a lot more...........The Philippines has been a longtime recipient of the ITEC/TCS programs, especially Tesda, DTI, DENR, DoE, DND, DoT, DOST, PNP, Comelec. Over the years, 65 civilian slots in various competencies have been utilized by the Philippines. Apart from these, military or defense training has been given about 30 slots. Also last year, ITEC donated $500,000 from its Disaster Relief Program for the rehabilitation of Marawi.........All of them ended their testimonials with the phrase “Incredible India.” Now we know it goes beyond a tourist slogan to a very real appreciation of the country and its people. Read more… (Ma. Isabel Ongpin, Manila Times, Fri, 06 Apr, 02:21pm)
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