National
Air Cargo Forum India Annual Event 2022
⇒ Union Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia attended the annual event of Air Cargo Forum India (ACFI) as the chief guest on 10 May 2022.
Theme:
The theme of the annual event was “10 Million: Vision 2030; Stimulating, Scaling, Steering Air Cargo”.
During the event, the Union Minister was talking about the reforms in Cargo Sector.
The Minister said, “To achieve the target of 10 million metric ton in cargo, the industry players need to focus on transportation of smaller cargo loads from Tier II & III cities to metros which can be achieved by acquisition of smaller size aircrafts.
- To facilitate this, we are also establishing 33 new domestic cargo terminals by 2024-2025 which will allow our cargo sector to flourish and grow.
Key Points:
- During the last 2 years in Covid times, cargo sector has emerged as a promising area not just for Indian aviation but for global aviation.
- Indian Cargo Sector has seen a growth rate of 9-10% since 2013-14.
- During the last 2 years, airlines have witnessed 520% increase in cargo revenue.
- As of today, Indian Cargo revenue stands at INR 2,000 crore with 3.1 million metric tonnage having a CAGR of 13%.
- India has 21 international and 35 domestic cargo terminals.
About ACFI:
Air Cargo Forum India (ACFI) is an association of various stakeholders of Air Cargo Logistic Supply Chain Trade and Industry i.e. Freight Forwarders, Airlines, Airport Operators, Cargo Terminal Operators, Customs House Agents and Express Industry established on 14th September 2012.
Utkarsh Mahotsav
⇒ Shri Dharmendra Pradhan Union Education and Skill Development Minister and Chancellor, Central Sanskrit University addressed the ‘Utkarsh Mahotsav’ on 09 May 2022. The minister said that Sanskrit Education to create more employment opportunities for students.
- A three-day Utkarsh Mahotsav was organized by Central Sanskrit University in New Delhi from May 7th, 2022.
- The objective behind organising the Utkarsh Mahotsav was to promote Sanskrit language across the country and beyond.
- The focus of the Mahotsav was – the New Educational Era – Moving towards a Global Orientation of Sanskrit Studies.
» The ‘Utkarsh Mahotsav’ showed the roadmap for the education system of 21st century to make India self-reliant and pave the way for global welfare.
International
President of South Korea
⇒ Yoon Suk-yeol was sworn in as the 20th president of the Republic of Korea (ROK) in Seoul on 10 May 2022.
The current president, Yoon Suk-yeol, a former Prosecutor General and member of the conservative People Power Party defeated the Democratic Party’s nominee Lee Jae-myung with a narrow 48.5% plurality in the 2022 South Korean presidential election.
15th Session of the Conference of Parties of UNCCD
⇒ The fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from 9 to 20 May 2022.
- COP 15 is a key moment in the fight against desertification, land degradation and drought. It was built on the findings of the second edition of the Global Land Outlook.
Theme:
The theme of the COP15 was ‘Land. Life. Legacy: From scarcity to prosperity’.
- The theme is a call to action to ensure land, the lifeline on this planet, continues to benefit present and future generations.
The Indian delegation led by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav, attended in the 15th Session of the Conference of Parties of UNCCD.
The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav addressed the opening plenary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Conference of Parties at its fifteenth session in Cote d’Ivoire on 10 May 2022.
Stating that taking care of the land that sustains us can help the fight against global warming, the Union Minister pitched for promoting lifestyles for environment.
Delivering the National Statement, the Minister gladly reported that:
During India’s Presidency, the Bureau has successfully convened seven high-level meetings that witnessed vibrant discussions and led to decisions on:
- Leveraging multilateral platforms on the road to Rio+ 30.
- Scheduling of the Fifteenth session of Conference of Parties (COP-15) at Cote d’Ivoire in May 2022.
- The deliberations in the Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) on Drought,
- Report of the Committee on Science and Technology (CST) Committee for Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC-19). Two extra-ordinary sessions to deliberate on the interim budget for 2022 and recommend the unanimously agreed extension of term of the Executive Secretary, UNCCD.
Key Points:
- COP15 brought together leaders from governments, the private sector, civil society and other key stakeholders from around the world to drive progress in the future sustainable management of land and explore links between land and other key sustainability issues.
- Drought, land restoration, and related enablers such as land rights, gender equality and youth empowerment were among the top items on the Conference agenda.
- For the first time, an Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) on effective policy and implementation measures for addressing drought under the United Nations Convention for Combating Desertification (UNCCD) was established by decision 23/COP.14. A draft report has been prepared. This was discussed during COP-15.
- India had hosted the fourteenth session of Conference of Parties of United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification from 2nd to 13th September 2019, at New Delhi and is the current president of the same.
Death
Noted Santoor maestro, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma
⇒ Noted Santoor maestro, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma passed away on 10 May 2022 in Mumbai. He was 84.
Pt Shivkumar Sharma received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1986. He was also the recipient of Padma Shri in 1991, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2001.
As one half of musician duo Shiv-Hari, he composed music with flute legend Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia for an array of films such as “Silsila”, “Lamhe”, “Chandni” and “Darr”.
