Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Conference of Parties is being organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) at Geneva in October.
The conference is expected to discuss steps to bring down tobacco consumption and cultivation.
Article 17 and 18 of FCTC deal with suitable alternatives to tobacco cultivation.
Federation of All-India Farmer Associations requested the Union Commerce Ministry to seek the inclusion of tobacco farmers’ representatives in the conference.
More Assembly Seats for Sikkim
Home Ministry has proposed to Union Cabinet to increase the number of assembly seats for sikkim from 32 to 40.
If approved, it will be the first expansion of the Assembly since Sikkim merged with India in 1975.
The seats are being increased to accommodate the Limboo and Tamang communities, notified as Scheduled Tribes in January 2003.
A petition was already moved in the Supreme Court that Limboos and Tamangs were not adequately represented in the Assembly.
SC has directed the Home Ministry in 2016 to take action regarding this.
By the Delimitation Act, 2002, the number of seats in an Assembly can be readjusted only on the basis of the first census after 2026.
The Second Schedule to the Representation of People Act, 1950 and Section 5A of the Representation of People Act, 1951 have been amended to change the Assembly strength.
DNA Barcoding
Scientists from Delhi University (DU) and the Wildlife Institute of India has collected genetic data of frogs and analysed it using DNA barcoding.
The researchers found that the ornate narrow-mouthed frog, thought to be widely-distributed in Asia, is seen only in peninsular India and Sri Lanka.
The study reveals that the ornate narrow-mouthed frog is present only in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
The study would enable IUCN to review the conservation status of this group of frogs across South Asia at the earliest opportunity.
RCEP
The government has set up a four-member group of ministers (GoM) to advise prime minister Narendra Modi on whether to continue with or withdraw from the 16-member Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations.
RCEP is a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between the ten member states of the ASEAN and the six states with which ASEAN has existing free trade agreements.
Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam are ASEAN members.
RCEP is viewed as an alternative to the TransPacific Partnership (TPP), a proposed trade agreement which includes several Asian and American nations but excludes China and India.
The arrangement is also open to any other external economic partners, such as nations in Central Asia and remaining nations in South Asia and Oceania.
RCEP will cover trade in goods, trade in services, investment, economic and technical co-operation,intellectual property, competition, dispute settlement and other issues.
Trade Remedy Cooperation
Cabinet has recently approved the MoU between India and Korea on Trade Remedy Cooperation.
MoU will promote cooperation between the two countries in the area of trade remedies such as anti-dumping, subsidy and countervailing and safeguard measures.
FDI in education institutions
The Government has allowed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) upto 100% under automatic route in the educational institutions.
Consolidated FDI Policy of 2017 has accorded this limit but subject to applicable laws, rules/regulations/security conditions.
UGC and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) have issued regulations/guidelines on collaboration between Indian and Foreign Universities.
It is with a view to increase synergy between Indian and foreign academic institutions and to improve curriculum and educational content.
As per these regulations, Indian Universities and Colleges having the highest grade of accreditation/threshold accreditation, can apply online to the UGC for starting twinning arrangement with Foreign Educational Institutions (FEI) having the prescribed quality.
