26th April 2016

A.Union Commerce Ministry launches Twitter Seva for Start-Ups 

1.The Union Commerce and Industry Ministry has launched a new service Twitter Seva to address issues and grievances of startups, exporters and importers, and other stakeholders. 

2.In this regard, an institutionalised mechanism with a special Twitter cell has been created in the Ministry which is manned by a set of dedicated officers of the Ministry. 

Key facts 

1.Twitter Seva will address various queries of startups in a time-bound manner. In it, anyone who wants to access government irrespective of any department, they can put their queries using the hashtag – ‘#mociseva’ on micro blogging site twitter. 

2.The Union Commerce and Industry Ministry would try to respond to the queries within 48 to 72 working hours. 

3.Queries on matters relating to Department of Commerce and Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) will be answered through this service. 

4.It will also address queries regarding the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), , SEZs, Directorate General of supplies and Disposals, tea, rubber, coffee, spices, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). Issues related to manufacturing policy, investment promotion, industrial corridors, Startup India, Make in India, FDI, intellectual property rights will be also addressed.

B.175 nations sign historic Paris Climate Agreement on Earth Day 

1.175 nations including India have signed the historic Paris Climate Agreement at United Nations Headquarters in New York along marking a significant step to combat global warming. 

2.On behalf of India, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar signed the agreement at a high-level ceremony hosted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the occasion of Earth Day (22 April). 

3.The ceremony was attended by heads of governments, foreign ministers, corporate leaders and artists from across the world. 

4.The agreement will come into force 30 days after at least 55 Parties to the UNFCCC, accounting for at least 55 per cent of global emissions ratify the agreement. 

Key facts 

1.The Paris Climate Agreement was formulated within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). 

2.Facilitates enforcement of global GHGs reduction measures, adaptation and finance in the post-2020 i.e. in post Kyoto Protocol scenario. 

3.The agreement was adopted by representatives of 195 countries at the 21st Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC held in Paris (France) in December 2015. 

4.In the agreement, all countries agreed to work to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius, and to strive for 1.5 degrees Celsius. 

5.Takes into account the principle of equity (climate justice) and common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) and respective capabilities. 

6.The mitigation will be based on consensus among the members that have incorporated their respective Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). 

7.Developed countries will provide 100 billion dollars annually to the developing counterparts beginning in 2020 and it would increase with time. 

C.Bhupendra Kainthola appointed FTII Director 

1.Indian Information Service (IIS) officer Bhupendra Kainthola has been appointed as Director of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). 

2.Kainthola will replace Prashant Pathrabe and shall have tenure of three years. He is a 1989 batch IIS officer. 

3.Prior to this appointment he was serving as Director (News Room) with DD News since January 2015. 

4.He was responsible for ‘management of news operations and output’. Previously, he has worked with PIB, Directorate of Audio Visual Publicity (DAVP), Directorate of Film Festival (as Director, National Film Awards and Indian Panorama) and also with the Lok Sabha Television. 

5.Kainthola holds a Masters in International Relations from the University of Mumbai’. 

About Film and Television Institute of India 

1.FTII is premier institute that provides training for acting, film making, video editing, direction and production. 

2.It is an autonomous body under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Established in 1960 and is situated in Pune on the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Film Company. 

3.Since its inception, FTII has become India’s premier film and television institute. Its alumni have become technicians, actors and directors in the film and television industry.

D.China, Pakistan ink agreement to launch satellite to monitor CPEC projects 

1.China and Pakistan have signed an agreement for the launch of a special satellite to monitor the development of the multi-billion dollars China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects. 

2.In this regard, both countries have decided for development and launch of the Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite (PRSS-1) System and launch a satellite in June 2018. 

Implications 

1.This agreement will also transfer space technology to Pakistan as the PRSS-1 is considered as yet another flagship project between China-Pakistan after CPEC.

2. It would also help Pakistan in its national security arena by strengthening surveillance apparatus and border security. 

3.Comment This bilateral cooperation in space domain would open new arena of socio-economic and scientific cooperation and would give boost to the historic bilateral cordial relations in other fields between all-weather friends. 

About China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) 

1.Project CPEC refers to a clutch of major infrastructure projects currently under way in Pakistan. 

2.The corridor is mainly consists of road, rail and power projects. It is intended to link Kashgar in Xinjiang province of China to Gwadar deep sea port close to Pakistan’s border with Iran. 

3.China’s Gain: The CPEC is part of China’s regional transnational ‘One Belt One Road’ (OBOR) initiative that connects large patch of Asia and Eastern Europe. 

4.Gwadar Port is strategically located and lies close to the Strait of Hormuz (near Iran), a key international oil shipping lane. 

5.It could open up an energy and trade corridor from the Gulf region across Pakistan to western China and also could be used by the Chinese Navy for military purpose.