The annual flagship  event  of  India  Trade  Promotion  Organisation (ITPO), the 36th India International Trade Fair (November14-27, 2016) will be inaugurated by the  President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee on November 14, 2016 at Hamsadhwani Theatre, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The Commerce & Industry Minister,  Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman will preside over the inaugural  function.
●    This year, as many as 7000 participants are taking part in the fair. The ‘Partner Country’ is the ‘South Korea’ and the ‘Focus Country’ is ‘Belarus’.  
●    The ‘Partner States’ are ‘Madhya Pradesh’ and ‘Jharkhand’ while, ‘Haryana’ is participating   as the ‘Focus State’.  
●    Over 150 companies from 27   countries are   taking   part in the   fair. These include:   Australia, Afghanistan, Belarus, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Iran, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Netherlands, Oman, Sri Lanka, South Africa, South Korea, Singapore, Tibet, Turkey, Thailand, UAE and UK.
●    The domestic participation profile covers all the States and Union Territories, Central Government Ministries/Departments, Public Sector Undertakings, Export Promotion Councils, Commodity Board, Financial Institutions, Corporate and   non-government organisations etc. 
●    CAPART pavilion of the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of   India   is participating with around 800 rural artisans and craft persons, while 100 artisans are participating through National Minorities Development & Finance & Corporation.

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated a meeting of American Association of Thoracic Surgeons and International Coronary Congress in New Delhi today (November 12, 2016).
●    Speaking on the occasion, the President said that healthcare is a priority area to our country. However, the challenges at meeting the healthcare requirements are acute in the case of developing economies with large populations. 
●    Doctors have a responsibility to work on creating greater awareness about prevention and treatment among the general population. The most common cause leading to CAD and heart attacks are wrong lifestyle choices. 
●    Hence, precautionary strategies have to take centre-stage in the fight against heart diseases. Our healthcare sector has to be equipped to not only treat people but also guide them about prevention of medical conditions.
●    The President said that the International Coronary Congress, to his mind, is a great platform where steps necessary to strengthen our healthcare system into one that is universally accessible, affordable and effective can be discussed. 
●    To build such a system, we require not only a robust healthcare infrastructure, but also trained and motivated personnel. We can study the systems prevalent in other nations that have turned successful in providing treatment to their entire population. 
●    Our country is unique on account of the size and geographical spread of our population. Therefore, we have to develop suitable solutions to meet our requirements.

The Ministry of Steel, Government of India announces the inauguration of the Ministry of Steel Pavilion at the 36th edition of India International Trade Fair (IITF), the largest integrated trade fair on Monday i.e. 14th November, 2016, at 04.00 PM at stall no 15-a, at hall 18U, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. 
●    The Union Minister for Steel Shri Chaudhary Birender Singh and Secretary, Steel, Dr. Aruna Sharma will be present to inaugurate the Ministry of Steel stall ‘Ministry of Steel Pavilion’, where the country’s public and private sector steel making capabilities come together on display. Steel PSU & Private sector chiefs and senior officials from Ministry of Steel will also be present. 
●    Steel, owing to its high tensile strength, low cost and inherent uses, is the backbone of any modern civilization and is very important for a growing economy like India. The government of India is focused on a steady manufacturing climate, accelerating the manufacturing potential in the country by leaps & bounds. In-line with ‘Make-in-India’ initiative, our steel companies like ESSAR Steel, FSNL, HSCL, JPC, JSL, JSPL, JSW, KIOCL, MECON, MOIL, MSTC, NMDC, RINL, SAIL and TATA Steel, have emphasized on innovation and R&D to developed new products empowering industries to manufacture indigenously, state of the art products like INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenous air craft career, bullet proof steel, nuclear power plants or space exploration missions and become widely recognized as purveyor of high-end, value-added steel. 
●    Digitalization has emerged as catalysts for rapid economic growth, ultimately transforming the nation. Indian Steel Industry which is highly automated has introduced digital technologies across processes such as operations research, product development, software development, robotics & mechanical engineering, mining, pelletization, raw material handling, coke oven, sinter plant, blast furnace, long product mill, continuous casting, SMS/BOF, flat product mill, supply chain management, procurement, retail and online sales of steel. 
●    The steel industry is constantly researching on new technologies to enhance the world's strongest and versatile material; currently there are over 2000 grades of steel globally of which 1500 grades are high grade steel. Iron and steel are used widely in the construction of roads, railways, energy, packaging, appliances, transport, infrastructure, buildings & large modern structures, such as stadiums and skyscrapers, bridges, and airports, are supported by a steel skeleton. Other common applications include shipbuilding, pipelines, mining, offshore construction, aerospace, white goods (e.g. washing machines), heavy equipment such as bulldozers, office furniture, steel wool, tools, and armour in the form of personal vests or vehicle armour, Cutlery, Rulers, Surgical instruments, Watches, Guns, Rail passenger vehicles, IT, Tablets, Electronics, Trash Cans etc. 

Announcing the Centre's plans to inject Rs 25 lakh crore to strengthen inland waterways, ports and rail-road links, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today said these projects will create four crore jobs as the focus of the NDA government is to uplift the poor. 
●    The 12 public ports in the country have made an overall profit of Rs 6,000 crore this year and the government aims to raise the profit up to Rs 35,000-40,000 crore in four years.
●    A sum of Rs 4 lakh crore would be spent for the development of port-rail connectivity. 
●    Centre has taken concrete steps to accelerate the pace of road construction, which has been enhanced to 24-25 km per day from the earlier level of 2 km per day. 
●    The target is to raise it further to 41 km per day. 
●    Similarly, an investment of around Rs 15 lakh crore would be made for development of the highway sector.
●    Further, an amount of Rs 8,200 crore would be pumped in to develop a new port at Paradip.
●    Rs 7,000 crore is being invested for establishing rail link between the coal belt of Talcher and Paradip port. 

The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, J P Nadda, on 9 November 2016 launched Healthy India Initiative/Swastha Bharat-ek pehal magazine and No More Tension mobile App.
●    The initiatives were launched for promotion of health and to strengthen the health communications programmes.
●    It will be a quarterly magazine.
●    It will cater to health related information and raise awareness about healthy living.
●    The magazine will cover different aspect of health including women and child health, elderly health, daily nutritional needs, seasonal ailments, safe medication practices and home remedies for healthy living.
●    The magazine will be made available at all the government facilities up to the sub-centre and will be available free of cost.
●    The e-version of the magazine will also be available for download.
●    The current issue is in Hindi and English and the next version will be available in 13 other languages.

Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) and Parliamentary Affairs launched the logo of ‘Hunar Haat’ here today and addressed a press conference on the occasion. The exhibition is being set up in Hall No. 14 of Pragati Maidan by National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC) under scheme “USTTAD” (Upgrading the Skills & Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development) of Ministry of Minority Affairs. The logo will be used for branding exhibitions in future too.
●    Briefing the media ,the Minister said that more than 184 master artisans from 26 States will showcase their traditional art and skills at “Hunar Haat”. The “Hunar Haat” is being organised at India International Trade Fair 2016 from 14 to 27 November. Shri Naqvi said that besides providing free of cost stall to artisans/craftsmen, the Minority Affairs Ministry will also make arrangements for their transport and will facilitate daily expenses so that they can reach Delhi and display their arts/skills at the international platform in the form of International Trade Fair.
●    The exhibition at “Hunar Haat” will also display other arts/crafts like marble work from Rajasthan; beautiful handicrafts from Gujarat; Pashmina and bronze work from Kashmir. Besides, centuries old Ayurvedic, Unani health care; glass artefacts; Indian silk-cotton work will also be a part of the exhibition. The artisans will also display their skills of making products live before the people at the Trade Fair.
●    The USTTAD scheme aims at preserving and promoting the rich heritage of the traditional arts and crafts of the Minority communities. These crafts have gradually lost their employability in the light of globalisation and competitive market. This has demotivated the younger generation including the wards of master craft persons to look for different avenues for livelihood.
●    IITF is an exhibition of national/international acclaim and is expected to provide ample opportunity and a platform under one roof to artisans and craft persons of Minority communities, to demonstrate, showcase and sell their products.
●    The participating artisans include forty one from Uttar Pradesh, eighteen from Gujarat, seventeen from Delhi, sixteen from Jammu and Kashmir ,thirteen from Rajasthan , nine from West Bengal and seven from Bihar. Besides these states, artisans from Leh-Laddakh to Manipur, Nagaland to Kerala are participating in “Hunar Haat”.
●    A special pavilion has also been put up in “Hunar Haat” exhibition area for audio-visual depiction of schemes & programs of the Ministry, NMDFC and constituent organizations. This will help in creating awareness about the schemes & programmes of the Ministry among the visitors, so that they could avail assistance under these programmes.

The Union Tourism Ministry is all set to name Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the mascot of its ‘Incredible India’ campaign.
●    The position was lying vacant since Aamir Khan’s ouster as the campaign’s brand ambassador in January 2016 for his remarks on Indian intolerance. Names of Bollywood superstars, Amitabh Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra were doing rounds as likely contenders of the role. 
●    Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a strong standing and his success story has been widely popular among people in India as well as abroad. 
●    He has visited a host of countries after his appointment. 
●    Tourism inflow from countries visited by the Prime Minister post his appointment like the US, Germany, Fiji, Brazil, UK, Myanmar and Australia has witnessed a significant jump.
●    The ministry plans to release a video footage of Modi speaking on tourism in India and abroad.
●    The footage will be taken from the speeches delivered by the Prime Minister on tourism during the last two and a half years.
●    It will also include sections from radio and audio releases and videos where Modi has spoken on nation’s uniqueness and diversity.
●    It is expected to get released within 45-50 days, coinciding with the peak tourist season. 

The Union Cabinet gave its approval for creation of a ‘special committee’ in accordance to an order passed by the Supreme Court in 2012 for inter-linking of Indian rivers.
●    The approval was given in a Cabinet council session headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 November 2016. According to the government, this move will help in monitoring the projects that are to be carried out under its National Perspective Plan, 1980. 
●    It is a proposed project that aims to link all Indian rivers by the creation of a network of canals and reservoirs in order to reduce the problem of continuous floods in some parts of India and water shortages in others. 
●    The project has been divided into three parts:
●    Northern Himalayan rivers inter-link component 
●    Southern Peninsular component 
●    Intrastate rivers linking component 
●    India’s National Water Development Agency (NWDA) under Ministry of Water Resources has been given the responsibility of managing the project. 
●    The project was proposed by NDA Government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

In a nine-page statement, Tata accused Mistry of trying to take control of one of Tata's units and creating distance between the promoter, Tata Sons, and its group companies.
●    It also blamed him for nearly causing losses and eroding shareholder value.
●    The Tata Sons board has already suffered two major setbacks, as the board of Indian Hotels last week, and that of Tata Chemicals on Thursday, both backed Mistry, saying he would remain chair of those group companies.
●    Tata Sons on Thursday axed Mistry as chair of its main cash cow Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), however, as it owns a stake of over 70 percent in that company.
●    The corporate power struggle is set to continue over coming days as Mistry remains chairman of other key Tata companies like Tata Steel and Tata Motors, whose boards are set to meet soon.
●    Mistry was axed as chair of Tata Sons in a boardroom coup last month, with family patriarch Ratan Tata brought back to helm the company temporarily.

Carmakers will have to provide airbags, vehicle reverse gear sensors for child pedestrian safety, speed-warning systems and seatbelt reminder system as standard equipment from October 2017. 
●    Speed alert will warn vehicles if they exceed 80 km per hour and then a continuous audio alert if speed exceeds 100 kmph, the road transport and highways ministry said in a draft notification issued on Wednesday. 
●    The move will ensure that Indian cars are on par with those sold globally as far as safety parameters are concerned. 
●    Currently, few auto companies provide airbags and ABS in entry level models. 
●    According to the government’s rough estimate, including these two features would add 10% to the cost of the base model. 
●    The government plans to set up its own safety authority, Bharat National Car Assessment Programme (NCAP), which will rate vehicles on safety. 
●    India will also have a rating system for cars based on fuel efficiency.