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  • MIL-OSI USA: Strong Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Expand and Improve CyberCorps Scholarship for Service Program for STEM Students

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Dale Strong (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON— Today, Congressman Dale Strong (R-AL) introduced the “CyberCorps Enhancement Act of 2024.” This bipartisan legislation will extend the existing CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (SFS) Program’s participation period from three to five years, supporting students pursuing advanced STEM degrees and expanding the pool of highly specialized cybersecurity professionals.  

    “North Alabama is a national leader in cybersecurity education, with one of the highest numbers of participants and graduates in the CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program. This legislation will allow local colleges and universities to continue to produce highly skilled, U.S.-trained cybersecurity experts to protect our national security interests and contribute to cutting-edge research,” said Congressman Dale W. Strong. “Strengthening this pipeline is not just about defending our nation against cyber threats—it’s about creating high-paying, high-impact jobs here at home and ensuring America continues to lead the way in cybersecurity, innovation, and defense.”  

    The University of Alabama in Huntsville is supportive of this legislation.  

    “The University of Alabama in Huntsville is home to one of the largest cohorts of CyberCorps Scholarship for Service recipients in the country, comprised of 92 incredibly bright scholars in the critical fields of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence,” said Dr. Tommy Morris, director of UAH’s Center for Cybersecurity Research and Education and eminent scholar of computer engineering. “The proposed changes will allow us to grow this important program by attracting more doctoral students, which will ultimately enhance national security considering recipients must work for the federal government upon graduation. UAH proudly offers top cybersecurity programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels, and one of the largest cybersecurity research centers in America – the Center for Cybersecurity Research and Education – is located on our campus in Huntsville, a community that is leading the way in cybersecurity work. We are thankful to Congressman Strong for spearheading this effort.” 

    Strong co-led the bipartisan legislation alongside Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA). 

    “The federal government has a lot of work to do when it comes to recruiting and retaining the next generation of the federal workforce, especially in critical fields like cybersecurity and emerging technologies,” said Congressman Gerry Connolly. “This bipartisan legislation will go a long way toward strengthening our nation’s cybersecurity posture by ensuring we can attract the best of the best to serve our country.” 

    BACKGROUND:  

    The CyberCorps SFS Program currently offers scholarships for three years to students pursuing undergraduate or graduate education in cybersecurity. In return, recipients commit to working in a cybersecurity role within the U.S. government for the same length of time as their scholarship.  

    The CyberCorps Enhancement Act of 2024 proposes two key improvements to the existing SFS Program: 

    • Extending Scholarship Support: Increasing the scholarship cap from three to five years to accommodate students pursuing advanced degrees like PhDs. 
    • Clarifying Loan Repayment Terms: Ensuring the full amount of student loans is eligible for forgiveness. This change is to address participant concerns about loan repayment challenges. 

    These changes will support a wide range of cybersecurity degrees—including PhD, master’s, bachelor’s, and associate degrees—focused on cybersecurity fields such as AI, aerospace, quantum technologies, and more.  

    Full text of the legislation is available here. This legislation is supported by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) USA. 

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Sykes Celebrates $7.86 Billion Dollar CHIPS Grant For Intel

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Emilia Strong Sykes (OH-13)

    November 26, 2024

    Ohio set to receive billions for New Albany plants, creating thousands of good-paying, union jobs

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) celebrated the news that the U.S. Department of Commerce is set to award $7,865,000,000 in funding from the CHIPS and Science Act to Intel to strengthen the U.S. supply chain and reestablish American leadership in semiconductor manufacturing. This includes billions coming back to Ohio where Intel is investing more than $28 billion to build two new chip factories in Ohio, creating 3,000 manufacturing jobs and 7,000 construction jobs.  

    “Once again, the CHIPS and Science Act is providing our communities with the resources needed to ensure Ohio remains the heart of America’s manufacturing industry. This major, multi-billion dollar investment will boost our entire state’s economy and create thousands of good-paying, union jobs right here at home,” said Rep. Sykes. “As a member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, which oversees the implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act, I will continue fighting to bring federal dollars back to our state, so that every community has economic opportunities and we are working to lower costs by onshoring jobs back to the United States.”

    Leading-edge chips power the most sophisticated technology on the planet, including developing AI and building critical military capabilities. Intel’s process technologies such as Intel 18A and advanced packaging technologies, combined with its foundry services, would strengthen U.S. domestic supply of these advanced chips. This federal investment in Intel will support both the creation and advanced packaging of leading-edge chips through projects in Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio, and Oregon. Intel’s overall expansion plan is estimated to support approximately 10,000 manufacturing jobs and 20,000 construction jobs across all four states, and more than 50,000 indirect jobs from suppliers and supporting industries.

    The award will directly support Intel’s expected U.S. investment of nearly $90 billion by the end of the decade, which is part of the company’s overall $100+ billion expansion plan. The Department of Commerce will disburse the funds based on Intel’s completion of project milestones. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Following Congressman Dan Goldman’s Call for Investigation, Government Accountability Office Finds 73 Percent of ATF Traced Caribbean Firearms Originate in the U.S.

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

    Earlier this Year, Goldman Joined Senator Durbin, Representatives Meeks and Castro in Calling for GAO to Study Role of American Firearms Trafficking in Global Gun Violence Crises  

    According to Report, at Least 71,500 American-Made Guns were Exported to Caribbean Nations Between 2018 and 2023 

    Read the Report Here 

    Washington, DC – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) today announced the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that found 73% of Caribbean firearms recovered and traced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) between 2018-2022 can be traced back to the United States. 

    This report follows Congressman Goldman, Senator Durbin (D-IL), Congressman Meeks (NY-05), and Congressman Castro’s (TX-20) request for GAO to study the role that American-made firearms play in Caribbean nations’ gun violence crises. 

    “American firearms traffickers aren’t just fueling a gun violence epidemic here at home, they’re also arming cartels abroad and contributing to the drug and human trafficking operations at the border, including the fentanyl crisis,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “The GAO’s startling report drives home the urgent need to crack down on the trafficking of American firearms abroad. Congress must pass legislation like Congressman Castro’s ARMAS Act and my Disarming Cartels Act – to keep these American manufacturers from fueling the crisis at the border.” 

    In the process of compiling the report, ATF traced 7,399 firearms recovered in crimes in the Caribbean from 2018 to 2022. A GAO analysis of those traces showed that 73 percent of recovered firearms, most of which were handguns, originated in the United States. Available data showed that 71,569 firearms were legally exported from the U.S. to 22 of the 26 Caribbean countries between January 2018 and December 2023. 

    Congressman Dan Goldman has championed tougher oversight and accountability for arms traffickers throughout his first term in office. 

    Last fall, Goldman introduced the ‘Disarming Cartels Act’ to curtail the trafficking of U.S.-made firearms and ammunition over the U.S.-Mexico border. Guns originating in the United States power human- and drug-trafficking efforts and other illicit activities by cartels and other transnational criminal organizations in Mexico and beyond. 

    Last year, Congressman Goldman introduced the ‘Americas Regional Monitoring of Arms Sales (ARMAS) Act,’ legislation that would disrupt firearm trafficking from the United States to Latin America and the Caribbean by implementing stronger transparency, accountability, and oversight mechanisms for U.S. arms exports. 

    Last month, Goldman cosponsored the ‘Protecting Americans from Reckless Gun Dealers Act,’ which would require the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to publish detailed annual reports on the number of gun dealers that have violated Federal Firearm License law and the outcomes of resulting disciplinary actions. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Dan Goldman Recognizes Nation’s Food Banks Ahead of Thanksgiving Holiday

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

    Approximately 49 Million Food Insecure Americans Rely on Food Banks and Meal Programs for Nutrition Each Year 

     

    Read the Resolution Here 

    New York, NY – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) joined Congressman Lou Correa (CA-46) in his resolution declaring the House of Representatives’ support and gratitude for the work done by food banks, food pantries, and other community-based organizations across the United States to end food insecurity.  

    “When our neighbors in New York and across the country struggle to make ends meet, many turn to food banks as their only source of food,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “As we approach the holiday season, I want to join my colleagues in extending thanks to these organizations and their tireless employees for supporting so many people in need as we continue the fight against food insecurity.” 

    Approximately 49 million Americans relied on food banks or meal programs to meet their nutritional needs in 2022. Food bank networks and their partners play a crucial role in combating hunger in America, partnering with federal, city, and state governments to deliver food to vulnerable groups such as seniors, children, veterans, and unhoused individuals. In 2022, these food banks collected, prepared, and distributed over five billion meals across the United States. 

    Congressman Dan Goldman is committed to ensuring no person goes hungry in America. 

    Earlier this year, Goldman secured a $581,000 Community Project Funding Grant award for the UA3 Food Bank Network to expand their food storage capacity and improve distribution among low-income residents in New York City. Over the summer, Goldman secured a $175,000 Community Project Funding Grant Award for Rethink Food, a sustainable community kitchen that has delivered over 1.9 million meals to 40+ community-based organizations across New York City.  
    This summer, Congressman Goldman convened a Summer Nutrition Town Hall to discuss food insecurity, share information about New York State’s Summer EBT program and its rollout, and provide resources to residents who would like to apply. 
    Goldman is also a cosponsor of the ‘WIC For Kids Act,’ which would increase access to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program under the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Donalds Calls For Bolstering Everglades Restoration in FY’26

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL)

    NAPLES, Fla. – Congressman Byron Donalds joined Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL), Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), and a bipartisan delegation of eighteen additional colleagues from the Sunshine State in calling on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to continue its bold vision for Everglades restoration in the FY’26 President’s Budget.

    Read the full text of the letter HERE or below:

    The Honorable Michael Connor
    Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works
    Headquarters, US Army Corps of Engineers
    441 G. Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20314-1000

    Dear Mr. Connor:

    Since 2019, more than 65 federal, state, and regional projects have either been completed, broken ground, or hit major milestones – including the C-44 reservoir, the Stormwater Treatment Cell 1 in the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir, and restoration of the Herbert Hoover Dike surrounding Lake Okeechobee. We appreciate your leadership and support for restoration of America’s Everglades through the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and as members of the Everglades Caucus, we are excited by the current progress and momentum.

    As you know, the Everglades is a national treasure, one of the true ecological wonders of the world, and further efforts to preserve this unique ecosystem is vitally important to its long-term viability. Comprised of the diverse habitats and sweeping watershed that includes over 2.5 million acres of federally protected lands and waters at Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, and fourteen National Wildlife Refuges; 2,800 nautical miles of marine habitat at the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary; and environmentally and culturally significant Tribal Lands, its restoration is no small undertaking but is undoubtedly a worthy one.

    The real progress being made by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the State of Florida goes hand in hand with the increased investment at both the Federal and State levels. This partnership continues to flourish as we all work together to restore the historic flow of the Everglades which proves vital to Florida’s environment, economy, drinking water supply, and quality of life. As the Biden-Harris Administration begins to formulate their budget for USACE Civil Works as part of the FY26 President’s Budget, we write today to share our esteemed support for the continuation of funding for the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration line that meet or exceed $725 million – the amount that has been requested by the Florida Delegation for the past four years. The Everglades is central to Florida’s economy; its biodiversity is truly an environmental marvel, home to one of the world’s largest wetlands frequented by over a million visitors each year.

    We are blessed to have natural treasures like the Everglades National Park right in our backyards, that over eight million Floridians rely on for their drinking water. We hope the FY26 President’s budget, with your input, will continue the bold vision for Everglades restoration – a banner example of America’s ability to restore the environment, and in doing so support the economy, livelihood, and way of life for millions in Florida.

    Thank you again for your leadership and we hope you will consider, within all applicable rules and regulations, our input as you work to generate the Civil Works’ portion of the FY26 President’s Budget.

    Sincerely,

    Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) Member of Congress
     Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) Member of Congress
     Byron Donalds (R-FL) Member of Congress
     Scott Franklin (R-FL) Member of Congress
    Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) Member of Congress
    Bill Posey (R-FL) Member of Congress
    Darren Soto (D-FL) Member of Congress
    Carlos A. Gimenez (R-FL) Member of Congress
    Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL) Member of Congress
    Lois Frankel (D-FL) Member of Congress
    Michael Waltz (R-FL) Member of Congress
    Kathy Castor (D-FL) Member of Congress
    Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) Member of Congress
    John H. Rutherford (R-FL) Member of Congress
    Daniel Webster (R-FL) Member of Congress
    Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-FL) Member of Congress
    Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL) Member of Congress
    Brian Mast (R-FL) Member of Congress
    Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) Member of Congress
    Vern Buchanan (R-FL) Member of Congress
    Neal P. Dunn (R-FL) Member of Congress

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Marshall, Risch Reintroduce Bill to Expand Prohibitions on Use of Foreign Assistance Funding for Abortions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D., and James Risch (R-ID) introduced the American Values Act, legislation to permanently enact and expand existing prohibitions on the use of U.S. foreign assistance to pay for the performance or promotion of abortion services overseas.
    “As an OBGYN who delivered thousands of babies, I will always fight for our unborn children, both at home and abroad,” Senator Marshall said.  “I’m proud to join Senator Risch in introducing this crucial legislation to protect life and promote true American values abroad.” 
    “American foreign aid should always be used in a way that is in line with American values – and that means that no foreign assistance funds should ever be used to perform or promote abortion services,” said Senator Risch. “I’m proud to introduce the American Values Act with my colleagues to hold our government accountable to this standard and protect the sanctity of life across the globe.”
    If enacted, this legislation would:
    Clarify that existing prohibitions on the use of U.S. foreign assistance to pay for the performance or promotion of abortions, forced sterilizations, or biomedical research relating to abortions or forced sterilizations shall apply to all assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act;
    Permanently enact long-standing appropriations restrictions on the use of foreign assistance funds to lobby for or against abortion;
    Permanently enact long-standing appropriations restrictions on the provision of foreign assistance funds to organizations that support or participate in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization; and
    Permanently enact long-standing appropriations restrictions on the use of funds made available to the Peace Corps to pay for abortions.
    Full text of the American Values Act can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Australian Deputy PM: Transcript – ABC Country Hour Queensland

    Source: Minister of Infrastructure

    BRANDON LONG [JOURNALIST]: First of all, let’s talk a little bit about the Regional University Study Hubs. So, ten new ones, and we’ve got a handful in Queensland. What can you tell us about this new announcement? 

    ANTHONY CHISHOLM [ASSISTANT MINISTER]: So, this is an extension of the existing hubs that have already been in operation around the country. They do an outstanding job, I’ve been lucky enough to visit a number of them now, and what they’re doing is providing an opportunity for those people who live in a regional or rural location to have the opportunity to study at any higher education institution across the country. We know that it’s not always easy to move away from home to study, or indeed you might move to a regional location and want to continue your studies, and that’s what these organisations are doing. So they’re community-led, and that means that the next nurse or next teacher can already be living in these places, but they’re going to get the opportunity to stay and study locally, enjoy that family support that helps you thrive and go on to achieve their degree and aims, which is fantastic. 

    LONG: Okay and the two new hubs are Clermont and Moranbah, Hughenden, Hay, Tumut, Northam, Kununurra, Kangaroo Island, Hamilton, St Helens and Burnt Pine – some of my interstate colleagues will probably hate the pronunciation there – but what’s some of the data showing about the uptake? 

    CHISHOLM: So, what we know is that there’s already thousands of people that are studying at these hubs across the country, and they’re doing nursing, they’re doing teaching, they’re doing social work, they’re doing all types of things. We know that in regional and rural economies there is a skills shortage. We need more nurses; we need more teachers. These study hubs are providing that opportunity for those people to study locally. We know that if you study in your local community you’re much more likely to stay there longer term and work, so it’s really helping to fix that skills gap but also making these regional and rural locations more attractive for people to live at the same time. 

    LONG: And when do we expect the new hubs to be operational? 

    CHISHOLM: We’d expect them to be operational this year. I know that a number of them have already started work on where they’d be located, they have been raising money within the community to ensure that they’re ready to go, and often they’re led by the local council with support of the local community. So, we know that there’s already 43 existing and a lot of those who’ve applied have good relationships with those that are already existing, so we’re confident that they can get up and running really soon and provide a service to the local community. 

    LONG: Yeah and what’s the kind of cost that we’re talking about with these hubs? 

    CHISHOLM: Yeah. So traditionally what the Federal Government do is we provide some initial support, because they might need to convert a building to make it suitable. So a lot of the councils that apply use existing council facilities and turn them into a study hub, which is great use of resources, but we also, as part of the Federal Government fund someone to run the centre, and they’ll be responsible for the mentoring, they’ll go out and talk to Year 11 and 12 students and say, you know, we operate in town so you don’t have to move away now to study, you can stay and study in your local community, and then really encourage those 11 and 12s who may be thinking moving away was a bit too far, you don’t have to move away, you can stay and study locally, and it might just increase their ambitions in 11 and 12, which would be fantastic. I’ve seen a lot of these centres in action already across the country. I’m really passionate about the opportunity they provide for people to gain their higher education degree without leaving their community. So, I’m confident that these additional ones are going to provide a fantastic service to those communities, increase the workers, and what we hope is that next nurse or teacher will benefit from these opportunities. 

    LONG: Let’s move to Inland Rail now. So obviously in the news of late there’s been discussion about the Infrastructure Priority List and Inland Rail doesn’t appear on that anymore. There’s been plenty of discussion about why that is. So, should people be concerned that it isn’t on the list anymore? 

    CHISHOLM: No, they shouldn’t, Brandon, and it is just a sad scare campaign that we’ve seen from the State Government and unfortunately it seems the local Member for Groom has hopped on board that. What I would remind people of is the mess we inherited when we came to government three years ago in regards to Inland Rail, where they hadn’t even determined the route that we would take in Queensland. So, we’ve had to go back to the drawing board in Queensland. That process is ongoing. We’re trying to work constructively with the State Government identifying the route, getting the approvals in place, but the work on Inland Rail continues, it is being – that work continues further south of the border, and we look to make progress on approvals in Queensland.  We understand it’s an important project, we’re the ones who started it, we want to see it get done, but it has been frustrating that when we inherited this project it was in a complete mess, that’s what the Schott Review that we initiated explained, that’s what we’re trying to fix at the moment. 

    LONG: And Goondiwindi Mayor, Lawrence Springborg said in January that it looks to be very soon that we’ll see some action in Queensland. Are we waiting on some EISs for various parts? What can you tell us about when do we see more action taking place? 

    CHISHOLM: We understand that it’s an important project, and there is a high expectation about what it will mean for the local community. We want to ensure that it gets done in a cost-effective way and one that ensures that there is community support for it as well. That’s the process that we’re going through at the moment. We need to get all those approvals done appropriately. We’ll work to do that with the State Government to ensure that people can have confidence that once we announce what that route will be that there will be community support for it, and the money behind it as well. 

    LONG: Do we have a timeline yet? 

    CHISHOLM: I wouldn’t want to put a timeline on it, but we’re committed to seeing the project through, we want to make progress on it as a government. 

    LONG: All right, there’s just been some recent figures from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator as they’ve been doing inspections over two weeks across multiple states on the eastern seaboard, just to check for compliance with things like fatigue. They did 4,500 inspections and found 182 fatigue-related issues that needed action. Do you think that we probably rely on trucks a bit too much, and do you think Inland Rail will relieve some of those issues? 

    CHISHOLM: I certainly think that it’s an important bit of economic infrastructure, but it’s also important for the transport and logistics industry as well. Truck drivers do an outstanding job moving freight across the country, particularly in such a big state as ours. We want that to be done as safely as possible, so it is concerning the number of instances that you highlighted there. As someone who is passionate about road safety, we want to ensure that our roads are as safe as possible. We know particularly over this time of year, when people are getting out and about, particularly over the holiday season that there is often high instances. So, we really encourage people to be doing what they can to be driving safely, taking rests where appropriate and ensuring that you do get to your destination in a safe manner. 

    LONG: And just on to the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing or Toowoomba Bypass, look, it was all finished, it was a very expensive and large project, and it’s taken trucks around the town instead of right through it. Lately, there’s been a few issues with some rocks, rock formations, you know, cracking and things on the side, a lane has been closed for some time, and some truckies in the region say that we shouldn’t be, they shouldn’t be paying the full toll at the moment because of some issues there. Do you think that this project, it was a Federal and State Government combined, do you think that what has happened after you’ve finalised the project has been disappointing, or? 

    CHISHOLM: Yeah, certainly it’s frustrating, and I’m not someone who drives it every day, but I do come up here regularly, and used it this morning and saw the work that is undertaken, and it is frustrating, because it was an expensive bit of infrastructure, as you’ve identified, and I’m sure the community would be hoping that it would be fully operational and it is important for the freight industry at the same time. I know that the work is going to remediate there, that is being handled by the State Government, so I don’t necessarily have an update, but I think it is a lesson for all of us involved in the use of public money, that you want it to be done as efficiently as possible, but you also want these projects to be done in a way to ensure that they do fix those problems longer term. So, I think all politicians should take heed of that advice. 

    LONG: All right and just finally on to the vets, the peak body for the veterinary practice in Australia, they’ve said that vets need to do a 52-week practical placement, and they’ve missed out on some Commonwealth funding. They’re calling for a bit of extra help. Do you think that that’s possible? 

    CHISHOLM: Yeah, it is a really important industry, and as I get around the country I do know that there has been identified a shortage of vets, particularly in rural and regional locations. When we brought in the prac placements that would apply to nursing and teaching and social work, this is the first time that the Federal Government have provided some support for students when they are doing that prac placement. It is quite costly, so it is going to cost, it’s due to start from 1 July this year, and it is going to cost upwards of $300 million for us to establish that. We’d obviously like that to be expanded, but it is something that does cost money, so we’ll work with those people in professions that are impacted and do have claims to make. We want to ensure that this can be done in a way that it continues to be supported and that it does provide that support to people to study so that it doesn’t become a barrier, and I do understand that there are other professions out there that do have a claim or a case to be made in regards to this. 

    LONG: The group also said that it’s accrued some of the highest HECS-HELP debts out of any other body studying, I think they put a figure around $80,000 as the medium debt. Is there any option of giving some relief to those people? 

    CHISHOLM: Obviously we announced that we have taken action on HECS debt, and that it had been too high, so that has taken place. In terms of what we’ve identified around the cost of courses, that is something that is going to be something that is looked at part of the ongoing Universities Accord process that we went through last year. When we went through the Universities Accord, we said that we wouldn’t be able to implement all of those changes from day one, it would take time, and one of the ones that was identified that we are going to look at over time is the cost of degrees. We don’t want that to be a barrier to someone studying, but it is something that we need work with the sector on and do it in a way so that we can manage the growth of the sector into the future, but ensure people have an opportunity to study at the same time. 

    HOST: That was Federal Assistant Minister for Education, Regional Development and Agriculture, Anthony Chisholm there speaking with the ABC’s Brandon Long.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Transcript – ABC Country Hour Queensland

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    BRANDON LONG [JOURNALIST]: First of all, let’s talk a little bit about the Regional University Study Hubs. So, ten new ones, and we’ve got a handful in Queensland. What can you tell us about this new announcement? 

    ANTHONY CHISHOLM [ASSISTANT MINISTER]: So, this is an extension of the existing hubs that have already been in operation around the country. They do an outstanding job, I’ve been lucky enough to visit a number of them now, and what they’re doing is providing an opportunity for those people who live in a regional or rural location to have the opportunity to study at any higher education institution across the country. We know that it’s not always easy to move away from home to study, or indeed you might move to a regional location and want to continue your studies, and that’s what these organisations are doing. So they’re community-led, and that means that the next nurse or next teacher can already be living in these places, but they’re going to get the opportunity to stay and study locally, enjoy that family support that helps you thrive and go on to achieve their degree and aims, which is fantastic. 

    LONG: Okay and the two new hubs are Clermont and Moranbah, Hughenden, Hay, Tumut, Northam, Kununurra, Kangaroo Island, Hamilton, St Helens and Burnt Pine – some of my interstate colleagues will probably hate the pronunciation there – but what’s some of the data showing about the uptake? 

    CHISHOLM: So, what we know is that there’s already thousands of people that are studying at these hubs across the country, and they’re doing nursing, they’re doing teaching, they’re doing social work, they’re doing all types of things. We know that in regional and rural economies there is a skills shortage. We need more nurses; we need more teachers. These study hubs are providing that opportunity for those people to study locally. We know that if you study in your local community you’re much more likely to stay there longer term and work, so it’s really helping to fix that skills gap but also making these regional and rural locations more attractive for people to live at the same time. 

    LONG: And when do we expect the new hubs to be operational? 

    CHISHOLM: We’d expect them to be operational this year. I know that a number of them have already started work on where they’d be located, they have been raising money within the community to ensure that they’re ready to go, and often they’re led by the local council with support of the local community. So, we know that there’s already 43 existing and a lot of those who’ve applied have good relationships with those that are already existing, so we’re confident that they can get up and running really soon and provide a service to the local community. 

    LONG: Yeah and what’s the kind of cost that we’re talking about with these hubs? 

    CHISHOLM: Yeah. So traditionally what the Federal Government do is we provide some initial support, because they might need to convert a building to make it suitable. So a lot of the councils that apply use existing council facilities and turn them into a study hub, which is great use of resources, but we also, as part of the Federal Government fund someone to run the centre, and they’ll be responsible for the mentoring, they’ll go out and talk to Year 11 and 12 students and say, you know, we operate in town so you don’t have to move away now to study, you can stay and study in your local community, and then really encourage those 11 and 12s who may be thinking moving away was a bit too far, you don’t have to move away, you can stay and study locally, and it might just increase their ambitions in 11 and 12, which would be fantastic. I’ve seen a lot of these centres in action already across the country. I’m really passionate about the opportunity they provide for people to gain their higher education degree without leaving their community. So, I’m confident that these additional ones are going to provide a fantastic service to those communities, increase the workers, and what we hope is that next nurse or teacher will benefit from these opportunities. 

    LONG: Let’s move to Inland Rail now. So obviously in the news of late there’s been discussion about the Infrastructure Priority List and Inland Rail doesn’t appear on that anymore. There’s been plenty of discussion about why that is. So, should people be concerned that it isn’t on the list anymore? 

    CHISHOLM: No, they shouldn’t, Brandon, and it is just a sad scare campaign that we’ve seen from the State Government and unfortunately it seems the local Member for Groom has hopped on board that. What I would remind people of is the mess we inherited when we came to government three years ago in regards to Inland Rail, where they hadn’t even determined the route that we would take in Queensland. So, we’ve had to go back to the drawing board in Queensland. That process is ongoing. We’re trying to work constructively with the State Government identifying the route, getting the approvals in place, but the work on Inland Rail continues, it is being – that work continues further south of the border, and we look to make progress on approvals in Queensland.  We understand it’s an important project, we’re the ones who started it, we want to see it get done, but it has been frustrating that when we inherited this project it was in a complete mess, that’s what the Schott Review that we initiated explained, that’s what we’re trying to fix at the moment. 

    LONG: And Goondiwindi Mayor, Lawrence Springborg said in January that it looks to be very soon that we’ll see some action in Queensland. Are we waiting on some EISs for various parts? What can you tell us about when do we see more action taking place? 

    CHISHOLM: We understand that it’s an important project, and there is a high expectation about what it will mean for the local community. We want to ensure that it gets done in a cost-effective way and one that ensures that there is community support for it as well. That’s the process that we’re going through at the moment. We need to get all those approvals done appropriately. We’ll work to do that with the State Government to ensure that people can have confidence that once we announce what that route will be that there will be community support for it, and the money behind it as well. 

    LONG: Do we have a timeline yet? 

    CHISHOLM: I wouldn’t want to put a timeline on it, but we’re committed to seeing the project through, we want to make progress on it as a government. 

    LONG: All right, there’s just been some recent figures from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator as they’ve been doing inspections over two weeks across multiple states on the eastern seaboard, just to check for compliance with things like fatigue. They did 4,500 inspections and found 182 fatigue-related issues that needed action. Do you think that we probably rely on trucks a bit too much, and do you think Inland Rail will relieve some of those issues? 

    CHISHOLM: I certainly think that it’s an important bit of economic infrastructure, but it’s also important for the transport and logistics industry as well. Truck drivers do an outstanding job moving freight across the country, particularly in such a big state as ours. We want that to be done as safely as possible, so it is concerning the number of instances that you highlighted there. As someone who is passionate about road safety, we want to ensure that our roads are as safe as possible. We know particularly over this time of year, when people are getting out and about, particularly over the holiday season that there is often high instances. So, we really encourage people to be doing what they can to be driving safely, taking rests where appropriate and ensuring that you do get to your destination in a safe manner. 

    LONG: And just on to the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing or Toowoomba Bypass, look, it was all finished, it was a very expensive and large project, and it’s taken trucks around the town instead of right through it. Lately, there’s been a few issues with some rocks, rock formations, you know, cracking and things on the side, a lane has been closed for some time, and some truckies in the region say that we shouldn’t be, they shouldn’t be paying the full toll at the moment because of some issues there. Do you think that this project, it was a Federal and State Government combined, do you think that what has happened after you’ve finalised the project has been disappointing, or? 

    CHISHOLM: Yeah, certainly it’s frustrating, and I’m not someone who drives it every day, but I do come up here regularly, and used it this morning and saw the work that is undertaken, and it is frustrating, because it was an expensive bit of infrastructure, as you’ve identified, and I’m sure the community would be hoping that it would be fully operational and it is important for the freight industry at the same time. I know that the work is going to remediate there, that is being handled by the State Government, so I don’t necessarily have an update, but I think it is a lesson for all of us involved in the use of public money, that you want it to be done as efficiently as possible, but you also want these projects to be done in a way to ensure that they do fix those problems longer term. So, I think all politicians should take heed of that advice. 

    LONG: All right and just finally on to the vets, the peak body for the veterinary practice in Australia, they’ve said that vets need to do a 52-week practical placement, and they’ve missed out on some Commonwealth funding. They’re calling for a bit of extra help. Do you think that that’s possible? 

    CHISHOLM: Yeah, it is a really important industry, and as I get around the country I do know that there has been identified a shortage of vets, particularly in rural and regional locations. When we brought in the prac placements that would apply to nursing and teaching and social work, this is the first time that the Federal Government have provided some support for students when they are doing that prac placement. It is quite costly, so it is going to cost, it’s due to start from 1 July this year, and it is going to cost upwards of $300 million for us to establish that. We’d obviously like that to be expanded, but it is something that does cost money, so we’ll work with those people in professions that are impacted and do have claims to make. We want to ensure that this can be done in a way that it continues to be supported and that it does provide that support to people to study so that it doesn’t become a barrier, and I do understand that there are other professions out there that do have a claim or a case to be made in regards to this. 

    LONG: The group also said that it’s accrued some of the highest HECS-HELP debts out of any other body studying, I think they put a figure around $80,000 as the medium debt. Is there any option of giving some relief to those people? 

    CHISHOLM: Obviously we announced that we have taken action on HECS debt, and that it had been too high, so that has taken place. In terms of what we’ve identified around the cost of courses, that is something that is going to be something that is looked at part of the ongoing Universities Accord process that we went through last year. When we went through the Universities Accord, we said that we wouldn’t be able to implement all of those changes from day one, it would take time, and one of the ones that was identified that we are going to look at over time is the cost of degrees. We don’t want that to be a barrier to someone studying, but it is something that we need work with the sector on and do it in a way so that we can manage the growth of the sector into the future, but ensure people have an opportunity to study at the same time. 

    HOST: That was Federal Assistant Minister for Education, Regional Development and Agriculture, Anthony Chisholm there speaking with the ABC’s Brandon Long.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview – ABC Country Hour Queensland

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    BRANDON LONG [JOURNALIST]: First of all, let’s talk a little bit about the Regional University Study Hubs. So, ten new ones, and we’ve got a handful in Queensland. What can you tell us about this new announcement?

    ANTHONY CHISHOLM [ASSISTANT MINISTER]: So, this is an extension of the existing hubs that have already been in operation around the country. They do an outstanding job, I’ve been lucky enough to visit a number of them now, and what they’re doing is providing an opportunity for those people who live in a regional or rural location to have the opportunity to study at any higher education institution across the country. We know that it’s not always easy to move away from home to study, or indeed you might move to a regional location and want to continue your studies, and that’s what these organisations are doing. So they’re community-led, and that means that the next nurse or next teacher can already be living in these places, but they’re going to get the opportunity to stay and study locally, enjoy that family support that helps you thrive and go on to achieve their degree and aims, which is fantastic.

    LONG: Okay and the two new hubs are Clermont and Moranbah, Hughenden, Hay, Tumut, Northam, Kununurra, Kangaroo Island, Hamilton, St Helens and Burnt Pine – some of my interstate colleagues will probably hate the pronunciation there – but what’s some of the data showing about the uptake?

    CHISHOLM: So, what we know is that there’s already thousands of people that are studying at these hubs across the country, and they’re doing nursing, they’re doing teaching, they’re doing social work, they’re doing all types of things. We know that in regional and rural economies there is a skills shortage. We need more nurses; we need more teachers. These study hubs are providing that opportunity for those people to study locally. We know that if you study in your local community you’re much more likely to stay there longer term and work, so it’s really helping to fix that skills gap but also making these regional and rural locations more attractive for people to live at the same time.

    LONG: And when do we expect the new hubs to be operational?

    CHISHOLM: We’d expect them to be operational this year. I know that a number of them have already started work on where they’d be located, they have been raising money within the community to ensure that they’re ready to go, and often they’re led by the local council with support of the local community. So, we know that there’s already 43 existing and a lot of those who’ve applied have good relationships with those that are already existing, so we’re confident that they can get up and running really soon and provide a service to the local community.

    LONG: Yeah and what’s the kind of cost that we’re talking about with these hubs?

    CHISHOLM: Yeah. So traditionally what the Federal Government do is we provide some initial support, because they might need to convert a building to make it suitable. So a lot of the councils that apply use existing council facilities and turn them into a study hub, which is great use of resources, but we also, as part of the Federal Government fund someone to run the centre, and they’ll be responsible for the mentoring, they’ll go out and talk to Year 11 and 12 students and say, you know, we operate in town so you don’t have to move away now to study, you can stay and study in your local community, and then really encourage those 11 and 12s who may be thinking moving away was a bit too far, you don’t have to move away, you can stay and study locally, and it might just increase their ambitions in 11 and 12, which would be fantastic. I’ve seen a lot of these centres in action already across the country. I’m really passionate about the opportunity they provide for people to gain their higher education degree without leaving their community. So, I’m confident that these additional ones are going to provide a fantastic service to those communities, increase the workers, and what we hope is that next nurse or teacher will benefit from these opportunities.

    LONG: Let’s move to Inland Rail now. So obviously in the news of late there’s been discussion about the Infrastructure Priority List and Inland Rail doesn’t appear on that anymore. There’s been plenty of discussion about why that is. So, should people be concerned that it isn’t on the list anymore?

    CHISHOLM: No, they shouldn’t, Brandon, and it is just a sad scare campaign that we’ve seen from the State Government and unfortunately it seems the local Member for Groom has hopped on board that. What I would remind people of is the mess we inherited when we came to government three years ago in regards to Inland Rail, where they hadn’t even determined the route that we would take in Queensland. So, we’ve had to go back to the drawing board in Queensland. That process is ongoing. We’re trying to work constructively with the State Government identifying the route, getting the approvals in place, but the work on Inland Rail continues, it is being – that work continues further south of the border, and we look to make progress on approvals in Queensland.  We understand it’s an important project, we’re the ones who started it, we want to see it get done, but it has been frustrating that when we inherited this project it was in a complete mess, that’s what the Schott Review that we initiated explained, that’s what we’re trying to fix at the moment.

    LONG: And Goondiwindi Mayor, Lawrence Springborg said in January that it looks to be very soon that we’ll see some action in Queensland. Are we waiting on some EISs for various parts? What can you tell us about when do we see more action taking place?

    CHISHOLM: We understand that it’s an important project, and there is a high expectation about what it will mean for the local community. We want to ensure that it gets done in a cost-effective way and one that ensures that there is community support for it as well. That’s the process that we’re going through at the moment. We need to get all those approvals done appropriately. We’ll work to do that with the State Government to ensure that people can have confidence that once we announce what that route will be that there will be community support for it, and the money behind it as well.

    LONG: Do we have a timeline yet?

    CHISHOLM: I wouldn’t want to put a timeline on it, but we’re committed to seeing the project through, we want to make progress on it as a government.

    LONG: All right, there’s just been some recent figures from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator as they’ve been doing inspections over two weeks across multiple states on the eastern seaboard, just to check for compliance with things like fatigue. They did 4,500 inspections and found 182 fatigue-related issues that needed action. Do you think that we probably rely on trucks a bit too much, and do you think Inland Rail will relieve some of those issues?

    CHISHOLM: I certainly think that it’s an important bit of economic infrastructure, but it’s also important for the transport and logistics industry as well. Truck drivers do an outstanding job moving freight across the country, particularly in such a big state as ours. We want that to be done as safely as possible, so it is concerning the number of instances that you highlighted there. As someone who is passionate about road safety, we want to ensure that our roads are as safe as possible. We know particularly over this time of year, when people are getting out and about, particularly over the holiday season that there is often high instances. So, we really encourage people to be doing what they can to be driving safely, taking rests where appropriate and ensuring that you do get to your destination in a safe manner.

    LONG: And just on to the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing or Toowoomba Bypass, look, it was all finished, it was a very expensive and large project, and it’s taken trucks around the town instead of right through it. Lately, there’s been a few issues with some rocks, rock formations, you know, cracking and things on the side, a lane has been closed for some time, and some truckies in the region say that we shouldn’t be, they shouldn’t be paying the full toll at the moment because of some issues there. Do you think that this project, it was a Federal and State Government combined, do you think that what has happened after you’ve finalised the project has been disappointing, or?

    CHISHOLM: Yeah, certainly it’s frustrating, and I’m not someone who drives it every day, but I do come up here regularly, and used it this morning and saw the work that is undertaken, and it is frustrating, because it was an expensive bit of infrastructure, as you’ve identified, and I’m sure the community would be hoping that it would be fully operational and it is important for the freight industry at the same time. I know that the work is going to remediate there, that is being handled by the State Government, so I don’t necessarily have an update, but I think it is a lesson for all of us involved in the use of public money, that you want it to be done as efficiently as possible, but you also want these projects to be done in a way to ensure that they do fix those problems longer term. So, I think all politicians should take heed of that advice.

    LONG: All right and just finally on to the vets, the peak body for the veterinary practice in Australia, they’ve said that vets need to do a 52-week practical placement, and they’ve missed out on some Commonwealth funding. They’re calling for a bit of extra help. Do you think that that’s possible?

    CHISHOLM: Yeah, it is a really important industry, and as I get around the country I do know that there has been identified a shortage of vets, particularly in rural and regional locations. When we brought in the prac placements that would apply to nursing and teaching and social work, this is the first time that the Federal Government have provided some support for students when they are doing that prac placement. It is quite costly, so it is going to cost, it’s due to start from 1 July this year, and it is going to cost upwards of $300 million for us to establish that. We’d obviously like that to be expanded, but it is something that does cost money, so we’ll work with those people in professions that are impacted and do have claims to make. We want to ensure that this can be done in a way that it continues to be supported and that it does provide that support to people to study so that it doesn’t become a barrier, and I do understand that there are other professions out there that do have a claim or a case to be made in regards to this.

    LONG: The group also said that it’s accrued some of the highest HECS-HELP debts out of any other body studying, I think they put a figure around $80,000 as the medium debt. Is there any option of giving some relief to those people?

    CHISHOLM: Obviously we announced that we have taken action on HECS debt, and that it had been too high, so that has taken place. In terms of what we’ve identified around the cost of courses, that is something that is going to be something that is looked at part of the ongoing Universities Accord process that we went through last year. When we went through the Universities Accord, we said that we wouldn’t be able to implement all of those changes from day one, it would take time, and one of the ones that was identified that we are going to look at over time is the cost of degrees. We don’t want that to be a barrier to someone studying, but it is something that we need work with the sector on and do it in a way so that we can manage the growth of the sector into the future, but ensure people have an opportunity to study at the same time.

    HOST: That was Federal Assistant Minister for Education, Regional Development and Agriculture, Anthony Chisholm there speaking with the ABC’s Brandon Long.
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Waitangi Day – “Envisioning a Te Tiriti-based future”: Waitangi Day hīkoi in Te Whanganui a Tara/Wellington

    Source: Tiriti Action Group Pōneke

    This Waitangi Day, Tiriti Action Group Pōneke will stage a hīkoi from Pukeahu to Waitangi Park starting at 10am. The Hīkoi is in support of mana whenua Te Kotahitanga o Taranaki Whānui, all tangata whenua and in opposition to the ongoing attacks on Māori, on the environment and on a liveable future.

    “Everyone is invited to join us in this celebration of the kotahitanga that Te Tiriti o Waitangi offers every person in this nation,” said Anaru Ryall spokesperson for Tiriti Action Group.

    “Te Tiriti o Waitangi is a blueprint for a peaceful and just Aotearoa, where Māori rights and decisions are respected, and non-Māori are invited to call this beautiful place home.”

    “But right now, we are facing multiple breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi which trample on our enduring relationship, and harms instead of heals historic injustices.”

    “These breaches also limit our future aspirations as a nation where everyone has what they need for a good and dignified life, and our children have hope and opportunity.”

    “Just two months ago we made history – and international news – with 100,000+ people at the Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti. That was just the beginning of our growing movement for real change.”

    “Waitangi Day is another incredible opportunity for everyone in this country to remember our history, and cultivate the relationships we need to have a Te Tiriti-honouring future. This is a future that will nurture the seeds Te Tiriti planted, and ensure we can flourish together as a healthy, sustainable, equitable Aotearoa.”

    The Waitangi Day Hīkoi aims to bring the local community together in the midst of the government’s assaults on Māori and their tino rangatiratanga, as well as the protections that Te Tiriti offers.

    “This will be an event for the whole whānau, including tamariki, kaumatua, and everyone in the community, no matter where you are in your learning journey about Te Tiriti.”

    “We urge especially Tangata Tiriti to come join us and participate in this show of kotahitanga. Our role as allies cannot be understated, and we must stand up and alongside Tangata Whenua in this troubling political climate.”  

    The Hīkoi will begin with a gathering at 10am at Pukeahu (War Memorial). After speeches, the hīkoi will move down to Waitangi Park via Tory Street, in time to join the Mihi Whakatau at the official Waitangi Day events at Waitangi Park.

    Organisers will set up manaaki stations at Pukeahu and Waitangi Park, with activities for tamariki, education and ‘chill space’ for rest.  

    About Tiriti Action Group Pōneke:

    Tiriti Action Group – Pōneke is a community group who supports actions for rangatiratanga, kotahitanga and justice in Te Upoko o te Ika  (Wellington city and Hutt Valley). We operate under the korowai of mana whenua (Te Kotahitanga o Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika) so that we can live based on the relationship that Te Tiriti o Waitangi promised us.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Waitangi Day – “Envisioning a Te Tiriti-based future”: Waitangi Day hīkoi in Te Whanganui a Tara/Wellington

    Source: Tiriti Action Group Pōneke

    This Waitangi Day, Tiriti Action Group Pōneke will stage a hīkoi from Pukeahu to Waitangi Park starting at 10am. The Hīkoi is in support of mana whenua Te Kotahitanga o Taranaki Whānui, all tangata whenua and in opposition to the ongoing attacks on Māori, on the environment and on a liveable future.

    “Everyone is invited to join us in this celebration of the kotahitanga that Te Tiriti o Waitangi offers every person in this nation,” said Anaru Ryall spokesperson for Tiriti Action Group.

    “Te Tiriti o Waitangi is a blueprint for a peaceful and just Aotearoa, where Māori rights and decisions are respected, and non-Māori are invited to call this beautiful place home.”

    “But right now, we are facing multiple breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi which trample on our enduring relationship, and harms instead of heals historic injustices.”

    “These breaches also limit our future aspirations as a nation where everyone has what they need for a good and dignified life, and our children have hope and opportunity.”

    “Just two months ago we made history – and international news – with 100,000+ people at the Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti. That was just the beginning of our growing movement for real change.”

    “Waitangi Day is another incredible opportunity for everyone in this country to remember our history, and cultivate the relationships we need to have a Te Tiriti-honouring future. This is a future that will nurture the seeds Te Tiriti planted, and ensure we can flourish together as a healthy, sustainable, equitable Aotearoa.”

    The Waitangi Day Hīkoi aims to bring the local community together in the midst of the government’s assaults on Māori and their tino rangatiratanga, as well as the protections that Te Tiriti offers.

    “This will be an event for the whole whānau, including tamariki, kaumatua, and everyone in the community, no matter where you are in your learning journey about Te Tiriti.”

    “We urge especially Tangata Tiriti to come join us and participate in this show of kotahitanga. Our role as allies cannot be understated, and we must stand up and alongside Tangata Whenua in this troubling political climate.”  

    The Hīkoi will begin with a gathering at 10am at Pukeahu (War Memorial). After speeches, the hīkoi will move down to Waitangi Park via Tory Street, in time to join the Mihi Whakatau at the official Waitangi Day events at Waitangi Park.

    Organisers will set up manaaki stations at Pukeahu and Waitangi Park, with activities for tamariki, education and ‘chill space’ for rest.  

    About Tiriti Action Group Pōneke:

    Tiriti Action Group – Pōneke is a community group who supports actions for rangatiratanga, kotahitanga and justice in Te Upoko o te Ika  (Wellington city and Hutt Valley). We operate under the korowai of mana whenua (Te Kotahitanga o Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika) so that we can live based on the relationship that Te Tiriti o Waitangi promised us.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: NEXT FIVE YEARS PRESENT A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO REALIZE ‘SABKA VIKAS’; UNION BUDGET 2025-26

    Source: Government of India (2)

    NEXT FIVE YEARS PRESENT A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO REALIZE ‘SABKA VIKAS’; UNION BUDGET 2025-26

    AGRICULTURE, MSME, INVESTMENT, AND EXPORTS TO BE FOUR POWERFUL ENGINES IN JOURNEY OF DEVELOPMENT

    FOCUS ON GARIB, YOUTH, ANNADATA AND NARI IN THE BUDGET

    Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 1:01PM by PIB Delhi

    Next five years is seen as a unique opportunity to realize ‘Sabka Vikas’, said the Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Union Budget 2025-26 in Parliament today. In her budget speech, the Union Finance Minister emphasized on stimulating balanced growth of all regions.

    The Minister highlighted that our economy is the fastest-growing among all major global economies. Our development track record of the past 10 years and structural reforms have drawn global attention. Confidence in India’s capability and potential has only grown in this period, the Minister added.

    The Union Budget 2025-26 highlights Government’s efforts to accelerate growth, secure inclusive development, invigorate private sector investments, uplift household sentiments, and enhance spending power of India’s rising middle class.

    Specifying Agriculture, MSME, Investment, and Exports to be four powerful engines in journey of development, the Minister underlined that this budget aims to initiate transformative reforms across six domains. During the next five years, the domains of Taxation, Power Sector, Urban Development, Mining, Financial Sector and Regulatory Reforms will augment our growth potential and global competitiveness. The Finance Minister said that in the journey of development, “Our Reforms” is the fuel; where, “Inclusivity” is a guiding spirit; and the “Viksit Bharat” is the destination.

    Focussing on Garib, Youth, Annadata and Nari in her Union Budget 2025-26 speech, the Union Finance Minister underscored on proposed development measures spanning ten broad areas. These are namely, Spurring Agricultural Growth and Productivity; Building Rural Prosperity and Resilience; Taking Everyone Together on an Inclusive Growth path; Boosting Manufacturing and Furthering Make in India; Supporting MSMEs; Enabling Employment-led Development; Investing in people, economy and innovation; Securing Energy Supplies; Promoting Exports; and Nurturing Innovation.

    The Union Minister observed that “Viksit Bharat” encompasses zero-poverty; hundred per cent good quality school education; access to high-quality, affordable, and comprehensive healthcare; hundred per cent skilled labour with meaningful employment; seventy per cent women in economic activities; and farmers making our country the ‘food basket of the world’.

    ***

    NB/SB/RY

    (Release ID: 2098370) Visitor Counter : 34

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: BUDGET OUTLAY FOR JAL JEEVAN MISSION ENHANCED TO RS. 67,000 CRORE

    Source: Government of India (2)

    BUDGET OUTLAY FOR JAL JEEVAN MISSION ENHANCED TO RS. 67,000 CRORE

    JAL JEEVAN MISSION EXTENDED UNTIL 2028

    MISSION TO ACHIEVE 100% COVERAGE OVER NEXT THREE YEARS

    Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 1:00PM by PIB Delhi

    While presenting the Union Budget 2025-26 in the Parliament today, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman said that the total budget outlay for Jal Jeevan Mission has been enhanced to Rs 67,000 Crore. She said that the Mission stands extended until 2028.

    Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman stated that 15 crore households representing 80 per cent of India’s rural population have benefitted by the Jal Jeevan Mission since 2019. She added that access to potable tap water connections is provided under this Mission and in the next three years the target is to achieve 100 per cent coverage.

    Jal Jeevan Mission’s focus will be on the quality of infrastructure and O&M of rural piped water supply schemes through “Jan Bhagidhari”. Separate MoUs will be signed with states/UTs, to ensure sustainability and citizen-centric water service delivery, informed Smt. Sitharaman.

    *****

    NB/VV/SC

    (Release ID: 2098368) Visitor Counter : 41

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HIGHLIGHTS OF UNION BUDGET 2025-26

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 12:42PM by PIB Delhi

    PART A

    Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt Nirmala Sitharaman presented Union Budget 2025-26 in the Parliament today. The highlights of the budget are as follows:

    Budget Estimates 2025-26

    • The total receipts other than borrowings and the total expenditure are estimated at ₹ 34.96 lakh crore and ₹ 50.65 lakh crore respectively.
    • The net tax receipts are estimated at ₹ 28.37 lakh crore.
    • The fiscal deficit is estimated to be 4.4 per cent of GDP.
    • The gross market borrowings are estimated at ₹ 14.82 lakh crore.
    • Capex Expenditure of ₹11.21 lakh crore (3.1% of GDP) earmarked in FY2025-26.

    AGRICULTURE AS THE 1ST ENGINE OF DEVELOPMENT

    Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana – Developing Agri Districts Programme

    • The programme to be launched in partnership with the states, covering 100 districts with low productivity, moderate crop intensity and below-average credit parameters, to benefit 1.7 crore farmers.

    Building Rural Prosperity and Resilience

    • A comprehensive multi-sectoral programme to be launched in partnership with states to address under-employment in agriculture through skilling, investment, technology, and invigorating the rural economy.
    • Phase-1 to cover 100 developing agri-districts.

    Aatmanirbharta in Pulses

    • Government to launch a 6-year “Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses” with focus on Tur, Urad and Masoor.
    • NAFED and NCCF to procure these pulses from farmers during the next 4 years.

    Comprehensive Programme for Vegetables & Fruits

    • A comprehensive programme to promote production, efficient supplies, processing, and remunerative prices for farmers to be launched in partnership with states.

    Makhana Board in Bihar

    • A Makhana Board to be established to improve production, processing, value addition, and marketing of makhana.

     

    National Mission on High Yielding Seeds

    • A National Mission on High Yielding Seeds to be launched aiming at strengthening the research ecosystem, targeted development and propagation of seeds with high yield, and commercial availability of more than 100 seed varieties.

    Fisheries

    • Government to bring a framework for sustainable harnessing of fisheries from Indian Exclusive Economic Zone and High Seas, with a special focus on the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.

    Mission for Cotton Productivity

    • A 5-year mission announced to facilitate significant improvements in productivity and sustainability of cotton farming, and promote extra-long staple cotton varieties.

    Enhanced Credit through KCC

    • The loan limit under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme to be enhanced from ₹ 3 lakh to ₹ 5 lakh for loans taken through the KCC.

    Urea Plant in Assam

    • A plant with annual capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tons to be set up at Namrup, Assam.

    MSMEs AS THE 2ND ENGINE OF DEVELOPMENT

    Revision in classification criteria for MSMEs

    • The investment and turnover limits for classification of all MSMEs to be enhanced to 2.5 and 2 times respectively.

    Credit Cards for Micro Enterprises

    • Customized Credit Cards with ₹ 5 lakh limit for micro enterprises registered on Udyam portal, 10 lakh cards to be issued in the first year.

    Fund of Funds for Startups

    • A new Fund of Funds, with expanded scope and a fresh contribution of ₹ 10,000 crore to be set up.

    Scheme for First-time Entrepreneurs

    • A new scheme for 5 lakh women, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes first-time entrepreneurs to provide term-loans upto ₹ 2 crore in the next 5 years announced.

    Focus Product Scheme for Footwear & Leather Sectors

    • To enhance the productivity, quality and competitiveness of India’s footwear and leather sector, a focus product scheme announced to facilitate employment for 22 lakh persons, generate turnover of ₹ 4 lakh crore and exports of over ₹ 1.1 lakh crore.

    Measures for the Toy Sector

    • A scheme to create high-quality, unique, innovative, and sustainable toys, making India a global hub for toys announced.

    Support for Food Processing

    • A National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management to be set up in Bihar.

    Manufacturing Mission – Furthering “Make in India”

    • A National Manufacturing Mission covering small, medium and large industries for furthering “Make in India” announced.

    INVESTMENT AS THE 3RD ENGINE OF DEVELOPMENT

    1. Investing in People

    Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0

    • The cost norms for the nutritional support to be enhanced appropriately.

    Atal Tinkering Labs

    • 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs to be set up in Government schools in next 5 years.

    Broadband Connectivity to Government Secondary Schools and PHCs

    • Broadband connectivity to be provided to all Government secondary schools and primary health centres in rural areas under the Bharatnet project.

    Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme

    • Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme announced to provide digital-form Indian language books for school and higher education.

    National Centres of Excellence for Skilling

    • 5 National Centres of Excellence for skilling to be set up with global expertise and partnerships to equip our youth with the skills required for “Make for India, Make for the World” manufacturing.

    Expansion of Capacity in IITs

    • Additional infrastructure to be created in the 5 IITs started after 2014 to facilitate education for 6,500 more students.

    Centre of Excellence in AI for Education

    • A Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for education to be set up with a total outlay of ₹ 500 crore.

    Expansion of medical education

    • 10,000 additional seats to be added in medical colleges and hospitals next year, adding to 75000 seats in the next 5 years.

    Day Care Cancer Centres in all District Hospitals

    • Government to set up Day Care Cancer Centres in all district hospitals in the next 3 years, 200 Centres  in 2025-26.

    Strengthening urban livelihoods

    • A scheme for socio-economic upliftment of urban workers to help them improve their incomes and have sustainable livelihoods announced.

    PM SVANidhi

    • Scheme to be revamped with enhanced loans from banks, UPI linked credit cards with ₹ 30,000 limit, and capacity building support.

    Social Security Scheme for Welfare of Online Platform Workers

    • Government to arrange for identity cards, registration on e-Shram portal and healthcare under PM Jan Arogya Yojna, for gig-workers.

     

    1. Investing in the Economy

    Public Private Partnership in Infrastructure

    • Infrastructure-related ministries to come up with a 3-year pipeline of projects in PPP mode, States also encouraged.

    Support to States for Infrastructure

    • An outlay of ₹1.5 lakh crore proposed for the 50-year interest free loans to states for capital expenditure and incentives for reforms.

    Asset Monetization Plan 2025-30

    • Second Plan for 2025-30 to plough back capital of ₹ 10 lakh crore in new projects announced.

    Jal Jeevan Mission

    • Mission to be extended until 2028 with an enhanced total outlay.

    Urban Challenge Fund

    • An Urban Challenge Fund of ₹ 1 lakh crore announced to implement the proposals for ‘Cities as Growth Hubs’, ‘Creative Redevelopment of Cities’ and ‘Water and Sanitation’, allocation of ₹ 10,000 crore proposed for 2025-26.

    Nuclear Energy Mission for Viksit Bharat

    • Amendments to the Atomic Energy Act and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act to be taken up.
    • Nuclear Energy Mission for research & development of Small Modular Reactors (SMR) with an outlay of ₹20,000 crore to be set up, 5 indigenously developed SMRs to be operational by 2033.

    Shipbuilding

    • The Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Policy to be revamped.
    • Large ships above a specified size to be included in the infrastructure harmonized master list (HML).

    Maritime Development Fund

    • A Maritime Development Fund with a corpus of ₹ 25,000 crore to be set up, with up to 49 per cent contribution by the Government, and the balance from ports and private sector.

    UDAN – Regional Connectivity Scheme

    • A modified UDAN scheme announced to enhance regional connectivity to 120 new destinations and carry 4 crore passengers in the next 10 years.
    • Also to support helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational, and North East region districts.

    Greenfield Airport in Bihar

    • Greenfield airports announced in Bihar, in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport at Bihta.

    Western Koshi Canal Project in Mithilanchal

    • Financial support for the Western Koshi Canal ERM Project in Bihar.

    Mining Sector Reforms

    • A policy for recovery of critical minerals from tailings to be brought out.

    SWAMIH Fund 2

    • A fund of ₹ 15,000 crore aimed at expeditious completion of another 1 lakh dwelling units, with contribution from the Government, banks and private investors announced.

    Tourism for employment-led growth

    • Top 50 tourist destination sites in the country to be developed in partnership with states through a challenge mode.

     

    1. Investing in Innovation

    Research, Development and Innovation

    • ₹20,000 crore to be allocated to implement private sector driven Research, Development and Innovation initiative announced in the July Budget.

    Deep Tech Fund of Funds

    • Deep Tech Fund of Funds to be explored to catalyze the next generation startups.

    PM Research Fellowship

    • 10,000 fellowships for technological research in IITs and IISc with enhanced financial support.

    Gene Bank for Crops Germplasm

    • 2nd Gene Bank with 10 lakh germplasm lines to be set up for future food and nutritional security.

    National Geospatial Mission

    • A National Geospatial Mission announced to develop foundational geospatial infrastructure and data.

    Gyan Bharatam Mission

    • A Gyan Bharatam Mission for survey, documentation and conservation of our manuscript heritage with academic institutions, museums, libraries and private collectors to be undertaken to cover more than 1 crore manuscripts announced.

    EXPORTS AS THE 4TH ENGINE OF DEVELOPMENT

    Export Promotion Mission

    • An Export Promotion Mission, with sectoral and ministerial targets, driven jointly by the Ministries of Commerce, MSME, and Finance to be set up.

    BharatTradeNet

    • ‘BharatTradeNet’ (BTN) for international trade to be set-up as a unified platform for trade documentation and financing solutions.

    National Framework for GCC

    • A national framework to be formulated as guidance to states for promoting Global Capability Centres in emerging tier 2 cities.

    REFORMS AS FUEL: FINANCIAL SECTOR REFORMS AND DEVELOPMENT

    FDI in Insurance Sector

    • The FDI limit for the insurance sector to be raised from 74 to 100 per cent, for those companies which invest the entire premium in India.

    Credit Enhancement Facility by NaBFID

    • NaBFID to set up a ‘Partial Credit Enhancement Facility’ for corporate bonds for infrastructure.

    Grameen Credit Score

    • Public Sector Banks to develop ‘Grameen Credit Score’ framework to serve the credit needs of SHG members and people in rural areas.

    Pension Sector

    • A forum for regulatory coordination and development of pension products to be set up.

    High Level Committee for Regulatory Reforms

    • A High-Level Committee for Regulatory Reforms to be set up for a review of all non-financial sector regulations, certifications, licenses, and permissions.

    Investment Friendliness Index of States

    • An Investment Friendliness Index of States to be launched in 2025 to further the spirit of competitive cooperative federalism anounced.

    Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0

    • The Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0 to decriminalize more than 100 provisions in various laws.

     

    PART B

     

    DIRECT TAX

     

    • No personal income tax payable upto income of Rs 12 lakh (i.e. average income of Rs 1 lakh per month other than special rate income such as capital gains) under the new regime.
    • This limit will be Rs 12.75 lakh for salaried tax payers, due to standard deduction of Rs 75,000.
    • The new structure will substantially reduce the taxes of the middle class and leave more money in their hands, boosting household consumption, savings and investment.
    • The new Income-Tax Bill to be clear and direct in text so as to make it simple to understand for taxpayers and tax administration, leading to tax certainty and reduced litigation.
    • Revenue of about ₹ 1 lakh crore in direct taxes will be forgone.

     

    • Revised tax rate structure

     

    • In the new tax regime, the revised tax rate structure will stand as follows:

     

    0-4 lakh rupees

    Nil

    4-8 lakh rupees

    5 percent

    8-12 lakh rupees

    10 percent

    12-16 lakh rupees

    15 percent

    16-20 lakh rupees

    20 percent

    20- 24 lakh rupees

    25 percent

    Above 24 lakh rupees

    30 percent

     

     

    • TDS/TCS rationalization for easing difficulties

     

    • Rationalization of Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) by reducing number of rates and thresholds above which TDS is deducted.
    • The limit for tax deduction on interest for senior citizens doubled from the present Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.
    • The annual limit of Rs 2.40 lakh for TDS on rent increased to Rs 6 lakh.
    • The threshold to collect tax at source (TCS) on remittances under RBI’s Liberalized Remittance Scheme (LRS) increased from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.
    • The provisions of the higher TDS deduction will apply only in non-PAN cases.
    • Decriminalization for the cases of delay of payment of TCS up to the due date of filing statement.

     

     

    • Reducing Compliance Burden

     

    • Reduction of compliance burden for small charitable trusts/institutions by increasing their period of registration from 5 years to 10 years.

     

    • The benefit of claiming the annual value of self-occupied properties as nil will be extended for two such self-occupied properties without any condition.

     

    • Ease of Doing Business

     

    • Introduction of a scheme for determining arm’s length price of international transaction for a block period of three years.
    • Expansion of the scope of safe harbour rules to reduce litigation and provide certainty in international taxation.
    • Exemption of withdrawals made from National Savings Scheme (NSS) by individuals on or after the 29th of August, 2024.
    • Similar treatment to NPS Vatsalya accounts as is available to normal NPS accounts, subject to overall limits.

     

    • Employment and Investment

     

    Tax certainty for electronics manufacturing Schemes

     

    • Presumptive taxation regime for non-residents who provide services to a resident company that is establishing or operating an electronics manufacturing facility.
    • Introduction of a safe harbour for tax certainty for non-residents who store components for supply to specified electronics manufacturing units.

     

    Tonnage Tax Scheme for Inland Vessels

     

    The benefits of existing tonnage tax scheme to be extended to inland vessels registered  under the Indian Vessels Act, 2021 to promote inland water transport in the country.

     

     

    • Extension for incorporation of Start-Ups

    Extension of the period of incorporation by 5 years to allow the benefit available to start-ups incorporated before 1.4.2030.

     

     

    • Alternate Investment Funds (AIFs)

     

    Certainty of taxation on the gains from securities to Category I and Category II AIFs which are undertaking investments in infrastructure and other such sectors.

     

     

    • Extension of investment date for Sovereign and Pension Funds

     

    Extension of the date of making investments in Sovereign Wealth Funds and Pension Funds by five more years, to 31st March, 2030, to promote funding from them to the infrastructure sector.

     

     

    INDIRECT TAX

    Rationalisation of Customs Tariff Structure for Industrial Goods

    Union Budget 2025-26 proposes to:

    1. Remove seven tariff rates. This is over and above the seven tariff rates removed in 2023-24 budget. After this, there will be only eight remaining tariff rates including ‘zero’ rate.
    2. Apply appropriate cess to broadly maintain effective duty incidence except on a few items, where such incidence will reduce marginally.
    3. Levy not more than one cess or surcharge. Therefore Social Welfare Surcharge on 82 tariff lines that are subject to a cess, exempted.

    Revenue of about ₹ 2600 crore in indirect taxes will be forgone.

    Relief on import of Drugs/Medicines

    • 36 lifesaving drugs and medicines fully exempted from Basic Customs Duty (BCD).
    • 6 lifesaving medicines to attract concessional customs duty of 5%.
    • Specified drugs and medicines under Patient Assistance Programmes run by pharmaceutical companies fully exempted from BCD; 37 more medicines added along with 13 new patient assistance programmes.

    Support to Domestic Manufacturing and Value addition

    • Critical Minerals :
      • Cobalt powder and waste, the scrap of lithium-ion battery, Lead, Zinc and 12 more critical minerals fully exempted from BCD.
    • Textiles:
      • Two more types of shuttle-less looms fully exempted textile machinery.
      • BCD rate on knitted fabrics revised from “10% or 20%” to “20% or ` 115 per kg, whichever is higher.
    • Electronic Goods:
      • BCD on Interactive Flat Panel Display (IFPD) increased from 10% to 20% .
      • BCD reduced to 5% on Open Cell and other components.
      • BCD on parts of Open Cells exempted.
    • Lithium Ion Battery:
      • 35 additional capital goods for EV battery manufacturing, and 28 additional capital goods for mobile phone battery manufacturing exempted.
    •  Shipping Sector: 
      • Exemption of BCD on raw materials, components, consumables or parts for the manufacture of ships extended for another ten years.
      • The same dispensation to continue for ship breaking.
    • Telecommunication: 
      • BCD reduced from 20% to 10% on Carrier Grade ethernet switches.

    Export Promotion

    • Handicraft Goods:
      • Time period for export extended  from six months to one year, further extendable by another three months, if required.
      • Nine items added to list of duty-free inputs.
    • Leather sector:         
      • BCD on Wet Blue leather fully exempted.
      • Crust leather exempted from 20% export duty.
    • Marine products:
      • BCD reduced from 30% to 5% on Frozen Fish Paste (Surimi) for manufacture and export of its analogue products.
      • BCD reduced from 15% to 5% on fish hydrolysate for manufacture of fish and shrimp feeds.
    • Domestic MROs for Railway Goods: 
      • Railways MROs to benefit similar to the aircraft and ships MROs in terms of import of repair items.
      • Time limit extended for export of such items from 6 months to one year and made further extendable by one year.

    Trade facilitation

    • Time limit for Provisional Assessment: 
      • For finalising the provisional assessment, time-limit of two years fixed, extendable by a year.
    • Voluntary Compliance:
      • A new provision introduced to enable importers or exporters, after clearance of goods, to voluntarily declare material facts and pay duty with interest but without penalty.
    • Extended Time for End Use:
      • Time limit for the end-use of imported inputs in the relevant rules extended from six months to one year.
      • Such importers to file only quarterly statements instead of a monthly statement.

    *****

    NB/RC/VV/KS/CNAN/GS/SC/AG/NJ

    (Release ID: 2098353) Visitor Counter : 643

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SUMMARY OF UNION BUDGET 2025-26

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 12:36PM by PIB Delhi

    NO INCOME TAX ON AVERAGE MONTHLY INCOME OF UPTO RS 1 LAKH; TO BOOST MIDDLE CLASS HOUSEHOLD SAVINGS & CONSUMPTION

    SALARIED CLASS TO PAY NIL INCOME TAX UPTO ₹ 12.75 LAKH PER ANNUM IN NEW TAX REGIME

    UNION BUDGET RECOGNISES 4 ENGINES OF DEVELOPMENT – AGRICULTURE, MSME, INVESTMENT AND EXPORTS

    BENEFITTING 1.7 CRORE FARMERS, ‘PRIME MINISTER DHAN-DHAANYA KRISHI YOJANA’ TO COVER 100 LOW AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY DISTRICTS

    “MISSION FOR AATMANIRBHARTA IN PULSES” WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON TUR, URAD AND MASOOR TO BE LAUNCHED

    LOANS UPTO Rs. 5 LAKHS THROUGH KCC UNDER MODIFIED INTEREST SUBVENTION SCHEME

    FY-25 ESTIMATED TO END WITH FISCAL DEFICIT OF 4.8%, TARGET TO BRING IT DOWN TO 4.4% IN FY-26

    SIGNIFICANT ENHANCEMENT OF CREDIT WITH GUARANTEE COVER TO MSMEs FROM ₹ 5 CR TO ₹ 10 CR

    A NATIONAL MANUFACTURING MISSION COVERING SMALL, MEDIUM AND LARGE INDUSTRIES FOR FURTHERING “MAKE IN INDIA”

    50,000 ATAL TINKERING LABS IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS IN NEXT 5 YEARS

    CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR EDUCATION, WITH A TOTAL OUTLAY OF ₹ 500 CRORE

    PM SVANIDHI WITH ENHANCED LOANS FROM BANKS, AND UPI LINKED CREDIT CARDS WITH ₹ 30,000 LIMIT

    GIG WORKERS TO GET IDENTITY CARDS, REGISTRATION ON E-SHRAM PORTAL &  HEALTHCARE UNDER PM JAN AROGYA YOJANA

    ₹ 1 LAKH CRORE URBAN CHALLENGE FUND FOR ‘CITIES AS GROWTH HUBS’

    NUCLEAR ENERGY MISSION FOR R&D OF SMALL MODULAR REACTORS WITH AN OUTLAY OF ₹ 20,000 CRORE

    MODIFIED UDAN SCHEME TO ENHANCE REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY TO 120 NEW DESTINATIONS

    ₹ 15,000 CRORE SWAMIH FUND TO BE ESTABLISHED FOR EXPEDITIOUS COMPLETION OF ANOTHER 1 LAKH STRESSED HOUSING UNITS

    ₹ 20,000 CRORE ALLOCATED FOR PRIVATE SECTOR DRIVEN RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION INITIATIVES

    GYAN BHARATAM MISSION FOR SURVEYAND CONSERVATION OF MANUSCRIPTS TO COVER MORE THAN ONE CRORE MANUSCRIPTS

    FDI LIMIT ENHANCED FOR INSURANCE FROM 74 TO 100 PER CENT

    JAN VISHWAS BILL 2.0 TO BE INTRODUCED FOR DECRIMINALISING MORE THAN 100 PROVISIONS IN VARIOUS LAWS

    UPDATED INCOME TAX RETURNS TIME LIMIT INCREASED FROM TWO TO FOUR YEARS

    DELAY IN TCS PAYMENT DECRIMINALISED

    TDS ON RENT INCREASED FROM ₹ 2.4 LAKH TO ₹ 6 LAKH

    BCD EXEMPTED ON 36 LIFESAVING DRUGS AND MEDICINES FOR TREATING CANCER, RARE AND CHRONIC DISEASES

    BCD ON IFPD INCREASED TO 20% AND ON OPEN CELLS REDUCED TO 5%

    BCD ON PARTS OF OPEN CELLS EXEMPTED TO PROMOTE DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING

    TO BOOST BATTERY PRODUCTION, ADDITIONAL CAPITAL GOODS FOR EV AND MOBILE BATTERY MANUFACTURING EXEMPTED

    BCD EXEMPTED FOR 10 YEARS ON RAW MATERIALS & COMPONENTS USED FOR SHIP BUILDING

    BCD REDUCED FROM 30% TO 5% ON FROZEN FISH PASTE AND 15% TO 5% ON FISH HYDROLYSATE

     

    Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025-26 in Parliament today. Here is the summary of her budget speech;

    PART A

     

    Quoting Telugu poet and playwright Shri Gurajada Appa Rao’s famous saying, ‘A country is not just its soil; a country is its people.’ – the Finance Minister presented the Union Budget 2025-26 with the theme “Sabka Vikas” stimulating balanced growth of all regions.

    In line with this theme, the Finance Minister outlined the broad Principles of Viksit Bharat to encompass the following:

    a) Zero-poverty;

     b) Hundred per cent good quality school education;

    c) Access to high-quality, affordable, and comprehensive healthcare;

    d) Hundred per cent skilled labour with meaningful employment;

    e) Seventy per cent women in economic activities; and

    f) Farmers making our country the ‘food basket of the world’.

    The Union Budget 2025-2026 promises to continue Government’s efforts to accelerate growth, secure inclusive development, invigorate private sector investments, uplift household sentiments, and enhance spending power of India’s rising middle class. The Budget proposes development measures focusing on poor (Garib), Youth, farmer (Annadata) and women (Nari).

    The Budget aims to initiate transformative reforms in Taxation, Power Sector, Urban Development, Mining, Financial Sector, and Regulatory Reforms to augment India’s growth potential and global competitiveness.

    Union Budget highlights that Agriculture, MSME, Investment, and Exports are engines in the journey to Viksit Bharat using reforms as fuel, guided by the spirit of inclusivity.

     

    1st Engine: Agriculture

    Budget announced ‘Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana’ in partnership with states covering 100 districts to increase productivity, adopt crop diversification, augment post-harvest storage, improve irrigation facilities, and facilitate availability of long-term and short-term credit.

    A comprehensive multi-sectoral ‘Rural Prosperity and Resilience’ programme will be launched in partnership with states to address underemployment in agriculture through skilling, investment, technology, and invigorating the rural economy. The goal is to generate ample opportunities in rural areas, with focus on rural women, young farmers, rural youth, marginal and small farmers, and landless families.

    Union Finance Minister announced that Government will launch a 6-year “Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses” with special focus on Tur, Urad and Masoor. Central agencies (NAFED and NCCF) will be ready to procure these 3 pulses, as much as offered during the next 4 years from farmers.

    The Budget has outlined measures to Comprehensive Programme for Vegetables & Fruits, National Mission on High Yielding Seeds, and a five year Mission for Cotton Productivity amongst other measures to promote agriculture and allied activities in a major way.

    Smt. Sitharaman announced the increase in loan limits from Rs. 3 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh for loans taken through Kisan Credit Cards under modified interest subvention scheme.

     

    2nd Engine: MSMEs

    Finance Minister described MSMEs as the second power engine for development as they constitute for 45% of our exports. To help MSMEs achieve higher efficiencies of scale, technological upgradation and better access to capital, the investment and turnover limits for classification of all MSMEs enhanced to 2.5 and 2 times, respectively. Further, steps to enhance credit availability with guarantee cover have also been announced.

    The Finance Minister also announced the launch of a new scheme for 5 lakh women, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes first-time entrepreneurs. This will provide term loans up to Rs. 2 crore during the next 5 years.

    Smt. Sitharaman announced that the Government will also implement a scheme to make India a global hub for toys representing the ‘Made in India’ brand. She added that the Government will set up a National Manufacturing Mission covering small, medium and large industries for furthering “Make in India”.

    3rd Engine: Investment

    Defining Investment as the third engine of growth, the Union Minister prioritized investment in people, economy and innovation. 

    Under the investment in people, she announced that 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs will be set up in Government schools in next 5 years.

    Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman announced that broadband connectivity will be provided to all Government secondary schools and primary health centres in rural areas under the Bharatnet project.

    She said Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme will be implemented to provide digital-form Indian language books for school and higher education.

    Five National Centres of Excellence for skilling will be set up with global expertise and partnerships to equip our youth with the skills required for “Make for India, Make for the World” manufacturing.

    A Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for education will be set up with a total outlay of 500 crore.

    Budget announced that Government will arrange for Gig workers’ identity cards, their registration on the e-Shram portal and healthcare under PM Jan Arogya Yojana.

    Under the investment in Economy, Smt Sitharaman said Infrastructure-related ministries will come up with a 3-year pipeline of projects in PPP mode.

    She added that an outlay of Rs 1.5 lakh crore was proposed for the 50-year interest free loans to states for capital expenditure and incentives for reforms.

    She also announced the second Asset Monetization Plan 2025-30 to plough back capital of Rs 10 lakh crore in new projects.

    The Jal Jeevan Mission was extended till 2028 with focus on the quality of infrastructure and Operation & Maintenance of rural piped water supply schemes through “Jan Bhagidhari”.

    Government will set up an Urban Challenge Fund of Rs.1 lakh crore to implement the proposals for ‘Cities as Growth Hubs’, ‘Creative Redevelopment of Cities’ and ‘Water and Sanitation’.

    Under the investment in Innovation, an allocation of ₹20,000 crore is announced to implement private sector driven Research, Development and Innovation initiative.

    Finance Minister proposed National Geospatial Mission to develop foundational geospatial infrastructure and data which will benefit urban planning.

    Budget proposes Gyan Bharatam Mission, for survey, documentation and conservation of  more than 1 crore manuscripts with academic institutions, museums, libraries and private collectors. A National Digital Repository of Indian knowledge systems for knowledge sharing is also proposed.

    4th Engine: Exports

    Smt. Sitharaman defined Exports as the fourth engine of growth and said that jointly driven by the Ministries of Commerce, MSME, and Finance; Export Promotion Mission will help MSMEs tap into the export market. She added that a digital public infrastructure, ‘BharatTradeNet’ (BTN) for international trade was proposed as a unified platform for trade documentation and financing solutions.

    The Finance Minister mentioned that support will be provided to develop domestic manufacturing capacities for our economy’s integration with global supply chains. She also announced that government will support the domestic electronic equipment industry for leveraging the opportunities related to Industry 4.0. A National Framework has also been proposed for promoting Global Capability Centres in emerging tier 2 cities.

    The government will facilitate upgradation of infrastructure and warehousing for air cargo including high value perishable horticulture produce.

    Reforms as the Fuel

    Defining Reforms as the fuel to the engine, Smt. Sitharaman said that over the past 10 years, the Government had implemented several reforms for convenience of tax payers, such as faceless assessment, tax payers charter, faster returns, almost 99 per cent returns being on self-assessment, and Vivad se Vishwas scheme. Continuing with these efforts, she reaffirmed the commitment of the tax department to “trust first, scrutinize later”.

    Financial Sector Reforms and Development

    In a demonstrated steadfast commitment of the Government towards ‘Ease of Doing Business’, the Union Finance Minister proposed changes across the length and breadth of the financial landscape in India to ease compliance, expand services, build strong regulatory environment, promote international and domestic investment, and decriminalisation of archaic legal provisions.

    The Union Finance Minister proposed to raise the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit for the insurance from 74 to 100 per cent, to be available for those companies that invest the entire premium in India.

    Smt. Sitharaman proposed a light-touch regulatory framework based on principles and trust to unleash productivity and employment. She proposed four specific measures to develop this modern, flexible, people-friendly, and trust-based regulatory framework for the 21st first century, viz.:

    1. High Level Committee for Regulatory Reforms
    • To review all non-financial sector regulations, certifications, licenses, and permissions.
    • To strengthen trust-based economic governance and take transformational measures to enhance ‘ease of doing business’, especially in matters of inspections and compliances
    • To make recommendations within a year
    • States will be encouraged to be onboarded

     

    1. Investment Friendliness Index of States
    • An Investment Friendliness Index of States will be launched in 2025 to further the spirit of competitive cooperative federalism.

     

    1. Mechanism under the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC)
    • Mechanism to evaluate impact of the current financial regulations and subsidiary instructions.
    • Formulate a framework to enhance their responsiveness and development of the financial sector.

     

    1. Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0
    • To decriminalise more than 100 provisions in various laws.

    Fiscal Consolidation

    Reiterating the commitment to stay the course for fiscal consolidation, the Union Finance Minister stated that the Government endeavours to keep the fiscal deficit each year such that the Central Government debt remains on a declining path as a percentage of the GDP and the detailed roadmap for the next 6 years has been detailed in the FRBM statement. Smt. Sitharaman stated that the Revised Estimate 2024-25 of fiscal deficit is 4.8 per cent of GDP, while the Budget Estimates 2025-26 is estimated to be 4.4 per cent of GDP.

    Revised Estimates 2024-25

    The Minister said that the Revised Estimate of the total receipts other than borrowings is ₹31.47 lakh crore, of which the net tax receipts are ₹25.57 lakh crore. She added that the Revised Estimate of the total expenditure is ₹47.16 lakh crore, of which the capital expenditure is about ₹10.18 lakh crore.

    Budget Estimates 2025-26

    For FY 2025-26, the Union Finance Minister stated that the total receipts other than borrowings and the total expenditure are estimated at ₹34.96 lakh crore and ₹50.65 lakh crore respectively. The net tax receipts are estimated at ₹28.37 lakh crore.

    PART B

    Reposing faith on middle class in nation building, the Union Budget 2025-26 proposes new direct tax slabs and rates under the new income tax regime so that no income tax is needed to be paid for total income upto ₹ 12 Lakh per annum, i.e. average income of Rs 1 Lakh per month, other than special rate income such as Capital Gain. Salaried individuals earning upto ₹ 12.75 Lakh per annum will pay NIL tax, due to standard deduction of ₹ 75,000. Towards the new tax structure and other direct tax proposals, Government is set to lose revenue of about ₹ 1 lakh crore.

    Under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government has taken steps to understand the needs voiced by the people. The direct tax proposals include personal income tax reform with special focus on middle class, TDS/TCS rationalization, encouragement to voluntary compliances along with reduction of compliance burden, ease of doing business and incentivizing employment and investment.

    The Budget proposes revised tax rate structure under the new tax regime as follows;

    Total Income per annum

    Rate of Tax

    ₹ 0 – 4 Lakh

    NIL

     ₹ 4 – 8 Lakh

    5%

    ₹ 8 – 12 Lakh

    10%

    ₹ 12 – 16 Lakh

    15%

    ₹ 16 – 20 Lakh

    20%

    ₹ 20 – 24 Lakh

    25%

    Above ₹ 24 Lakh

    30%

    To rationalize TDS/TCS, Budget doubles limit for tax deduction on interest earned by senior citizens from the present ₹ 50,000 to ₹ 1 Lakh. Further, TDS threshold on rent has been increased to ₹ 6 Lakh from ₹ 2.4 Lakh per annum. Other measures include, increasing of threshold to collect TCS to ₹ 10 Lakh and continuing with higher TDS deductions only in non-PAN cases. After the decriminalization of delay in payment of TDS, delay in TCS payments has now been decriminalized.

    Encouraging voluntary compliance, Budget extends time-limit to file updated returns for any assessment year, from the current limit of two years, to four years. Over 90 Lakh taxpayers paid additional tax to update their income. Small charitable trusts/institutions have been given the benefit by increasing their period of registration from 5 to 10 years, reducing compliance burden. Further, tax payers can now claim annual value of two self-occupied properties as NIL, without any condition. Last budget’s Vivad Se Vishwas Scheme has received a great response, with nearly 33,000 tax payers having availed the scheme to settle their disputes. Giving benefits to senior and very senior citizens, withdrawals made from National Savings Scheme Accounts on or after 29th of August, 2024 have been exempted. NPS Vatsalya accounts also to get similar benefits.

    For ease of doing business, Budget introduces a scheme for determining arm’s length price of international transaction for a block period of three years. This is in line with global best practices. Further, self harbor rules are being expanded to provide certainty in international taxation.

    To promote employment and investment, a presumptive taxation regime is envisaged for non-residents who provide services to a resident company that is establishing or operating an electronics manufacturing facility. Further, benefits of existing tonnage tax scheme are proposed to be extended to inland vessels. To promote start-up ecosystem, period of incorporation has been extended for a period of 5 years. To promote investment in the infrastructure sector, Budget extends the date of making investment in Sovereign Wealth Funds and Pension Funds by five more years, to 31st March, 2030.

    As part of rationalization of Customs tariffs of industrial goods, Budget proposes to; (i) Remove seven tariffs, (ii) apply appropriate cess to maintain effective duty incidence, and (iii) levy not more than one cess or surcharge.

    As relief on import of Drugs/Medicines, 36 lifesaving drugs and medicines for treating cancer, rare diseases and chronic diseases have been fully exempted from Basic Customs Duty (BCD). Further, 37 medicines along with 13 new drugs and medicines under Patient Assistance Programmes have been exempted from Basic Customs Duty (BCD), if supplied free to patients.

    To support Domestic Manufacturing and Value Addition, BCD on 25 critical minerals, that were not domestically available, were exempted in July 2024. The Budget 2025-26 fully exempts cobalt powder and waste, scrap of lithium-ion battery, Lead, Zinc and 12 more critical minerals. To promote domestic textile production, two more types of shuttle-less looms added to fully exempted textile machinery. Further, BCD on knitted fabrics covering nine tariff lines from “10% to 20%” revised to “20% or ₹ 115 kg, whichever is higher”.

    To rectify inverted duty structure and promote “Make in India”, BCD on Interactive Flat Panel Display (IFPD) increased to 20% and on Open cells reduced to 5%. Further to promote manufacture of Open cells, BCD on parts of Open Cells stands exempted.

    To boost manufacturing of Lithion-ion battery in the country, 35 additional capital goods for EV battery manufacturing, and 28 additional capital goods for mobile phone battery manufacturing added to the list of exempted capital goods. Union Budget 2025-26 also continues exemption on BCD on raw materials, components, consumables or parts for ship building for another ten years. Budget also reduced BCD from 20% to 10% on Carrier Grade ethernet switches to make it at par with Non-Carrier Grade ethernet switches.

    For export promotion, Budget 2025-26 facilitates exports of handicrafts, fully exempts BCD on Wet Blue leather for value addition and employment, reduce BCD from 30% to 5% on Frozen Fish Paste and reduce BCD from 15% to 5% on fish hydrolysate for manufacture of fish and shrimp feeds.

    Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman said that Democracy, Demography and Demand are key pillars of Viksit Bharat journey. She said that the middle class gives strength of India’s growth and the Government has periodically hiked the ‘Nil tax’ slab in recognition to their contribution. She said the proposed new tax structure will substantially boost consumption, savings and investment, by putting more money in the hands of the middle class.

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  • MIL-Evening Report: Want your loved ones to inherit your super? Here’s why you can’t afford to skip this one step

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tobias Barkley, Lecturer, La Trobe University

    Ground Picture/Shutterstock

    What happens to our super when we die? Most Australians have superannuation accounts but about one in five of us die before we can retire and actually enjoy that money.

    If we do die early our money is paid out as super “death benefits”. They can be substantial. Even people who die young can have $200,000–$300,000 of death benefits through super life insurance.

    Death benefits have recently been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Last week the Treasurer Jim Chalmers expressed concern about delays paying out death benefits.

    The Law Council is concerned people do not have enough control over how death benefits are distributed. Others are devastated about death benefits being paid to alleged violent partners.

    How can you decide who gets your unspent super?

    Our first thought might be writing it in our will. However, super is not covered by our will as it does not become part of our deceased estate.

    Instead, death benefits are distributed by the trustee of your superannuation fund. Under the law, there are two main mechanisms controlling distribution: binding nominations and the trustee’s discretion.

    Wills don’t cover super so it is important to lock in a beneficiary using a binding nomination.
    Brian A Jackson/Shutterstock

    Every super member has the option to create a binding nomination. It’s like a will for your super that the super trustee is obliged to follow. It also needs two witnesses to execute it. However, there are actually more ways for a binding nomination to fail than for a will to fail.

    The law only allows you to nominate certain people: your “dependants” or your estate. If you nominate anyone else your entire nomination stops being binding. Plus, unlike wills, there is no way to fix execution errors. Also, many binding nominations expire after three years.

    If you don’t have a binding nomination, then the trustee can choose who your death benefit goes to. There are two main mechanisms controlling how the trustee chooses who gets your death benefit.

    First, legislation requires the trustee to give the death benefit to your dependants or deceased estate before anyone else. This means that your parents, for example, will only receive something if you have no children, partner or other dependants.

    Second, decisions made by trustees can be disputed by complaining to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). The authority has a rigid approach to who should get death benefits and trustees usually follow this course of action.

    Research I’ve done with Xia Li of La Trobe University reveals what AFCA does in practice.

    Most crucially, people’s wishes expressed in non-binding nominations were essentially ignored. Our research found there was no statistically significant association between being nominated in a non-binding nomination and receiving any of the death benefit. This was true even for recent nominations.

    Other factors the complaints authority ignores are family violence and financial need. In one case, five daughters provided evidence, including a police report, that their deceased mother was a victim of violence perpetrated by her new partner. In keeping with the Federal Court, AFCA gave the alleged perpetrator everything because he alone would have benefited from the deceased’s finances if she had lived.

    In another case, the deceased’s adult son received nothing despite living with disability and “doing it tough”. He had refused financial help so was not financially dependent. AFCA gave everything to the partner.

    AFCA ignores these factors because of one key issue. It places “great weight” on whether beneficiaries are financially dependent on the deceased.

    This means when choosing between a financial dependent – such as a new partner who shares home expenses with the deceased, and non-financial dependants, such as most adult children – AFCA will almost always give everything to the spouse.

    A new spouse will often receive their partner’s death benefits ahead of the deceased’s non-dependent children.
    Ground Picture/Shutterstock

    Relying on financial dependence can be arbitrary. Unlike in family law, a de facto partner does not need to be living with you for two years before becoming entitled. For example, in one case AFCA gave a partner of possibly only seven months (and 41 years younger than the deceased) everything and the deceased’s three children aged 27–33 nothing.

    Also, AFCA treats any regular payment that supports daily living as financial dependence. For example, a son paying A$100 a week board to parents means both parents are financially dependent on the son. In another case, payments from the deceased to his brother of $5,000, $7,000 and $5,000 made over a year was not financial dependence because they were irregular.

    The whole process is slow. The average time it takes to resolve a death benefit case that goes to AFCA is nearly three years and the longest case I’ve seen took over six.

    The only thing that you can do that will make a difference is execute a binding nomination; non-binding nominations are worthless.

    But take care to execute your binding nomination correctly (get legal advice) and leave reminders for yourself to review it every three years.

    Tobias Barkley is an ordinary member of the Unisuper superannuation fund.

    – ref. Want your loved ones to inherit your super? Here’s why you can’t afford to skip this one step – https://theconversation.com/want-your-loved-ones-to-inherit-your-super-heres-why-you-cant-afford-to-skip-this-one-step-248019

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  • MIL-OSI China: China’s business community firmly opposes US tariff hikes

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China’s business community deeply regrets and firmly opposes the U.S. decision to impose an additional 10-percent tariff on goods imported from China, a spokesperson for the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) said on Sunday.

    The U.S. unilateral imposition of additional tariffs seriously violates World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, and many U.S. businesses and consumers will have to bear the costs, the CCPIT spokesperson said in a statement.

    This move will disrupt normal China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation and threaten the stability of global industrial and supply chains, the spokesperson added.

    “There is no winner in trade and tariff wars,” the spokesperson stressed, noting that the erroneous actions by the United States will not solve the U.S. problems at home. Instead, they will harm China-U.S. relations and negatively affect global economic development.

    China’s business community has urged the U.S. side to immediately correct its wrongdoings, work with China to meet each other halfway, and strengthen cooperation with other countries to foster a favorable international environment for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes for the business communities of both countries and the world, and to inject more stability and positive energy into the global economy, the spokesperson said.

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  • MIL-OSI China: Iran unveils 3 new homegrown satellites

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Iran on Sunday unveiled three new domestically developed satellites in the Iranian capital Tehran to mark its National Space Technology Day, the official news agency IRNA reported.

    The satellites, namely Navak-1, Pars-2, and an upgraded model of Pars-1, were unveiled in a ceremony attended by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Minister of Information and Communications Technology Seyyed Sattar Hashemi, as well as a number of cabinet members, officials, and military commanders, the report said.

    Developed by the Iranian Space Research Center, the Navak-1 communications satellite is designed to test the function of an improved version of the homegrown Simorgh launch vehicle in the near future. The carrier is expected to put the satellite into an elliptic orbit, according to IRNA.

    Weighing approximately 34 kg, Navak-1 is equipped with a dosimetry payload to measure cosmic rays, the report said, adding the satellite has a magnetometer sensor to measure the Earth’s electromagnetic field.

    According to IRNA, the Pars-2 remote-sensing satellite weighs 150 kg and is equipped with two imaging payloads with two different homegrown linear position sensors.

    The satellite features a propeller and is capable of carrying out diverse missions in the fields of environmental monitoring, forestry, natural disaster response, and urban management.

    The upgraded model of Pars-1 remote-sensing satellite, weighing under 150 kg, has three imaging payloads: multispectral, short-wave infrared, and thermal infrared, according to IRNA.

    The satellite is powered by energy generated from its gallium arsenide solar cells, according to the report. The first model of the satellite, weighing 134 kg, was launched on Feb. 29, 2024, aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket from the Vostochny space base.

    Speaking at another ceremony in Tehran on Sunday to mark the occasion, Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said the country plans to conduct two space launches in the coming weeks, before the end of the current Iranian calendar year on March 20. 

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  • MIL-OSI China: Flooding crisis worsens in northern Australia

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes amid widespread severe flooding in northern Australia.

    Authorities in the northeastern state of Queensland on Monday warned residents of the state’s tropical north to expect further flooding following days of torrential rainfall.

    Thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate from the city of Townsville, over 1,000 km north of the state capital of Brisbane, and from surrounding towns.

    The region has received over one meter of rainfall over three days, with up to 300 millimeters forecast for Monday by the Bureau of Meteorology.

    State Premier David Crisafulli said on Monday morning that modelling shows the flooding has not yet peaked, urging residents of a stretch of coast over 600 km long between the cities of Mackay and Cairns to take heed of emergency warnings.

    He said that authorities are focused on protecting lives before turning their attention to recovery efforts.

    The State Emergency Service (SES) reported receiving almost 400 calls for assistance on Sunday, one-quarter of which were related to water entering properties.

    A bridge on the Bruce Highway, a major road connecting northern Queensland to Brisbane, has collapsed just north of Townsville, cutting off several towns.

    The Mayor of Hinchinbrook town, Ramon Jayo, told Australian Broadcasting Corporation television that the collapse was a “disaster” for the town, which will likely rely on supplies arriving by helicopter as it faces its worst flooding since the 1960s.

    As of Monday morning local time, about 10,000 properties in the region were without electricity, with those affected told to prepare for prolonged outages.

    Police in Townsville have increased patrols in evacuated parts of the city to protect properties from potential looting.

    The Townsville Airport reopened on Monday, but the city remains cut off by road.

    The federal government has deployed Australian Defence Force helicopters to help monitor the flooding. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: NO INCOME TAX ON ANNUAL INCOME UPTO Rs. 12 LAKH UNDER NEW TAX REGIME

    Source: Government of India

    NO INCOME TAX ON ANNUAL INCOME UPTO Rs. 12 LAKH UNDER NEW TAX REGIME

    LIMIT TO BE Rs. 12.75 LAKH FOR SALARIED TAX PAYERS, WITH STANDARD DEDUCTION OF RS. 75,000

    UNION BUDGET 2025-26 BRINGS ACROSS-THE-BOARD CHANGE IN INCOME TAX SLABS AND RATES TO BENEFIT ALL TAX-PAYERS

    TAX SLAB RATE REDUCTION AND REBATES TO RESULT IN SUBSTANTIAL TAX RELIEF TO MIDDLE CLASS, THEREBY BOOSTING HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION EXPENDITURE AND INVESTMENT

    Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 1:28PM by PIB Delhi

    Reaffirming Government’s commitment to the philosophy of “trust first, scrutinize later”, the Union Budget 2025-26 has reposed faith in the Middle class and continued the trend of giving relief in tax burden to the common tax–payer. Presenting the Budget in the Parliament today, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman proposed an across-the-board change in tax slabs and rates to benefit all tax-payers.

    Giving the good news to tax payers, the Finance Minister stated, “There will be no income tax payable upto income of Rs. 12 lakh (i.e. average income of Rs.1 lakh per month other than special rate income such as capital gains) under the new regime. This limit will be Rs.12.75 lakh for salaried tax payers, due to standard deduction of Rs. 75,000.”  Tax rebate is being provided in addition to the benefit due to slab rate reduction in such a manner that there is no tax payable by them, she added.

    Smt. Sitharaman stated, “The new structure will substantially reduce the taxes of the middle class and leave more money in their hands, boosting household consumption, savings and investment”. In the new tax regime, the Finance Minister proposed to revise tax rate structure as follows:

    0-4 lakh rupees

    Nil

    4-8 lakh rupees

    5 per cent

    8-12 lakh rupees

    10 per cent

    12-16 lakh rupees

    15 per cent

    16-20 lakh rupees

    20 per cent

    20- 24 lakh rupees

    25 per cent

    Above 24 lakh rupees

    30 per cent

    The total tax benefit of slab rate changes and rebate at different income levels can be illustrated in the table below:

    While underlining Taxation Reforms as one of key reforms to realize the vision of Viksit Bharat, Smt. Sitharaman stated that the new income-tax bill will carry forward the spirit of ‘Nyaya’. The new regime will be simple to understand for taxpayers and tax administration, leading to tax certainty and reduced litigation, she informed.

    Quoting Verse 542 from The Thirukkural, the Finance Minister stated, “Just as living beings live expecting rains, Citizens live expecting good governance.” Reforms are a means to achieve good governance for the people and economy. Providing good governance primarily involves being responsive. The tax proposals detail just how the Government under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has taken steps to understand and address the needs voiced by our citizens, Smt. Sitharaman added.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PRIME MINISTER DHAN-DHAANYA KRISHI YOJANA TO BE LAUNCHED IN 100 LOW CROP PRODUCTIVITY DISTRICTS, PROGRAMME WILL HELP 1.7 CRORE FARMERS TO ENHANCE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY, IMPROVE IRRIGATION FACILITIES AND FACILITATE LONG-TERM AND SHORT-TERM CREDIT: UNION BUDGET 2025-26

    Source: Government of India

    PRIME MINISTER DHAN-DHAANYA KRISHI YOJANA TO BE LAUNCHED IN 100 LOW CROP PRODUCTIVITY DISTRICTS, PROGRAMME WILL HELP 1.7 CRORE FARMERS TO ENHANCE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY, IMPROVE IRRIGATION FACILITIES AND FACILITATE LONG-TERM AND SHORT-TERM CREDIT: UNION BUDGET 2025-26

    RURAL PROSPERITY AND RESILIENCE PROGRAMME ANNOUNCED TO ADDRESS UNDER-EMPLOYMENT IN AGRICULTURE TRHOUGH SKILLING, INVESTMENT, TECHNOLOGY AND INVIGORATING RURAL ECONOMY

    6-YEAR “MISSION FOR AATMANIRBHARTA IN PULSES”; EMPHASIS ON DEVELOPING CLIMATE RESILIENT SEEDS, IMPROVING POST-HARVEST STORAGE, ASSURING REMUNERATIVE PRICES TO FARMERS

    UNION BUDGET PROPOSES COMPREHEMSIVE PROGRAMME FOR VEGETABLES AND FRUITS TO PROMOTE PRODUCTION, EFFICIENT SUPPLIES, PROCESSING AND REMUNERATIVE PRICES FOR FARMERS

    PUBLIC SECTOR BANKS TO DEVELOP ‘GRAMEEN CREDIT SCORE’ FRAMEWORK TO SERVE CREDIT NEEDS OF SHG MEMBERS AND RURAL POPULATION

    Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 1:23PM by PIB Delhi

    Spurring agricultural growth and productivity is one of the development measures proposed in the Union Budget 2025-26. Agriculture is one of the four powerful engines amongst MSME, Investment and Exports, stated Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Union Budget 2025-26, in the Parliament today.

    Specific proposals proposed in the Union Budget to strengthen productivity and resilience in agriculture are as follows:

    Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana–Developing Agri Districts Programme:

    The Union Finance Minister stated that motivated by the success of the Aspirational Districts Programme, the Government will undertake a ‘Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana’ in partnership with states. Through the convergence of existing schemes and specialized measures, the programme will cover 100 districts with low productivity, moderate crop intensity and below-average credit parameters. The programme aims to enhance agricultural productivity; adopt crop diversification and sustainable agriculture practices; augment post-harvest storage at the panchayat and block level; improve irrigation facilities and facilitate availability of long-term and short-term credit. This programme is likely to help 1.7 crore farmers.

     

    Building Rural Prosperity and Resilience:

    A comprehensive multi-sectoral ‘Rural Prosperity and Resilience’ programme will be launched in partnership with states, added the Union Finance Minister. This will address under-employment in agriculture through skilling, investment, technology, and invigorating the rural economy. The goal is to generate ample opportunities in rural areas so that migration is an option, but not a necessity. She further added that the programme will focus on rural women, young farmers, rural youth, marginal and small farmers, and landless families. The programme aims in catalyzing enterprise development, employment and financial independence for rural women; accelerating creation of new employment and businesses for young farmers and rural youth; nurturing and modernizing agriculture for productivity improvement and warehousing, especially for marginal and small farmers and diversifying opportunities for landless families. The Union Finance Minister further highlighted that the global and domestic best practices will be incorporated and appropriate technical and financial assistance will be sought from multilateral development banks. In Phase-1, 100 developing agri-districts will be covered.

     

    Aatmanirbharta in Pulses:

    Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted that the Government is implementing the National Mission for Edible Oilseed for achieving atmanirbhrata in edible oils. The Government made concerted efforts and succeeded in achieving near self-sufficiency in pulses. Farmers responded to the need by increasing the cultivated area by 50 per cent and Government arranged for procurement and remunerative prices. Since then, with rising incomes and better affordability, consumption of pulses has increased significantly. She further emphasized that the Government will launch a 6-year “Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses” with a special focus on Tur, Urad and Masoor. The Mission will place emphasis on development and commercial availability of climate resilient seeds; enhancing protein content; increasing productivity; improving post-harvest storage and management and assuring remunerative prices to the farmers. Central agencies (NAFED and NCCF) will be ready to procure these 3 pulses, as much as offered during the next 4 years from farmers who register with these agencies and enter into agreements.

     

    Comprehensive Programme for Vegetables & Fruits:

    The Union Finance Minister said that it is encouraging that people are increasingly becoming aware of their nutritional needs. It is a sign of a society becoming healthier. With rising income levels, the consumption of vegetables, fruits and Shree-Anna is increasing significantly. A comprehensive programme to promote production, efficient supplies, processing, and remunerative prices for farmers will be launched in partnership with states. She further added that appropriate institutional mechanisms for implementation and participation of farmer producer organizations and cooperatives will be set up.

     

    Grameen Credit Score:

    The Union Finance Minister stated that Public Sector Banks will develop ‘Grameen Credit Score’ framework to serve the credit needs of SHG members and people in rural areas.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: ` 1 LAKH CRORE URBAN CHALLENGE FUND TO IMPLEMENT ‘CITIES AS GROWTH HUBS’

    Source: Government of India (2)

    ` 1 LAKH CRORE URBAN CHALLENGE FUND TO IMPLEMENT ‘CITIES AS GROWTH HUBS’

    NATIONAL GEOSPATIAL MISSION TO DEVELOP FOUNDATIONAL GEOSPATIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND DATA

    GIG WORKERS TO GET IDENTITY CARDS AND REGISTRATION ON THE E-SHRAM PORTAL

    GIG-WORKERS WILL BE PROVIDED HEALTHCARE UNDER PM JAN AROGYA YOJANA, NEARLY 1 CRORE TO GET ASSISTED

    UPI LINKED CREDIT CARDS WITH ` 30,000 LIMIT UNDER PM SVANIDHI SCHEME

    Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 1:13PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Budget 2025-2026 in the Parliament today said that the Government will set up an Urban Challenge Fund of ` 1 lakh crore to implement the proposals for ‘Cities as Growth Hubs’, ‘Creative Redevelopment of Cities’ and ‘Water and Sanitation’ announced in the July Budget.

    She further added this fund will finance up to 25 per cent of the cost of bankable projects with a stipulation that at least 50 per cent of the cost is funded from bonds, bank loans, and PPPs. An allocation of  ` 10,000 crore is proposed for 2025-26.

    The Budget has proposed that a National Geospatial Mission will be started to develop foundational geospatial infrastructure and data. Using PM Gati Shakti, this Mission will facilitate modernization of land records, urban planning, and design of infrastructure projects.

    Smt. Sitharaman said that the Government has been giving priority to assisting urban poor and vulnerable groups. A scheme for socio-economic upliftment of urban workers will be implemented to help them improve their incomes, have sustainable livelihoods and a better quality of life.

    Gig workers of online platforms provide great dynamism to the new-age services economy. Recognising their contribution, our Government will arrange for their identity cards and registration on the e-Shram portal. They will be provided healthcare under PM Jan Arogya Yojana. This measure is likely to assist nearly 1 crore gig-workers.

    Finance Minister highlighted that the PM SVANidhi scheme has benefitted more than 68 lakh street vendors giving them respite from high-interest informal sector loans. Building on this success, the scheme will be revamped with enhanced loans from banks, UPI linked credit cards with ` 30,000 limit, and capacity building support.

    She highlighted that Under the Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) fifty thousand dwelling units in stressed housing projects have been completed, and keys handed over to home-buyers. Another forty thousand units will be completed in 2025, further helping middle-class families who were paying EMIs on loans taken for apartments, while also paying rent for their current dwellings.

    Building on this success, SWAMIH Fund 2 will be established as a blended finance facility with contribution from the Government, banks and private investors. This fund of ` 15,000 crore will aim for expeditious completion of another 1 lakh units.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: UNION BUDGET 2025-26: BOOST TO SHIPPING AND AVIATION SECTOR

    Source: Government of India (2)

    UNION BUDGET 2025-26: BOOST TO SHIPPING AND AVIATION SECTOR

    MARITIME DEVELOPMENT FUND OF Rs 25,000 CRORE PROPOSED

    MODIFIED UDAN SCHEME TO CONNECT 120 NEW DESTINATIONS AND CARRY 4 CRORE PASSENGERS IN NEXT 10 YEARS

    GREENFIELD AIRPORTS AND WESTERN KOSHI CANAL PROJECT FOR BIHAR

    Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 1:11PM by PIB Delhi

    For long-term financing for the maritime industry, the Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman has proposed to set up a Maritime Development Fund with a corpus of Rs 25,000 crore. Announcing this in her budget speech in the Parliament today, the Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman said that this corpus will be for distributed support and promoting competition in the maritime industry. The fund will have up to 49 per cent contribution by the Government, and the balance will be mobilized from ports and private sector.

    The Finance Minister stated that the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Policy will be revamped to address cost disadvantages, which will also include Credit Notes for shipbreaking in Indian yards to promote the circular economy. Further, the large ships above a specified size are also proposed to be included in the infrastructure harmonized master list (HML). The Union Budget also proposes to facilitate ‘Shipbuilding Clusters’ in order to increase the range, categories and capacity of ships. This will include additional infrastructure facilities, skilling and technology to develop the entire ecosystem. Acknowledging that the shipbuilding has a long gestation period, the Finance Minister proposed to continue the exemption of Basic Customs Duty on raw materials, components, consumables or parts for the manufacture of ships for another ten years. She further proposed the same dispensation for ship breaking to make it more competitive.

    Praising the Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman said in her speech that UDAN has enabled 1.5 crore middle-class people to meet their aspirations for speedier travel. The scheme has connected 88 airports and operationalized 619 routes. Inspired by that success, a modified UDAN scheme which will be launched to enhance regional connectivity to 120 new destinations and carry 4 crore passengers in the next 10 years and this scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational, and North East region districts, stated the Finance Minister. She also informed the house that the government will facilitate upgradation of infrastructure and warehousing for air cargo including high value perishable horticulture produce. Cargo screening and customs protocols will also be streamlined and made user-friendly.

    Giving infrastructure fillip to the state of Bihar, the Union Finance Minster proposed that the Greenfield airports will be facilitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the State. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport at Bihta. Financial support will also be provided for the Western Koshi Canal ERM Project benefitting a large number of farmers cultivating over 50,000 hectares of land in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: UNION BUDGET 2025-26 IDENTIFIES TOURISM AS A SECTOR FOR EMPLOYMENT-LED GROWTH

    Source: Government of India (2)

    UNION BUDGET 2025-26 IDENTIFIES TOURISM AS A SECTOR FOR EMPLOYMENT-LED GROWTH

    TOP 50 TOURIST DESTINATION WILL BE DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH STATES THROUGH A CHALLENGE MODE

    MEDICAL TOURISM AND HEAL IN INDIA WILL BE PROMOTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR

    MANUSCRIPT HERITAGE WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO COVER MORE THAN 1 CRORE MANUSCRIPTS

    Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 1:02PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Budget 2025-26 has identified tourism as a sector for employment-led growth.   Presenting Budget in Parliament today,  Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman said that facilitating employment-led growth include organizing intensive skill-development programmes for youth including hospitality management, MUDRA loans for homestays, improving ease of travel and connectivity to tourist destinations, introducing streamlined e-visa facilities and providing performance-linked incentives to states.

    She said that top 50 tourist destination sites in the country will be developed in partnership with states through a challenge mode. The Budget added that land for building key infrastructure including hotels will have to be provided by states and hotels in those destinations will be included in the infrastructure HML. Minister said that emphasis on places of spiritual and religious significance will be given and there will be a special focus on destinations related to the life and times of Lord Buddha. In her speech, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman said that medical tourism and Heal in India will be promoted in partnership with the private sector along with capacity building and easier visa norms. 

     

    Gyan Bharatam Mission

    Finance Minister said that documentation and conservation of our manuscript heritage with academic institutions, museums, libraries and private collectors will be undertaken to cover more than 1 crore manuscripts. She added that Government will set up a National Digital Repository of Indian knowledge systems for knowledge sharing.

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Severe case of influenza A infection in unvaccinated child reported

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (February 1) received a report of a case of severe paediatric influenza A infection in a boy who had not yet received the seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV). He is still hospitalised and in critical condition. The CHP urged the public who have not yet received the SIV to act immediately to minimise the risk of serious complications and death after infection.
               
         “The 19 month-old boy with good past health developed a fever and cough since January 30. He attended Hong Kong Baptist Hospital yesterday and was later transferred to Kwong Wah Hospital, where he remains in the paediatric intensive care unit. His nasopharyngeal swab specimen was tested positive for the influenza A (H1) virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was influenza A infection complicated with severe pneumonia,” a spokesman for the CHP said.

         The boy had no travel history during the incubation period. His household contacts, so far, are asymptomatic. An initial investigation revealed that he did not receive 2024/25 SIV. The CHP reiterated its call to the parents to bring their children to receive SIV as soon as possible.
               
         “Including the above-mentioned boy, the CHP has recorded nine cases of severe influenza virus infection in children since the start of this influenza season in early January, seven of whom were unvaccinated. Influenza vaccination has been scientifically proven to be one of the most effective ways to prevent seasonal influenza and its complications, while significantly reducing the risk of hospitalisation and death from seasonal influenza. All persons aged 6 months and above (except those with known contraindications) who have not yet received SIV should act immediately, particularly the elderly and children who have a higher risk of becoming infected with influenza and developing complications,” the spokesman said.
               
         Furthermore, the SIV coverage rate for children aged 6 months to under 2 years remained relatively low at about 20.9 per cent as of January 26. Although slightly higher than that of the same period last year, it was still lower than that of other age groups of children. To enhance relevant vaccination services and boost the vaccination rate, the Government has opened the DH’s Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) to all children aged 6 months to under 2 years. Parents may book an appointment for their children to receive vaccinations at designated MCHCs via the online booking system.
              
         The spokesman reminded the public that Hong Kong is currently in the influenza season. The seasonal influenza activity is expected to increase further while the activity of other respiratory infectious diseases may also increase. To protect their health and that of their family members, the public should not only receive SIV, but also maintain good personal and environmental hygiene, but also maintain good personal and environmental hygiene, and take the following measures to prevent contacting influenza and other respiratory illnesses: 
        

    Patients can wear surgical masks to prevent transmission of respiratory viruses. Therefore, it is essential for persons who are symptomatic (even if having mild symptoms) to wear a surgical mask;
    High-risk persons (e.g. persons with underlying medical conditions or persons who are immunocompromised) should wear surgical masks when visiting public places. The general public should also wear a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly, including performing hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask;
    Avoid touching one’s eyes, mouth and nose;
    Practise hand hygiene frequently, wash hands with liquid soap and water properly whenever possibly contaminated;
    When hands are not visibly soiled, clean them with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub;
    Cover the mouth and nose with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissue paper properly into a lidded rubbish bin, and wash hands thoroughly afterwards;
    Maintain good indoor ventilation;
    Avoid sharing personal items;
    When having respiratory symptoms, wear a surgical mask, consider to refrain from going to work or school, avoid going to crowded places and seek medical advice promptly; and
    Maintain a balanced diet, perform physical activity regularly, take adequate rest, do not smoke and avoid overstress.

         For the latest information, members of the public can visit the CHP’s seasonal influenza and COVID-19 & Flu Express webpages. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Empowering Rural Communities

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 4:07PM by PIB Delhi

    Flagship Schemes Driving Growth

     

    The Government of India has launched several flagship schemes aimed at fostering inclusive rural development, poverty alleviation, and livelihood enhancement. These initiatives, implemented under the Ministry of Rural Development and other key departments, address critical areas such as employment generation, housing, infrastructure, skill development, and social welfare.

    Mahatma Gandhi NREGA

    The vision of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA is to enhance the livelihood security of rural households across the country by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. Mahatma Gandhi NREGA recognizes the importance of strengthening the livelihood resource base of the poor by reaching the most vulnerable sections of rural areas, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, women-headed households, and other marginalized groups.

    Mission Antyodaya

    Adopted in Union Budget 2017-18, Mission Antyodaya is a convergence and accountability framework aiming to bring optimum use and management of resources allocated by 26 Ministries / Department of the Government of India under various programmes for the development of rural areas. It is envisaged as state-led initiative with Gram Panchayats as focal points of convergence efforts.

    Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission

    The DAY-NRLM scheme is a comprehensive initiative designed to empower rural women and enhance their livelihoods by fostering community institutions that provide crucial financial, technical, and marketing resources. It emphasizes social inclusion through Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) and facilitates access to government schemes like Swachh Bharat Mission and Poshan Abhiyan, ensuring multi-sectoral convergence. 

     

     

    Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana –Gramin

    The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin was launched on 20th November 2016, aiming to provide housing for the poorest segments of society. Beneficiaries are selected through a rigorous three-stage validation process that includes the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC 2011) and Awaas+ (2018) surveys, Gram Sabha approvals, and geo-tagging. This ensures that aid reaches the most deserving individuals.

    Sl. No.

    Key Parameter Indicators

    Status as on 31.01.25

    1

    Target

    3,79,37,139

    2

    Beneficiaries Registered

    3,70,94,350

    4

    House Sanctioned

    3,31,96,085

    5

    House Completed

    2,69,47,215

    PMAY-G Progress

    Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)

    The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), was launched by the Govt. of India to provide connectivity to unconnected Habitations as part of a poverty reduction strategy. Govt. of India is endeavoring to set high and uniform technical and management standards and facilitating policy development and planning at State level in order to ensure sustainable management of the rural roads network.

    PMGSY Progress

    National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)

    The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) is a welfare programme being administered by the Ministry of Rural Development. This programme is being implemented in rural areas as well as urban areas. NSAP represents a significant step towards the fulfilment of the Directive Principles of State Policy enshrined in the Constitution of India which enjoin upon the State to undertake within its means a number of welfare measures. These are intended to secure for the citizens adequate means of livelihood, raise the standard of living, improve public health, provide free and compulsory education for children etc.

     

    Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY)

    The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) announced the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) on Antyodaya Diwas – 25th September 2014. DDU-GKY is a part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), tasked with the dual objectives of adding diversity to the incomes of rural poor families and cater to the career aspirations of rural youth.

    Cumulative progress till 2024-25

    Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs)

    RSETIs are managed by Banks with active co-operation from the Government of India and State Government. These are Dedicated institutions designed as to ensure necessary skill training and skill up gradation of the rural BPL youth to mitigate the unemployment problem. After successful completion of the training, they will be provided with credit linkage assistance by the banks to start their own entrepreneurial ventures.

    Namo Drone Didi

    On 15th August, 2023, the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi announced the launch of the “Namo Drone Didi” Yojana which aimed to empower women by hand holding them into a sustainable business model where they can increase their income by more than Rs 1 Lakh, and transforming the modern farming ecosystem with drone technology.

    Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA)

    The scheme was approved by the Union Cabinet on 21.04.2018 for implementation from Financial Year 2018-19 to 2021-22. The primary aim of RGSA was to strengthen PRIs for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with main thrust on convergence with Mission Antyodaya and emphasis on strengthening PRIs in 117 Aspirational districts.

    The Government of India’s flagship rural development schemes have played a transformative role in enhancing livelihoods, improving infrastructure, and fostering socio-economic inclusion. By prioritizing employment generation, housing, skill development, and financial empowerment, these initiatives have significantly contributed to rural prosperity.

    References

    https://nreganarep.nic.in/netnrega/MISreport4.aspx

    https://dashboard.rural.nic.in/dashboardnew/ddugky.aspx

    https://nsap.nic.in/

    https://omms.nic.in/dbweb

    https://namodronedidi.php-staging.com/about-scheme

    Click here for pdf file 

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Building a Future-Ready India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 3:05PM by PIB Delhi

    Schemes Driving Skill Development and Empowerment

     

    Introduction

     

    India’s Skill India Mission (SIM), driven by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, is equipping youth with essential industry-relevant skills through various programs like Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) and Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS). These initiatives focus on skill development, re-skilling and up-skilling, empowering millions with the tools needed for sustainable careers. By bridging the skill gap, fostering innovation, and creating new job opportunities, SIM is paving the way for a self-reliant and developed India (Atmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat).

     

    Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana

    Launch Date: PMKVY was introduced in 2015, and its 4.0 version is being implemented from FY 2022 to 2026.

    Objective: To encourage and promote skill development in the country by providing free short-duration skill training and incentivizing youth for skill certification.

    Key Achievements:

    1. PMKVY 1.0 successfully trained over 19.86 lakh candidates.
    2. Since 2015, the scheme has trained/oriented 1.48 crore candidates by 30th June, 2024.

    Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS)

    Launch Date: Transferred from Ministry of Education (erstwhile Ministry of Human Resource Development) to Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship in July, 2018.

    Objective: Aims to provide vocational training to non-literates, neo-literates as well as school drop-outs in rural regions by identifying skills that have a relevant market in that region.

    Key Achievements: 

    1. 4,29,762 beneficiaries enrolled, with 2,45,239 trained, 2,38,048 assessed and 2,37,729 certified under JSS.
    2. 32 States & UTs, 283 districts, 289 JSS, and 11,338 JSS sub-centers engaged in FY 2024-25. (Data pertains to FY 2024-25 as of 28.01.2025).

    PM Vishwakarma Yojana

    Launch Date: 17th September, 2023

    Objective: The Scheme aims to provide end-to-end support to artisans and craftspeople of 18 trades who work with their hands and tools. The Scheme components include recognition through PM Vishwakarma Certificate and ID Card, Skill Upgradation, Toolkit Incentive, Credit Support, Incentive for Digital Transactions and Marketing Support. PM Vishwakarma will be implemented as a Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by the Government of India, with an initial outlay of Rs 13,000 crore and is set to run for five years, until 2027-28.

    Key Achievements:

    1. As of January 28, 2025, a total of 2,64,97,537 applications have been submitted under the PM Vishwakarma Yojana, with 27,01,087 applications successfully registered.

    Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY)

    Launch: 25th September 2014.

     

    Objective: DDU-GKY is a part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), tasked with the dual objectives of adding diversity to the incomes of rural poor families and cater to the career aspirations of rural youth. 

    Key Achievements:

    1. Under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), 65% of the candidates have been placed in gainful employment after completing their training. From FY 2014-15 a total of 16,90,046 candidates have been trained and 10,97,265 candidates have been placed till November, 2024.

    Rural Self Employment and Training Institutes (RSETIs)

    Launch: January 2009

     

    Objective: The scheme envisage framework for imparting good quality residential free training and post training follow up with credit linkage for sustained motivation among the trainees for promoting entrepreneurship among the rural youth. As RSETIs are Bank lead institutions they are prefixed with the name of the respective sponsor banks to give distinct identity.

    Key Achievements:

    1. A total of Rs. 89,639.09 Lakh has been released for RSETI from FY 2014-15 to FY 2024-25.
    2. As of January 1, 2025, a total of 54,03,231 candidates have been trained in the 2024-25 financial year, compared to 22,89,737 candidates trained in the 2016-17 financial year. 

    Click here to download PDF

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India’s Startup Revolution

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 2:44PM by PIB Delhi

    1.57 lakh startups and 17.28 lakh jobs mark a decade of progress

     

    India has firmly established itself as the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world, with over 1.57 lakh certificates issued by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) for recognition of startups as of December 31, 2024. The nation’s entrepreneurial landscape, fuelled by more than 100 unicorns, is redefining innovation and creating new opportunities across sectors. Major hubs like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi-NCR have been at the forefront of this transformation, while smaller cities are increasingly contributing to the momentum with over 51% of the startups emerging from Tier II/ III cities. Through initiatives like Startup India, the government has played a pivotal role in nurturing this growth and empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs.

    Startup India

    Launched on 16th January 2016, Startup India is a flagship initiative by the Government of India to foster innovation and create a thriving startup ecosystem. Its goal is to drive economic growth and generate large-scale employment opportunities. By supporting startups in their

    growth journey, the initiative encourages innovation and design. Through various schemes, it aims to empower startups to scale and succeed.

     

     

    Progress and Impact:

     

    1. Startup Growth: The number of DPIIT-recognised startups has risen from around 502 in 2016 to 1,57,706 as of December 31, 2024.

     

    1. Job Creation: Startups have created over 17.28 lakh direct jobs as of December 31, 2024, with the IT Services sector leading at 2.10 lakh jobs, followed by Healthcare & Lifesciences (1.51 lakh) and Professional & Commercial Services (96,474).

     

    1. Women-Led Startups: As of December 31, 2024, a total of 75,935 recognised startups include at least one-woman director (as per self-reported data of recognized startups), showcasing the rise of women entrepreneurs in India.

     

    1. Ease of Doing Business & Tax Benefits: Simplified compliance, self-certification, and tax exemptions for three years have streamlined operations for startups.

     

     

    Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS)

    Launched in 2021 with a corpus of ₹945 crore, the SISFS supports startups at various stages, including proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry, and commercialisation. The scheme, operational since 1st April 2021, is overseen by the Experts Advisory Committee (EAC), which evaluates and selects incubators for fund allocation.

    Progress and Impact:

     

     

    1. 213 incubators have been approved under the scheme as of December 2024.

     

    1. A total of 2,622 startups have benefited from ₹467.75 crore in funding as of December 2024.

     

    Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS) Scheme

    Launched in June 2016 with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore, the Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS) aims to boost access to domestic capital for startups. Managed by SIDBI, it funds SEBI- registered Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), which then invest in startups through equity and equity-linked instruments.

     

    Progress and Impact:

     

    1. By 2024, ₹6,886 crores have been committed by DPIIT to SIDBI and ₹11,687 crore was committed by SIDBI to AIFs under the FFS scheme as of December 2024.

     

    1. This commitment catalyzed investments of ₹21,276 crore in 1,173 startups.

     

    Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS)

    The Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) provides credit guarantees for loans to DPIIT-recognised startups from Scheduled Commercial Banks, NBFCs, and Venture Debt Funds. Implemented by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC), it aims to offer credit guarantees up to a specified limit, easing access to funding for startups.

     

    Progress and Impact:

     

    1. As of January 3, 2025, the scheme has guaranteed 260 loans worth ₹604.16 crore to 209 startups.

     

    1. Among these, ₹27.04 crore has been allocated to 17 women-led startups.

    Other Notable Schemes                                                                                  

     

    Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)

     

    Launched in 2016 by NITI Aayog, the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) aims to promote innovation and entrepreneurship across India. It includes initiatives like Atal Tinkering Labs at the school level to foster creativity, Atal Incubation Centres to build a robust startup ecosystem, and Atal Community Innovation Centres to serve unserved and underserved regions. The Atal New India Challenges focus on product and service innovations with national impact. All initiatives are monitored through real-time MIS systems, with third-party reviews for continuous improvement.

     

    Progress and Impact:

     

    1. Till date, 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs have been established in schools across India under AIM.

     

    1. As of December 18, 2024, a total of 3,556 startups have been incubated in 72 Atal Incubation Centres (AICs), creating 41,965 jobs.

     

    MeitY Startup Hub (MSH)

    India is home to one of the most vibrant startup ecosystems with close to 30,000+ tech startups, making it the 3rd largest startup ecosystem in the world. The MeitY Startup Hub (MSH) aims to foster a vibrant innovation and startup ecosystem by uniting technology innovation stakeholders and promoting economic growth through innovation and technological advancement. It serves as a central hub, ensuring synergies among incubation centres, Centres of Excellence on Emerging Technologies, and other platforms supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. MSH facilitates the sharing of resources, best practices, and ideas across the entire innovation and startup ecosystem.

     

    Progress and Impact:

     

    1. 5,310+ startups, 495+ incubators, and 328+ labs are part of the MeitY Startup Hub (MSH) scheme.

     

    Over the last 10 years, India’s startup ecosystem has experienced tremendous growth, becoming the third-largest in the world. With initiatives like Startup India, SISFS, CGSS, FFS, and sector-specific schemes such as AIM and MSH, the government has played a pivotal role in fostering innovation, creating jobs, and supporting entrepreneurs. This dynamic collaboration among stakeholders has strengthened the ecosystem, driving economic growth and empowering the next generation of innovators. Looking ahead, India’s startup landscape is set to reach even greater milestones.

     

    References:

     

    1. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2093125
    2. https://www.pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1886031
    3. https://msh.meity.gov.in/
    4. https://aim.gov.in/overview.php
    5. https://sansad.in/getFile/loksabhaquestions/annex/183/AU3820_406x3D.pdf?source=pqals
    6. https://www.startupindia.gov.in/

    Click here to download PDF

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Sowing Seeds of Nutrition Key Schemes Driving Food Security Across Nation

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 2:42PM by PIB Delhi

    Introduction

    Food is a fundamental necessity and ensuring its accessibility while maintaining nutritional standards is crucial for overall well-being. To address this, the government has implemented several unique schemes that not only provide essential rations at fair prices but also focus on the nutrition of newborns and mothers. These initiatives are designed to promote holistic health and ensure that every citizen has access to both food and proper nutrition.

    Public Distribution System (PDS)

    The Public Distribution System (PDS) evolved as a system of management of scarcity through distribution of foodgrains at affordable prices. Over the years, PDS has become an important part of Government’s policy for management of food economy in the country.

    Key Achievements:

    1. 100% digitized ration cards/beneficiaries’ data under NFSA in all States/UTs. Details of almost 20.5 Crore ration Cards covering around 80.5 Crore beneficiaries are available on transparency portals of States/UTs.
    2. More than 99.8% Aadhaar seeding of ration cards (at least one member).
    3. About 99.6% (5.41 Lakh of total 5.43 Lakh) Fair Price Shops (FPSs) in the country are automated using electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices for transparent and ensured distribution of subsidized food grains to beneficiaries.
    4. Under distribution of food grains, more than 97% of the transactions have been recorded biometrically/Aadhaar authenticated by States/UTs.

    PM POSHAN (POshan SHAkti Nirman) Scheme

    Launch Date: Approved from 2021-22 to 2025-26

    Objective: The PM POSHAN (POSHAN Shakti Nirman) Scheme was earlier known as the National Programme for Mid-Day Meal in Schools. The initiative was first launched on 15th August 1995 under the name National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE). Its goal has been to improve school enrollment, attendance and retention by offering nutritional support to primary school children. Over the years, the scheme expanded to cover upper primary classes in 2008-09 and was renamed as Mid-Day Meal Scheme, evolving in terms of coverage, food quantity and financial assistance.

    Key Achievements:

    1. National scheme of PM POSHAN in schools has been announced for the five-year period 2021-22 to 2025-26 with the financial outlay of ₹ 54061.73 crores from the Central Government and ₹ 31733.17 crore from State Governments & UT administrations.
    2. Central Government will also bear additional cost of about ₹ 45000 crore on food grains. Therefore, the total scheme budget will amount to ₹ 130794.90 crore.
    3. The budget released for the PM POSHAN Scheme rose from ₹6,539.52 crore in 2008-09 to ₹8,457.74 crore in 2023-24, marking an increase in funding for the scheme over the years.

    PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme (PMFME)

    Launch Date: The scheme is operational for a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2025-26.

    Objective: With an outlay of Rs. 10,000 crore, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries has introduced the PMFME Scheme to offer financial, technical, and business support for upgrading existing micro food processing enterprises and establishing new units.

    Key Achievements:

    1. Project Cost Growth: The project cost under the PMFME Scheme increased from ₹390.99 crore in 2021-22 to ₹5,198.3 crore in 2023-24.
    2. Increase in Food Processing Units: The number of food processing units grew significantly from 2,885 in 2021-22 to 54,730 in 2023-24.
    3. Employment Generation: Employment generated through the scheme rose from 14,201 jobs in 2021-22 to 1,88,802 jobs in 2023-24.

    Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI)

    Launch Date: Approved by the Union Cabinet on 31st March 2021 to be implemented from 2021-22 to 2026-27.

    Objective: With a budget of ₹10,900 crore under the scheme the Government provides financial incentives to promote Indian food brands abroad, supporting branding and marketing activities for Indian-branded consumer food products in global markets.

    Key Achievements:

     

    1. According to data reported by the scheme’s beneficiaries, an investment of ₹ 8,910 crore has been made across 213 locations. As of 31 October 2024, the scheme has reportedly generated employment of over 2.89 lakh.
    2. The project cost for the National PLISFPI Scheme was ₹663 crore in 2020-21, and it increased significantly to ₹8,910 crore in 2023-24, reflecting substantial growth and investment in the initiative.Nutr

    ition

    1. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)
    2. Launch Date: March, 2020
    3. Objective: Objective: In the wake of economic disruptions caused by the unprecedented outbreak of COVID-19 in the country, the Government had announced the distribution of additional free-of-cost foodgrains (Rice/Wheat) to about 81.35 Crore National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries at the scale of 5 Kg per person per month under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), over and above the regular monthly NFSA foodgrains. The total duration of the scheme was 28 months
    4. To remove the financial burden of the poor beneficiaries and to ensure nationwide uniformity and effective implementation of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, the Government had decided to provide food grains free of cost to NFSA beneficiaries i.e. AAY households and PHH beneficiaries, for a period of one year beginning from 01.01.2023 to 31.12.2023 under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).
    5. More than 75 crore beneficiaries have received foodgrains every month during implementation of PMGKAY in FY 2020-21, 2021-22 and FY 2022-23.
    6. Keeping in view welfare of the beneficiaries of PMGKAY in terms of accessibility, affordability and availability of food grains for the poor and to maintain uniformity across the States, the Government has decided to continue to provide free food grains to about 81.35 Crore beneficiaries under the PMGKAY for a period of five years with effect from 1st January 2024. iAbhiyaan)

    POSHAN Abhiyaan

    Launch Date: March, 2018

    Objective: To achieve improvement in nutritional status of Children from 0-6 years, Adolescent Girls, Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers in a time bound manner and to achieve reduction in stunting and wasting in children (0-6 years) as well as reduction in anemia in women, children and adolescent girls.

    Key Achievements:

    1. Fund allocation under POSHAN Abhiyaan is ₹ 950.00 crore, ₹ 3061.30 crore and ₹ 3400.00 crore in year 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 respectively.
    2. As of 31st December 2023, Poshan Abhiyaan had 10,05,05,429 beneficiaries, and by 31st December 2024, this number had increased to 10,12,82,551, reflecting a steady rise in the scheme’s outreach.

    By 2023, the Ministry has approved 41 Mega Food Park (MFP) projects, with 24 already operational and 17 more under development. Furthermore, India’s innovative branding of millets as Shree Anna marks a significant milestone in the evolution of food and nutrition. With these initiatives, the government aims to revolutionize the food industry, ensuring a sustainable and nutritious future for all.

    Click here to see in PDF:

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Building a Stronger Workforce Building Stronger Employment Foundations

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 01 FEB 2025 2:32PM by PIB Delhi

    Introduction

    India has seen significant employment growth, with a 36% increase and around 170 million jobs added between 2016-17 and 2023-24. This reflects the country’s strong economic trajectory and job creation across various sectors. Schemes like e-Shram, Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana and the National Career Service have been key drivers, supporting rural employment and providing training and career opportunities. These initiatives are essential for strengthening India’s workforce and ensuring sustainable job creation.

    e-Shram

    Launch: 21st October, 2024

    Objective: The eShram portal, was launched on 26 August 2021 to register and support unorganised workers by providing them with a Universal Account Number (UAN) and for the creation of a comprehensive National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW).

    eShram– “One-Stop-Solution” was launched on 21st October 2024, which entails the integration of different social security/ welfare schemes on a single portal, i.e., eShram. This enables unorganised workers registered on eShram to access social security schemes and see benefits availed by them so far through eShram.

    1. Key Achievements:
    2. As of 27 January 2025, over 30.58 crore unorganised workers have already registered on the eShram portal
    3. So far, 12 schemes of different central ministries/departments have been integrated/mapped with eShram.

    Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY)

     Launch: 1st October, 2020


    Objective: To incentivize employers for creation of new employment and restoration of loss of employment during Covid-19 pandemic.

    Key Achievements:

    1. As of March 31, 2024, a total of Rs. 10,188.50 crore has been disbursed to 60.49 Lakh beneficiaries through 1.52 Lakh establishments.

    National Career Service (NCS)

    Launch Date: 20th July, 2015.

    Objective: NCS has become a ‘one stop platform’ for career related services including jobs from private and government sectors, information on online & offline job fairs, skill/training programmes etc. It works towards bridging the gap between jobseekers and employers, candidates seeking training and career guidance, agencies providing training and career counselling.

     

    Key Achievements:

    1. From January 1 to December 15, 2024, 1.89 Crores vacancies were available on the NCS portal, bringing the total to 3.89 crore vacancies since inception.
    2. A total of 8,263 job fairs were organized on the NCS portal, with 43,874 employers participating, leading to the provisional selection of 2.6 Lakh candidates.
    3. The portal saw 17.23 Lakh new employers and 1.38 Crores new job seekers registering during the year.

    Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PM-SVANidhi)

    Launch: 1st June, 2020

    Objective: To facilitate collateral free working capital loan to street vendors to restart their businesses, which were adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Key Achievements:

    1. No. of Beneficiaries 6,801,644
    2. Sanctioned amount 14,332.1 Cr
    3. Disbursed amount 13,736.14 Cr from 2020 till 28.01.2025

    National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS)

    Launch Date: August, 2016

    Objective: Aims to promote apprenticeship training in the country by providing stipend support to the apprentices, undertake capacity building of the apprenticeship ecosystem and provide advocacy assistance to support rapid growth.

    Key Achievements:

    1. Training Status: As of August 31, 2024, 367,170 apprentices are engaged for the 2024-25 financial year, with a total of 780,000 apprentices undergoing training across 47,708 establishments.
    2. DBT Progress: Since its launch on August 11, 2023, the number of apprentices under DBT has risen from 172,542 in July 2023 to 295,011 in July 2024. The Government of India has also disbursed ₹468.27 crore in stipends through DBT.

    Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)

    Launch: 2005

    Objective: It is a demand driven wage employment Scheme which provides for the enhancement of livelihood security of the households in rural areas of the country by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

    Key Achievements:

    1. In FY 2013-14, the minimum average notified wage rate for Mahatma Gandhi NREGA was ₹155, while in FY 2024-25, the minimum average notified wage rate is ₹279.
    2. In FY 2024-25, attendance for 20.35 lakh worksites (95.66%) has been captured and uploaded on the portal.
    3. The total person days generated between FY 2006-07 to FY 2013-14 were 1660 crore, whereas, the total person days between FY 2014-15 to FY 2024-25 has been 2923 crore.

     

    In addition to these efforts the government has implemented various initiatives for employment welfare, including the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme and support for Gig and Platform Workers all aimed at further enhancing job security and opportunities for the workforce.

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    Santosh Kumar/ Binoykumar C V/ Kamna Lakaria

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