INDIA & ISRAEL SIGN DEFENCE DEALS
Israel has signed about two billion US dollars deal with India to supply advanced missile defence systems, bolstering bilateral military ties.
CEO of the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) , Joseph Weiss said in a statement that, it will provide advanced medium-range surface-to-air missile systems (MRSAM) to the Indian Army.
He said it would also supply additional long-range air and missile defence systems (LRSAM) for the first locally produced Indian aircraft carrier. He said the current contracts represent an enormous expression of confidence by the Government of India in IAI’s capabilities and advanced technologies, which are being developed with our local partners as part of the Indian Government’s Make in India’ policy’.
MRSAM’s current version is operational with the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy and Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
The system includes an advanced phased-array radar,command and control, mobile launchers and missiles withadvanced RF seekers.
64TH NATIONAL FILM AWARDS
64th National Film Awards have been announced and Marathi Movie Kaasav directed by Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukthankar has bagged the Best Feature Film Award.
Akshay Kumar has been chosen for the Best Actor Award for Hindi Movie Rustom. Surabhi C M has been named as the best actress for her role in Malayalam film Minnaminungu-The Firefly. Sonam Kapoor starrer Neerja bagged the best Hindi film award. Sonam will receive a special mention for her critically-lauded performance.
Announcing the awards, Chairman of the jury and noted film Director Priyadarshan said, Hindi movie Dhanak directed by Nagesh Kukunoor will get the best children film award. He said, Telugu movie Sathamanam Bhavathi has been chosen as the Best popular film providing wholesome entertainment.
He said, Best Film on social issue has been awarded to Hindi movie Pink. Mr Priyadarshan said, over 300 films were vied for the honours this year. The award for Best Supporting Actress will be conferred on Zaira Wasim for her role in Hindi movie Dangal. Manoj Joshi will get Best supporting actor award for Marathi movie Dashkriya.
Best Music Direction has been bagged by Bapu Padmanabha for Kannada movie Allama. Joker has been chosen as the Best Tamil movie, Wrong Side Raju has been chosen as best Gujarati movie, Peli Chuplu has been chosen as best Telugu film and Amaj Rati Keteki bagged the best Assamese movie award and Bisorjon is selected for Best Bengali Film.
AUNG SAN SUU KYI INTERVIEW, PLUS UN ORDERS ROHINGYA INVESTIGATION
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PEACEKEEPING AT CROSSROADS
7 APRIL 2017
UNIC/PRESS RELEASE/046-2017
FROM THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL
Peacekeeping at Crossroads
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Security Council briefing on United Nations Peacekeeping, in New York on 6 April:
United Nations peacekeeping is an investment in global peace, security, and prosperity.
Around the world, the Blue Helmets are the concrete expression of the Charter’s determination “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war”.
The achievements of peace operations are a source of great pride to us all. When they fail, it causes us pain and drives us to improve.
United Nations peacekeepers have contributed to a legacy of stability from El Salvador to Namibia, from East Timor [Timor-Leste] to Côte d’Ivoire, and from Mozambique to Cambodia.
Fifty-four missions have completed their mandates and closed; two more will do so in the months ahead. That is our objective for every peacekeeping mission: to do the job entrusted to it. To save lives. To prevent mass atrocities. To set the stage for stability and sustainable peace. And to close.
And, from start to finish, to be cost-effective. Today’s peacekeeping budget is less than one half of 1 per cent of global military spending.
At the start of my first day in office, I laid a wreath to honour more than 3,500 fallen peacekeepers who gave their lives for the ideals of the United Nations Charter. We owe them a great debt for their dedication and courage. The safety of peacekeepers will remain our priority.
United Nations peace operations are diverse, and their operating environments are highly complex. We share a responsibility to adapt them to our changing world.
As the High-level Panel on Peace Operations made clear, we face a gap between ambitions and capacities; between our goals and the means we have to achieve them. As a result, peacekeeping is often perceived as overstretched, and under siege.
In many places, peacekeepers are deployed where peace itself is at stake. Sometimes, they may face hostility and lack of cooperation from host Governments. They sometimes deal with serious security challenges as a result of terrorism, the flood of weapons, and the growth of transnational crime. Some of our largest operations have become divorced from political processes and appear to be stuck, with little prospect for progress. These are the challenges we must face together.
We in the Secretariat must be more effective, efficient, and accountable. We look to the General Assembly for strong political backing, and a more flexible approach to rules and regulations to facilitate our work. We look to troop- and police-contributing countries for committed and well-trained personnel. We trust that countries bordering conflict zones and regional organizations will support our peace operations. We expect the full backing of host countries. And above all, we look to this Council for unity, and for clear, achievable mandates.
The United Nations relies for its legitimacy on the confidence of people around the world. But that confidence has been shaken by appalling cases of sexual exploitation and abuse that have tarnished the reputation of the United Nations across the board, and also our peacekeeping missions. I have set out my new approach to tackle this blight, and I am determined to implement it, with your support.
We need a comprehensive strategy that supports the diverse range of our missions and takes account of the entire peace continuum, from prevention, conflict resolution and peacekeeping to peacebuilding and long-term development.
This strategy must be based on two overriding principles:
First, there is no one-size-fits-all peace operation. While some missions have straightforward mandates that focus on separating warring parties or monitoring ceasefires in a relatively stable environment, others have more robust mandates, to protect civilians and deal with multiple armed groups. Protection of civilians will continue to be a key priority for peacekeeping.
In Somalia, we are supporting the African Union peace operation, backed by a Security Council mandate. In Mali, while United Nations peacekeepers are not and should not be directly engaged in fighting terrorism, they coordinate with counter-terrorist forces.
The Council recently expressed its support for the regional initiative by Member States in the Lake Chad Basin to develop a Multinational Joint Task Force to combat Boko Haram.
Finally, our political missions are supporting peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan and Iraq, together with development agencies and others.
All these operations play a vital role in building and sustaining peace.
But our political strategies, management systems and administration are not set up to support them effectively. We must plan for diversity across time and geography, creating flexibility without additional costs.
Second, the success of every mission depends on an active political process, with the commitment of all stakeholders, particularly Governments. This Council has a vital role in securing this commitment and cooperation. I will personally support this goal in any way possible. I have spoken before to this Council about the urgency and necessity of a surge in diplomacy for peace.
We have already made important recent reforms to peacekeeping. I thank Hervé Ladsous for his important role, and count on the continued leadership of Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix.
We have increased the number of troop- and police-contributing countries and improved the generation of forces, so that they can be deployed more quickly. Modern technologies are improving situational awareness and analysis.
We have decentralized key functions and we are strengthening performance management and accountability.
These reforms have reduced the cost per capita of uniformed peacekeepers by 18 per cent since 2008, and decreased the number of civilian staff significantly.
But much remains to be done.
In the short term, we must end operations that have achieved their goals and reform those that no longer meet needs on the ground. Our missions in Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia will soon close, and we must consider reforms and exit strategies for other long-standing missions.
In Haiti, we are ready to transform our mission so that it will focus on political support, institution-building and development. In Darfur, the changing situation on the ground may call for a significant reduction of forces.
Each mission must be considered in its unique political context. In that spirit, I commend the Council’s unanimous decision last week to renew the mandate of our operation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, MONUSCO [United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo].
In the longer-term, I see nine areas for reform.
First, I have established a team to examine how to improve our peace and security architecture, which will report to me by June.
Second, we need greater efficiency and accountability. Too many of the rules and regulations of the Secretariat seem designed to prevent rather than facilitate our work. I am committed to changing this, and I hope Member States will support me, including in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) of the General Assembly.
Third, peacekeeping operations need clear, realistic and up-to-date mandates from this Council, with well-identified priorities, adequate sequencing and flexibility to evolve over time.
Fourth, women must play a far more active role in peace operations, as troops, police and civilian staff. This is not only because gender parity is essential for its own sake, but because the involvement of women is proven to increase the chances of sustained peace, and to reduce incidences of sexual abuse and exploitation.
Fifth, we need better and more coordinated planning, control and leadership of our operations and strategy. The creation of an Executive Committee and closer cooperation between the Department of Political Affairs and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations are aimed precisely at addressing this. I also plan further decentralization to empower my Special Representatives.
Sixth, we must increase the use of modern technology. This will help us to become more flexible and mobile. I encourage the trilateral arrangements through which countries with the capacity to do so are providing training and equipment to peace operations. But alongside these arrangements, I count on these countries to step up their troop contributions.
Seventh, we need to communicate and increase awareness that United Nations peacekeeping operations are a necessity for global peace, security and prosperity, and that they are achieving results.
Eighth, we need to deepen ties with our regional and subregional partners. At the African Union summit earlier this year, I committed to strengthening our partnership on political issues and peace operations, with stronger mutual support and continued capacity-building.
United Nations peace operations will continue to need the vital partnership of the European Union. As the security of Europe is directly affected by situations in which peacekeeping missions are deployed, it is likely that there will be further opportunities for cooperation.
It is equally important to develop our relationships with subregional organizations, including ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States], IGAD [Intergovernmental Authority on Development] and others. I call on this Council to consider supporting the initiative proposed by the G-5 Sahel.
Ninth and finally, these partnerships must be based on solid, predictable funding. I hope the Council will consider supporting missions that are backed by a Council resolution and done by our partners either by assessed contributions, or by promoting other predictable financing mechanisms.
Peace operations are at a crossroads. Our task is to keep them relevant with clear and achievable mandates, and the right strategies and support.
Success depends on our collective efforts. You can count on my full commitment.
But I also count on the unity and support of this Council, to fulfil its primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security in this changing world.
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SUSTAINABILITY AND SCALABILITY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA :
Sustainability & Scalability of Skill Development In India USINDIA Business Council at Taj Mahal hotel New Delhi
USINDIA Business Council along with American Foundation organised today. Conference on skiling that aims to bring together stakeholders to focus ob challenges related to scalability and Sustainability of Skill Development programs in India and way the business cab play important role in supporting the Government’s objectives. India working is about 4% sill as per Joint Secretary Mr Asheesh Sharma Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship GOI. Skill needs certification essentially .
Skilling up-scaling, Re-scaling, tech Skilling needs continuity which can gain momentum unless Corporate dies their action rights.Delhi ecosystem is better and collective efforts by Gov Corporate and experts NGO. PM Kaushal Vikas Yojna with fixed target so that people follow. CSR formulation was done in 2014 by injecting in Registrar of companies ROC with business value and not in charitable way. We are not able to scale up Skill Dev within couple of years then skill nightmare is bound to happen. In order to skill happen across nation complete blueprint is needed right from plumber to CNC machine need from construction to manufacturing.Many sites are found in best of construction the alignment quality and neatness of work is absent which gives difficult acts to next technician of fixing best apparatus fixture and other fittings . Nearly ninety percent in informal system we need them bring into system. We need amicable labour laws need quality trainer.We in lieu thereof need Q master trainer to train the Trainer..Each speakers ask for corporate to pitch in to help the development of skill as they are the people who need hiring and put the skilled person on the jobs to get efficient services for their products and services for the costumers. However we need up-scaling at weavers handicraft and designers.with rapid technology innovation happening around us many skills are being raided and are waning thus skill need to more skilled by putting them in basic education system in School college and job. Technology skill need to imparted in education system which can improvise Skilling and upscaling this to change of time to develop and inspire youth to be Enterpreuner. The students need for their skill development three best, the Content, the Teacher, Industry job ready. Necessity of. Job is central to sill development thus employ-ability must remain be vital for the present future utility in various sector of Industry and trade.Along with industry institution we need across the nation large number of NGOs working in social and business slots which are demand by open market could be eatery drivers for various vehicles mechanic photography teaching at kindergarten to primary school level. Pedal and power Rickshaw operators migrating in large number in cities to earn their livelihoods along with cooks housing maid domestic help and eatery vendors pouring across the metro cities thus all these workers need skill upscaling and create swach bharat along with hygienic condition in services and product. Many best skilled get obsolete with change of Technology or advanced tech system as of robotics and automation. Thus skills need to be in heels to look for IOT and the GOI is creating jobs in Instrumentation, Labs and other engineering converging with the help of IIT and addressing high scale training. Employment is primary for skill training, skill needs to be professional initiated by NGO’s need to be scale up which can be absorbed by corporate and industry quickly and rapidly . Dr Sanjay,the Vice Chancellor of Mumbai University, spoke of need of Skilling of students along with mentors training, teachers skilling which are happening in universities and professional experts too need up-scaling . Online education are need of hours for which they can appear exams once a year and can work or learn in vocational institute for their employment or gearing up for the profession as per their need around the space in which they are placed.
Further more Many spoke of work dignity which are absolutely absent in our society and social engineering needs to shed some dignity, money and respect to these people. With skill people who don’t have education also suffers from the ills of the society.
Those who have education but no skills which are essential and needed for the profession thus remains uneducated in practicability these educated class , has no experience thus remain unemployed or underemployed. Bridging the gap and blending the two is task of the corporate,NGO’s and other organisation to put them on suitable employments. More vocational education at schools level and at college levels could help the professional to grow in progressive pathways.
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