Day: July 29, 2020

Importance of feedback in the recruitment process

A couple of years back I was shortlisted for a well-known, reputed multinational organization and I had to appear for their recruitment drive. I had to report there at about 8:30 AM and the recruitment process consisted of GD followed a couple of rounds of interview. After clearing the GD and the first interview round, I appeared for the last round of interview. It was a managerial and HR round and mostly consisted of questions about me. I answered whatever they asked me and I could understand from their non-verbal expressions, that they were quite satisfied with my answers. I came out of my interview, getting a feeling of being shortlisted. But to my utter surprise, I was rejected. I left the building, thinking about where I went wrong considering the fact that I gave my best out there and they also seemed to be impressed by me. I was puzzled and confused and I really hoped at that time, that they should have told me after my rejection where I went wrong and where I can improve.

All I wanted at that time was feedback. Feedback would have clearly responded to my questions of   rejection and would have left me – less confused. Essentially feedback is considered to be the last and the most crucial step in the entire recruitment process. But sadly, many companies fail to provide a reason of their doings, let alone a plausible one. Companies should understand that when candidates are signing up for them, they should at least respect our decision by providing a platform where we can share our thoughts easily. In the recent times, feedback is considered to be a crucial step and a recruitment process is considered to be incomplete without this step.

Why feedback is considered to be a very important step is due to these reasons:

  1. Feedback ensures the transparency of the recruitment process of an organization. It remove the fuzziness involved in the process of selection.
  2. Candidates better understand what went wrong in the process and it makes them stronger when they appear for the next drive.
  3. Feedback, if solicited from the candidates, help the recruiters to understand any loopholes in the recruitment process and it also provides an avenue for the recruiters to improve themselves.
  4. Ensures transparency of the company which can promote the employer branding and can also be a tool or a source of great competitive advantage.
  5. Word of mouth is a tool which can make or break an organization. As in the case of mine, if feedback was provided, even though I did not get selected, I would have definitely spread the good word for that company.

The process which most company fails to understand is very simple. Our industry thrives on feedback and to get a very first-hand experience of how any program appeals to the mass, one should definitely implement the feedback step in each and every process. From a candidate’s perspective, I can say that it is not feasible to get selected in every company, but if I am giving sometime for one company, I might as well know what went wrong for me to be rejected from that company.

As for companies, they should understand – Respect works in both ways.

Source – Self

How to leave with respect when laid off

Abdul Kalaam once said – “Love your job but NEVER fall in love with your company”.

Desperate times calls for desperate measures. At least that’s what some of the reputed, well known and no-so-known companies have done in the recent times, owing to the pandemic. Many a companies are trying to cope with the lashes of COVID-19 by cutting costs, eliminating positions and retrenching people. Positions that were once considered to be very crucial to the functioning of the business were just scraped off from the hierarchy and employees occupying those positions were handed a ‘good-bye’ note.

But there is a stark difference in how some of the companies decided to do so. In some companies, the CEO was very transparent in explaining why there is a necessity to lay off people and they felt extremely sorry while doing so. They wrote long, meaningful mails and they at least tried to empathise with the laid off employees. And then there are other companies who’s CEOs just mailed a short message conveying that they are being laid off without any note of sorry or explanation, forget about transparency. But whatever be the mode or the reason of laying off, we as employees should understand that it is best for business and instead of leaving on a bad note, we should make sure to leave with respect and on a good note.

There is no doubt that we might be feeling very smitten inside, but we should not let that feeling empower us to destroy everything that we have accumulated over the years. Now, one must be wondering how to do so amidst such emotional times. I would like to suggest a few ways by which one can leave on a good note even when things might have not worked in their way. Some of those suggestions are:

  1. Try to not dwell on the negative emotions. At the time of lay off, one might feel very low about it, but try not to feed into the negative emotions. Instead of that, one should think about one’ achievements, successes and milestones at the company. Think about what was your best contribution and what worked for you and try to harvest on that.
  2. Try to work out a plan to handover your work. Since one is working remotely, one must be very methodical and careful while handing over very confidential information such as clients’ list project reports and other such documents so that others’ can plan out the work. It is very okay to feel about withholding information, but one should not do so because one should understand that it is not the end of one’s career.
  3. Draft a proper good bye mail. Draft a short and clear mail, intended to one’s colleagues, friends and other people in one’s office network. Make sure to include your contact details – mostly phone number and personal mail id so that people can stay in touch with you. Also one should not forget to give a note of thanks to everyone, in spite of all differences. Such a habit will definitely help one in one’s career while searching for other jobs.
  4. Try to build and amend bridges at the time of leaving. One should talk to the close colleagues, confidantes and the network of peers and mentors, so that they can assist to find a new job in this landscape.

These are the very few steps one should take to ensure that even though things did not quite work out well for you, there is always a way to make things better at some other place.

‘Networking is the key to one’s success.’

Source – Self

Education system due to Covid ’19:

As we can see, because of this pandemic covid’19 there are millions of people who have lost their employment without their consent. There are hundreds of many individuals who also haven’t earned salaries even after struggling too hard for their valued employment till now. Infact there are many families that don’t even have housing to stay in because of the rents they’ve been staying in.

So even after observing all these conditions, students will still be paying entire fees for the coming academic year. 

2020-21.

I can’t digest at the extent that all lectures will be held online owing to the lockout, no usage can be made of college premises such as classes, libraries, computer laboratories, research labs, sporting facilities, canteens, why are students expected to charge for these things? Why are students receiving threatening calls from college premises saying they would refuse to compensate for their academic year, if they do not pay?Why are those students who already paid their fees are tortured because the students who cant afford to pay fees that if they don’t pay fees online lectures wont be conducted. Why there is no understanding from the parents point of view about for the problems they are facing to even handle their home chores.

In such situations many parent are targeting even teachers for which they are not at all responsible. Teachers too are not getting salaries on time from colleges or schools. Infact these teachers are too being forced to influence the children to pay their fees.

And without purpose teachers are often abused by both colleges as well as students. while they are struggling to understand about this modern technology method of teaching, they are told from one side college to keep online lectures and from other side students not showing any interest in online lectures and abusing them.

Parents and students who assume that pressuring teachers over these problems would make them fulfill their requests, but it’s absolutely false. Since the major game is played by college premises and administrators. They’re utilizing all the powerful resources.

They are neither reducing the fees of students nor paying salaries to teachers incharged  . 

Parents and teachers should lodge complaints against these colleges for the advantages they ‘re taking through this tough period. 

Colleges can either postpone online lessons or not accept any tuition from the enrolled students in these schools for a period of three months from April 1 to July 1 or before the start the of offline / physical school courses.

Nevertheless, some states who tried to look at the concerns and had already filed petitions among them, the Punjab government, on Thursday, nonetheless, had ordered schools to release maximum wages for workers and not to ask parents to pay books, uniforms and transportation fees and stated that no school should charge students fees on the pretext of online teaching classes during the lockdown. 

Although many parents have reached out to the Delhi government over the time requesting waiver of fees, no decision in this regard has yet been taken. 

And with that we will all be waiting in the expectation that the government will take actions taking into consideration our circumstances and writs.

Introduction to Fundamental Rights

The fundamental rights are defined as the basis humar rights of all citizens. These rights, defined in part 3rd of the constitution. Applied irrespective of caste, creed, place of birth, religion etc. They are enforceable by the court, subject to specific restrictions.

What is the purpose of fundamental rights ?

1. Preserve individual liberty,

2. Equality of all members of society,

3. Dr Ambedkar said that the responsibility of the legislature is just not to provide fundamental rights but also and rather,  to safeguard them.

List of fundamental rights 

There are six fundamental rights of Indian constitution along with to constitutional article.

Right to equality (article 14-18)

Right to equality guarantees equal rights for everyone irrespective of their caste, creed, birth of place, religion or race. This right also includes the abolition of titles as well as untouchability.

Right to freedom (article 19-22)

Freedom is one fo the most important ideals enhanced and cherished by the democratic country. Without freedom the democracy is meaningless. The freedom right includes many rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of association And freedom to practice any profession and religion.

Right against exploitation (article 23-24)

This right implies the prohibition of traffic in human beings, beggar and other forms of force labour. It also implies the prohibition of child labour. The constitution prohibits the employment of children under 14 years in hazardous conditions.

Right to freedom of religion (article 25-28)

There is equal importance given to all religions. There is freedom of conscience, profession, practice and propagation of religion. The state has no official religion. Every person has the right to choose his/her religion.

Cultural and educational rights (article 29-30)

Special protection provided in the constitution to preserve and develop the language, Culture and religion of minorities. Every culture has the right to conserve it’s language, culture and religious practices.

Right to constitutional remedies (article 32)

Article 32 provide a guaranteed remedy, in the form of a fundamental right itself, for enforcement of all the other fundamental rights, and the supreme court is designated as the protector of these rights by the constitution.the supreme court has the jurisdiction to enforce the fundamental rights even against the private bodies. And in case of violation, award compensation as well as to the affected individual.

Right to privacy

Right to privacy is the latest right of our country being recently approved by the supreme court of india. According to this right we are liable to keep our material private and without our permission no one can interfere in our private matter.

Right to property was removed from the Indian constitution in 1978. It is no longer counted as a fundamental right.  

Chyawanprash market in India

Chyawanprash (CP) is an Ayurvedic health supplement which is made up of a super-concentrated blend of nutrient-rich herbs and minerals. It is meant to restore drained reserves of life force (ojas) and to preserve strength, stamina, and vitality, while stalling the course of aging. Chyawanprash is formulated by processing around 50 medicinal herbs and their extracts, including the prime ingredient, Amla (Indian gooseberry), which is the world’s richest source of vitamin C. Chyawanprash preparation involves preparing a decoction of herbs, followed by dried extract preparation, subsequent mixture with honey, and addition of aromatic herb powders (namely clove, cardamom, and cinnamon) as standard. The finished product has a fruit jam-like consistency, and a sweet, sour, and spicy flavor. Scientific exploration of CP is warranted to understand its therapeutic efficacy. Scattered information exploring the therapeutic potential of CP is available, and there is a need to assemble it. Thus, an effort was made to compile the scattered information from ancient Ayurvedic texts and treatises, along with ethnobotanical, ethnopharmacological, and scientifically validated literature, that highlight the role of CP in therapeutics. Citations relevant to the topic were screened.

Chyawanprash is not just consumed in India but also the rest of the world. It is a brown paste which contains herbs, spices, and other ingredients, prepared according to Ayurvedic traditions. The market size of chyawanprash is approximately Rs 500 crores.  Chyawanprash is not a product that emerged in the market in the 20th century. In fact, its existence can be dated back to Vedic times, 10,000 years ago, when this formulation was prepared for Chyawan Rishi at his ashram on Dhosi Hill near Narnaul. Since it was prepared for Chyawan Rishi, the formulation came to be known as Chyawanprash.   

Chyawanprash can be consumed directly or mixed with warm water and milk. The main ingredient in Chyawanprash is amla and it is rich in Vitamin C. There are many health benefits linked to the consumption of Chyawanprash.    Chyawanprash helps to relieve cough and fever, has anti-ageing benefits, improves memory, digestion, and complexion, and gives strength to all sense organs. As a result, many people in India consume Chyawanprash daily to prevent any ailments. There are many Chyawanprash brands in the Indian market such as Dabur, Emami Group, Himalaya, Bajaj, and Baidyanath; however, the leading brand is Dabur, with a market share of 70 percent. The price of Chyawanprash is approximately Rs 200 per kilogram.   

Today, there are a number of variants of Chyawanprash to cater to the differing tastes of individuals. With growing stress among individuals, especially among the urban folks, there is a demand for stress-relief medicines and potions.    To cater to this group of individuals, Dabur has come up with Chyawanshakti, a slight variation of Chyawanprash. Chyawanshakti is a unique mix of herbs to help individuals combat all pressures of life. Also, there are sugar-free Chyawanprash products for those who are diabetic. To entice children into consuming Chyawanprash, new flavors such as chocolate, orange and mango have been introduced into the market. Chyawanprash has made its way into every household because it has kept pace with the times and tweaked its marketing campaigns to connect well with the masses, especially the younger generation.   

Apart from introducing new and exciting variants of Chyawanprash, organizations have backed their marketing campaigns with well-known stars. To entice the younger generation, Dhoni has been featured in Dabur Chyawanprash advertisements. In Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Ravi Kishan has been signed by Dabur for the promotional activities of the company. Emami, on the other hand, signed Shah Rukh Khan as the brand ambassador for its Chyawanprash products.   Today, even though there is an influx of foreign health supplements into the Indian market, Indians are still consuming ayurvedic products such as Chyawanprash because they do not have any side effects. More and more Indians are becoming health conscious and they are preferring ayurvedic and organic products to those manufactured using chemicals. So, there is a huge market that has been left untapped by the Chyawanprash industry. As the saying goes, “prevention is better than cure,” it is better to strengthen one’s immune system and stay healthy instead of relying on medicines for cure. And this is exactly what Chyawanprash communicates. 

Excellent Career in FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) Industry

Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector is characterized by strong MNC presence and a well established distribution network. In India the easy availability of raw materials as well as cheap labor makes it an ideal destination for this sector. There is also intense competition between the organized and unorganized segments and the fight to keep operational costs low. Due to this intense competition coupled with good enough growth in the sector, it requires huge number of human resource year on year. Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) goods are all consumable items (other than groceries/pulses) that one needs to buy at regular intervals. These are items which are used daily, and so have a quick rate of consumption, and a high return.  

FMCG can broadly be categorized into three segments which are :  

• Household items as soaps, detergents, household accessories, etc,

• Personal care items as shampoos, toothpaste, shaving products, etc and finally

• Food and Beverages as snacks, processed foods, tea, coffee, edible oils, soft drinks etc.  

Global leaders in the FMCG segment are Nestlé, ITC, Hindustan Unilever Limited, Reckitt Benckiser, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, Carlsberg, Kleenex, General Mills, Pepsi, Gillette etc. The burgeoning middle class Indian population, as well as the rural sector, presents a huge potential for this sector. The FMCG sector in India is at present, the fourth largest sector with a total market size in excess of USD 13 billion as of 2012. This sector is expected to grow to a USD 33 billion industry by 2015 and to a whooping USD 100 billion by the year 2025. Growing awareness, easier access, and changing lifestyles have been the key growth drivers for the sector. Rural demand is set to rise with rising incomes and greater awareness of brands. There are number of factors that will drive future growth in this sector. Increasing rate of urbanization, expected to see major growth in coming years will give a big push to this sector.

Moreover, rise in disposable incomes, will lead to premium brands having faster growth and deeper penetration. ​​​​​​​   Innovative and stronger channels of distribution to the rural segments are also giving a big push to this sector in terms of deeper penetration. Moreover, the icing on the cake is the increase in rural non-agricultural income and benefits from government welfare programmes resulting in increased purchasing power. Innovation in FMCG is a wide concept which aside from creating, launching and marketing new products also includes improving shopping processes, providing consumers with a range of tools to purchase products as also ensuring that the entire organization is focused on the singular goal of improving the customer’s overall experience. Therefore, in all functions like marketing, Finance, HR, IT, operations and strategy, there is a demand for talent by FMCG companies.  

As Indian consumers become more global in their aspirations and desires, as they travel abroad and are exposed to global products, their appetite to consume products in their home market will only increase. To meet this demand, FMCG companies need to focus on R&D and innovation as a means to grow the business. At the same time, product lifecycles are shrinking, companies across categories are launching new products, and the pressure to market new products, quickly, is strong. Due to these factors, FMCG companies recruit people at all levels including freshers from B-schools. As innovation becomes critical to the sector’s growth story, there is more demand for freshers as companies want to capitalize on their fresh ideas.

Working in FMCG gives you a chance to work with the biggest brands

A big benefit of working in the FMCG industry is that it is home for many of the world’s largest brands. Some that you might recognize and even have in your home include Heinz, Unilever, Procter and Gamble, Coca-Cola and Nestle. And so are their products. Having the opportunity to work for a brand that you like and use on a regularly basis can increase your job satisfaction and make you enjoy your work more.

Most of the job openings are from industry giants. Therefore, you have a great chance to enter one of the world’s largest companies. Whether you have always wanted the prestige of working for a market leader or you are just attracted to the perks of being employed by one of the world’s industry giants, FMCG can open those doors to you.

FMCG offers opportunities to have a global career

Most industries are concentrated in capitals and big cities. However, FMCG offers opportunities all over the globe for those who are interested. Not only does doing a traineeship in FMCG take you to at least two countries over the course of a year, but having a real job in FMCG can take you anywhere you want. FMCG companies are scattered worldwide and depending on the skills you would like to gain and the job you have, you can land anywhere between Sydney, Hong Kong, Berlin and New York.

Standard of Living

A standard of living is the level of wealth, comfort, material goods, and necessities available to a certain socioeconomic class or a certain geographic area. The standard of living includes basic material factors such as income, gross domestic product (GDP), life expectancy, and economic opportunity. The standard of living is closely related to quality of life, which can also include factors such as economic and political stability, political and religious freedom, environmental quality, climate, and safety.

The standard of living is often used to compare geographic areas, such as the standard of living in the United States versus Canada, or the standard of living in St. Louis versus New York. The standard of living can also be used to compare distinct points in time.

For example, compared with a century ago, the standard of living in the United States has improved greatly. The same amount of work buys an increased quantity of goods, and items that were once luxuries, such as refrigerators and automobiles, are now widely available. Also, life expectancy has increased, and annual hours worked have decreased.

Standard of Living vs. Quality of Life

The terms standard of living and quality of life are often believed to mean the same. While they may overlap, there is a difference between the two. A standard of living generally refers to wealth, comfort, material goods and necessities of certain classes in certain areas—or more objective characteristics, whereas a quality of life is more subjective and intangible, such as personal liberty or environmental quality. Characteristics that make up a good quality of life for one person may not necessarily be the same for someone else.

A distinction is sometimes made between standard of living and standard of life. Standard of living refers to our usual scale of expenditure, the goods we consume and the services we enjoy, our attitudes and values. Standard of life is a much wider term. It refers to one’s ideals in life. It includes a person’s expenditure on his non-material requirements. “Simple living and high thinking” is a common axiom. “Simple living” hints at a low standard of living, but “high thinking” refers to a high standard of life. Mahatma Gandhi had a low standard of living but a high standard of life.

The following are the main factors on which the standard of living in a country depends:

Level of National Income or Output:

The fundamental reason for the differences in the levels of living between different countries is the difference in their levels of national income. The level of national income depends upon the total volume of production in the country. Those countries having higher national income or output enjoy a higher standard of living, while the countries having lower national income or output have a lower standard of living. The main reason why the standard of living is much higher in the U.S.A. than in India is that the level of national output in the U.S.A. is much higher than that in India.

Now the question arises:

Why do some countries produce more than others? This brings us to the question of levels of productivity.

Level of Productivity:

The total amount of goods and services which a country can produce, and hence the standard of living it can provide to its people, depends upon the levels of productivity in different branches of economic activity such as agriculture, industry, transport, etc. The higher the productivity per person engaged in agriculture, industry, etc., the higher will be the national output and the standard 01 living of the people. The difference in productivity is the major cause of differences in standards of living between different countries.

Terms of Trade:

Another factor which accounts for the differences in the levels of living between different countries is the rate of exchange between goods exported and goods imported. The rate of exchange between exports and imports is called the terms of trade. The terms of trade show how much of the goods a country imports can be obtained by a unit of the goods it exports. The terms of trade can be measured by taking the ratio of price-level of its exports to the price-level of its imports.

Size of Population:

Still another important factor which determines the standard of living of the people of a country is the size of its population. Given the total national income or output of a country, the greater the size of its population, the lower will be its average standard of living. It is the per capita income which determines the average standard of living in a country.

The per capita income of a country is determined by the total national income and the size of its population. Thus, the difference in the size of the population also accounts for the difference in the standards of living between people of different countries.

Distribution of National Income:

Another determinant of the standard of living of the people of a country is the distribution of national income among the population. If there is large inequality in the distribution of income, then the standard of living of a few rich people will be very high, while the standard of living of the masses of the people will be extremely low.

General Price Level:

Another factor determining the standard of living of a people is the general price level in the century. Given the national income, the standard of living of the people will be lower when the price at high and higher when the prices are low. Different price levels prevail in different counties. This also accounts for the differences in standards of living of the people between different countries. Other things being equal, if the price level in country A is higher than in B, the standard of living will be lower in A than in B.

Level of Education:

Another factor responsible for the differences in stan­dards of living is the difference in the level of education. Educated people tend to have a higher standard of living than the uneducated. You cannot expect a higher living standard from the illiterate and ignorant people. Even if the illiterate and uneducated people happen to have large incomes, they would either hoard them or squander them in useless social ceremonies or by indulging in evil habits such as drinking, gambling, etc.

It is often hard to determine the standard of living years after divorce when the modification issue arises. It is also costly to then have to reconstruct the records and perform the analysis. The issues can be raised in a proceeding to modify support–but the better practice is to ensure that the issue is appropriately addressed before the case is settled or goes to trial – especially for the spouse who is ordered to make the payments and wants to keep the door open to reduce or terminate them.

Expert Speak on AIR: Stay at homes & maintain hand hygiene

In our series “Expert Speak” on All India Radio, we bring you the views of the leading medical experts on COVID-19.
 
Dr S Rajeshwari, Department of Anesthesiology, AIIMS has advised the people to stay at homes and maintain hand hygiene.
 
Dr Purva Mathur, Professor Lab Medicine, AIIMS  has said that social distancing is very important to check the spread of virus.

PM to take part in Bhumi Pujan for construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya on Aug 5

The Bhumi Pujan for the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya is just one week away. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part in the ceremony on 5th of August. While preparations are in full swing for this historic event in this ancient city, many programs are being organized in other parts of the state too. Soil and water from many sacred places in state is being sent to Ayodhya.
 
AIR correspondent reports that the soil and water of Sangam, the confluence of holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and saraswati will be sent today to Ayodhya for use in the construction of Ram Temple. People of Mathura,The city of Lord Krishna also performed special Rajat Shila Poojan or worship of Silver brick in which local MP Hemamalini participated online. The brick will be send to Ayodhya along with the holy water of many ponds of the city.
 
Saints and religious heads in Ancient City Chitrakoot have already sent the holy water from Bharat koop to Mahant Nritya Gopal Das who is head of Shri Ram janmabhoomi teerth shetra trust. Yesterday Deputy Chief Minister of state Keshav Prasad Maurya met Nritya Gopal Das and offered donation of Six lakh six thousands to the Trust on behalf of late Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) president Ashok Singhal, his late guru Gurujan Singh and family members.

Gold smuggling case: Kerala CM’s former Secretary M Shivashankar questioned for 2nd day

National Investigation Agency (NIA) questioned Kerala Chief Minister’s former Secretary M Shivashankar for the second day yesterday in gold smuggling case. He was quizzed by the NIA at its Kochi office.
 
The interrogation which began in the morning went on for about 10 and half hours. He is being interrogated for his alleged links with some of the accused in the diplomatic baggage gold smuggling case. On Monday also, he was interrogated for over 9 hours.

AIIMS Delhi to hold 2nd session of National CGR on COVID-19 issues today

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi will hold the second session of National Clinical Grand Rounds (CGR) at 3 PM today. The interactive session, which will be led by AIIMS Director, Dr. Randeep Guleria, is aimed at facilitating insightful discussion on COVID related issues. Senior doctors of the premier health Institute will be discussing on the usage of antiviral and anti-IL6 drugs in moderately severe COVID cases.
 
Doctors from medical colleges and Senior Physicians from hospitals located across the country and abroad will be participating in the online session. In an effort to share its experience and initiate discussions on management of common issues related to COVID-19, AIIMS Delhi with NITI Aayog and Union Health Ministry launched the National Clinical Grand Rounds (CGR) on COVID-19.
 
These sessions include presentation of clinical cases by physicians directly involved in COVID management. Challenges faced in the management are also discussed by a panel of eminent experts from across the country and outside India.

International Tigers day being observed today

International Tiger Day will be celebrated today. The Day is celebrated on 29th of July every year across the globe to create awareness about tiger conservation. Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar released All India Tiger Estimation Report-2018 yesterday. He also released a poster on small wild cats of India.
 
Mr Javadekar said, India is home to nearly 70 per cent of the global tiger population and it leads the world in showing effective conservation of the wild species. He said, tiger is a precious gem of nature and its presence signifies that the forest is in good condition. He said, in 1973 there were only 9 tiger reserves in the country, which has now gone up to 50. Mr Javadekar said that apart from tigers, India is also home to 30 thousand elephants, 3000 single-horned Rhinos and over 500 lions.
 
He said, the country is ready to provide every assistance to increase the population of tigers in the world. Highlighting the culture of harmonious coexistence with nature in India, the minister noted that despite constraints of physical resources the country sustains nearly 8 per cent of the world diversity. He added by saying that practices like worshipping of trees is what depics unique India’s cohesiveness with nature.
 
The Heads of the governments of Tiger range countries had resolved to double the tiger population by the year 2022. In this regard, Saint Petersburg declaration on tiger conservation was signed by the countries in 2010. Mr Javadekar informed that the government has also decided to initiate an ambitious water and fodder augmentation programme ensuring adequate water and food to animals. He said the programme aims at further increasing the tiger population in the country.
 
Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State in the Environment Ministry, Babul Supriyo said, acknowledgement of increased numbers of Tiger in the country by Guinness Book World Record is a matter of pride. He assured, positive steps will be taken to further increase number of Tigers in India.

Commerce Ministry allows export of PPE kits, masks with certain limitations

Commerce Ministry has amended its export policy for Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and masks. Under the new policy, 2 and 3 ply surgical masks and medical goggles can be exported now with certain limitations.

For 2 and 3 ply surgical masks a monthly export quota of 4 crore has been fixed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Medical Goggles can be exported with a monthly cap of 20 lakh units. Government has also removed a prohibition on export of Face Shields from the country.

India conducts more than 5 lakh Covid-19 test in a single day over two consecutive days

India has conducted more than five lakh COVID-19 tests in a single day over two consecutive days. Union Health Ministry said, this is the outcome of the combined and focused efforts of Centre, State and Union Territories governments on aggressive testing. During last 24 hours, India tested a total of five lakh 15 thousand samples. Testing is the first important step in the early detection and isolation of COVID-19 positive cases.

The graded and evolving response resulted in a testing strategy that steadily widened the testing network in the country, and the cumulative testing has crossed one crore 73 lakh.

The Tests Per Million has further improved to 12 thousand 562. Health Ministry said, the testing capacity of India has received another boost with the induction of three high throughput testing facilities in Noida, Mumbai and Kolkata that were inaugurated virtually.

The testing lab network in the country has been strengthened with one thousand 310 labs in the country, 905 labs in the government sector and 405 private labs.