Deforestation in Amazon

• Eight South American countries agreed on Tuesday to launch an alliance to fight deforestation in the Amazon
• Aim: To prevent the world’s biggest rainforest from reaching “a point of no return”, which plays a vital role in mitigating climate change, from reaching a critical state.
• ACTO: This marks the first summit in 14 years for the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO), established in 1995 by the Amazon basin-sharing nations.

 

Tea Board of India

• The genesis of the Tea Board India dates back to 1903 when the Indian Tea Cess Bill was passed.
• The present Tea Board was set up under Section 4 of the Tea Act 1953.
• It is functioning as a statutory body of the Central Government under the Ministry of Commerce.
• The Board is constituted of 31 members (including Chairman) drawn from Members of Parliament, tea producers, tea traders, tea brokers, consumers, and representatives of Governments from the principal tea producing states, and trade unions .
• HQ: Kolkata
• The Board is reconstituted every three years.
  • Earlier, the Tea Board had offices in Cairo and Kuwait.
  • But these two offices were relocated to Dubai.

 

MSME Sector in India

The Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector is a major contributor to the socio-economic development of the country. Currently, MSMEs are defined based on the investment criteria in plant and machinery and turnover.