PIB Summary- 11th November, 2022 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

BIMSTEC

Why in News?
India hosted the Second Agriculture Ministerial-level meeting of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) under the chairmanship of the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

Highlights

• The 2nd BIMSTEC Agriculture Ministerial Meeting adopted the Action Plan for Strengthening BIMSTEC Agricultural Cooperation (2023-2027).
• An MoU between the BIMSTEC Secretariat and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has been signed and approval has been given to bring Fisheries and Livestock sub-sectors under the Agricultural Working Group.
• BIMSTEC member countries appreciated India’s efforts to strengthen cooperation in agricultural res.

About BIMSTEC

• Bangladesh
• Bhutan
• India
• Nepal
• Sri Lanka
• Myanmar (South-east Asia)
• Thailand (South-east Asia)

• Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand are the member states dependent on the Bay of Bengal.
• Fourteen priority sectors of cooperation have been identified and several BIMSTEC centres have been established to focus on those sectors.
• The permanent secretariat of the BIMSTEC is in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

History of Formation

• In 1997, a new sub-regional grouping was formed in Bangkok under the name BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand Economic Cooperation).
• Following the inclusion of Myanmar on 22 December 1997 during a special Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok, the Group was renamed ‘BIMST-EC’ (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation).
• In 2004, at the first Summit the grouping was renamed as BIMSTEC or the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.
• There are 14 main sectors of BIMSTEC along technological and economic cooperation among south Asian and southeast Asian countries along the coast of the Bay of Bengal.
  • Trade & Investment
  • Transport & Communication
  • Energy
  • Tourism
  • Technology
  • Fisheries
  • Agriculture
  • Public Health
  • Poverty Alleviation
  • Counter-Terrorism & Transnational Crime
  • Environment & Disaster Management
  • People-to-People Contact
  • Cultural Cooperation
  • Climate Change
• The BIMSTEC uses the alphabetical order for the Chairmanship which has been taken in rotation commencing with Bangladesh (1997–1999).

National Fisheries Development Board

Why in News?
National Fisheries Development Board awarded “India Agribusiness Awards 2022”.

About National Fisheries Development Board

• The National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) was established in 2006.
• It is an autonomous organization under the administrative control of the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India to enhance fish production and productivity in the country and to coordinate fishery development in an integrated and holistic manner.

Mission: Holistic development of the fisheries sector through enhancement of fish production and productivity; to supplement nutritious protein for the growing population; to accelerate the overall economy of the country, besides improving health, economy, exports, employment and tourism in the country.

Objectives

• To bring activities relating to fisheries and aquaculture for focused attention and professional management.
• To coordinate activities pertaining to fisheries undertaken by different Ministries/Departments in the Central Government and also coordinate with the State/Union Territory Governments.
• To improve production, processing, storage, transport and marketing of the products of capture and culture fisheries.
• To achieve sustainable management and conservation of natural aquatic resources including the fish stocks.
• To Apply modern tools of research and development including biotechnology for optimizing production and productivity from fisheries.
• To provide modern infrastructure mechanisms for fisheries and ensure their effective management and optimum utilization.
• To generate substantial employment.
• To train and empower women in the fisheries sector.
• To enhance contribute of fish towards food and nutritional security.