Page 147 - CW E-Magazine (19-3-2024)

Top Stories Top Stories

ENCOURAGING CHEMISTRY EDUCATION SMOOTHER TRADE
BASF-led women scholarship programme awardees & India signs $100-bn free trade deal with European

mentors honoured; gamifi ed chemistry learning platform EFTA bloc

launched India has signed a $100-bn free trade rights (IPR), investment promotion, very high customs duties on 95.3% of
agreement with a four-member European government procurement, competition, industrial imports from Switzerland,
BASF’s Indian subsidiary and Pune bloc and will lift most import tariffs sustainable development as well as excluding gold, either immediately or
Knowledge Cluster recently honoured on industrial products from these coun- labour issues, human rights, and dispute over time, the Swiss government said
recipients of the ‘WEnyan’ scholarship tries in return for the investment over 15 settlement mechanisms. in a statement.
and their mentors at an event held at the years.
Inter-University Center for Astronomy and In addition to bolstering trade, in- “Norwegian companies exporting
Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune. ‘WEnyan’ The deal signed with the European vestment, and mobility opportunities to India today meet high import taxes
is a scholarship initiative in Maharashtra, Free Trade Association (EFTA) – after with the EFTA nations, the TEPA could of up to 40% on certain goods. With
where women in leadership roles in several rounds of negotiations spanning serve as a model for two ongoing trade the new deal, we have secured nil
scientifi c fi elds actively participate in 16 years – will see investments across a agreements under negotiation – one with import taxes on nearly every Norwegian
selecting, mentoring, and monitoring range of Indian sectors, including pharma the European Union, and another with good,” Norway’s Industry Minister,
other female candidates in STEM ceuticals, machinery and manufactur- the United Kingdom. Mr. Jan Christian Vestre, said in a
(Science, Technology, Engineering, and ing. The EFTA comprises Switzerland, separate statement.
('िव�ान')
Math). The name ‘WEnyan’ symbolises Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, all India exported goods worth $2-bn
Science ('िव�ान'), with ‘WE’ representing non-European Union nations. to the EFTA nations, mainly chemicals, Under the agreement, Indian agri-
Women in Education and ‘nyan’ ('�ान') gems & jewellery, machinery, and tex- cultural exporters will enjoy tariff con-
signifying knowledge. “The India-EFTA Trade and Eco- tiles. As tariff rates in the EFTA are cessions in the European bloc.
('�ान') L-R: Ms. Sunita Sule, Director, Country Development & Government Relations, nomic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) already very low, the main impact is
The Pune Knowledge Cluster (PKC) BASF India Limited, Dr. Priya Nagaraj, Chief Executive Offi cer, Pune Knowledge Cluster, marks a historic milestone in our grow- likely to be on imports. India has offered The fi ve nations must ratify the deal
is one of the seven science and techno- Dr. Mrs. Parvinder Maini, Scientifi c Secretary, Offi ce of the Principal Scientifi c Adviser to ing partnership,” Minister for Com- 83% of its tariff lines while the EFTA’s before it can take effect, with Switzer-
logy clusters established by the Offi ce of the Government of India and Mr. Kartic Vaidyanathan, Guest Faculty at IIT Madras merce and Industry, Mr. Piyush Goyal, offer is for 92% of its tariff lines. India land planning to do so by 2025.
the Principal Scientifi c Adviser (PSA) Mr. Alexander Gerding, Managing programme for women in the State. As we said after the signing in New Delhi. has kept many sensitive agricultural
to the Government of India under The Director, BASF India & Head – BASF Group continue in our endeavour towards making products, such as dairy, soya, and coal, Formed in 1960 as a counterweight
City Knowledge and Innovation Cluster Companies in India said, “We are pleased a fundamental shift in teaching and learning The comprehensive agreement covers to name a few, on the exclusion list. to the EU, the EFTA has signed about
Initiative (CKIC). At the Pune event, to see the outcome of the WEnyan pro- processes, we are excited to launch trade in goods and services, strong rules 30 trade agreements with some 40
Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientifi c Secretary at gramme. Over the past two years, 49 women ChemAmaze aimed at nurturing critical of origin clause, intellectual property India will lift, or partially remove, countries and territories outside the EU.
the Offi ce of the PSA to the Government from 16 colleges and 18 districts across thinking, encouraging an interest in chemistry, AGROCHEMICALS
of India, launched the ‘WEnyan Com- Maharashtra have received scholarships, and explaining diffi cult concepts through
pendium’ and ‘ChemAmaze’, a gamifi ed establishing it as a leading scholarship gamifi cation to school students.” Jubilant commissions multi-purpose actives & inter-
learning platform in chemistry.
PM inaugurates IOC’s MEG project mediates plant
Launched by BASF India as a part
of its Corporate Social Responsibility at Paradip Refi nery Jubilant Ingrevia has announced intermediates. This plant will be uti- actives, based on company’s core pyri-
programme in collaboration with PKC, The Prime Minister inaugurated the Odisha Sands Complex of Indian the commissioning of its state-of- lised for both its contract manufactur- dine and non-pyridine value chains.
IUCAA Pune and IIT-Madras, ‘ChemAmaze’ the mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) pro- Rare Earths Ltd. (IREL). This project the-art, multi-purpose, agrochemical ing customers and for making its own “The commissioning of this facility is
offers a collection of games designed ject Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) at its has been built as a part of field active & intermediates plant at its actives. a testament to our dedication towards
for students and teachers across India, Paradip Refi nery on March 5. He also applications of indigenous desalination manufacturing facility at Bharuch, expanding our business into more value-
promoting game-based teaching and inaugurated a 344-km petroleum pro- technologies developed by the Bhabha Gujarat. Jubilant Ingrevia has been synthe- added agro actives and intermediates.
learning techniques at schools. The duct pipeline traversing from Paradip Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in sising several agrochemical interme- This plant adds further capacity to
initiative seeks to make STEM education in Odisha to Haldia in West Bengal; as Mumbai. The MEG plant will reduce The plant, established by the com- diates at Bharuch and this new plant our agrochemicals business, on top of
interactive and accessible, enhancing the well as a 0.6-mtpa LPG import facility India’s dependence on imports to mainly pany’s wholly-owned subsidiary, will further expand its presence in the intermediates plant we commis-
learning experience in Indian schools, at Paradip. In addition, he also inaugu- meet needs of the domestic polyester Jubilant Agro Sciences, is geared agrochemicals. This plant will prima- sioned recently in December 23,” said
in line with the recommendations of the rated a 5-mld (million litres per day) industry and support the Textile Parks towards meeting the rising future global rily cater to insecticides intermediates Mr. Mr. Deepak Jain, CEO & Manag-
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. capacity seawater desalination plant at in Bhadrak and Paradip in the State. demand for agrochemical actives & and actives, as well as fungicides ing Director, Jubilant Ingrevia.

146 Chemical Weekly March 19, 2024 Chemical Weekly March 19, 2024 147

Contents Index to Advertisers Index to Products Advertised