Current Affairs Assam – June 15 - 21, 2019
( Covers all important Assam Current Affairs & GK topics for the week of June 15 – 21, 2019 )
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June 15, 2019
Japan to invest Rs 13,000 crore in various Northeast projects
- Japan has decided to invest Rs 13,000 crore (205.784 billion Yen) in several ongoing and new projects in different Northeastern states of India.
- After a meeting between Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh and a Japanese delegation led by Ambassador Kenji Hiramatsuin New Delhi, it was officially disclosed that the Japan Government is to invest Rs 13,000 crore in several ongoing and new projects in different Northeastern states of India.
Some of the important projects in which Japan would collaborate include
- The Guwahati Water Supply Project and Guwahati Sewage Project in Assam
- Northeast Road Network Connectivity Improvement Project spread over Assam and Meghalaya
- Northeast Network Connectivity Improvement Project in Meghalaya
- Bio-diversity Conservation and Forest Management Project in Sikkim
- Sustainable Forest Management Project in Tripura
- Technical Cooperation Project for Sustainable Agriculture and Irrigation in Mizoram
54th Jnanpith Award conferred on author Amitav Ghosh
- Author Amitav Ghosh was conferred the 54th Jnanpith Award. He was awarded for his contribution to the enrichment of Indian literature in English.
- Amitav Ghosh is the first English writer to get the prestigious Jnanpith Award.
BIOGRAPHY – Amitav Ghosh
- Amitav Ghosh is an Indian writer who is best known for his work in English fiction.
- In 2007, the government of India awarded him the civilian honour of Padma Shri.
- He has also received the Israeli Dan David Prize, together with Margaret Atwood.
- His book, The Circle of Reason won the Prix Médicis étranger which is France’s top literary awards.
- His work ‘The Calcutta Chromosome’ won the Arthur C. Clarke Award for 1997.
- Also, his work ‘Sea of Poppies’ was shortlisted for the 2008 Man Booker Prize. The book ‘River of Smoke’ was shortlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize 2011.
FACTFILE – The Jnanpith Award
- The Jnanpith Award is an Indian literary award, instituted in 1961.
- It is presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their outstanding contribution towards literature.
- The award is bestowed only on Indian writers who writes in Indian languages that are included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India and English, with no posthumous conferral.
- Sankara Kurup was the first recipient of the award in 1965.
- The award consists of a citation plaque, a cash prize of Rs.12 lakh (around), and a bronze replica of Saraswati, the Hindu Goddess of knowledge and wisdom.
- The award is sponsored by Bharatiya Jnanpith, a literary research organization.
Union Ministry finalized the Data Protection Bill
- The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has finalised the much-anticipated Personal Data Protection Bill, Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
- The next required step is a Cabinet approval before the Bill goes to the Parliament.
- The draft Personal Data Protection Bill, submitted to the government by the Justice B. N. Krishna Committee in July last year, sets out how the personal data of individuals should be processed by the government and private entities incorporated in India and abroad.
- Prasad said that along with data security, the focus should also be on data availability, utility, innovation and localisation.
- He also emphasised on the need for data anonimity. Giving an analogy, Prasad, who also holds the telecom and law portfolios.
SCO called for coordination among the international community
- The SCO called for closer coordination among the international community over terrorism’s cross-border threat and sought comprehensive measures to intensify efforts against terrorism and its ideology and to eliminate the factors that promote it.
- The Bishkek declaration adopted at the conclusion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting, dwelt at length on terrorism, a key concern of
- The member states also expressed concern that the process of economic globalisation is being hindered by “growing unilateral protectionist policies and other challenges in international trade”.
- The declaration also said as the modern world continues to change rapidly, the global balance of forces is going through a reconfiguration, primarily due to emergence of new development centres in
- The SCO members also called for consensus on adopting the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.
- The SCO also marked, as a priority, joint global efforts to “counter the attempts to involve young people in the activities of terrorist, separatist and extremist groups”.
June 16, 2019
Assam eyes tie-up with Japan for mega industrial park
- Assam is eyeing a JETRO city on the lines of the Japanese Industrial Park at Neemrana in Rajasthan and the State’s Industry and Skill Development Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary is scheduled to meet a delegation of industrialists from the east Asian country to further the proposal.
- “Two rounds of preliminary talks have already taken place. We are meeting representatives of around 150 Japanese companies on Wednesday in Delhi again,” Patowary said.
- He said the government has already identified a plot of 2,000 bighas at Nagarbera in Kamrup district for the plan.
- The Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) is a government-related organisation that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world.
- The industrial park in Rajasthan’s Alwar district in a plot of 1,100 acres is an experiment between JETRO and the Rajasthan government. The park is exclusively dedicated to Japan’s corporations and global titans like Toyota, Hitachi, etc. It has created about 10,000 factory jobs.
- “Honda has a manufacturing plant in Bangladesh. But the spare parts are brought from outside. We are exploring the possibility of setting up a spare parts manufacturing unit in Assam,” Patowary said, adding that the total investment in the JETRO city could be over Rs 3,000 crore.
India, Krygyz Republic raise ties to strategic partnership
- India and Kyrgyz Republic raised their bilateral relationship to level of a “strategic partnership” and signed a slew of agreements including on a bilateral investment treaty.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who attended the SCO summit here, later held bilateral talks with Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov.
- The two countries have decided to set up a joint working group to boost defence cooperation.
- 2021 will be observed as friendship year between the two countries.
- Modi said and urged Indian companies and investors to explore areas such as medicine, textiles, railway, hydro power, mining, minerals and tourism in the Central Asian country.
- He also announced a $200 million concessional Line of Credit to meet development needs of the Kyrgyz Republic.
- Among the agreements signed were an MoU for cooperation between the National Security Council Secretariat of India and Office of the Security Council of the Kyrgyz Republic and Protocol to Amend Article 26 of India-Kyrgyzstan Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA).
G-20 energy, environment Chiefs meet
- G20 energy and environment ministers gathered in Japan for talks likely to focus on energy security concerns following the attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, as well as environmental issues.
- The two-day meeting began in the Japanese resort town of Karuizawa which the US blames on Iran, heightened Middle East tensions and sent crude oil prices
- Also on the agenda meet was ways to utilize clean energy sources such as hydrogen, as well as efforts to reduce plastic waste in the ocean.
- About 300 million tonnes of plastic waste is produced every year, of which 8 million tonnes end up in the world’s oceans, according to the UN Environment
FACTFILE – G-20 Group
- The G20 (or Group of Twenty) is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 19 countries and the European Union (EU).
- Founded in 1999 with the aim to discuss policy pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability, the G20 has expanded its agenda since 2008 and heads of government or heads of state, as well as finance ministers and foreign ministers, have periodically conferred at summits ever since.
- It seeks to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any one organization.
- The G-20 consists of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the US and the European Union.
- The EU is represented by the European Commission and by the European Central Bank.
- Collectively, the G20 economies account for around 90% of the gross world product, 80% of world trade (or, if excluding EU intra-trade, 75%), two-thirds of the world population, and approximately half of the world land area.
GEF meeting approved programmes and projects to tackle growing threats to the environment
- Countries have approved programmes and projects worth almost $1 billion to tackle growing threats to the environment and to help some of the earth’s most vulnerable people adapt to climate change at two consecutive Global Environment Facility (GEF) meetings in Washington this week.
- India, among the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change, is both a donor and a recipient of GEF funds, an international partnership of 183 countries.
- The new projects range from an ambitious $232 million integrated programme aimed at a “transformational shift in the agriculture and land use systems that are major drivers of environmental degradation around the world”.
- To helping fishing people in Timor-Leste, improving the management of soils in Caribbean islands, and tackling the illegal world wildlife trade.
- The 56th GEF Council meeting passed its biggest ever work programme, totalling $865.9 million from its Trust Fund.
- It was then followed by a meeting of two smaller GEF funds – the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) – which approved work programmes adding up to a further $101.57 million.
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June 17, 2019
India, Myanmar forces coordinate to target NE militant camps
- In a coordinated operation between the armies of India and Myanmar, several camps of militant groups operating in some north-eastern states have been destroyed inside Myanmar’s territory.
- The militants were targeted in two phases of the operation. While the second phase is spread over 20 days starting from the middle of June.
- Its first phase is learnt to have been conducted about three months ago against suspected Arakanese militant camps inside Indian territory.
- The camps have been on the radar of security agencies. Militants apprehended by the Indian Army have all been handed over to local police forces.
- Like Bangladesh, Myanmar also has been cooperating with India in tackling the militant groups with camps on their soil. Both countries have borders of about 5,800 kms with
Suman Rao from Rajasthani Crowned Miss India 2019
- Suman Rao from Rajasthan won the Femina Miss India World 2019 Title and Telangana’s Sanjana Vij won as Miss India Runner Up 2019.
- Suman Rao is a CA Student who is studying in Rajasthan.
- Shivani Jadhav from Chhattisgarh won Femina Miss Grand India 2019 title and Shreya Shanker from Bihar won Miss India United Continents 2019 title.
- The judges were designer duo Falguni Shane Peacock, Miss World 2018 Vanessa Ponce de leon, actors Huma Qureshi, Chitrangda Singh, Aayush Sharma, choreographer-filmmaker Remo D’Souza, sprinter Dutee Chand and football captain Sunil Chhetri.
- The show was hosted by Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar and actor-anchor Maniesh Paul along with Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar.
ADB approves Infrastructure projects of 1,650 crore in Tripura
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a project worth Rs 1,650 crore to develop infrastructure in seven district headquarter towns of Tripura.
- The ADB will provide Rs 1,650 crore, out of which 80 per cent will be grant-in-aid and the state will have to repay 20 per cent loan in due course of time.
- The ADB has approved the project submitted by the Urban Development Department amounting to Rs 1,650 crore for infrastructure development such as piped water supply, underground drainage, underground sewage or scientific seepage management, roads with pavement, in the seven district headquarter towns, other than Agartala.
- The project will be taken up in Khowai, Ambassa, Dharmnagar, Kailashahar, Udaipur, Bishramganj and Belonia.
- Representatives from the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs had approved the project in its 89th screening committee meeting held in November 15, 2018.
- The ADB sent a Consultation Mission to Agartala, on December 21, 2018 to seek the feasibility of Project Financing Readiness (PFR) and Technical Assistance (TA) for preparations of DPRs of this project.
- The Urban Development Department of the Tripura government will start preparing DPRs with the assistance of ADB for speedy execution of the said project.
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought observed on June 17
- The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is a United Nationsobservance each June 17.
- Its purpose is to raise awareness of the presence of desertification and drought, highlighting methods of preventing desertification and recovering from drought.
- Each year’s global celebration has a unique, novel emphasis that had not been developed previously.
- This day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly resolution A/RES/49/115 on January 30, 1995, after the day when United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification is drafted.
- 2019 Theme “Let’s Grow the Future Together”
- The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) celebrates the 25 years of progress made by countries on sustainable land management.
- At the same time, the UNCCD looks at the broad picture of the next 25 years where we will achieve land degradation neutrality.
June 18, 2019
Assam govt to set up Skill University at Darrang district
- Assam government will set up a Skill University at the cost of 850 crore rupees at Darrang district, the proposed institution will be known as Skill City.
- This will be perhaps the first Skill University of the Country with a capacity of 10 thousand seats.
- The admission test for the first batch of the North East Skill Centre will be held on 30th of this month
- 80 per cent seats will be reserved for Assam and rest 20 per cent for other North Eastern states.
Railways sign’s MOU with Railtel to upgrade signaling system
- The Indian Railways signed the MoU with RailTel Enterprises Ltd (REL), for modernization of signalling system on four sections, which includes Automatic Train Protection System with Long Term Evolution (LTE) based Mobile Train Radio Communication System (MTRC), together with provision of Electronic Interlocking (indoor) wherever required.
- The modern train control system shall be as per open standard, and interoperable with multi-vendor support.
- The MTRC system shall be deployed using LTE backbone for communication between train running staff, drivers, guards and control office.
- The modern train control system, based on LTE based MTRC, is one of the most ambitious modernization projects of Indian Railways, which envisages upgradation of signalling system at par with the world standards.
ISRO opens its laboratories for Indian school students
- The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has, for the first time, opened its laboratories for Indian school students to undergo two-week training from this year.
- The first batch of 108 students drawn from all states and Union Territories recently completed their exposure in its laboratories in Bengaluru, Sriharikota, Thiruvananthapuram and other places.
- The training module has been devised as part of its new Young Scientists Programme, or YuvaVigyanikKaryakram, YUVIKA.
India to host COP-14 UNCCD Meet
- India for the first time will host the 14th session of the Conference of Parties (COP-14) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in September.
- It will see participation from at least 5,000 delegates from nearly 197 countries and will be held between September 2 and 14 in Delhi.
- It will be implemented during a pilot phase of three-and-a-half years in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Karnataka.
- The project will aim to develop and adapt the best practices and monitoring protocols for the country, and build capacity within the five pilot States.
- A 2016 report by the Indian Space Research Organisation found that about 29% of India’s land (in 2011-13) was degraded, this being a 0.57% increase from 2003-05.
- At the previous edition of the COP, India had committed to restore 13 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by the year 2020, and an additional 8 million hectares by 2030.
- The Bonn Challenge is a global effort to bring 150 million hectares of the world’s deforested and degraded land under restoration by 2020, and 350 million hectares by 2030.
FACTFILE – Conference of Parties (COP-14) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
- The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (UNCCD) is a Convention to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements.
- The Convention, the only convention stemming from a direct recommendation of the Rio Conference’s Agenda 21, was adopted in Paris, France on 17 June 1994 and entered into force in December 1996.
- It is the only internationally legally binding framework set up to address the problem of desertification.
- The Convention is based on the principles of participation, partnership and decentralization—the backbone of Good Governance and Sustainable Development. It has 197 parties, making it near universal in reach.
- To help publicise the Convention, 2006 was declared “International Year of Deserts and Desertification” but debates have ensued regarding how effective the International Year was in practice.
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June 19, 2019
Agartala airport to be 3rd international airport in NE
- After Guwahati and Imphal, the Agartala airport is set to become the third international airport in the northeastern region by the end of this year or by early 2020.
- The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has informed that their ongoing works to make Agartala’s Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport as an international one would be completed by this year end. If the works are hampered due to the monsoon season or any other factor, then the declaration would be made by early 2020.
- The AAI had undertaken a Rs 438 crore project to upgrade the Agartala airport to international standards by providing world-class facilities.
- Following the completion of the project, flights between Agartala and Dhaka, as well as other Bangladeshi cities like Chittagong and Sylhet, will be operated.
- The state government had already provided 72 acres of land to the AAI for construction of the new terminal building, runway and other necessary infrastructure.
- The AAI is now implementing Rs 3,400 crore projects for the up-gradation of various airports in the northeastern region. Rs 720 crore project now being implemented for further up-gradation of the Imphal International Airport.
FACTFILE – Agartala airport
- Agartala airport was built in 1942 by then King Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur.
- During the World War II, the Agartala airport was used by the 4th Combat Cargo Group of the US Army Air Forces 10 Air Force, flying Curtiss C-46 Commando aircraft over Myanmar.
- It was used as a supply point from which the unit air-dropped supplies and ammunition to the advancing Allied forces on the ground.
- The airport in Agartala is the second-busiest in the northeast.
- The Agartala airport handled on an average nine lakh passengers per year.
- The Union Civil Aviation Ministry last year renamed the Agartala airport, earlier known as Singerbill Airport, after Tripura’s last ruler Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur.
IIT Madras researchers develop techniques to extract methane
- The researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras are developing new techniques for extracting methane from natural gas hydrates.
- Hydrates are particularly promising methane sources in India because nearly 1,900 trillion cubic meters of methane gas lie untapped in these cages within the waters of the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone.
- IIT Madras research towards developing techniques to extract methane from gas hydrates can enable the indigenous supply of natural gas and potentially lighten the nation’s natural gas import burden.
- The research is being headed by DrJitendraSangwai, Professor (Petroleum Engineering), Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras, who studies state-of-art processes used to recover crude oil from offshore reservoirs in India, and includes Research Scholars Pawan Gupta and Vishnu C.
- Four techniques are being studied in various laboratories for this dissociation, namely – thermal stimulation, depressurisation, chemical injection and carbon dioxide injection.
- Development of emerging techniques for controlled extraction of methane from hydrates entails concerted efforts between academic, government and industrial laboratories and can potentially lead the country towards self-sufficiency in the energy sector.
UP highways to have herbal plantations for clean air
- The national and state highways in Uttar Pradesh will soon have clean and bacteria-free air as the government is planning to plant herbal Ayurvedic plants along the highways in the state to improve air quality and also promote Ayurveda.
- Uttar Pradesh is on its way to becoming the first state to implement the plan which is an extension of the Ayushman Bharat Yojna.
- A pilot project has been launched in 18 districts.
- The project aims at curbing the growth of non-native species such as cacti and bonsai in homes, offices and parks, and promoting plants mentioned in the Ayurveda system of medicine.
- A pilot initiative has already been implemented on busy stretches of the Delhi-Yamunotri state highway 57 in Saharanpur, Ashapur-Sarnath in Varanasi, Panchkosi-Parikrama in Ayodhya, Gorakhpur-Deoria, Aligarh-Mathura highway via Keshavdham and the Banda-Bahraich highway in Chitrakoot.
- Plants like turmeric brahmi, ashvagandha, anantmula, janofa, mashparni, saptparni, tulsi and jalmeem are among the 34 herb varieties that have been identified for plantation along the highways.
June 20, 2019
AYUSH directorate to be set up in Nagaland
- The Centre has assured to set up a separate directorate for the AYUSH in Nagaland.
- The AYUSH project would cover all the 11 districts of Nagaland.
Back to village programme starts in J&K
- The back to village mission mode programme started in many districts of Jammu and Kashmir, the ‘back to village’ programme will continue till June 27 across the state.
- During this period the entire administrative apparatus of the state government is going to move out of state, provincial and district level offices to reach out to the villages.
- Sheetal Nanda, Administrative Secretary of the rural development department, said during this period one gazette office will go to each of the around 4,500 panchayats in the state.
- The officer will spend two days and one night at the panchayat and will hold meetings with elected ‘panchs’ and ‘sarpanchs’, hold ‘graam’ and ‘mahilasabhas’ in addition to other grassroots level interactions.
- The basic objective of this programme is to move governance from its seat of operation to the doorsteps of the people in villages.
- During this programme, the officers will collect data on the guidelines contained in the 20-page booklet that has already been given to them. Five main problems will be highlighted from each Panchayat.
- After collection of all the data, it will be uploaded to the website and respective administrative departments will be asked to attend to these problems on top priority basis.
IIT Kharagpur to sponsor undergraduate research program
- In a bid to nurture the spirit of research and innovation among undergraduate students, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur will launch a sponsored research program from the upcoming Autumn semester of 2019-20.
- Through Undergraduate Research Program (UGRP) IIT is promoting the idea of research challenge among them which will germinate their potential as innovators and problem-solvers.
- For the UGRP, the institute will fund select research ideas proposed by the students on a competitive basis and each successful proposal will be guided by a member of the IIT faculty.
- The Institute which has been supporting various co-curricular activities of the undergraduate students through travel grants and fellowships to facilitate them participate in competitive projects will now float a competitive grant of Rs 56 lakh for four years.
- Twenty such proposals will be accepted each year. Each selected group will receive support to the extent of Rs 25,000 for one Credit Project and Rs 50,000 for 2 credit projects.
- A portal is going to set up for project submission. If successful, these could also develop into B.Tech thesis projects of the students.
- Students who have completed four semesters at IIT Kharagpur can form departmental or interdisciplinary groups and submit project proposals under faculty supervision.
- The project submission needs to be completed 30 days prior to the beginning of the fifth semester.
AHSI partners with Singapore Botanical Gardens
- The Agri-Horticultural Society of India (AHSI) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Singapore Botanical Gardens, a unit of the Singapore National Parks Board, to work on a shared set of objectives for environment protection and sustainable development.
- Under this partnership, both parties will share knowledge on management and appreciation of the living heritage and foster capacity building in horticulture.
- They will work together for public interpretation and educational outreach.
- Skill development for staff will be facilitated through exchange programmes and participation in horticulture shows, conferences and workshops organised by the either institution.
- The AHSI and the Singapore Botanical Gardens will also work on joint horticulture projects.
FACTFILE – Singapore Botanical Gardens
- Set up in 1959, the Singapore Botanical Gardens is the only tropical garden to be honoured as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- It has an array of botanical and horticultural attractions with a rich history and a wonderful global plant collection.
The Agri-Horticultural Society of India (AHSI) – founded in 1820 by Reverend William Carey with the objective of developing and promoting agriculture and horticulture in India, is celebrating bicentennial anniversary.
Indian engineer Nitesh Kumar Jangir wins Innovation Award in UK
- Nitesh Kumar Jangir, an Indian engineer whose low-cost neonatal breathing device has saved the lives of new-born babies across small towns of India, has won the 2019 Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Innovation for Sustainable Development Award in London.
- Nitesh Kumar Jangir, who created Saans as a breathing support device to tackle avoidable deaths of premature babies from respiratory distress syndrome due to a lack of immediate access to complex medical equipment .
- Received his award in the “People” category alongside 14 other innovators from across the 53 member-countries of the Commonwealth.
- The Bangalore-based electronics engineer is the co-founder of Coeo Labs, a medical device company with a vision to prevent preventable deaths in the field of emergency and critical care.
- Saans, which has been in circulation for the past three months across district hospitals of India that lack neonatal ICU facilities as well as at medical colleges, has been in development for four years.
- It is the world’s first neonatal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device that can be powered in multiple ways – through direct source electricity, including a vehicle’s electrical supply, a rechargeable battery, compressed gas, or even manual air pumping.
- Each of the 15 winners of the inaugural Commonwealth Innovation Awards receive a trophy, a certificate and 2,000 pounds in prize money.
KSEB sign’s agreement with GJ Eco Power Pvt. Ltd. to establish Waste-to-Energy plants
- Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) signed a power purchase agreement with Kochi-based GJ Eco Power Pvt. Ltd., the agency implementing the project at the Brahmapuram solid waste treatment plant.
- Under the agreement, the KSEB will purchase the power generated from the 9.76 MW — WtE plant at a rate of ₹6.17 per unit for a period of 20 years from the commercial operation date.
- The company had been roped in by the Kochi Corporation to implement the State’s first WtE project on a public-private partnership mode. The firm, which will be supplied with 330 tonnes per day (TPD) of municipal solid waste by the local body, is tasked with generating 47 million units (MU) of power.
- The proposed plant is expected to be commissioned within 18 months of the launch of its construction.
- The power purchase agreement was signed in the presence of Electricity Minister M.M. Mani, Electricity Department secretary B. Ashok and KSEB chairman and managing director N.S. Pillai.
- The KSEB would bear the additional expenditure as part of upholding its social commitment by encouraging such projects that provided an effective solution for the accumulating garbage woes in the State.
- KSEB had decided to purchase the entire power generated by similar WtE plants that would be established in future at tariffs decided by the regulatory commission.
- The plant will be established on a plot of 20 acres that has been allocated for the project. The processing of wastes will involve reducing their moisture level using bio-drying technology. The process will also employ the gasification technology that will use minimal amount of oxygen in the treatment process and could reduce the need for landfill space.
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June 21, 2019
Namsai gets first rank in education among ‘aspirational districts’ of country
- The Namsai district of Arunachal Pradesh has secured the first rank in education among the 117 ‘aspirational districts’ in the country on the basis of incremental progress made in February-March, 2019.
- The Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog, Amitabh Kant, has conveyed this information to the Government of Arunachal Pradesh through an official letter to Chief Secretary Satya Gopal.
- Namsai district has become eligible for a one-time additional allocation of Rs 3 crore, in the nature of untied allocation.
International Day of Yoga celebrated on 21 June
- International Day of Yoga, or commonly and unofficially referred to as Yoga Day, is celebrated annually on 21 June since its inception in 2015. The Theme for this year: Yoga for Climate Action.
- Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice originated in
- The idea of International Day of Yoga was first proposed by the current Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi during his speech at the UNGA, on 27 September 2014.
- On 11 December 2014, India’s Permanent Representative Asoke Mukherji introduced the draft resolution in the United Nations General Assembly. The draft text received broad support from 177 Member States who sponsored the text, which was adopted without a vote.
- A total of 177 nations co-sponsored the resolution, which is the highest number of co-sponsors ever for any UNGA resolution of such nature.
World’s largest lift irrigation project inaugurated in Telangana
- The world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation project—Kaleshwaram—which is built across the Godavari river was inaugurated by Telangana Governor ELS Narasimhan at Medigadda in JayashankarBhupalpally district.
- The multi-purpose lift irrigation project will begin pumping water from July and will help meet the irrigation, industrial and drinking water requirements of 70 per cent of the districts in Telangana.
- The project has been built over three years and includes three barrages, 19 reservoirs and 20 lifts. It has a storage capacity of 141 TMC (thousand million cubic feet).
- The project comprises a water supply system spread over 1,832 km, a gravity canal spanning 1,531 km and 203 km of tunnels. As much as 4,993 MW of electricity would be required to fill up the 19 reservoirs which have a capacity of 141 TMC.
- Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh are also set to benefit from the project.
Government issues EOI for six P-75 (I) submarines
- The government issued Expression of Interest (EOI) for shortlisting of potential Indian Strategic Partners for construction of six conventional submarines for P-75(I) project of the Navy worth Rs 45,000 crore.
- The case was approved by the Defence Acquisition Council on January 31 this year. This is the second project undertaken under the latest Strategic Partnership model, with the first being the procurement of 111 Naval Utility Helicopters`.
- This would provide a major boost to the indigenous design and construction capability of submarines in India, in addition to bringing in the latest submarine design and technologies as part of the project.
- All six submarines under this project will be built in India by the selected Indian Strategic Partner in collaboration with the selected OEM.
- The Indian companies would be shortlisted based on their capability for integration of system of systems, expertise in shipbuilding domain and the financial strength.
- The OEMs would be shortlisted primarily based on their submarine design meeting the Navy’s qualitative requirements and qualifying the transfer of technology and Indigenous Content criteria.
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