Study Says Renewable Energy Subsidies In India Dropped By 35 Percent In 2016-19 Period
A new study by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW) report stated that India's renewable energy subsidies fell 35% between 2016-17 and 2018-19.
The report was titled "Mapping India's Energy Subsidies 2020" which said that the support for renewable energy was to increase again. But the COVID-19 pandemic has made it critical to stay on track.
Policy decisions such as the solar safeguard duty and tariff caps on auctions meant that there was a slowdown in new capacity addition and as a result of lower state subsidy outgo as well.
Virgin Australia has confirmed it has entered voluntary administration - making it Australia's first big corporate casualty of the coronavirus pandemic.
The country's second-largest carrier cut almost all flights last month following wide-spread travel bans. It was already struggling with a long-term A$5bn (£2.55bn; $3.17bn) debt.
The airline is now seeking new buyers and investors, after failing to get a loan from Australia's government.
Smt Nirmala Sitharaman attends the 5th Annual Meeting of Board of Governors of New Development Bank through video-conference
Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt Nirmala Sitharaman attended the 5th Annual Meeting of Board of Governors of New Development Bank through video-conference in New Delhi.
The NDB was established by the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) in 2014. The purpose of the Bank is to mobilise resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging market economies and developing countries to complement the existing efforts of multilateral and regional financial institutions for global growth and development. NDB has so far approved 14 projects of India for an amount of US$ 4,183 million.
RBI asks banks, NBFCs To Carry Out Money Laundering Risk Assessment Periodically
The RBI on Monday asked banks and NBFCs to carry out money laundering (ML) and terrorist financing (TF) risk assessment exercise periodically. The Reserve Bank said it has added a new section in the Master Directions on KYC.
This requires its regulated entities (REs) to carry out ML and TF risk assessment exercise periodically to identify, assess and take effective measures to mitigate its money laundering and terrorist financing risk for clients, countries or geographic areas, products, services, and transactions or delivery channels.
IIA Scientists Connect Lithium Abundance In Interstellar Space To New Lithium Rich Red Giants
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science &Technology, Govt. of India, have discovered hundreds of Li-rich giant stars indicating that Li is being produced in the stars and accounts for its abundance in the interstellar medium.
They have also associated such Li enhancement with central He-burning stars, also known as red clump giants, thereby opening up new vistas in the evolution of the red giant stars.
ARI Researchers Develop Bug Sniffer To Rapidly Detect Bacteria
Researchers at the Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune have developed 'bug sniffer,' a sensitive and low-cost sensor to rapidly detect bacteria.
The portable device can detect as low as ten bacterial cells from a sample size of 1 mm in just 30 minutes. The team is currently working on a method for simultaneous separation and detection of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium.
The bug sniffer is a biosensor that uses synthetic peptides, magnetic nanoparticles, and quantum dots to detect the presence of bacteria.
IIT-Mandi Team Develops Magnetic RAM
Data storage concerns will soon be history with researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mandi, developing magnetic Random Access Memory (RAM) which is faster, more energy-efficient and capable of storing more information in a smaller volume than existing data storage technologies.
The team, which is in process of patenting the technology, claims that the Spin-transfer torque (STT) based nano spintronic devices will also put an end to computer data loss due to interruptions of power supply and hence will have the capability to transform next-generation computers, smartphones and other gadgets.
Rural Electrification Corporation Steps Up Relief Work Amidst Lockdown
Rural Electrification Corporation, REC, a public sector unit under Power Ministry has stepped up relief work amidst lockdown.
REC Foundation, the CSR arm of REC Limited is distributing cooked food, ration, utility packets, masks, sanitizers and shelter to the needy people. These efforts of the foundation have benefitted 76 thousand daily wagers and their families so far.
Ramesh Pokhriyal chaired the review meeting on SWAYAM and SWAYAM Prabha in New Delhi
Union Minister for Human Resource Development (MHRD) Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' held a detailed review of the National online education platform SWAYAM and the 32 DTH Television Education Channels SWAYAM PRABHA in New Delhi on 20 April, 2020.
During the lockdown, there occurred a tremendous increase in demand and the usage of SWAYAM Courses and SWAYAM PRABHA videos.
SWAYAM was launched in 2017 by MHRD, GoI. Currently, there are 1902 courses available in SWAYAM. It has been offered to 1.56 crore students. Over 26 lakh students are taking 574 courses on offer.
Reliance Foundation's 'Mission Anna Seva' biggest free meal program run by any corporate
Reliance Foundation's 'Mission Anna Seva' that aims to provide over 3 crore meals to marginalised communities and frontline workers facing hardships during the lockdown, is the largest free meal programme by any corporate foundation globally.
Reliance Foundation, the philanthropic arm of India's largest firm Reliance Industries, has pledged free meals, build country's first COVID-19 hospital and is supplying PPEs and masks as part of its effort to help help the nation fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
US Prez Trump appoints Indian-American To Country's Top Science Board
US President Donald Trump appointed Indian-American Sudarsanam Babu to country's top science board.
Babu, who is from the prestigious Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), has been appointed as a member of the National Science Board for a six-year term.
Babu would be the third Indian American in this prestigious board. The other two being Sethuraman Panchanathan from the Arizona State University and Suresh V Garimella from University of Vermont.
Kapil Dev Tripathi appointed Secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind
Kapil Dev Tripathi was appointed Secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind.
The 1980-batch retired IAS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre will replace Sanjay Kothari, who was selected as the Chief Vigilance Commissioner in February, 2020. Mr. Tripathi's tenure is on a contract basis and is co-terminus with the tenure of the President.
Secretary's day or Administrative Professionals Day is observed on 21 April in India. The day aims to celebrate the administrative professionals who work as the glue in keeping a business together. The Secretary's week is observed on the last full week in April of each year.
The National Secretary's Day was created in 1952 through the work of Harry F. Klemfuss of Young and Rubicam. He recognized the importance and value of the secretarial position to a company and management. He promoted the values and importance of the job that secretaries do and created the holiday in recognition of the importance of secretaries.
World Creativity and Innovation Day 21 April
There may be no universal understanding of creativity. The concept is open to interpretation from artistic expression to problem-solving in the context of economic, social and sustainable development. Therefore, the United Nations designated 21 April as World Creativity and Innovation Day to raise the awareness of the role of creativity and innovation in all aspects of human development.
Creativity and innovation, at both the individual and group levels, have become the true wealth of nations in the 21st century, according to the findings of the special edition of the Creative.
Civil Services Day 2020
The day celebrated all the civil servants who dedicate their lives to the cause of citizen. The day aims at renewing their commitments to public service and excellence in work.
Getting into civil services is one of the most sought-after dreams for Indians. To celebrate this passion and all those people who successfully get into civil services to serve the nation, the Government of India has dedicated a day to them. The Civil Services Day is celebrated on April 21.
The day celebrated all the civil servants who dedicate their lives to the cause of citizen. The day aims at renewing their commitments to public service and excellence in work.
Include 'Transgender' As Separate Category In Job Application Forms: Centre Directs Ministries And Departments
All the departments in the central government have been asked to include "transgender" as a separate category of gender for recruitment in civil services and other central government posts.
A memorandum issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions said the inclusion of "Third Gender/any Other Category" is based on the provision of The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act notified in the Constitution of India on 5 December 2019.
The matter regarding inclusion of 'Third Gender/any Other Category' in the application forms in recruitment to various posts under the central government was under consideration of the government for quite some time.
Deserted Thai Beaches Lure Rare Turtles To Build Most Nests In 20 Years
Thailand has found the largest number of nests of rare leatherback sea turtles in two decades on beaches bereft of tourists because of the coronavirus pandemic.
From wild boars patrolling the Israeli city of Haifa to deer venturing into London suburbs, virus closures are drawing wildlife into the abandoned streets of many cities.
In Thailand, with 2,765 infections and 47 deaths, travel curbs ranging from a ban on international flights to an appeal to citizens to stay home have brought a collapse in tourist numbers, but freed up the beaches for wildlife.
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