Centre to Convert Ravines of Chambal Region into Arable Land with World Bank Support
As per Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, the Centre, in collaboration with the World Bank, has decided to convert large area of ravines in Gwalior-Chambal belt of Madhya Pradesh into arable land, and a preliminary report for the same will be prepared in a month. After preparation of the initial report, subsequent meetings will be held with the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh for further course of action.
A decision in this regard was taken in a virtual meeting with World Bank representative Adarsh Kumar, who said that the bank is keen to work in Madhya Pradesh.
More than 3 lakh hectares of rugged land is not cultivable and if this area is improved, then this will help in the integrated development of the Bihad area in Gwalior-Chambal region.
First in the World: India Builds Electrified Rail Tunnel Capable to Run Double-stack Containers
India builds one km long world's first electrified rail tunnel that fits double stack containers. It cuts through Aravali Mountain on the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) near Sohna, Haryana.
The project is implemented by the DFCCIL (Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited).
The tunnel breaking was completed in July 2020. The project is expected to complete in the next 12 months.
One end of the tunnel is at Rewari, Haryana and the other end is at Dadri, Uttar Pradesh (UP).
India Extends Medical Assistance to North Korea
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India has extended medical assistance worth about USD 1 million to North Korea in response to a request received from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
India is sensitive to the shortage of medical supply situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and decided to grant humanitarian assistance of USD 1 million in the form of anti-tuberculosis medicines.
The medical assistance is under the aegis of an ongoing WHO anti-tuberculosis programme in DPRK.
The consignment of medicines was handed over by Indian Ambassador to DPRK Atul Malhari Gotsurve to North Korean Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pak Myong Ho along with a floral basket and a congratulatory letter addressed to the Supreme Leader, Kim Jong Un, on the occasion of the 8th anniversary of conferment of the title of 'marshal" on him.
Jul 26, 2020
Kashmir Saffron Gets GI Certificate
Saffron grown in Kashmir received the geographical indication (GI) tag, with Lieutenant Governor G. C. Murmu said that it is a major historic step in bringing the valley's brand on the global map. The Union government issued a certificate of GI registration for the saffron grown in the Kashmir Valley.
Soon after taking over as lieutenant governor, Girish Chander Murmu took a personal interest in ensuring that Kashmir saffron gets GI certification. Pampore, the hub of saffron in Kashmir, is expected to have a bumper crop of the spice this season due to initiatives taken by the National Mission on Saffron (NMS).
Under the NMS, a project of Rs. 411 crore was approved by the Union government under which an area of 3,715 hectare for saffron was proposed to be rejuvenated. The GI certification will stop the prevalent adulteration of Kashmir saffron, thereby, authenticated saffron will fetch much better prices.
With the GI tag, Kashmir saffron will acquire more prominence in export market and will help farmers get the best price for it.
India-EU Renew Agreement to Expand Scientific and Technological Cooperation
India and the European Union have renewed their agreement to expand scientific and technological cooperation aimed at strengthening their collaboration in this area in the next five years. Last week, the two sides agreed to renew the agreement on scientific cooperation till 2025 at the 15th India-EU Summit, which was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the Indian side.
The European Union delegation was headed by European Council President Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. The agreement was initially signed on November 23, 2001, and renewed in 2007 and 2015.
Union Civil Aviation Ministry Sets the Stage for Greenfield Airport at Pantnagar
Union Civli Aviation Ministry cleared the deck for Greenfield Airport at Uttrakhand's Pantnagar by submitting pre-feasibility report for airport.
The pre-feasibility report was submitted by Aviation Secretary Pradeep Kharola and Airport Authority of India chairman Arvind Singh to Uttrakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat.
As per reports, Kharola and Singh submitted the report giving a 'yes' to 1100 acre land for Greenfield airport at Pantnagar after inspecting the land earmarked for the project.
The Ministry has also proposed that the Greenfield airport at Pantnagar would be upgraded to international airport in future.
Pantnagar airport currently has about 267 acres of land with a 530 sqm of passenger terminal. The current handling capacity of the airport is 50 passengers in peak hours. CM Rawat has directed the concerned officials to complete the necessary procedures for the greenfield airport as soon as possible.
Jul 25, 2020
India Elects First Lawmaker of African Origin
An activist in India became the first person from a tiny African-origin ethnic group to become a legislator in the country.
Shantaram Siddi is from the Siddhi community - descendants of Africans who travelled to India as merchants or slaves from the 17th century onwards. Only about 50,000 remain.
Shantaram Siddi was appointed to the assembly in the state of Karnataka. He is also the first college graduate from his community.
He said that he would continue to work for the rights of India's tribes.
Hyderabad Tops the Public Surveillance chart in India
Hyderabad has emerged as the city with the highest number of surveillance cameras in the country, thereby improving crime detection and remote traffic management.
According to Comparitech, a UK based organisation, that surveyed various cities across the globe, it found that Hyderabad ranked 16th globally and No. 1 in India. It estimates that the city has over three lakh surveillance cameras.
As per the report, 18 out of the top 20 cities under surveillance are in China, and London and Hyderabad are the only cities outside of China to make the top 20.
Giving out details the Comparitech report says London was placed in the third slot and Hyderabad the 16th among the most-watched places in the world.
The report took into consideration data from several sources that included government reports, police websites, and news articles for 150 cities worldwide.
Jul 24, 2020
Modi Lays Foundation Stone for Manipur Water Supply Project
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the Manipur Water Supply Project, through video conferencing Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, under the Jal Jeevan Mission designed to provide Freshwater Household Tap connections (FHTCs) to the rural households of Manipur.
The Manipur Water Supply Project is aimed to achieve the goals of Jal Jeevan Mission "Har Ghar Jal" by 2024 benefitting the people of Manipur.
The outlay of the project with a loan component funded by New Development Bank is about Rs. 3000 crore.
The externally funded project will provide the FHTCs to the remaining households in the Greater Imphal Planning area, 25 towns and for the 1,731 rural regions in the 16 districts of Manipur covering 2,80,756 households.
Government Approves Permanent Commission for Women in Army
Five months after the Supreme Court ruled that women officers, who have joined the Indian Army through Short Service Commission (SSC), are entitled to a permanent commission, the defence ministry issued a formal sanction letter in this regard. The order will pave the way for empowering women officers to shoulder larger roles in the organisation.
The board will be scheduled as soon as the SSC women officers exercise their option and complete the requisite documentation. The army is committed to providing equal opportunities to all personnel including women officers to serve the country.
The Centre got a one-month extension earlier this month to implement the Supreme Court's verdict after it moved an application before the apex court seeking the extension of the deadline by another six months citing the Covid-19 pandemic.
The army, in May, made the Battle Physical Efficiency Test (BPET) mandatory for all women officers including those commissioned before 2009 and over the age of 35 (these officers were previously exempt). In March, it made a junior command course at Army War College, mandatory for women officers. There are around 600 women officers eligible for permanent commission, and a third of them are over the age of 40.
Gogoi on External Affairs Panel of Parliament
Former Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi, was made a member of Parliament's standing committee on external affairs while NCP leader Sharad Pawar entered another key House panel, defence, in a massive rejig to accommodate 65 MPs of the Rajya Sabha.
Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu also nominated former union minister and BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia in the human resource development panel which will have BJP's Vinay Sahasrabuddhe as the new chairman. The rejig in the HRD panel comes at a crucial time when the Covid-19 pandemic has altered the traditional education landscape, forced millions of students to go online, deferred key competitive exams and also when the NDA government is set to unveil its new education policy.
The Indian Parliament has 24 standing committees of which 8 are headed by Rajya Sabha members while the remaining 16 are led by lawmakers from Lok Sabha. Every member is entitled to be a member of a standing committee.
Jul 23, 2020
India and the US Set Up Industry Collaboration Forum
The US and India have set up an industry collaboration forum under the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI). The DTTI is tasked with co-development of military technologies.
The forum will have a standing mechanism for developing and sustaining dialogue between the Indian and US industry on defence technology and industrial cooperation.
US Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord said that it would open many possibilities for the two countries. The forum will provide an opportunity to individual members of the private sector to provide facts, data, expertise, or other relevant information on possible projects to the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) and also to the US Department of Defence (DoD).
The forum aims at facilitating dialogue between government and industry on issues that may relate to availability of critical and sensitive material and foreign direct investment.
New Rajya Sabha Members Take Oath
Rajya Sabha chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu administered the oath of office to 45 of 61 newly elected members at the first such ceremony in the Upper House's chambers during inter-session amid the Covid pandemic. The remaining lawmakers will be administered the oath at a later date.
Eighteen Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members, including Jyotiraditya Scindia, were among those who took oath.
The BJP's strength in the House has gone up from 75 to 85 even though it is still short of a majority in the Rajya Sabha. The Congress has 40 members in the Upper House.
Naidu said that the new members should reflect on their role and responsibility and not fall for the temptation of disrupting the House for short-term gains.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the BJP MPs who were administered the oath to be updated with the latest policy issues and be effective on the floor of the House.
Kakrapar Atomic Power Plant-3 Achieves Criticality
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated nuclear scientists as the Kakrapar atomic power plant-3 achieved criticality, and said that the indigenous reactor is a shining example of the 'Make in India' campaign.
The 700 MW power plant in Gujarat achieved criticality, meaning it reached the normal operating condition of a reactor. It indicates that the plant is now set to generate power.
Kakrapar is part of India's pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) portfolio. Of India's 22 commercial nuclear power reactors with an installed capacity of 6,780 megawatts (MW), which are run by state-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), there are 14 units of 220MW PHWRs each, making it one of the largest fleets of such reactors.
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