DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: Jan. 4, 2023

NGEL, HPCL sign an agreement to develop green energy projects

Tags: National Economy/Finance

NTPC Green Energy Ltd (NGEL) has signed an agreement with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) for the development of renewable energy-based power projects for HPCL Refineries and other Business Units.

The agreement was signed on 3 January 2023 in New Delhi by Mr Neeraj Sharma, Head of Finance, NGEL and Shri Shuvendu Gupta, Executive Director- BioFuels & Renewables, HPCL.

Under the agreement NGEL which is a subsidiary of NTPC will supply 400 MW renewable power to the HPCL 

This MoU marks the first step for NGEL and HPCL to collaborate and cooperate in the field of development of Renewable Energy projects which shall help HPCL in meeting its Clean Energy Commitments.

Union Cabinet approves naming of Mopa airport in Goa after Manohar Parrikar

Tags: place in news National State News

The Union cabinet in a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 4 January 2023 has given ex-post facto approval for naming the Greenfield International Airport at Goa's Mopa as Manohar International Airport, after former defence minister and Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while inaugurating the first phase of the international airport at Mopa  in north Goa on 11 December 2022 had announced that the airport will be named after the late Goa Chief Minister and former Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. 

Manohar Parrikar was the Chief Minister of Goa from 2000 to 2005, 2012 to 2014 and from 14 March 2017 until his death in March 2019.

Manohar Parrikar was also the Union Defence Minister from October 2014-March 2017.

He was awarded Padma Bhushan posthumously in January 2020.

 Manohar International Airport is the second airport in Goa after Dabolim airport.

Five-time MLA Kuldeep Singh Pathania to be next speaker of Himachal Assembly

Tags: Person in news State News

Senior Congress leader and five-time MLA from Bhatiyyat Kuldeep Singh Pathania is all set to be the next speaker of the Himachal Assembly. The election for the Speaker post is to be held on 5 January 2023. 

With Kuldeep Singh Pathania being the only candidate his election is a mere formality. He will be the 18th Speaker of the Himachal Pradesh legislative Assembly.

His name was proposed by the Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and was seconded by the leader of the opposition in the house and BJP leader Jai Ram Thakur.

Kuldeep Singh Pathania was elected to the Assembly in 1985, 1993, 2003, 2007, and 2022.

The first session of the 14th Himachal Pradesh legislative Assembly started on 4 January 2023 in the state capital Shimla. It is a three day session. 

Jaiwant Ram was the first speaker of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

President Murmu inaugurates the 18th National Jamboree of the Bharat Scouts and Guides in Rajasthan

Tags: place in news National Summits

President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the 18th National Scout and Guide Jamboree, at Rohat in the Pali district of Rajasthan on 4 January 2023.  The President was on a two day (3 and 4 January) visit to the state. The 7 day event is being hosted by Rajasthan after 66 years. Over 35,000 scouts and guides from all over the country are participating in the event.

The first National Scout and Guide Jamboree was held in Andhra Pradesh in 1951. The 17th Jamboree was held in Mysuru, Karnataka in December 2016 -January 2017. 

Theme of the Jamboree 2023

Theme of the 18th National Scout and Guide Jamboree: Progress with Peace 

What is a Jamboree?

The Jamboree is a National level gathering of the Scouts and Guides conducted once in 4 years or to mark special occasions. The Jamboree gives the Scouts and Guides an opportunity to interact with the youth from different states of India and from abroad. The young people share their customs, food habits, handicrafts, religious practices, culture etc with one another. They live under the canvas for a week and participate in various activities.

For the 18th National Scout and Guides Jamboree over 3500 tents have been erected at the Nimblee village.

Founder of the Scout and Guides movement 

The Boy Scout movement was started by Major General Baden Powel of the British Army in 1907. 

The girl’s guide’s movement was started by Major General Powel sister’s Agnes Baden Powel in 1910.

Bharat Scouts and Guides Movement 

After Independence the Bharat Scouts and Guides was set up in 1950 as a registered society under Societies Registrations Act 1860.

It is a totally voluntary, non-political and secular organisation.  

The purpose of the Movement is to contribute to the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual potentials as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of the local, national and International communities.

Its Headquarters is in New Delhi.

Union Government approves the National Green Hydrogen Mission

Tags: National Government Schemes

The Union Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 4 January 2023 approved the National Green Hydrogen Policy which aims to make India a Global Hub for the production, utilisation and export of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives.

Green Hydrogen refers to the breaking down of the water molecule into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable sources of energy.

Outlay for the Scheme  

The initial outlay for the Mission is Rs.19, 744 crore, including an outlay of Rs.17, 490 crore for the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition Programme (SIGHT), Rs.1, 466 crore for pilot projects, Rs.400 crore for Research and Development, and Rs. 388 crore towards other Mission components. 

Main Objective of the National Green Hydrogen Mission

• The aim of the National Hydrogen Mission is to enable India to meet its climate change target of net zero carbon emission by 2070 and make India a production and export hub of hydrogen fuel. 
• Achieve the capacity to produce 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen per year by 2030  ,
• Capacity addition of 125 GW of renewable energy by 2030.
• Reduction in carbon dioxide emission of nearly 50 Million Metric Tonne per annum by 2030.
• Reduction in fossil fuel imports worth Rs 1 lakh crore by 2030.
• To attract investment over Rs.8 lakh crore in the sector.
• Target of creation of over 6 lakh jobs in the sector by 2030.

Odisha wins World Habitat Award 2023 for its JAGA Mission

Tags: Awards State News

Odisha government’s slum improvement and land titling programme, JAGA (Odisha Liveable Habitat Mission) Mission has won the UN-Habitat’s World Habitat Awards 2023. This year it was awarded the bronze medal. 

This is the second time that the programme has received the UN-Habitat’s World Habitat Award. In 2019, the project received the World Habitat Awards for its success in providing land tenure security to slum dwellers.

This award is given by World Habitat, a United Kingdom -based organization, in partnership with United Nation (UN)-Habitat, every year, in recognition of innovative, outstanding, and revolutionary ideas, projects, and programmes from across the world.

JAGA Mission Plan of the Odisha Government 

The Govt. of Odisha in May 2018 launched JAGA Mission based on the Odisha Land Rights to Slum Dwellers Act, 2017”. 

It is the world’s largest slum titling and upgradation initiative. 

It aims to make Odisha the first state in India to be slum free by the end of 2023. 

Achievements of the Mission 

• According to the state government under the JAGA mission out of 2,919 slums in the state;
• 100 percent of households in 2,724 slums have been provided with pipe water connections, 
• 707 slums have transformed fully into liveable habitats, 
• 100 percent of households in 666 slums have individual toilets, and 
• 8 cities have become slum-free.”
• In the last five years, 1, 75,000 families have been granted land tenure security.

Chief Minister of Odisha: Naveen Patnaik 

Union cabinet approves Rs 2,614.51 crore investment in the 382 MW Sunni Dam Hydro Electric Project

Tags: National State News

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 4 January 2023 approved the investment of Rs 2,614.51 crore for the 382 MW Sunni Dam Hydro Electric Project by state-owned SJVN Ltd in Himachal Pradesh. 

The 382 MW Sunni Dam Hydro Electric Project is being developed by Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam limited (SJVN) on Sutlej river in the Shimla and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh.  The project on completion is expected to generate 1,382 million units of electricity annually.

This project would help in reduction of 11 lakh tons of carbon dioxide from the environment annually and Himachal Pradesh would benefit with around Rs 2,587 crore worth of free power.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had virtually laid the foundation stone of the 382 MW Sunni Dam Hydro Electric Project in Himachal Pradesh on 27 December 2021. He also laid the foundation stone of 210 MW Luhri Stage-1 on river Sutlej and  66 MW Dhaulasidh project being built on Beas river .All the projects are being developed by SJVN.

Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVN)

It is a Mini Ratna Category-I Central public Sector Enterprises Company under the Union Ministry of Power.

The company is a joint venture of the Government of India and Himachal Pradesh government with the government of India holding the majority shares. It was set up in 1988 for hydroelectric power generation and transmission.

SJVN is presently implementing or operating power projects in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Odisha, Mizoram and Madhya Pradesh in India besides neighbouring countries of Nepal and Bhutan.

Chairman and Managing Director: N L Sharma

Government approves Central Sector Broadcasting Infrastructure & Network Development Scheme

Tags: Government Schemes

The Central Government has approved Central Sector Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development (BIND) Scheme with an outlay of over two 2,539 crore rupees up to 2025-26 on 4 January.

About the Scheme

• The scheme will financially assist Prasar Bharati in expansion and upgradation of its broadcasting infrastructure, content development and civic works.

• The scheme will broaden the reach in Left Wing Extremism, border and strategic areas.

• The scheme is a means of providing financial assistance to Prasar Bharati for expenses related to expansion and upgradation of its broadcasting infrastructure, content development and civic work related to the organisation.

• The scheme will enable the public broadcaster to upgrade facilities with better infrastructure.

• This will enhance the reach of the scheme including Left Wing Extremism, Border and Strategic Sectors and provide high quality content to the viewers.

About Prasar Bharati

• It is the largest statutory autonomous public broadcasting agency in India which was established in 1997.

• It was established under an Act of Parliament and consists of Doordarshan Television Network and All India Radio.

• In September 1990, the Parliament passed the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act. 

• This Act made provision for the establishment of a Broadcasting Corporation of India named Prasar Bharati.

• Head quarters - New Delhi

• CEO - Gaurav Dwivedi 

1st All India Annual State Ministers Conference on Water

Tags: Summits National News

1st All India Annual State Ministers Conference on Water to be held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on 5th & 6th January, 2023.

Important facts

• The Government is deliberating on the preparation of the Action Plan and Vision Document of India@2047.

• Water Vision@2047 is part of PM’s India@2047 plan. 

• Thematic sessions will be organised at the conference to focus on water security, water use efficiency, water governance, water infrastructure and water quality.

• Ministers of State for Water Resources, Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) and Irrigation of all States/Union Territories of the country will participate.

• The participants will have to prepare a blueprint of Water Vision @ 2047 and prepare a road map to overcome the water problems of the country.

Objectives of the conference

• To collect inputs for India@2047 and 5P vision from various water stakeholders of the states as water is a state subject.

• Improving engagement and partnership with states and sharing of initiatives and schemes of the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

5 thematic sessions of the conference

• Water Security in Water Deficit, Water Surplus and Hilly Regions

• Water Use Efficiency including Reuse of Waste Water/ Grey Water

• Water Governance

• Climate Change Resilient Water Infrastructure, and

• Water Quality

Union Minister of Jal Shakti - Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

Norway’s Climate Investment Fund invests Rs 90 crore in ReNew Company’s Karnataka transmission project

Tags: Environment Economy/Finance

According to the Norwegian embassy in India “ Norway’s Climate Investment Fund, managed by Norfund, together with Norwegian pension fund KLP, will invest Rs 90 crore in a transmission project in Karnataka being developed by ReNew Power company. “

The Norwegian fund together will hold 49% stake in the ReNew’s transmission project in Koppel, Karnataka.

The Norwegian investment in Karnataka will connect 2.5 GW of renewable capacity to the national grid.

Climate Fund Investment in India 

This will be the third investment of the Climate investment fund in India. The fund has already made two previous investments in India. It has invested in a large-scale solar park being developed by the Italian Enel company in Rajasthan. It has also invested in India's leading developer of distributed solar energy solutions, Fourth Partner Energy.

Norway's new Climate Investment Fund 

 Norway's new Climate Investment Fund which became operational in May 2022 has been set up by the Norway government to invest in developing countries to encourage the transition from fossil based fuels to renewable energy sources. This is expected to reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses and slow down global warming.

It is managed by Norfund. Norfund is a Norwegian Investment Fund owned by the government of Norway and it invests in developing countries. 

ReNew Company 

ReNew is one of the largest renewable energy independent power producers globally. ReNew develops, builds, owns and operates utility-scale wind energy, solar energy and hydro projects. 

As of October 10, 2022, ReNew has a gross total portfolio of 13.4 GW of renewable energy projects across India, including commissioned and committed projects.

Founder Chairman and CEO of the Company: Sumant Sinha

Odisha government to provide free rice for one year under the State Food Security Scheme

Tags: Government Schemes State News

The Naveen Patnaik government in Odisha will provide free 5 Kg rice per month to the beneficiaries under the State Food Security Scheme for one year. This was announced by the chief minister Naveen Patnaik on 3 January 2023. 

According to the Chief Minister’s Office the total expenditure for the scheme will be Rs 185 crore which will be borne by the state government 

Earlier the Government of India made the foodgrains provided under the National Food Security Act 2013 to the beneficiaries free for one year from 1 January 2023.  

The Odisha government launched its own State Food Security Scheme on 2 October 2018 for those poor people who were not covered under the National Food Security Act 2013. These beneficiaries were provided 5Kg of rice at Re1 per kg.

Under the National Food Security Act the Antodaya Anna Yojana beneficiaries get 35 kg of food grains (rice or wheat or coarse cereals) per month and the Priority Household gets 5kg per person per month.

Odisha 

The State of Orissa was founded on 1 April 1936 after it was separated from the Bengal presidency. 

1 April is celebrated as Utkal Dibas or Odisha divas in Odisha.

Odisha was earlier called as Orissa. Its name was changed to Odisha in 2011.

Governor of Odisha: Ganeshi Lal 

Capital: Its capital was at Cuttack but it was shifted to Bhubaneswar on 19 August 1949.

World Braille Day 2023

Tags: Important Days

World Braille Day is celebrated on 4 January of every year around the world and it also marks the birth anniversary of Braille’s inventor Louis Braille.

Important facts

• This day is very important for blind people because on this day, Louis Braille, who brought light to the lives of the blind, was born.

• It was Louis Braille who gave birth to the Braille script, due to which today blind people are also able to read and write and are moving forward.

• Thus it is a perfect day to recognise his efforts. 

• The day also recognizes that people with visual impairments are equally entitled to the same standards of human rights as all others.

Background of the day

• By passing a resolution on 6 November 2018, the United Nations General Assembly decided to celebrate the birthday of Louis Braille, the father of Braille script, on 4 January every year as 'World Braille Day'.

• World Braille Day was celebrated for the first time on 4 January 2019.

• According to a report by the World Health Organization of the United Nations, about 39 million people are blind in the world and about 253 million people are suffering from some kind of eye problem. Braille script is very helpful for such people.

What is a Braille script?

• Braille is a system of reading and writing by touch used by the blind.

• It consists of an arrangement of dots that form the letters of the alphabet, numbers and punctuation marks.

• It was first developed by a young Frenchman named Louis Braille in the late 1820s.

• He created Braille by modifying a system of night writing that was intended for military use.

• Braille devices help blind people to recognize letters easily.

• There is a wide range of electronic devices to meet the needs of blind people and these devices use different technologies to transmit different types of graphic information such as pictures, maps, graphs, text etc.

Madhya Pradesh government launched Chief Minister's Residential Land Rights Scheme

Tags: State News

In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister's Residential Land Rights Scheme (Mukhyamantri Bhumi Adhikar Yojna) launched from Bakpura Panchayat of Tikamgarh district on 4 January 2023.

Important facts

• Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan distributed free pattas of residential land to selected beneficiaries.

• Under the scheme, applications from 14 lakh people have been received from across the state.

• Out of these, residential plots worth Rs 120 crore were provided to 10 thousand 500 eligible beneficiaries of Tikamgarh district.

• The scheme will be launched in the entire state.

• The Chief Minister had instructed the Revenue Department to identify the eligible beneficiaries for this scheme and prepare their data.

• Each beneficiary family will be given a plot of about 600 square feet for construction of houses under various schemes including Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

• This step will also pave the way for construction of houses for poor families under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

Madhya Pradesh

• It is the second largest state area wise in India after Rajasthan.

• According to the Indian State of Forest Report -2021, Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country area wise. 

• 25.14 % of its area is under forest cover.

• Chief Minister - Shivraj Singh Chouhan

• Capital - Bhopal

PM Modi presides over annual general meeting of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library society

Tags: National National News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 2nd January chaired the Annual General Meeting of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society in New Delhi.

Important facts

• He underlined the need to widen the scope of research on modern Indian history by involving individuals and institutions to create awareness about the country's past.

• He stressed the need for institutions in the country to record research work for the benefit of present and future generations.

• He also expressed satisfaction over the design and contents of the Prime Minister's Museum and described the museum as truly nation-centric and not individual-centric.

• The Prime Minister's Museum is a tribute to every Prime Minister of India since independence.

• It is a descriptive record of the contribution made by each PM to the development of the country in the last 75 years.

• The PM mentioned that the 200th birth anniversary of Swami Dayanand Saraswati, the founder of Arya Samaj, is in 2024.

About Nehru Memorial Museum and Library

• It was established in 1964 in the memory of Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964).

• It is an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

• It is located in Teen Murti House, the official residence of the first Prime Minister of India.

• It has four major components, a Memorial Museum, a Library on Modern India, a Center for Contemporary Studies and the Nehru Planetarium.

• It is a specialised library designed and developed as an exclusive research and reference centre on colonial and post-colonial India. It has a rich manuscript section.

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'Nijat' campaign selected for International IACP Awards 2022

Tags: Awards

The US-based international organisation International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) has selected Chhattisgarh Police's anti-drug and illicit liquor campaign 'Nijat' for 'Leadership in Crime Prevention' in the institutional category.

Important facts

• In early 2022, the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), an organisation of the Ministry of Home Affairs, included the 'Nijat' campaign among the thirty best smart-policing campaigns in the country.

• The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), an international organisation of America, has been greatly impressed by the effective implementation of Rajnandgaon Police's anti-drug and illegal liquor campaign and its results.

About 'Nijat' campaign

• It was launched by the Chhattisgarh Police under the leadership of IPS officer Santosh Kumar Singh, who launched an intensive drive against drug addiction and illicit liquor in the districts of Koriya, Rajnandgaon and presently Korba.

• Under this campaign, a comprehensive awareness campaign is also being run among the people against drugs from city to village.

• The only successful campaign to create a drug free society with missionary zeal - 'Nijat' has seen amazing results.

• The campaign undertook to end the illegal trade of illegal drugs, narcotics and alcohol as well as prevent its smuggling.

International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)

• It is the world's largest and most influential professional association for police leaders.

• With more than 32,000 members in more than 170 countries, it is a recognized leader in global policing committed to advancing safer communities through thoughtful, progressive police leadership.

• It was established in 1893.

• It is based in Alexandria, Virginia (United States).