DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: Jan. 10, 2025

SECI Secures "Excellent" Rating in MoU Performance for FY 2023-24

Tags: Awards

Why in the news?

• Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI) has achieved "Excellent" rating for its performance under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) for the financial year 2023-24, earning a score of 96 out of 100.

Important points:

• This achievement highlights SECI's unwavering dedication to operational excellence and upholding the highest standards of corporate governance.

• As a leading Central Public Sector Enterprise, SECI plays a pivotal role in the development and expansion of renewable energy (RE) capacity in India, with a cumulative awarded generation capacity exceeding 73 GW as of December 31, 2024. 

About the SECI:

• SECI is thepremier Renewable Energy Implementing Agency (REIA) in the country, continuously working to meet climate goals and drive sustainable development.

• Recently on30th August 2024, SECI was granted Navratna status by the Ministry of Finance.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to Inaugurate All India Radio’s Special 'Kumbhvani' Channel and 'Kumbh Mangal dhwani’.

Tags: State News

Why in the news?

• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to Inaugurate All India Radio’s Special 'Kumbhvani' Channel and 'Kumbh Mangal dhwani
  

Important points:

• The live updates broadcast byKumbhVani will be especially beneficial for those who are unable to attend the Kumbh in Prayagraj. 

• This will help bring the atmosphere of this historic Mahakumbh to people across the nation and the world. 

• Prasar Bharati, the country’s public service broadcaster, is taking this initiative to not only promote India’s historical religious traditions but also provide important information to devotees and offer them a cultural experience from the comfort of their homes.

Kumbhvani Channel:

• Broadcast Period: January 10, 2025, to February 26, 2025

• Broadcast Time: 5:55 AM to 10:05 PM

• Frequency: FM 103.5 MHz

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh Inaugurates ‘The Art of India 2025’

Tags: National

Why in the news?

• Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Dr. Jitendra Singh, inaugurated "Art of India 2025" Exhibition at Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre. 

Important points:

• The fourth edition of this celebrated event brought together over 250 exquisite artworks from some of India’s most distinguished masters, emerging artists, and indigenous creators, offering a vivid portrayal of the country’s artistic evolution.

• Through initiatives like The Art of India, it not only keeps the public informed about contemporary issues but also reconnects us with what is ancient, inherent, and eternal.

• Reflecting on the art pieces showcased, including the striking depiction of the “Big Bull,” the exhibition symbolizes India’s ascent in the 21st century while grounding the nation in its timeless ethos. 

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal launches Bharat Cleantech Manufacturing Platform

Tags: Economy/Finance

Why in the news?

• Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal unveiled the Bharat Cleantech Manufacturing Platform, at the Bharat Climate Forum 2025 in New Delhi.

Important points:

• Bharat Cleantech Manufacturing Platform to spur innovation, help India become global leader in sustainability: 

• This is an initiative designed to enhance India's cleantech value chains in the solar, wind, hydrogen, and battery storage sectors.

• Product-Linked Incentives, subsidies are detrimental to long-term growth of the clean energy sector.

28TH CSPOC TO BE HELD IN INDIA NEXT YEAR

Tags: Summits

Why in the news?

• Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla said that the thrust of the28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments of Commonwealth Countries (CSPOC) scheduled to be held in India next yearwould be application of AI and social media in the working of Parliaments. 

Important points:

• He made these observations while chairing the Standing Committee Meeting of the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Commonwealth (CSPOC) in Guernsey.  

• The session brought together parliamentary leaders to address pressing global challenges and lay thegroundwork for the 28th CSPOC, which India will host in 2026.

• Addressing the Session, Shri Birla acknowledged the CSPOC platform as an invaluable opportunity for member countries to exchange best practices, strengthen parliamentary cooperation, and collectively work towards building a just and equitable future.

 About Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments of Commonwealth Countries (CSPOC):

• The Conference brings together the Speakers and Presiding Officers of the national parliaments of the independent sovereign states of the Commonwealth.

• It was created in 1969 as an initiative of then Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, the Honourable Lucien Lamoureux. Since its inception, Canada has provided CSPOC with a secretariat to support its activities.

• The Conference is an independent group and has no formal affiliation with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Commonwealth Secretariat or the Commonwealth Heads of Government. 

• CSPOC operates on a two-year cycle, holding a conference of the full membership every two years, usually early in January, and a meeting of the Standing Committee at the same time the intervening year.

The Conference aims to:

• Maintain, foster, and encourage impartiality and fairness on the part of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments.

• Promote knowledge and understanding of parliamentary democracy in its various forms and Develop parliamentary institutions.