1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Govt exempts public sector companies from minimum public float rules
Tags: National Economy/Finance
The government of India has exempted public sector entities from the Minimum Public Shareholding (MPS) norm which mandates at least 25 per cent public float for all listed companies.
The Securities Contracts (Regulation) Amendment Rules, 2022 was notified by the government on 2 January 2023.
According to the notification “any listed entity in which the Central Government or State Government or public sector company, either individually or in any combination with others, holds directly or indirectly, majority of the shares or voting rights or control of such listed entity, are exempted from any or all of the provisions of this rule”.
Rule 19 A of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Rules prescribes that a listed entity must have at least 25 percent of public shareholding. Public shareholding means an investor who is not the promoter of the company. The investor could be either an individual or an institution.
Listed Company means that the capital instrument of the company (shares, debenture or bonds etc) is listed on any stock exchange and it can be bought and sold in the market.
9. UIDAI allows change in address online with the consent of head of family
Tags: National
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) in a notification issued on 3 January 2023 has allowed residents to update addresses in Aadhaar online with the consent of their head of family.
The new process can be initiated after submitting proof of relationship documents like a ration card, mark sheet, marriage certificate, passport etc, mentioning the name of both the applicant and head of family (HOF) and the relationship between them. The process requires OTP-based authentication by the HOF.
According to the UIDAI any resident above the age of 18 can be a HOF for this purpose and can share his or her address with his or her relatives through this process.
Residents have to pay a fee of Rs 50 for the service.
Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is a statutory authority established under the provisions of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016.
It was set up on 12 July 2016 by the Government of India, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
UIDAI was created to issue Unique Identification numbers (UID), Aadhaar, to all residents of India. It issues a 12 digit biometric Aadhaar number to the residents of India after satisfying the verification process laid down by the Authority.
Chief Executive officer (CEO): Dr Saurabh Garg
10. Hydrogen blended PNG project starts operation at NTPC Kawas ,Gujarat
Tags: place in news National Science and Technology State News
India’s largest power company NTPC Ltd has commissioned India’s first green hydrogen blending project at Kawas, Gujarat. The piped natural gas (PNG) blended with green hydrogen gas is being supplied through the Gujarat Gas limited piped natural gas (PNG) network in the NTPC Kawas township, Surat.
In April 2022 the NTPC signed an agreement with Gujarat Gas for blending of green hydrogen in the piped natural gas (PNG) to be supplied to the NTPC Kawas Township.
Green Hydrogen refers to the breaking down of the water molecule into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable sources of energy.
The Central government owned NTPC provides the green hydrogen produced at its 1 megawatt (MW) floating solar project of NTPC Kawas in the Surat district of Gujarat for blending purposes.
Initially, the percentage of hydrogen blending in the PNG shall be around 5% and after successful completion, it will be increased. The Hydrogen blended PNG will be used for cooking purposes.
This is the first project of its kind in the country .This is seen as a first step toward the decarbonization of the cooking sector and self-sufficiency for the energy requirements of the nation.
Gujarat Gas Limited (GGL) is India's largest City Gas Distribution (CGD) Company in terms of sales volume, with operation across 43 districts in 6 states and 1 Union territory in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh and Union Territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli.
It is owned by Gujarat government owned Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation.
Headquarters: Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
