1. World Bank appoints neutral expert and chairman of Court of Arbitration for ‘Kishanganga’ and ‘Ratle’ hydroelectric project
Tags: Environment National Person in news
The World Bank has appointed a "neutral expert" and a chairman of the Court of Arbitration regarding the Kishanganga and Ratle hydroelectric power plants, in view of disagreements and differences between India and Pakistan over the 1960 Indus Water Treaty.
Under the Indus water treaty if there is a dispute between India and Pakistan on the provisions of the treaty then the World Bank will mediate between the two.
Michel Lino, Chairman of the International Large Dam Commission has been appointed as the Neutral Expert and Sean Murphy has been appointed as Chairman of the Court of Arbitration.
Pakistan asked the World Bank to facilitate the establishment of a Court of Arbitration to consider its concerns about the designs of the two hydroelectric power projects, while India asked for the appointment of a Neutral Expert to consider similar concerns over the two projects.
What is the Indus Waters Treaty?
The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty was mediated by the World Bank and signed by the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan's president Ayub Khan.
- It has allotted western rivers; Indus, Jhelum and Chenab to Pakistan and Eastern flowing rivers; Sutlej, Ravi and Beas to India.
- Under the treaty India will not restrict the flow of the river which is assigned to Pakistan but it can use the river for hydroelectric purposes on the condition that the flow of water to Pakistan is not affected significantly.
- Due to this provision of the Indus water treaty, India has designed the Rattle and the Kishanganga project as run of the river project.
Run of the River project
In the run of the river project, reservoirs are not built for water storage purposes and the natural flow of water from a height is used to run micro turbines to produce electricity.
According to India such hydel projects do not contravene the Indus Water Treaty as river waters are not stored.
Dispute over Kishanganga and Ratle project
Kishanganga or Neelum (for Pakistan) is a tributary of river Jhelum. India has constructed a run of the river hydroelectric projects with a capacity of 330 MW in Jammu and Kashmir.
The project was inaugurated by PM Modi in 2018. Pakistan argues that the flow of the river which enters Pakistan has been affected due to the faulty design of the project.
Ratle Hydroelectric Project
It is also a run of the river hydroelectric project being built on the Chenab river in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. In 2013 Pakistan government objected to the project as it was a violation of the Indus water treaty. In 2017 the World Bank allowed India to start the project which was opposed by Pakistan. After fresh objections from Pakistan, both countries approached the World Bank.
2. India and France adopts a joint roadmap on Hydrogen partnership
Tags: Environment National
The visiting French Minister of State for Development, Francophonie and International Partnerships Chrysoula Zacharopoulou and Union Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh adopted the “Indo-French Roadmap on the Development of Green Hydrogen" on 18 October 2022, in a meeting in New Delhi.
The French embassy said the roadmap aims at bringing the French and Indian hydrogen ecosystems together in order to establish a reliable and sustainable value chain for decarbonised hydrogen.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the French President Emmanuel Macron in a meeting on 4 May, gave a clear mandate to foster bilateral cooperation on hydrogen. This agreement is a step in that direction.
3. Jyotiraditya Scindia chairs the Conference of the Ministers of Civil Aviation of States and Union Territories
The Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia chaired the two-day (17-18 October 2022) Conference of the Ministers of Civil Aviation on 18 October 2022. The conference was and co-chaired by Minister of State, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Gen. (Rtd.) Vijay Kumar Singh.
The Conference of the Ministers of Civil Aviation has been organised by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation in New Delhi.
The objective of the two day conference series was to promote greater collaboration and synergy between State Civil Aviation departments and Ministry of Civil Aviation to augment and develop the civil aviation sector.
Speaking on the occasion Scindia stated that the cost of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) remains a challenge as it constitutes 45-50% cost in airline operations. He thanked 28 States, which have brought down Value Added Tax (VAT) on ATF to 1-4%. He also urged the remaining 8 States to bring down the VAT so that the barriers to growth are removed.
Expansion of Airports
On the issue of airports, the Minister said that in next four years, about Rs 95,000 crore are likely to be invested by the Government and the private sector, which includes greenfield as well as brownfield airports.
The Airports Authority of India is working on expansion of about 40 airports and setting up of 3-4 new Greenfield airports. Similarly, private sector is also working on 60 brownfield and 3 Greenfield airports.
In last 8 years, the number of airports has gone up from 74 to 141 (including helipads and waterdromes) and the number is likely to cross 200 in next 4-5 years.
4. Russia-Ukraine conflict forces over 4 million children into poverty: UNICEF
Tags: International News
The UN agency UNICEF has revealed that the economic crisis due to Russia-Ukraine conflict has thrown more than 4 million children into poverty across eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Important facts
In an official statement, UNICEF said that children are bearing the biggest burden of the economic crisis caused by the Ukraine war.
Conflict and rising inflation have pushed an additional 4 million children into poverty in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, a 19 percent increase since 2021.
UNICEF has concluded this from a study of data from 22 countries.
Russians and Ukrainian children have been the most affected since Russia's attack on Ukraine in February this year.
On the other hand, the World Food Program estimates that around 19 million Afghans face food insecurity.
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
It was established by the United Nations General Assembly on 11 December 1946.
Poland’s physician Ludwik Rauschmann was instrumental in the formation of UNICEF.
The main purpose of establishing it was to provide food and health services in case of emergency to children and mothers in countries devastated by World War II.
5. Review of site work progress of Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal, Gujarat
Tags: National National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the site work progress of the National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal in Gujarat on 18 October via video conferencing.
About National Maritime Heritage Complex
It is being developed in Lothal (Indus Valley civilisation) region of Gujarat.
The project not only showcases India's rich and diverse maritime heritage but also helps Lothal to emerge as a world class international tourist destination.
The foundation stone of the project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the master plan was agreed in March 2019.
Work on this project started in March 2022, it is being developed at a cost of about Rs 3500 crore.
This heritage theme park will cover an area of 400 acres with structures like the National Maritime Heritage Museum, Lighthouse Museum, Maritime Institute, and eco-resorts.
It is one of the major projects under the Sagarmala scheme of the Ministry of Culture (MoC) and Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW).
About Lothal
Lothal was one of the southernmost sites of the ancient Indus Valley civilization, located in the Bhil region of the state of Gujarat.
Construction of the city Lothal is believed to have begun around 2200 BCE.
Lothal was discovered in 1954 by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Lothal is known for the discovery of the oldest man-made dockyard.
It was an important and thriving trade centre in ancient times, with its trade in pearls, gems and precious jewellery reaching the far corners of West Asia and Africa.
About Indus Valley Civilization
It is also known as the Harappan civilization which developed in the western part of South Asia, contemporary Pakistan and western India around 2,500 BC.
It was basically an urban civilization and people lived in well-planned and well-built towns, which were also centres of trade.
It had wide roads and a well-developed drainage system and houses were built of burnt bricks and had two or more storeys.
6. Review of site work progress of Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal, Gujarat
Tags: National National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the site work progress of the National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal in Gujarat on 18 October via video conferencing.
About National Maritime Heritage Complex
It is being developed in Lothal (Indus Valley civilisation) region of Gujarat.
The project not only showcases India's rich and diverse maritime heritage but also helps Lothal to emerge as a world class international tourist destination.
The foundation stone of the project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the master plan was agreed in March 2019.
Work on this project started in March 2022, it is being developed at a cost of about Rs 3500 crore.
This heritage theme park will cover an area of 400 acres with structures like the National Maritime Heritage Museum, Lighthouse Museum, Maritime Institute, and eco-resorts.
It is one of the major projects under the Sagarmala scheme of the Ministry of Culture (MoC) and Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW).
About Lothal
Lothal was one of the southernmost sites of the ancient Indus Valley civilization, located in the Bhil region of the state of Gujarat.
Construction of the city Lothal is believed to have begun around 2200 BCE.
Lothal was discovered in 1954 by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Lothal is known for the discovery of the oldest man-made dockyard.
It was an important and thriving trade centre in ancient times, with its trade in pearls, gems and precious jewellery reaching the far corners of West Asia and Africa.
About Indus Valley Civilization
It is also known as the Harappan civilization which developed in the western part of South Asia, contemporary Pakistan and western India around 2,500 BC.
It was basically an urban civilization and people lived in well-planned and well-built towns, which were also centres of trade.
It had wide roads and a well-developed drainage system and houses were built of burnt bricks and had two or more storeys.
7. Ulf Kristersson elected Sweden's new Prime Minister
Tags: Person in news International News
Sweden's parliament on 17 October elected Ulf Kristersson, 59, leader of the Conservative Moderate Party, as the new Prime Minister.
Important facts
He will head a coalition that is also backed by a once radical right-wing party.
His government is expected to assume office on October 18.
His alliance consists of three parties. Although the coalition does not have a majority, in Sweden, the prime minister can rule as long as there is no majority against him in parliament.
His party emerged as the major winner in Sweden's 11 September general election, with a record 20.5 percent of the vote, behind outgoing Prime Minister Magdalena Andersen's Social Democrats.
The Social Democrats have dominated Swedish politics since the 1930s.
The new government plans to cut taxes, start the process of building new nuclear power plants, tighten immigration rules and give more police powers as part of a policy deal with the Sweden Democrats.
About Sweden
It is located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in northern Europe.
The ancient name of the country was Svitiod.
Prime Minister - Ulf Kristersson
Capital - Stockholm
Currency - Swedish krona
King - Carl XVI Gustaf
8. Diplomat Apoorva Srivastava appointed Ambassador to Slovak Republic
Tags: Person in news International News
Apoorva Srivastava, a diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service, has been appointed to serve as India’s Ambassador to the Slovak Republic.
Important facts
Apoorva, a 2001 batch officer, is currently serving as the Consul General at the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Prior to this, she held various positions in the Ministry of External Affairs and was posted in Kathmandu and Paris, among other places.
India and Slovakia have signed agreements ranging from defence and air services to economic and cultural.
India and Slovakia regularly support each other's candidacy for top positions in multilateral organisations such as the International Court of Justice and the United Nations.
Slovak Republic
Slovak Republic or Slovakia is a landlocked country of central Europe.
It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, and Austria to the southwest.
Its former federal partner, the Czech Republic, lies to the west.
Prime Minister - Eduard Heger
Capital - Bratislava
President - Zuzana Caputova
Currency - Euro
Official Language - Slovak
9. India-Africa Defence Dialogue
Tags: Defence International News
India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD) being held on 18 October on the sidelines of the 12th DefExpo in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Important facts
The theme of the dialogue is ‘India-Africa : Adopting Strategy for Synergising and Strengthening Defence and Security Cooperation’.
It aims to explore new avenues of convergence for mutual engagement including in the areas of capacity building, training, cyber security, maritime security and counter-terrorism.
Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis (MP-IDSA), India's leading think-tank for advanced research in international relations, is the knowledge partner for the India-Africa Defence Dialogue.
India’s approach towards Africa is guided by the Kampala Principles enunciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018.
On February 6, 2020, the first ever India-Africa Defence Ministers' Conference was held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in conjunction with the DefExpo.
What are Kampala Principles?
The Kampala Principles promote the ownership of private sector partnerships (PSEs) through development cooperation by partner countries.
These principles ensure the alignment of PSE projects and programs with national sustainable development priorities.
About African continent
It is the second largest continent (after Asia), covering about one-fifth of the total land surface of Earth.
It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, the Mediterranean Sea in the north, the Red Sea and Indian Ocean in the east, and the Atlantic and Indian Oceans in the south.
The island of Madagascar, off the coast of Africa, is one of the largest islands in the world.
The African continent has a population of over one billion, with a combined GDP of $2.5 trillion, making it a huge potential market.
Africa is a resource-rich continent rich in crude oil, gas, pulses and lentils, leather, gold and other metals, all of which are lacking in substantial quantities in India.
10. Conference of the Secretaries of Civil Aviation
Tags: National Summits National News
The Conference of Civil Aviation Secretaries of all States and Union Territories was organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on 17 October 2022 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
Important facts
The inaugural session was presided over by Rajiv Bansal, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India.
Presiding over the inaugural session, Rajiv Bansal said that a lot of progress has been made in the aviation sector in the last year.
He said domestic air traffic is almost near the pre-Covid level, many new airports have been inaugurated and new routes have been started.
The government has taken several steps to promote drones, helicopter medical emergency services and fractional ownership, he said.
During the conference, requested the states to reduce VAT on Aviation Turbine Fuel, ATF and appreciated the states which have already done so.
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia addressed the Conference.
Objective of the conference
The objective of the conference is to promote greater cooperation and synergy between the State Civil Aviation Departments and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to enhance the development of the civil aviation sector.
Government Initiatives in Civil Aviation sector
National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016
UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) Scheme
The Government has allocated INR 10,667 crore for the Ministry of Civil Aviation in Union Budget 2022-23.
The government has allowed 100% FDI under automatic route for greenfield projects, while 74% FDI is allowed under automatic route for brownfield projects.
