1. India’s first electric double-decker bus unveiled in Mumbai
Tags: National National News
Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari on 18 August unveiled India’s first electric double-decker air-conditioned bus in Mumbai.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) introduced the first of its newly acquired electric double-decker air-conditioned bus.
This electric double-decker bus will be the world's first - semi-low floor, air-conditioned, electric double-decker with wide doors on the rear overhang and a ladder at the rear.
The double-decker electric bus is manufactured by Switch Mobility, the electric vehicle arm of Ashok Leyland.
The company has signed a contract with BEST for the supply of 900 electric buses in various phases.
Of these, 50% buses are expected to arrive by March 2023 and the remaining 50 per cent after that.
This initiative upholds the vision of a self-reliant India and provides sustainable and cost-effective solutions.
Compared to a single-decker bus, the number of passengers sitting in it can be almost double.
2. India’s first electric double-decker bus unveiled in Mumbai
Tags: National National News
Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari on 18 August unveiled India’s first electric double-decker air-conditioned bus in Mumbai.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) introduced the first of its newly acquired electric double-decker air-conditioned bus.
This electric double-decker bus will be the world's first - semi-low floor, air-conditioned, electric double-decker with wide doors on the rear overhang and a ladder at the rear.
The double-decker electric bus is manufactured by Switch Mobility, the electric vehicle arm of Ashok Leyland.
The company has signed a contract with BEST for the supply of 900 electric buses in various phases.
Of these, 50% buses are expected to arrive by March 2023 and the remaining 50 per cent after that.
This initiative upholds the vision of a self-reliant India and provides sustainable and cost-effective solutions.
Compared to a single-decker bus, the number of passengers sitting in it can be almost double.
3. 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Canada
Tags: International News
An Indian parliamentary delegation led by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is participating in the 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPA) in Halifax, Canada.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- The conference is being held in Halifax, Canada from 20-26 August.
The delegation included Anurag Sharma, MP (Lok Sabha) and CPA executive committee member, Sunita Duggal, MP (Lok Sabha) and member of CWP steering committee, Neeraj Shekhar, MP (Rajya Sabha), Santosh Kumar, MP (Lok Sabha), Anubhav Mohanty, MP (Lok Sabha), Dr. Kanimozhi NVN Somu, MP (Rajya Sabha) and Utpal Kumar Singh, General Secretary, Lok Sabha.
The conference will also be attended by 23 Presiding Officers of India and 16 Secretaries of State Legislatures who are also members of the CPA.
Eight workshops on various topics will be organized during the conference.
The Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will participate as a panellist in the Workshop ‘C’ titled “A People’s Parliament : Accessibility through Innovation”.
The Speaker will also interact with his counterparts from other Commonwealth countries to discuss matters of mutual interest and parliamentary cooperation.
About Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) :
The conference is the largest gathering of Commonwealth Parliamentarians who come together to discuss and debate major global political issues and developments.
Between 1948 and 1959, this conference was held biennially, since 1961 it has been held annually.
Due to COVID-19 global pandemic, the Conference has not been held since 2019.
The 64th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) was held in Uganda (2019).
Members of the Commonwealth of Nations :
The head of the Commonwealth is the Queen of Great Britain Elizabeth II.
He received this title as a result of elections following the resignation of his father.
The title of head cannot be inherited, so the new head of the Commonwealth of Nations is elected by voting at each meeting.
The Commonwealth comprises 54 countries of the world in all 6 continents.
The members have a total population of 2.1 billion, which is about a third of the world's population.
Of its total population, 1.17 billion live in India.
After India, the next largest Commonwealth countries by population are Pakistan (176 million), Bangladesh (156 million), Nigeria (149 million).
The land area of the Commonwealth of Nations accounts for about 21% of the total world land area.
The largest Commonwealth nations by area are Canada, Australia and India.
4. Centre bars 13 states from power exchange over dues
Tags: National Economy/Finance
Power System Operation Corporation (POSOCO), the national grid operator under the Ministry of Power, has barred 12 states and one Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir from buying/selling electricity due to non-payment of dues.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- These states include Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Manipur and Mizoram.
This is the first time that the grid operator has invoked the Electricity (Delay Payment Surcharge and Related Matters) Rules, 2022, to not allow discoms to buy power from alternative short-term sources.
The total outstanding dues of non-payment discoms is Rs 5,000 crore, of which Telangana has the highest dues of Rs 1,380 crore.
Under the new Late Payment Surcharge (LPS) rules, it will be implemented from August 19.
As per the LPS rule, if the discoms do not clear the pending dues to Genco within seven months, their power exchange is suspended.
Power System Operation Corporation (POSOCO) :
It is a wholly owned Government of India Enterprise under the Ministry of Power, Gov of India.
Earlier it was a wholly owned subsidiary of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID).
It was set up in March 2009 to handle the power management functions of PGCIL.
It is responsible for ensuring the integrated operation of the grid in a reliable, efficient and safe manner.
It consists of 5 Regional Load Despatch Centers and one National Load Despatch Center (NLDC).
5. India’s first portal on arrested narco offenders
Tags: National National News
India's first portal named 'NIDAAN', a first-of-its kind database on arrested narco offenders ' gets operational.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
About NIDAAN Portal :
NIDAAN or the National Integrated Database on Arrested Narco-offenders - has been developed by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
It is part of the Narcotics Coordination Mechanism (NCORD) portal which was launched by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the National Conference on 'Drug Trafficking and National Security' in Chandigarh on July 30.
The platform gets its data from ICJS (Inter-operable Criminal Justice System) and e-Jail (a cloud-based application) repositories.
It is planned to be integrated with the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS) in future.
ICJS, an initiative of the Supreme Court's e-committee, was created to enable seamless transfer of data and information between various pillars of the criminal justice system such as courts, police, prisons and forensic science laboratories.
Significance of the Portal :
It is a one stop solution for all drug related data of offenders.
It will help the investigating agencies as an effective tool for linking together various aspects during investigation of drug cases.
This will enhance the capacity of all law enforcement agencies working against drug offences.
It hosts data about the accused who have been arrested for drug offences.
6. India’s first portal on arrested narco offenders
Tags: National National News
India's first portal named 'NIDAAN', a first-of-its kind database on arrested narco offenders ' gets operational.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
About NIDAAN Portal :
NIDAAN or the National Integrated Database on Arrested Narco-offenders - has been developed by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
It is part of the Narcotics Coordination Mechanism (NCORD) portal which was launched by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the National Conference on 'Drug Trafficking and National Security' in Chandigarh on July 30.
The platform gets its data from ICJS (Inter-operable Criminal Justice System) and e-Jail (a cloud-based application) repositories.
It is planned to be integrated with the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS) in future.
ICJS, an initiative of the Supreme Court's e-committee, was created to enable seamless transfer of data and information between various pillars of the criminal justice system such as courts, police, prisons and forensic science laboratories.
Significance of the Portal :
It is a one stop solution for all drug related data of offenders.
It will help the investigating agencies as an effective tool for linking together various aspects during investigation of drug cases.
This will enhance the capacity of all law enforcement agencies working against drug offences.
It hosts data about the accused who have been arrested for drug offences.
7. Over one lakh villages across the country turned ODF plus
Tags: National Government Schemes
According to Jal Shakti Ministry Over one lakh villages have declared themselves as open defecation-free (ODF) Plus.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- These villages maintain their ODF status and have systems in place for solid and liquid waste management.
They are also working towards making their villages clean, green and healthy.
The Swachh Bharat Mission reinforces the government's commitment to promoting rural sanitation and improving the quality of life of its citizens.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi started the Swachh Bharat Mission with the aim of making the country open defecation free.
Rural India has become open defecation free 11 years ahead of the SDG-6 target set by the United Nations.
The top five performing states :
These states are Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh.
In these states the maximum number of villages have been declared as ODF Plus.
What are ODF Plus Villages ?
'Open Defecation Free' (ODF) is a term used to describe communities that are using toilets instead of open defecation.
A village that maintains Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, ensures solid and liquid waste management and is visually clean is called "ODF Plus Village".
Toilet facilities should be ensured in all households, primary schools, panchayat houses and Anganwadi centers in these villages.
At least 80% of households should manage their solid and liquid waste effectively and have minimum litter and minimum stagnant water.
ODF Plus villages have been divided into three categories -Aspiring, Rising and Model.
About the Swachh Bharat Mission :
Launched - on 2nd October 2014
Launched by - Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Aims - to achieve the vision of a ‘Clean India’ by 2nd October 2019.
Slogan - One step towards cleanliness
It is a restructured version of the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan launched in 2009.
The first phase of the Swachh Bharat Mission lasted till October 2019.
Phase 2 is being implemented between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
8. Government launches Online Marketplace feature "Aqua Bazar" in “Matsya Setu” app
Tags: National National News
Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala launched the Online Market Place feature "Aqua Bazar" in the “Matsya Setu” mobile app on 19 August 22 during the 9th general body meeting of the National Fisheries Development Board, Hyderabad.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
What is Aqua Bazar App ?
The app is developed by the ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA), Bhubaneswar.
It has been developed with funding from National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad through Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMSY).
It will assist fish farmers and stakeholders in locating fish seeds, feed and medicines as well as essential services for the fisheries sector.
Farmers will also be able to list table-sized fish for sale.
It aims to connect all the stakeholders in the aquaculture sector.
National Fisheries Development Board :
It was established in 2006 as an autonomous body.
It works under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
It aims to increase fish production and productivity in the country and coordinate fisheries development in an integrated and holistic manner.
9. Government launches Online Marketplace feature "Aqua Bazar" in “Matsya Setu” app
Tags: National National News
Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala launched the Online Market Place feature "Aqua Bazar" in the “Matsya Setu” mobile app on 19 August 22 during the 9th general body meeting of the National Fisheries Development Board, Hyderabad.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
What is Aqua Bazar App ?
The app is developed by the ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA), Bhubaneswar.
It has been developed with funding from National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad through Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMSY).
It will assist fish farmers and stakeholders in locating fish seeds, feed and medicines as well as essential services for the fisheries sector.
Farmers will also be able to list table-sized fish for sale.
It aims to connect all the stakeholders in the aquaculture sector.
National Fisheries Development Board :
It was established in 2006 as an autonomous body.
It works under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
It aims to increase fish production and productivity in the country and coordinate fisheries development in an integrated and holistic manner.
10. 17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas to be held at Indore in January 2023
Tags: National National News
According to the External Affairs Ministry the 17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas 2023 will be held at Indore in January next year.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- Secretary, Consular, Passport and Visa Division, Ausaf Sayeed and Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Bains signed an MoU to host Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
About Pravasi Bharatiya Divas :
On January 9, 1915, this day was chosen as Pravasi Bhartiya Divas to commemorate the return of Mahatma Gandhi to India from South Africa.
Mahatma Gandhi led India's freedom struggle and changed the lives of Indians forever.
Celebration of Pravasi Diwas started in India in 2003.
In the year 2015 it was revised and it was decided to celebrate Pravasi Bharatiya Divas every two years.
The 16th Pravasi Divas Conference was held in New Delhi with the theme "Contribution to Self-reliant India".
This day marks the contribution of the overseas Indian community in the development of India.
