1. World’s largest Wind Solar Hybrid Power Plant commissioned by Adani Green
Tags: place in news Economy/Finance State News
Gautam Adani owned Adani Green Energy has commissioned the world's largest 750 MW Wind-Solar hybrid power plant at Jaisalmer Rajasthan. Both the wind and the solar power plant are located at the same location.
The Solar power plant has an installed capacity of 600 MW and the Wind power plants has an installed capacity of 150 MW.
The company has entered into Power Purchase Agreements with the Government of India’s owned Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). Under the agreement the power generated at the plant will be bought by SECI at Rs 2.69 Kwh for the next 25 years.
2. Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav represented India in the ‘8th World Green Economy Summit’ held in Dubai
Tags: place in news Summits Person in news
Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav attended the Ministerial Roundtable for the Green Economy at the 8th World Green Economy Summit (WEGS) held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 28 September 2022.
WGES is organised by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), the World Green Economy Organization (WGEO), and the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.
The theme of the 8th World Green Economy Summit: ‘Climate Action Leadership through Collaboration: The Roadmap to Net-Zero’.
The World Green Economy summit announced the launch of the ‘Global Alliance on Green Economy’.
The ‘Global Alliance on Green Economy’ aims to build a coalition of countries, prioritising a green economy in the context of climate action and sustainable development, to enhance the capacity of developing countries, provide support for their green economy transition projects and exchange knowledge on implementation.
3. 13th FICCI Global Skills Summit 2022 inaugurated by Dharmendra Pradhan
Tags: place in news Economy/Finance Summits Economics/Business Person in news
Union Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the 13th FICCI Global Skills Summit 2022 in New Delhi on 27 September 2022.
The two-day (27-28 September) Summit has been organised by Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Skills.
Theme of the 13th FICCI Global Skills Summit 2022: “Education to Employability - Making It Happen.”
Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
It is a business lobby group of top business houses in India which was founded by Ghanshyam Das Birla.
It was set up in 1927
It articulates the views and concerns of industry and tries to influence the government to make policy which is in favour of the industry and business.
Headquarters: New Delhi
President: Sanjiv Mehta
4. President Murmu unveils foundation stone for ICMR-National Institute of Virology, South Zone at Bengaluru
Tags: place in news National Science and Technology State News
President Droupadi Murmu unveiled the foundation stone for ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune, South Zone at Bengaluru in virtual mode, in presence of Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharti Pravin Pawar on 27 September 2022.
The setting up of the zonal campus of the National Institute of Virology, Pune is part of the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM)) of the central government.
Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM))
- The Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission
- was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on 25 October 2021.
- The total outlay on the scheme is Rs 64,180 Crore and the duration of the scheme is from 2021-22 to 25-26.
- The Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission is one of the largest pan-India schemes for strengthening healthcare infrastructure across the country.
- Its objective is to fill gaps in public health infrastructure, especially in critical care facilities and primary care in both urban and rural areas.
- It will provide support for 17,788 rural health and wellness centers in 10 high-focus states.
- Further, 11,024 urban health and wellness centers will be established in all the States.
- Under the scheme, a national institution for one health(set up in Nagpur), four new regional centers of the national institutes for virology, a regional research platform for WHO South East Asia Region, nine biosafety level-III laboratories, and five new regional national centre for disease control will be set up.
- For the first time in Asia, two container-based hospitals with comprehensive medical facilities will be kept ready at all times, which can be rapidly deployed via rail or air to deal with any disaster or calamity in the country.
National Institute of Virology (NIV)
The National Institute of Virology is one of the major Institutes of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
It was established at Pune, Maharashtra State in 1952 as Virus Research Centre (VRC) under the auspices of the ICMR and the Rockefeller Foundation (RF), USA. Now it is fully funded by ICMR.
NIV is also the National Centre for Hepatitis and Influenza.
NIV has been designated as one of the collaborating laboratories of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Chairman: Dr Priya Abraham
5. National conference on alternative to single use plastic held in Chennai
Tags: place in news National Summits
To promote an environment friendly alternative to the now banned single use plastic in the country, an National Expo on alternatives to banned single use plastics items and Conference of Startups -2022 was inaugurated in Chennai , Tamilnadu on 26 September 2022.
The conference has been jointly organized by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, and Government of Tamil Nadu.
The government of India banned single use plastics from 1 July 2022.
The conference is an attempt to encourage the Startups to innovate and develop an environment friendly alternatives like items made from natural fibers such as coir, bagasse, rice and wheat bran, plant and agricultural residue, banana and areca leaves, jute and cloth.
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change: Bhupendra Yadav
6. Odisha Village ‘Govindpur’ declared as Birds Village
Tags: place in news State News
Located near the Hirakud Lake in Bargarh district of Odisha, Govindpur village has declared itself as a “Birds Village”. The residents of the village have resolved to keep the area pollution free and protect the migratory birds during its nesting period.
The Govindpur village lies within the Lakhanpur wildlife range and the locals have taken the initiative under the guidance of Hirakud wildlife division.
More than 2 lakh birds migrate to Hirakud Reservoir every year for breeding and stay for six months. The migratory birds of about 100 species come to the reservoir, spread over 746 sq km, in October every year.
With the declaration of the Hirakud Lake as Ramsar site in 2022, the area is expected to attract tourists, photographers in large numbers.
Hirakud Dam
The Hirakud Dam is the world's longest earthen dam built on river Mahanadi in Sambalpur district of Odisha. The dam is 25.79 km long and has an artificial lake called Hirakud reservoir.
It is a multipurpose river project which was conceived by M. Visvesvaraya in 1937, after recurrence of devastating floods in Mahanadi River.
The construction of the dam began in 1947 and it was inaugurated in 1957.
The largest earthen dam in the world is the Tarbela Dam on River Indus in Pakistan.
The largest earthen dam in India is the Banasura Sagar Dam, on the river Karamanathodu which is the tributary of the Kabini River. It is in Kerala.
It is also the 2nd largest earthen dam in Asia after Tarbela dam.
7. Chandigarh International Airport to be named after Bhagat Singh: PM
Tags: place in news Economics/Business
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his monthly Mann ki Baat radio programme on 25 September 2022 announced that the Chandigarh International Airport will be named after freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.
The announcement of the Prime Minister comes after an agreement was reached between the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Haryana deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on 20 August 2022, to name the airport as Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh.
The construction cost of the International Airport will be shared between the Haryana, Punjab Government and the Chandigarh administration.
Chandigarh is a Union Territory under the administration of the Central government and is the joint capital of Haryana and Punjab.
The birth anniversary of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh is on 28 September.
8. Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurates ‘Arogya Manthan’ to mark the anniversary of flagship health scheme of the government
Tags: place in news National Government Schemes Person in news
The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the two days (25-26 September 2022) Arogya Manthan 2022 programme in New Delhi on 25 September 2022.
The Arogya Manthan has been organised by the National Health Authority (NHA) to celebrate the 4 years of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and 1 year of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
NHA under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is the implementing agency of AB PM-JAY and ABDM.
Speaking on the occasion the minister said that presently 4.5 lakh Ayushman cards are being issued per day and the target is to increase it to 10 lakh Ayushman Cards every day. Ayushman card is issued to the beneficiaries of the AB PM-JAY.
Achievements of the AB PM-JAY
The minister released the annual report, National Health Authority 2021. The main points of the report regarding the two health schemes are as follows:
- The scheme is presently being implemented in 33 states and Union Territory;
- Over 19 crore cards have been issued to the individuals till date of which 52 per cent of them were males and 48 per cent females.
- Under the AB PM-JAY scheme, 3.8 crore of patients were admitted in hospitals across the country with 46% of them in public hospitals and 54% in private hospitals. As much as 52% of these patients were males and 48% were females.
Performance of the states in enrolling patients under AB PM-JAY
- Goa, Kerala, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra were the top five states in which empanelled hospitals admitted the highest number of patients as per the AB PM-JAY.
- Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Manipur and Mizoram were the top Northeast/Hilly states.
- Puducherry, Chandigarh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep and Ladakh were the top Union Territories.
Performance of the ABDM
The health minister also said that more than 24 crore ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) has been generated in India.
One crore health records have been linked digitally under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
National Health Protection Scheme or Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)
- Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 23rd September, 2018 in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
- It is the largest health assurance scheme in the world which provides a health cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per eligible family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)
- The Prime Minister launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) via video conferencing on 27th September 2021.
- It aims to provide a health ID (now called as ABHA) to every citizen that will also work as their health account, to which personal health records can be linked and viewed with the help of a mobile application.
- The data will be available to doctors, hospitals, health insurance companies so that a seamless health care is provided to the patients.
- It is voluntary and no citizen can be forced to join it.
Chief Executive Officer of National Health Authority : Dr Ram Sewak Sharma
9. RBI felicitate banker’s for making Leh achieves 100 percent digitization of banking operations
Tags: place in news Economy/Finance
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has felicitated the bankers of the Leh district for achieving 100 percent digitization of banking operations.
Digital Banking refers to the electronic banking service provided by a bank for its financial, banking and other transactions through electronic devices online.
Leh is the capital of the union territory of Ladakh and is the highest located district of India.
In 2019 RBI put forward a proposal to make at least one district of every state in the country have 100 percent digitization of banking operations.
Thrissur district of Kerala became the first fully digital banking district of the country in August 2021.
Kerala is also the first state in India to achieve the target of Financial Inclusion of having at least one bank account in a family.
10. Piyush Goel attends G 20 ministers WTO Dispute Settlement reforms meeting in Bali
Tags: place in news Summits International News
The Indian Commerce minister Piyush Goel in a tweet said that he participated in a discussion on WTO’s Dispute Settlement Reform that was convened by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai on the sidelines of the G20 ministerial meeting in Bali, Indonesia on 21 September 2022.
The 12th World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial conference held in Geneva, Switzerland from 12-17 June 2022, had promised to revive the dispute settlement body in the next two years.
WTO Dispute Settlement System
WTO is a global body which was set up in 1995 to promote rule based trading systems in the world and it also settles trade related disputes between the member countries.
A member country can complain against another member country to the WTO if it believes that the country is not following WTO rules regarding trade.
The Dispute Settlement Mechanism is a two tier process in the WTO.
First, the member countries are encouraged to settle their dispute through consultation.
If this fails then the WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body appoints a panel to look into the dispute.
The countries have the right to appeal against the ruling of the panel to an Appellate Body set up by the Dispute Settlement Body. The ruling of the Appellate body is binding on the countries of WTO.
Objection of the United States to the Dispute Settlement System
The United States government has blocked the appointment of members to the Appellate Body since 2019. The Appellate body structure is at present not working but the panel system is still functioning.
The United States wants to abolish the Appellate system of the WTO as it believes that it has become synonymous with litigation and has become prolonged, complicated and expensive.
However the developing countries are of the view that a two tier dispute settlement system is essential for the functioning of the WTO dispute settlement system.
World Trade Organisation (WTO)
- It was set up on 1st January 1995 replacing the General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT).
- Its main purpose is to promote rule based trading systems in the world and it also settles trade related disputes between the member countries.
- The headquarters of WTO is in Geneva, Switzerland.
- There are 164 member countries.
- Director General of WTO : Dr Ngozi -Okonjo-Iweala of of Nigeria
- Report released by WTO : World Trade Report
