1. Nepal, India agree to formulate modality to supply electricity to Indian states via Bihar
Tags: International Relations International News
Nepal and India have agreed to formulate a modality to supply electricity from Nepal to multiple states of India through central transmission line via Bihar grid.
An overview of the news
The 14th meeting of the Nepal-India Power Exchange Committee concluded on March 17 in New Delhi.
It was decided in the meeting to work out modalities for export of power from Nepal to various states of India via Bihar within a month.
Kulman Ghising, Executive Director, Nepal Electricity Authority, and Ashok Kumar Rajput, Power System Member, Central Electricity Authority of India, agreed to finalize the modalities within a month.
The agreement has ensured the additional market for the sale of surplus electricity during the rainy season.
Under the power exchange agreement in the meeting, the price of electricity per unit has been fixed at Rs 11.54 for the financial year 2022-23.
Kataiya (Bihar)-Kushaha (Nepal) and Raxaul-Parawanipur 132-KV transmission line are connected with Bihar.
Nepal imports power from India when needed through the Power Exchange Agreement and competition with the Mahakali Treaty.
Power is being imported into Nepal through the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur cross-border 400 KV double circuit transmission line and other transmission lines.
The Nepal Electricity Authority has been importing electricity from India’s Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand as per the electricity exchange agreement.
Only Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are connected to Nepal through 132 KV transmission lines.
2. Madhya Pradesh to develop Meghdoot forest in Ujjain
Tags: Environment place in news State News
Madhya Pradesh government will develop land freed from illegal encroachments in and around Mahakal temple in Ujjain as an urban forest called as Meghdoot. It is being built under the second phase of Shri Mahakal Lok project.
The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan performed bhoomipujan for the proposed Meghdoot forest in Ujjain on 18 October 2022.
Mahakal Lok project has been launched by the Madhya Pradesh Government to develop the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain on the model of Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi. The first phase of the Mahakal Lok project was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12 October 2022.
Meghdoot forest
The Madhya Pradesh government has freed about 7 acres of land around the temple area which was under illegal encroachment. This area will be developed by the Ujjain Smart City as an urban forest named Meghdoot, at a cost of Rs 11.36 crore.
In the Meghdoot forest, there will be a beautiful entrance area, greenery area, walkways, along with seating, restaurant and a beautiful environment on the river banks.
Madhya Pradesh
It is the second largest state area wise in India after Rajasthan.
According to the Indian State of Forest Report -2021, Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country area wise.
25.14 % of its area is under forest cover.
3. PM inaugurated Shri Mahakal Lok temple complex at Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain
Tags: State News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Shri Mahakal Lok at Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh on 11 October.
Important facts
Shri Mahakal Lok is a place where all the mythological stories of Lord Shankar will be seen at one place.
It is built in the Mahakaleshwar temple of Ujjain, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of the country.
Apart from this, the venue has been declared as a no fly zone.
The estimated cost of Shree Mahakal Corridor, built on the lines of Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, is Rs 800 crore.
About Mahakal corridor
The construction work of Mahakal Corridor project in Ujjain city of Madhya Pradesh is in progress as per the plan.
Mahakal Mandir Parisar Vistar Yojna is a plan for the expansion, beautification, and decongestion of the Mahakaleshwar temple and its adjoining area in Ujjain district.
Under the scheme, the Mahakaleshwar temple complex of about 2.82 hectares is being increased to 47 hectares, which will be developed by the Ujjain district administration in two phases.
The project will include a 17-hectare Rudrasagar lake.
This corridor is going to be four times bigger than Varanasi's Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.
Mahakaleshwar Temple
Shri Mahakaleshwar of Ujjain is considered one of the twelve famous Jyotirlingas of India.
According to Hindu mythology, the temple was built by Lord Brahma and is currently situated on the banks of the holy Kshipra River.
According to the records, the Mahakal lingam of the temple is believed to be swayambhu (self-manifested) and unlike any other Jyotirlinga in the country, the idol of Mahakaleshwar faces south.
The bhasma-aarti is the first ritual conducted at the temple in the morning to wake the God.
This temple is revered as one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas in India.
The present form of the temple was built in 1734 AD by the Maratha general Ranoji Shinde.
The temple is three-storeyed, with Mahakaleshwar at the bottom, Omkareshwar in the middle and the linga of Nagchandreshwar in the upper part.
The collectorate office of Ujjain district now manages the administration of the temple.
4. Mahakal Corridor: PM Modi to inaugurate Ujjain’s temple redevelopment project
Tags: National National News
The Prime Minister will inaugurate the Mahakal Corridor constructed at a cost of Rs 350 crore at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh on October 11.
About Mahakal corridor
The construction work of Mahakal Corridor project in Ujjain city of Madhya Pradesh is in progress as per the plan.
Mahakal Mandir Parisar Vistar Yojna is a plan for the expansion, beautification, and decongestion of the Mahakaleshwar temple and its adjoining area in Ujjain district.
Under the scheme, the Mahakaleshwar temple complex of about 2.82 hectares is being increased to 47 hectares, which will be developed by the Ujjain district administration in two phases.
The project will include a 17-hectare Rudrasagar lake.
This corridor is going to be four times bigger than Varanasi's Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.
Mahakaleshwar Temple
Shri Mahakaleshwar of Ujjain is considered one of the twelve famous Jyotirlingas of India.
According to Hindu mythology, the temple was built by Lord Brahma and is currently situated on the banks of the holy Kshipra River.
According to the records, the Mahakal lingam of the temple is believed to be swayambhu (self-manifested) and unlike any other Jyotirlinga in the country, the idol of Mahakaleshwar faces south.
The bhasma-aarti is the first ritual conducted at the temple in the morning to wake the God.
This temple is revered as one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas in India.
The present form of the temple was built in 1734 AD by the Maratha general Ranoji Shinde.
The collectorate office of Ujjain district now manages the administration of the temple.
5. West Seti power project
Tags: International News
India will take over the ambitious hydroelectric project in Nepal nearly four years after China pulled out of the West Seti project.
The Government of Nepal has decided to hand over the West Seti Hydropower Project and 308 MW SR6 Storage Hydroelectric Project to India's National Hydro Power Company Limited (NHPC).
West Seti hydropower project
West Seti is a 750MW hydro power project.
It is planned to start this project on Paschim Seti river/basin in Nepal.
Specifically, it is a storage project designed to produce and export large amounts of electrical energy to India.
The project is envisaged to provide 31.9% of electricity to Nepal free of cost.
No work has progressed on this for the last six decades.
The project was earlier awarded to a Chinese company.
China's Three Gorges Corporation informed the Nepal government in August 2018 that it would not be able to execute the 750 MW West Seti hydroelectric project.
India -Nepal Power Relations
Nepal is rich in power sources with approximately 6,000 rivers and an estimated capacity of 83,000 MW.
India has formally approached Nepal on several occasions.
India is seen as a viable market for Nepal, but there remains some uncertainty in Nepal over India's inability to complete projects on time.
India has expressed its intention to use the major rivers in the north.
An ambitious Mahakali treaty was signed in 1996 to generate 6,480 MW, but India is yet to submit a detailed project report.
West Seti has the potential to become a defining model for Nepal-India power relations in the future.
6. Union Cabinet approves a host of foreign agreements
Tags: National News
The Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved a host of agreements signed by the Indian government with foreign Governments in a meeting on 6 January 2021.
Some of the approved agreements are :
Turkmenistan :- It approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Turkmenistan on Cooperation in the field of Disaster Management.
Spain :- It approved the signing of the Agreement between India and Spain on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Customs Matters.
Nepal:- It approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Nepal for construction of a bridge over Mahakali River at Dharchula (India)- Dharchula (Nepal).
7. PM Inaugurates Kashi Vishwanath Corridor
Tags: National News
- Prime Minister inaugurated the 400 metre long Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi connecting the ancient temple to the western banks of the Ganges, facilitating the pilgrims and devotees of Baba Vishwanath, to practice the age old custom of taking a dip in the holy river, collecting Gangajal, and offering it at the temple on 13 December.
- The ₹800-crore project started with Mr. Modi laying the foundation stone on March 8, 2019
- While the first phase, the gateway to the Ganges, would be opened on 13 December by the Prime Minister, and in the second phase the steps going down and the ghat would take another two months to complete.
- The project cost is Rs 339 Crores and is spread over a massive area of about 5 lakh square feet.
- More than 40 ancient temples have been rediscovered, restored, and beautified.
- The architect of the project is Mr. Bimal Patel.
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva often referred to as Shri Vishwanath and Vishweshwara, literally meaning Lord of the Universe. It is located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh in India. The temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest of Shiva Temples. The 12 Jyotirlingas are -
Varanasi city was called Kashi in ancient times, and hence the temple is popularly called Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world. Since 1983, the temple has been managed by the government of Uttar Pradesh. During the religious occasion of Shivratri, Kashi Naresh (King of Kashi) is the chief officiating priest. |
Architect - Bimal Patel He received the Padma Shri Award for his contributions in the fields of Architecture and Planning in 2019. Significant projects-
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