1. NTPC acquires Jhabua Power Ltd through Insolvency and Bankruptcy resolution route
Tags: Economy/Finance State News
India’s largest power generating company NTPC ltd. has acquired the 600 MW Jhabua Power limited company of the bankrupt Gautam Thapar owned Avantha Group through Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process initiated by National Company Law Tribunal, Kolkata, (NCLT).
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- Jhabua Power Limited (JPL) has an operational thermal power capacity of 1 x 600 MW located in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh.
- It is the first asset that NTPC is taking over through the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) route. The estimated deal size is Rs 1,830 crore.
- A consortium of secured lenders led by Axis Bank approached the NCLT after JPL failed to repay the loan it had taken.
- Under the deal which was worked out between the lenders, NTPC and JPL, NTPC will hold 50 percent equity shares of the JPL and will also have all the management rights and control over the company.
- NTPC will pay Rs 1830 crore to the lenders of JPL and also will offer 50 % share in the JPL to the lenders.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
NTPC :
- The NTPC which was earlier known as National Thermal Power Corporation of India is owned by the Government of India. It was set up in 1975.
- The Vindhyachal Thermal Power Station in the Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh, with an installed capacity of 4,760MW, is currently the biggest thermal power plant in India. It is a coal-based power plant owned and operated by NTPC.
- The total installed commercial capacity of the company was 69454 MW before the JPL deal.
Headquarters: New Delhi
Chairman and Managing Director: Gurdeep Singh
2. Kerala’s Nilambur and Thrissur join UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities
Tags: State News
The Indian cities of Nilambur and Thrissur in the state of Kerala have joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- The global cities group also includes some of the most developed cities - Beijing, Shanghai, Hamburg, Athens, Incheon, Bristol and Dublin.
The cities in the list will benefit immensely from the exchange of ideas and solutions for development with other cities.
As per the announcement, a total of 78 cities from 44 countries have joined this list of UNESCO.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
About Nilambur :
Nilambur is a major eco-tourism destination of Kerala.
It is mainly characterized by different socio-economic patterns and a mix of urban and rural populations.
It aims to promote sustainable development, gender equality, inclusivity and democracy through community ownership.
The city aims to ensure employment opportunities and UN Sustainable Development Goal-2 of 'Zero Hunger'.
About Thrissur :
It is known as the cultural capital of Kerala state.
It is also a major destination for some of the renowned educational and research institutions.
It is famous for the jewellery industry.
The main objective of Thrissur is to provide solutions and ideas on issues related to equitable access to education.
The UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities :
It is an international policy network that paves the way for the development and progress of other cities by sharing ideas and innovations on a global platform.
Warangal also joins UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities
Warangal, the second largest city of Telangana, has joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.
The Rudreshwar Temple (also known as Ramappa Temple) located at Palampet in Mulugu district, near Warangal, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in July 2021.
3. New Delhi's historic Rajpath and Central Vista lawns to be renamed as ‘Kartavya Path’
Tags: National State News
The Government of India has decided to rename New Delhi’s Rajpath and Central Vista Lawns as ‘Kartavya Path’.
A special meeting of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) will be convened on 7 September 2022, to consider the proposal to rename Rajpath as Kartavya Path.
According to initial reports, the stretch of road between Netaji Statue and the Rashtrapati Bhavan will be named as Kartavya Path.
Rajpath was initially named as ‘Kingsway’ in honour of the Emperor of India and British monarch George V.
He visited India in 1911 when the Capital of British India was shifted from Calcutta (now Kolkata) to Delhi by the British.
After Independence the name was changed to Rajpath which is a translation of Kingsway.
4. PETA India confirms physical abuse of Assam elephant Joymala
Tags: State News
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has submitted a veterinary inspection report to forest department officials in Tamil Nadu and Assam to confirm the continued abuse of Joymala, a captive female elephant at a temple.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- A four-member team from Assam is currently in Tamil Nadu to inspect the condition of the elephant.
Joymala, which was renamed as Jayamalyatha, was reportedly given to Tamil Nadu from Assam on a six-month lease in 2008.
The elephant was kept in illegal custody of the Srivilliputhur Nachiyar Thirukovil temple for over a decade before being shifted to the nearby Krishnan Kovil temple.
According to reports, the elephant was thrashed so brutally that it can be heard screaming in pain in a viral video filmed at the Krishnan Kovil temple.
There have been several incidents in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere in India in which frustrated captive elephants have attacked and killed their mahouts.
About PETA India :
PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) India, based in Mumbai, was launched in January 2000.
It works under the principle that animals are not meant to be used, eaten, worn, used for entertainment or abused in any other way.
PETA India primarily focuses on the sectors where animals suffer the most, such as the laboratory, food industry, leather industry and entertainment business.
5. India's Longest Railway Tunnel of 14.57 Km to be built in Uttarakhand
Tags: Economy/Finance State News
The Indian Railways is going to construct the longest railway tunnel in India. It will be 14 kilometres long between Devprayag and Janasu in Uttarakhand, and will be part of the ambitious 125km Rishikesh-Karnaprayag broad gauge line.
It will be the longest railway tunnel surpassing the under construction Tunnel T-49 which is 12.758 km long and is being built on the Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Rail Link Project in Jammu and Kashmir.
A 125.20 km railway line connecting Rishikesh and Karnaprayag will stretch across five districts of the state: Dehradun, Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal, Rudraprayag and Chamoli.
Government of India owned Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) is executing this 125 km long railway line
The total cost of the project is Rs 23,000 crore and it is expected to be completed by December 2024.
Longest Railway Tunnel :
At present, the 11.2 km long Pir Panjal Tunnel on the Banihal-Qazigund section in Jammu and Kashmir is the longest functioning railway tunnel in India.
6. Naveen Patnaik congratulates Odisha Juggernaut on winning Ultimate Kho Kho title
Tags: Sports State News
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik congratulated the Odisha Juggernauts on winning the title of the inaugural edition of Ultimate Kho Kho, and announced prize money of Rs 1 crore for the team.
Odisha Juggernauts won the inaugural edition of the Ultimate Kho Kho after beating Telugu Yoddhas in the final held on 4 September at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Mahalunge, Pune, Maharashtra.
India's first-ever professional Kho Kho League, Ultimate Kho Kho, is promoted by Mr. Amit Burman in a collaboration with the Kho Kho Federation of India.
Six teams Chennai Quick Guns (KLO Sports), Gujarat Giants (Adani Sportsline), Mumbai Khiladis (Badshah, Punit Balan & Janhavi Dhariwal Balan), Odisha Juggernauts (Odisha Sports Development and Promotion Company), Rajasthan Warriors (Capri Global) and Telugu Yoddhas (GMR Sports) participated in the league.
7. NGT imposes Rs 3,500 crore penalty on Bengal Govt for huge gap in waste management
Tags: Science and Technology State News
The National Green Tribunal(NGT) headed by Justice A K Goel has imposed a fine of Rs 3,500 crore on the West Bengal government for the huge gap in solid and liquid waste generation and treatment.
The NGT noted that out of 2,758 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage generation in urban areas and the treatment capacity of 1505.85 (MLD), only 1268 MLD is reported to be treated, leaving a huge gap of 1490 MLD.
The green panel said the state government does not appear to be prioritising setting up of sewage and solid waste management facilities though according to the state's budget for 2022-2023, there is provision of Rs 12,818.99 crore on Urban Development and Municipal Affairs.
Observing that health issues cannot be deferred to the long future, a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel said it is the constitutional responsibility of the state and the local bodies to provide a pollution free environment.
The state government will have to deposit the fine amount in a fund which will be used to construct the treatment plant for waste.
National Green Tribunal :
- It deals with cases relating to the environment protection and conservation of forest.
- It was set up in 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010.
- The Tribunal is not bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but is guided by principles of natural justice.
- New Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting of the Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai are other four places of sitting of the Tribunal.
Chairperson: Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel
8. Amit Shah unveils, ‘Savaj’ , mascot for the 36th National Games
Tags: Sports Person in news State News
Union Minister for Home Affairs and Cooperatives Amit Shah unveiled the Logo and Mascot of the 36th National Games at the EKA Arena TransStadia in Ahmedabad on 4 September 2022.
- The mascot is named as Savaj which means cub in Gujarati. It is a lion cub.
- The theme of the anthem is Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.
- The theme of the 36th National Games is ’Sports for Unity.'
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and other distinguished guests were present.
36th National Games :
- The National Games will see a total of 36 sports and participation from all 28 states and eight Union Territories.
- Yogasana and Mallakhamba sports will be introduced for the first time in the National Games.
- The Games will take place in six cities of Gujarat -- Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Bhavnagar.
- In the previous edition in Kerala in 2015, there were 33 sports.
- The Games are happening after a gap of five years.
- Goa was to hold this edition of the Games but multiple delays, mainly due to infrastructure-related issues, led to postponement several times.
- Services Sports Promotion Board topped the medal charts in each of the three previous editions.
9. Under the Major Dhyan Chand Mission, the Higher Education Department of UP has released a fund of one crore 72 lakh rupees
Tags: State News
In order to give a boost to the sports in the state the Yogi government of Uttar Pradesh has now decided to create infrastructure in degree colleges, so that players can be trained to compete and win medals in the multisport events like Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
In the recently concluded 22nd Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 at least 8 sports persons from Uttar Pradesh won the medal or were part of the medal winning team.
Under the Major Dhyan Chand Mission, the Higher Education Department has released a fund of one crore 72 lakh rupees.
The Higher Education Department will provide one lakh rupees each to each government college for the purchase of sports materials.
This fund will be used to buy necessary sports material and the players will not have to wander anywhere for training.
10. Kerala Health Minister rejected the Ramon Magsaysay Award as it was against the communists
Tags: Awards Person in news State News
Former Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja has rejected the Ramon Magsaysay award for her commitment and service towards ensuring an accessible public health system and effectively leading from the front to manage the Nipah and Covid-19 outbreaks in the state. However after she declined it the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation decided not to announce her name in the final list.
- Her handling of the health crisis was praised nationally and internationally.
- KK Shailaja who is a central committee member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said that the party decided not to accept the award.
- She said that cannot accept the award as it was given to an individual while her work as a health minister was a collective work.
- Also the award which is given in the name of the former Philippines President, was anti-communist and ruthlessly crushed the communist guerrilla movement in the country.
- If she had accepted the award she would be the fifth Keralite to get the honour after Verghese Kurien, M S Swaminathan, B G Verghese and T N Seshan.
- Till date 55 Indians have won the award. First being Vinoba Bhave in 1958 and the last being Ravish Kumar 2019.
