CHHATTISGARH

 

• Creda to install solar home lighting in 22 dists

 

• The Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA) will install Solar Photovoltaic Home Lighting systems in 21 districts of the State.

 

• It will also get installed Solar Photovoltaic High Mast Systems in eight districts of the State  besides several other locations, officials informed.

 

• CREDA will also install Solar Photovoltaic Power Plants in six districts of Bastar division, officials informed .

 

• The plants would be installed in Dantewada, Bastar, Sukma, Bijapur, Kondagaon and Kanker districts.

 

• CREDA will also be installing solar photo voltaic water purification system in various locations of the State.

 

• Notably, Chhattisgarh will procure additional power from renewable energy sources to the tune of approximately 700 MW by FY 2018, officials informed.

 

• With this the average power purchase cost for Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Ltd (CSPDCL) based on the above power availability will increase from 2.58 Rs /kWh in FY 2015-16 to 3.12 Rs /kWh in FY 2018, they informed.

 

• Notably, the State Government has already commenced preparation for setting up 51,000 solar powered irrigation pumps in a span of two-and-half-years in the State.

 

• The Government had set the target of setting up 11,000 solar pumps in the current financial year till March 2017 and the rest during the next two years.

 

• Notably, Chhattisgarh government is also planning to add 2640 MW of additional renewable energy capacity by financial year 2018-19, officials informed.

 

• The State currently has total renewable energy potential of 4,500 MW which includes solar (grid connected and roof top), wind, biomass and small hydro.

 

• The State has also planned to install solar powered pump sets for agriculture consumers which will benefit 16,000 consumers.

 

The State has also launched a ‘Solar Community Irrigation Project’ for drawing water extracted using solar pumps for supplying to the agricultural land of farmers across the State.

 

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

• 7th world military games to be held at Wuhan in China

 

• The 7th international military games will be held in Wuhan city in the central China’s Hubei Province.

 

• It comprises 329 competitions in 27 categories and is expected to attract around 8,000 participants from more than 100 countries and regions.

 

• The slogan is of the games is “Military glory, world peace”.

 

• The games were inaugurated in Rome in 1995.

 

• It is a multi-sport event organised every four years by the CISM.

 

 

·        India and Greece sign Air Services Agreement

 

• India and Greece have signed Air Services Agreement (ASA) and MoU on Cooperation (MoC) in the field of New and Renewable Energy.
• The agreements were signed after bilateral talks between External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj and her visiting counterpart Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece Nikos Kotzias in New Delhi.
• ASA is signed between countries to decide on a number of flights that airlines can fly into each other’s countries.

 

NATIONAL

 

• NK Singh appointed chairman of 15th Finance Commission

 

• The government has announced that former revenue secretary NK Singh will be the chairman of the 15th Finance Commission (FC) that will recommend distribution of taxes between the Centre and the states.
• Other members of the Commission are former economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das, former chief economic adviser Ashok Lahiri, Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand and Georgetown University Adjunct Professor Anoop Singh.
• Finance Commission is a body set up under Article 280(1) of the Constitution.

 

• The recommendations of the previous 14th Finance Commission, chaired by former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Y V Reddy, are valid from 2015 to 2020.

 

• The recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission will be implemented for the period starting 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025.

 

 

·        Odisha Launches Rs 96-crores scheme to Increase Fish Production

 

• Odisha government launched a scheme to boost fish productionin the state with a budgetary provision of Rs 96 crore.
• The ‘Fish Pond Yojana’ schemewas launched by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik while inaugurating a workshop on ‘Doubling of Farmer Income through Dairy and Allied Farming Practices’ in Bhubaneswar.
• The scheme aims to create additional 2,200 hectares of freshwater aquaculture farming with 50 percent financial assistance to farmers.

 

·        Union Government launches intensive program to train Elected Women Representatives of PRI

 

• The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD)launched an intensive training program for Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) of Panchayati Raj Institutions and Master Trainers in New Delhi.
• It is capacity building program organized by National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) of WCD Ministry.
• It is for the first time ever initiative of this scale has been taken up to train EWRs who will go out and administer villages professionally.

 

·        One Hundred and Fifteen Backward Districts in India to be Transformed by 2022

• The Union government embarked upon a major policy initiative for the rapid transformation of 115 backward districtsacross the country by 2022.
• Senior level government officials, at the rank of Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary, have been nominated as ‘Prabhari’ officers for each district.
• A detailed briefing of these officials was held under the chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary P.K. Sinha.

 

·        Health Ministry Wins Bronze Medal at the India International Trade Fair 2017

 

• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare awarded the Bronze Medal for its creative and informative display at the 37th India International Trade Fair 2017being held at Pragati Maidan.
• The award was presented by Shri C R Chaudhary, Minister of State (Commerce and Industry) at a function organized to award the winners.