National
Clean India 2.0
⇒ The Department of Youth Affairs of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (Government of India) launched a month-long nationwide Clean India 2.0 from 1st -31st October, 2022 after the successful campaign of last year.
- “Clean India 2.0” was launched from Prayagraj on October 1, 2022 with an aim to raise awareness, mobilize people and ensure their participation in making India clean.
Objective:
» The Clean India 2.0 was aimed to clean waste, mainly single use plastic and create awareness.
- Hotspots for waste collection was Tourist Places, Educational Institutes, Bus Stand/Railway Stations and the vicinity, National Highways, Historical and heritage buildings, religious places & surroundings, Hospitals and Water Resource etc.
» The objectives of the programme were to organize cleaning of public spaces and households across all the districts of the country from, involve all segments of society, Government organizations including PRIs and Non- Government Organizations/Civil Society Organisations to instill awareness and feeling of pride among citizens to keep their surroundings clean and waste free.
» In this initiative, people from different regions, languages and backgrounds worked together and the waste was disposed of by these people on a completely voluntary basis.
National Tourism Awards 2018-19
⇒ The Vice President of India Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar presented the National Tourism Awards 2018-19 to the awardees on 27 September 2022 at a programme organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India to mark the World Tourism Day, 2022.
Read More About National Tourism Awards 2018-19
International
Prime Minister of Italy
⇒ After the fall of the Draghi government, President Sergio Mattarella dissolved the parliament on 21 July 2022, and called for new elections. The 2022 Italian general election was held in Italy on 25 September 2022.
The results of the general election showed the centre-right coalition led by Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy, a radical-right political party with neo-fascist roots, winning an absolute majority of seats in the Italian Parliament.
Prime Minister of Italy:
Giorgia Meloni is an Italian politician who has been appointed as the Prime Minister of Italy on 22 October 2022, becoming the first woman to hold the position.
India’s Fertiliser Companies signed an MoU with Canpotex, Canada
⇒ In a significant step towards ensuring long-term fertiliser availability for the farming community, India’s fertiliser companies- Coromandel International, Chambal Fertilizers and Indian Potash Limited signed an MoU with Canpotex, Canada on 27th September 2022.
About MoU:
» Calling this a path-breaking step, Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers Dr Mansukh Mandaviya stated that “The MOU will reduce both supply and price volatility and ensure stable long-term supply of Potassic fertiliser to India.
- He added that “As part of the MoU, Canpotex, Canada will supply upto 15 LMT of Potash annually for a period of 3 years to the Indian Fertilizer companies. This supply partnership is expected to improve the fertiliser availability within the country and reduce supply side and price vulnerabilities”.
» Dr Mandaviya highlighted that Government of India is working towards long-term MOUs for Potash and other fertilisers with countries like Russia, Israel and others.
- Aiming at reducing import dependence, Department of Fertiliser has included PDM (Potash derived from Molasses) in the Nutrient Based Subsidy Scheme (NBS) scheme to support indigenous sources of Potash. Similar initiatives have been taken fertilisers industries for manufacturing of Potash from Spent Wash.
Background:
- Potash, which is source of Potassium, is used both for direct application as MOP as well as in combination with ‘N’ & ‘P’ nutrients in NPK fertilizers.
- India meets 100% of its Potash requirement through imports. The country imports approximately 40 LMT MOP annually.
- Canpotex is a joint venture between leading fertiliser players, Mosaic and Nutrien, and markets Potash being produced at Saskatchewan region in Canada.
- It is amongst the largest suppliers of Potash globally, exporting around 130 LMT of product annually to more than 40 countries and has been one of the suppliers to India.
MoU between International Solar Alliance (ISA) and ICAO
⇒ A MoU was signed between International Solar Alliance and ICAO in the presence of Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Minister of Civil Aviation of India, Monsieur Clement Beaunne, Minister of Transport of France and Mr. Salvatore Sciacchitano, President of the ICAO Council.
- The MoU was signed in a ceremony held on the sidelines of the 42th Session of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Assembly in Montreal on 26 September 2022.
- The MoU was signed by Mr. Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary-General, ICAO and Mr Joshua Wycliffe, Chief of Operations, ISA.
About MoU:
- ICAO is committed towards reducing carbon emissions in aviation sector through its numerous initiatives and goals.
- In this noble initiative, Partnership between ISA and ICAO through this MoU could not have come at a better time, as it will trigger a range of interventions towards developing capacity of States to use solar energy.
- It will work towards providing information, providing advocacy, capacity building and demonstration projects. It will enable the solarization of aviation sector across all Member States.
Key Points:
- India has pledged for Net Zero Carbon goal in 2070 in COP 26.
- India has pledged a target of installing 175 GW of renewable energy of which 100 GW will be solar energy by 2022 and reduction in emission intensity by 33-35% by 2030, to let solar energy reach the most unconnected villages and communities.
- Cochin International Airport in India became the world’s first fully Solar powered airport in the world in 2015.
About ISA:
- The ISA is an alliance of 121 signatory countries and 32 partner organizations including many UN organizations.
- ISA works for efficient consumption of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
- ISA strives to devise cost effective and transformational solutions for using renewable energy to member countries with a particular focus in delivering on impact in LDCs and SlDCs.