National
President of India lays the Foundation Stone of 1000 MW Bikaner Solar Power Project
⇒ The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu inaugurated Samvidhan Udyan, Mayur Stambh, National Flag Post, statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Maharana Pratap at Raj Bhavan, Jaipur on January 3, 2023.
The President appreciated the artists for description of the historical journey of three years of Constitution making displayed in the Udyan in an artistic manner. She said that a major chapter of our modern history is presented at the Samvidhan Udyan through elegant paintings, sculptures and other art forms.
» On the occasion, she virtually inaugurated the Transmission System for Solar Energy Zones in Rajasthan.
» President Droupadi Murmu also laid the foundation stone of state-owned energy firm SJVN’s 1,000 MW Bikaner Solar Power Project in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
1000 MW Bikaner Solar Power Project of SJVN Limited:
- This project is being implemented by SJVN Limited through its wholly owned subsidiary SJVN Green Energy Limited (SGEL).
- It is being developed on 5000 acres on outright purchased land near village Banderwala, district Bikaner of Rajasthan which is one of the highest solar yield areas of the country.
- The development cost of the project is Rs 5492 crores and viability gap funding support of Rs 44.72 lakh per megawatt is being done by IREDA.
- The project is scheduled to be commissioned by March 2024. After commissioning this project will generate 2454.55 million units in first year and approximately 56838 MU would be generated on cumulative basis over a period of 25 years.
- This project would help in achieving government’s renewable target of 500 GW by 2030. The project would also lead to a reduction in carbon emissions of 27,85,077 tonnes.
SJVN, a leading power CPSE under Ministry of Power has total project portfolio of around 45000 MW and is developing 73 hydro, solar, wind & thermal projects in 13 states of India and in Nepal.
National Campaign on 'RISE- Rising India Through Spiritual Empowerment'
⇒ The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu graced the launch of the National Campaign on ‘RISE-Rising India through Spiritual Empowerment’, organized by Brahma Kumaris at Mount Abu, Rajasthan on January 3, 2023.
- She also virtually inaugurated the Brahma Kumaris Silence Retreat Centre, Secunderabad, Telangana and laid the foundation stone for Brahma Kumaris Auditorium and Spiritual Art Gallery at Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
Objectives:
- RISE is a step towards spiritual empowerment of Indian nationals through which the dream of Golden India will be fulfilled.
- Brahma Kumaris belives that Self Transformation leads to world transformation. The journey of a million transformation will create a Domino’s effect and will lead to rebuilding of the nation.
Addressing the gathering, the President said:
- It is a matter of pride that, for the past nearly 80 years, the Brahma Kumaris Sansthan has been making invaluable contributions towards spiritual progress, inner transformation of personality and revitalization of the world community.
- Through the spirit of service based on peace, non-violence and love, this organization has made significant contributions in many fields like holistic education, rural development, health, women empowerment, disaster management, welfare of divyangjans and orphans and environment protection.
- The Brahma Kumaris organization is running about 5000 meditation centers in 137 countries.
- She said that women play leading roles in this organization assisted by the spiritual brothers. This is the largest spiritual organization run by women which proves that, given the opportunity, women can do work at par with men, or perhaps even better.
- She expressed confidence that the ‘RISE’ campaign would contribute in making India a leading nation by spiritually empowering its people and supporting the welfare of the entire humanity.
India’s first green hydrogen blending operation in PNG network
⇒ NTPC Ltd commissions India’s first green hydrogen blending project. The green hydrogen blending has been started in the piped natural gas (PNG) network of NTPC Kawas township, Surat. The project is a joint effort of NTPC and Gujarat Gas Limited (GGL).
- The first molecule of green hydrogen from the project was set in motion by Shri P Ram Prasad, head of project, Kawas in presence of other senior executives of NTPC Kawas and GGL.
Key Points:
- NTPC and GGL have worked relentlessly towards achieving this milestone in record time after the foundation stone laying by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India on 30th July 2022.
- This set-up is geared up to supply H2-NG (natural gas) to households of Kawas township at Adityanagar, Surat.
- Green hydrogen in Kawas is made by electrolysis of water using power from already installed 1 MW floating solar project.
- Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), the regulatory body has given approval for 5% vol./vol blending of green hydrogen with PNG to start with and the blending level would be scaled phase wise to reach 20%.
- Green hydrogen when blended with natural gas reduces CO2 emissions keeping net heating content same.
- This feat is achieved only by few select countries like UK, Germany, and Australia etc. This would bring India at the centre stage of the global hydrogen economy.
Raksha Mantri dedicates 28 BRO infrastructure projects to the nation
⇒ Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh dedicated to the nation 28 infrastructure projects of Border Roads Organisation (BRO), worth Rs 724 crore, during an event organised at Siyom Bridge on Along-Yinkiong Road in Arunachal Pradesh on January 03, 2023.
- The projects comprise 22 bridges, including Siyom bridge; three roads and three other projects in seven border States/Union Territories of Northern & North-Eastern regions.
- Eight of these projects are in Ladakh; five in Arunachal Pradesh; four in Jammu & Kashmir; three each in Sikkim, Punjab & Uttarakhand and two in Rajasthan.
- In addition, three telemedicine nodes – two in Ladakh & one in Mizoram – were inaugurated.
» The event at Along-Yinkiong Road witnessed the physical inauguration of the strategically-important Siyom Bridge, while the other projects were dedicated to the nation virtually.
- The Siyom Bridge is a state-of-the-art 100-meter long, Class 70 Steel Arch Superstructure Siyom Bridge over Siyom River in Arunachal Pradesh.
» The three telemedicine nodes e-inaugurated by the Raksha Mantri will be connected with Service hospitals through VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) satellite communications system.
- It will provide prompt medical intervention for medical & surgical emergencies through Telemedicine consultation with specialists at Service hospitals using SATCOM VSAT communication.
- This is one of the unique achievements for BRO in providing medical services to its personnel in remote border locations through use of space technology.
International
Leadership of the Asian Pacific Postal Union
⇒ India has taken over the leadership of the Asian Pacific Postal Union (APPU) from January 2023, which is headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand.
- India took over the leadership of the intergovernmental organization following the successful elections held during the 13th APPU Congress held in Bangkok during August- September 2022.
- This is the first time an Indian is leading an international organization in the postal sector.
Secretary General of APPU:
Dr. Vinaya Prakash Singh, erstwhile Member (Personnel), Postal Services Board took over the charge of Secretary General of the Union for a tenure of 4 years.
About APPU:
- Asian Pacific Postal Union (APPU) is an intergovernmental organization of 32-member countries of the Asian-Pacific region.
- APPU is the only Restricted Union of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in the region, which is a specialized agency of the United Nations.
- The goal of APPU is to extend, facilitate and improve postal relations between member countries and to promote cooperation in the field of postal services.
- As the regional center for various UPU projects, APPU also takes the lead in ensuring that all technical and operational projects of the UPU are fulfilled in the region so that the region is integrated into the global postal network in the best possible way.
- Secretary General leads the activities of the Union and is also the Director of the Asian Pacific Postal College (APPC) which is the largest intergovernmental postal training institute in the region.