National
Ken-Betwa inter-linking of rivers project
⇒ The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the funding and implementation of Ken-Betwa inter-linking of rivers project.
Total Cost:
» The total cost of Ken-Betwa link project has been assessed at Rs.44,605 crore at 2020-21 price levels.
- The Union Cabinet has approved central support of Rs.39,317 crore for the project, covering grant of Rs.36,290 crore and loan of Rs.3,027 crore.
About Project:
- This project involves transfer of water from the Ken to the Betwa River through the construction of Daudhan Dam and a canal linking the two rivers, the Lower Orr Project, Kotha Barrage -and Bina Complex Multipurpose Project.
- The project will provide an annual irrigation of 10.62 lakh ha, drinking water supply to a population of about 62 lakhs and also generate 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW solar power.
- The Project is proposed to be implemented in 8 years with state-of-the-art technology.
- This project will provide enormous benefits to the districts of Panna, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Sagar, Damoh, Datia, Vidisha, Shivpuri and Raisen of Madhya Pradesh and Banda, Mahoba, Jhansi & Lalitpur of Uttar Pradesh.
Background:
» The agreement was signed between the Union Minister of Jal Shakti and the Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to implement the first major centrally driven river interlinking project in the country on 22 March 2021.
75 Lakh Post Card Campaign
⇒ The Department of Posts, Ministry of Communication, along with the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, held the ‘75 Lakh Post Card Campaign’ from 01st December to 31th December 2021.
- India is celebrating the 75th anniversary of Independence. The campaign was organised as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.
- The campaign was open for all students of class IV to XII of all schools affiliated to CBSE as well as various state education boards including all Union Territories set up in India and abroad.
Postcards were written on two themes:
- “Unsung heroes of freedom struggle”
- “My vision for India in 2047
Air version of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile
⇒ Air version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test fired from the supersonic fighter aircraft Sukhoi 30 MK-I from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha on December 08, 2021.
The launch is a major milestone in the BrahMos development. It clears the system for the serial production of air-version BrahMos missiles within the country.
About:
- BrahMos is a Joint Venture between India (DRDO) and Russia (NPOM) for the development, production and marketing of the supersonic cruise missile.
- BrahMos is the potent offensive missile weapon system already inducted into the Armed Forces.
6th India Water Impact Summit
⇒ The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) along with the Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (c-Ganga) organized the 6th edition of the India Water Impact Summit (IWIS) from 9 December to 14 December 2021.
- The Summit was inaugurated by Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat along with other officials on 9th December 2021.
Organized:
The IWIS 2021 is a five-day event was organized in a hybrid mode at the NMCG office, New Delhi and IIT, Kanpur.
Theme:
The theme of IWIS 2021 was “River Resources Allocation “Planning and Management at the Regional Level”.
» The Summit hosted the sessions with integrated as well as individual focus on Science, Technology & Policy, Finance & Economics, Technology & Innovation, Policy, Law & Governance and International Cooperation.
» The international focus of the 6th IWIS was on collaborations with the European Union, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, USA, UK, Australia and the BRICS countries.
» To accomplish multiple goals across the length of large rivers:
- IWIS invited participation of small and large stakeholders in upstream and downstream regions in the context of select Ganga Basin states, namely Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal.
» IWIS 2021 provided a knowledge enriching platform to all stakeholders. It was aimed to discuss, debate and develop the model solutions for some of the important challenges before not only Ganga but all rivers and the water sector in India.
New 23 Inter State Transmission System Projects
⇒ Union Minister of Power and MNRE has approved new 23 Inter State Transmission System Projects (ISTS) with an estimated cost of Rs.15893 crore.
The new ISTS projects comprises of 13 projects with an estimated cost of Rs.14766 to be developed under Tariff Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) and 10 projects with an estimated cost of Rs.1127 crore to be developed under Regulated Tariff Mechanism (RTM).
The new transmission projects would inter-alia facilitate evacuation system for 14 GW of Renewable Projects in Rajasthan, 4.5 GW of RE projects in Gujarat, 1 GW Neemuch Solar Park, Madhya Pradesh and feeding areas near Akhnoor and Jammu region by establishing Siot Substation in Jammu.
Death
Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat
⇒ Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat died after the Mi-17V5 helicopter crashed in the southern state of Tamil Nadu on 08 December 2021. He was 63.
CDS, General Rawat died along with his wife and 11 armed forces personnel.
Gen Bipin Rawat was an outstanding soldier. A true patriot, he greatly contributed to modernising our armed forces and security apparatus. As India’s first CDS, Gen Rawat worked on diverse aspects relating to our armed forces including defence reforms.