National
4750 MW Renewable Energy Park at Rann of Kutch
⇒ NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd, a 100% subsidiary of NTPC, has received the go-ahead from Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to set up 4750 MW renewable energy park at Rann of Kutch in Khavada, Gujarat.
This will be India’s largest solar park to be built by the largest power producer of the country.
NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd (NTPC REL), has been given the go-ahead by MNRE on 12th July 2021 under Mode 8 (Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Park) of Solar Park Scheme. NTPC REL has plans to generate green hydrogen on a commercial scale from this park.
Target of NTPC:
As a part of its green energy portfolio augmentation, NTPC Ltd, India’s largest energy integrated company aims to build 60 GW Renewable Energy Capacity by 2032.
Other Power Plant:
Recently, NTPC has also commissioned India’s largest Floating Solar of 10 MW (ac) on the reservoir of Simhadri Thermal Power Plant, at Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
Further, a 100 MW Floating Solar Project on the reservoir of Ramagundam Thermal Power Plant, Telangana is in the advanced stage of implementation.
MoU between NTPC and Union Territory of Ladakh
⇒ Renewable Energy Ltd (REL), a 100% subsidiary of NTPC, Maharatna PSU under Ministry of Power has signed a MoU with Union Territory of Ladakh and LAHDC to setup the country’s first Green Hydrogen Mobility project on 13 July 2021.
Benefits:
The MoU will enable NTPC to help Ladakh develop a carbon free economy based on renewable sources and green hydrogen.
Union Cabinet Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy, Shri R K Singh said that Leh is soon to become India’s first city to implement a green hydrogen based mobility project with zero emission.
International
BHIM–UPI in Bhutan
⇒ Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, along with her counterpart, the Hon’ble Finance Minister of Bhutan, Mr Lyonpo Namgay Tshering, jointly launched BHIM–UPI in Bhutan on 13 July 2021 in a virtual ceremony.
This launch fulfils the commitment made by the two countries during the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India’s State visit to Bhutan in 2019.
Bhutan is the first country to adopt UPI standards for its QR deployment, and the first country in our immediate neighbourhood to accept mobile based payments through the BHIM App.
BRICS Tourism Ministers’ Meeting
⇒ Minister for Tourism Shri G Kishan Reddy chaired the BRICS Tourism Ministers’ meeting on 13 July, 2021, as part of India’s BRICS chairship.
Participants:
The Ministers of all the member countries viz. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa participated in the meeting.
Discussion:
» India organized the BRICS Tourism Ministers’ Meeting as an effective means to promote tourism cooperation among BRICS countries. The meeting reviewed the intra BRICS Tourism cooperation.
» Further, to promote tourism for the future, it was recognized that BRICS alliance for Green Tourism can accelerate the recovery and development of tourism on sustainable lines.
Some of the key elements of the BRICS alliance for green tourism are mainstreaming sustainability into the tourism sector policies, conservation efforts, sustainable development goals, shift towards renewable source of energy, conservation efforts for green tourism which will encourage investment in nature based solutions and supporting the fragile eco systems.
» The BRICS Tourism Ministers’ Meeting highlighted the importance of strengthening cooperation in tourism in the areas of promoting responsible and sustainable tourism, investment in tourism infrastructure, close interaction between tourism enterprises and human resource development.
Death
Former Indian Cricketer, Shri Yashpal Sharma
⇒ Former Indian cricketer and a member of 1983 World Cup-winning squad Shri Yashpal Sharma died on 13 July 2021 in New Delhi. He was 66.
In his international career, Yashpal played 37 Tests, scoring 1606 runs, and 42 ODIs in which he made 883.