BIHAR
Rajgir, Bodh Gaya set to be green energy towns
Rajgir and Bodh Gaya, important tourist hubs, are set to become the country ’s first fully green energy efficient towns, as Bihar vies with Delhi, Goa and Odisha to supply 24×7 clean power round the year through the first of its kind renewable energy hybrid model.
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), a central government PSU, which will develop the system in Andhra Pradesh, has agreed in principle to Bihar’s proposal to feed clean power to the two towns and some important government installations in Patna, including the Raj Bhawan, chief minister’s house, Legislative Assembly, MLA quarters, Patna high court, Gyan Bhawan, Bihar museum and the Vidyut Bhawan.
The state pays an annualised average power purchase at the cost of ₹4.90 to ₹4.96 per unit, with thermal power contributing to 78% of the state’s power share.
The Centre has also waived off the ₹1 per unit interstate transmission charges to encourage renewal energy projects commissioned by June 2023. It will also bear the transmission and distribution loss, which is generally up to 2%, in ferrying power from the south Indian state.
The SECI had floated the tender last year, inviting stakeholders to avail of green power round the clock through renewable energy. Bihar showed interest in February, this year.
What is delaying the SECI nod, said officials, was Bihar’s insistence on customised power supply — 160 MW solar and 39.93 MW hydel — as against the SECI formula to give 37.5 MW through hydel pump storage plant in a 200 MW renewable energy hybrid package.
INTERNATIONAL
Forest Governance by Indigenous and Tribal Peoples
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations & the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples in Latin America and the Caribbean have released a new report entitled “Indigenous and Tribal People’s Forest Governance”. Highlights:
In the Caribbean and Latin America, the rate of deforestation in indigenous and tribal areas is low.
Based on more than 300 studies published in the past two decades, the new report emphasizes that indigenous and tribal people are generally better forest protectors than those responsible for other forests in the area.
Indigenous and tribal peoples and forests on their territories play an important role in regional and global climate action and the fight against hunger, poverty and malnutrition.
The carbon storage in these regions accounts for 1/3 of the carbon storage in the forests of Latin America and the Caribbean, and 14% of the carbon storage in the global tropical forests.
Carnivac-Cov Vaccine – Animal Vaccine
Russia has registered the world’s first animal vaccine against the noval coronavirus. The country’s agricultural safety supervision agency Rosselkhoznadzor announced the news. Highlights:
The world’s first animal vaccine against the noval coronavirus was named Carnivac-Cov.
According to the watchdog, the immunization will last for 6 months. However, the developer of the dosage is constantly analyzing this.
According to Rosselkhoznadzor, the Covid-19 vaccine is expected to start mass production as early as April 2021.
According to Russian scientists, the use of this vaccine can prevent the development of viral mutations in animals.
World Health Day is on 7th April
Every year, April 7th is designated as World Health Day. This day is to celebrate the role played by midwives and nurses in maintaining the safety and health of the world. Highlights:
Purpose: To raise awareness of specific health topics to highlight priority areas of concern to the World Health Organization (WHO).
World Health Day is commemorated by the World Health Organization and several other organizations. Every year, the theme of World Health Day is selected by WHO. The first World Health Assembly by WHO in 1948. This day is commemorated every year to commemorate the establishment of the WHO.
The WHO officially marks only eight campaigns. World Health Day is one of them. Other events are World Tuberculosis Day, World Immunization Week, World Malaria Day, No Tobacco Day, World Hepatitis Day, World AIDS Day & World Blood Donor Day.
NATIONAL
India-Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation And Partnership Agreement
The India-Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement will enter into force on April 1, 2021. Highlights:
The Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) between Mauritius and India was signed in February 2021.
This is the first trade agreement signed between India and an African country.
This agreement is a limited agreement and covers trade in goods, rules of origin, trade in services, Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, dispute settlement, movement of natural persons, telecommunications, financial services, customs procedures and other areas Cooperation.
India-Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) provides an institutional mechanism to encourage and improve trade between both the countries.
PLI Scheme for Food Processing Industry
The Cabinet approved the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for the Food Processing Industries Highlights:
The Production Linked Incentive Scheme for the Food Processing Industries was approved by the Cabinet is to support the establishment of a world food manufacturing champion commensurate with India’s natural resource, and to support the development of Indian food brands in the international market.
The scheme has been launched and the cost is Rs. 109 million.
This is a Central Sector Scheme.
The objectives of the Scheme is to support food manufacturers to have a prescribed minimum sales volume, and be willing to expand processing capacity and establish brands abroad with the minimum prescribed investment to incentivize the emergence of powerful Indian brands. The purpose is to:
To support the creation of a global food manufacturing champion;
Strengthen selected Indian food brands to increase global visibility and gain wider acceptance in the international market;
Increase employment opportunities for non-agricultural work; and
Ensure the remuneration price of agricultural products and higher income of farmers.
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