The ministry of power announced new rules to ensure sustainability in the economic viability of the power sector.
Investors and other stakeholders across the power sector had been concerned about the timely recovery of costs incurred due to change in law and curtailment of renewable power.
Ministry has notified new rules under the Electricity Act, 2003. They are in the interest of electricity consumers and stakeholders. The rules comprise of:
As per ministry, timely recovery of the costs because of change in law is important because investment in the power sector depends on timely payments.
The energy transition is happening across the world. India has also made commitments for bringing energy transition. India also announced international commitment for setting up 175 GW of renewable energy (RE) capacity by 2022 and 450 GW of energy by 2030.
New rules will help in achieving the goal of RE generation. Rules will also help in ensuring that the consumers get green and clean power. They will also secure a healthy environment for future generation.
Bangladesh has planned to present its “climate prosperity plan” at the upcoming United Nations climate talks in Glasgow.
26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) has been scheduled from October 31 to November 12 in Glasgow, Scotland. In the conference, representatives from more than 200 countries will gather and discuss new targets to cut or curb the growth of emissions which contribute to climate change.
In Bangladesh, most of 160 million people are packed into low-lying areas along the Bay of Bengal. This area is considered as prone to extreme weather, flooding, and loss of farmland due to rising ocean levels. Thus, to mitigate these challenges, Bangladesh has revealed its plan.
Bangladesh has emerged as one of the fastest growing economies in Asia. Its GDP had increased to $305 billion in 2019, from $6.2 billion in 1972. Some of the experts expect that, GDP will double in size by 2030. However, climate change might reverse this trend. The country is at the risk of displacement due to sea level rise, heat waves, severe floods, and cyclones.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has opened the “Saudi Green Initiative forum” on October 23, 2021.
Saudi Arabia also look forward for joining Middle East Green Initiative Summit. It will be hosted with the aim of synergizing and coordinating efforts among countries to develop plans for reaching the target under Middle East Green Initiative.
Indian state of Karnataka is celebrating “Kittur Rani Chennamma Jayanthi” on October 23, 2021.
Kittur Chennamma was born on October 23, 1778. She belonged to the Lingayat community. She married Raja Mallasarja from the Desai family when she was 15. She was Indian Queen of Kittur which was a princely state in Karnataka. She led an armed rebellion in the year 1824, against the British East India Company (BEIC). She rebelled in confrontation of the doctrine of lapse in a bid to maintain Indian control over the region. In the fight, she defeated the British. However, she was dead in the imprisonment of second rebellion by BEIC. She was one of the first female rulers who rebel against British rule. She became a folk hero in Karnataka. She also became a symbol of independence movement in India.
Kittur is a taluka in Belagavi district of Karnataka. It was the part of Bailhongal taluka. On October 23, 2012 it was declared as an independent taluka by the Chief Minister of Karnataka. It is 177th Taluk of the State.
India has handed over 34.9 km long cross-border rail link to Nepal government, that connects Jayanagar in Bihar to Kurtha in Nepal.
The ceremony took place on October 22, 2021 in the presence of Indian ambassador to Nepal Vinay M. Kwatra and Nepal minister for physical Infrastructure & transport Renu Kumari Yadav.
The Jaynagar – Kurtha section of rail link is the part of 68.7 km Jaynagar – Bijalpura- Bardidas rail link. It was built under the grant assistance programme of Indian government. Under the grant assistance of India, gauge conversion of 34.9 km narrow gauge has been completed. The project has completed at a cost of Rs 619 crore. It has five stations in the section namely, Jayanagar, Khajuri, Inarwa, Baidehi and Kurtha near Janakpur in Nepal. The highest fare will likely be Rs 70 for general class and Rs 300 for AC for the entire journey. The train will run at 115 km per hour and the distance will be covered in 23 minutes.
This operationalised cross-border rail link is likely to enhance trade and commerce activities. It will also enhance people to people linkage between both the countries.
It is a town and a notified area in the Madhubani district of Bihar. As per 2011 census, Jainagar had a population of 1,77,556. Males account for 53% of the population while females account for 47%. The town has an average literacy rate of 58%.
To commemorate Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, Indian Navy is conducting an Offshore Sailing Regatta under the aegis of Indian Naval Sailing Association (INSA).
The expedition is being conducted with the sim of fostering the spirit of adventure and ocean sailing for participating crew.
Each of the six Indian Naval Sailing Vessels, comprising of four 40 footers and two 56 footers, will be manned by six naval personnel who will be drawn from three Commands of Navy, IHQ MoD (Navy) and the ANC. Apart from the sailing vessels, Ocean Yachts from Yachting Association of India will also take part in the event.
The event is being organised by HQSNC and Ocean Sailing Node of Indian Navy, which is located at INS Mandovi in Goa.
Participants of the event have been practicing over the last one month. They have also undergone a Capsule Course at Kochi in order to hone their skills. Participants from Indian Navy include Captain Atool Sinha, Captain Vipul Meherishi, Lieutenant Commander Payal Gupta, Lieutenant Commander K Pednekar. They have won medals in several events at the National level.
External Affairs Minister of India S Jaishankar and British Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss held talks on Infrastructure and Defence on October 22, 2021.
Both the countries also agreed to strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. They also stressed on the need of safe and unhindered access for humanitarian aid in Afghanistan.
Closer ties in the areas like tech and infrastructure will help in creating jobs and brining growth in both the countries. It will also boost developing world economies and help both the countries in promoting their values on global stage.
India and the UK unveiled the ambitious 10-year roadmap after a virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. This roadmap seeks to boost cooperation along the key areas, like defence, security and healthcare. On the occasion, they had also announced an enhanced trade partnership. Under the trade partnership, they agreed to negotiate a balanced and comprehensive Free Trade Agreement including an interim trade pact to deliver early gains.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) proposed a minimum of 11.5% capital for four all India financial institutions (AIFI).
RBI proposed stricter capital norms because, as Indian economy is growing, AIFIs are being considered as a key institution for promoting the flow of direct or indirect credit to the economic sectors they serve to. Thus, Basel III Capital framework has been proposed to the AIFIs.
AIFI is a group comprising of financial regulatory bodies and development finance institutions which play a significant role in financial markets. They are also known as financial instruments. They assist in proper allocation of resources, that are sourced from businesses which have a surplus. Financial institutions act as an intermediary between final lenders and borrowers in order to provide safety and liquidity.
China passed its New Education Law on October 23, 2021 with the aim of cutting the “twin pressures” of homework and off-site tutoring in the core subjects.
This law is new, in series of China’s assertive paternal hand in the year 2021. China took several assertive moves ranging from:
On October 18, 2021, Parliament of China noted that, it will consider legislation for punishing parents if their young children exhibit “bad behaviour” or “commit crimes”.
The new law has made the local governments responsible to ensure that the twin pressures on children are reduced. It also asks parents to arrange the time of their children to account for reasonable rest and exercise in order to reduce pressure and avoid overuse of the internet. New law also cut back on homework and banned after-school tutoring for some major subjects on weekend and holidays.
In recent months, education ministry of China has limited gaming hours for minors. It only allows them to play online for one hour on days like Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
In China, education is primarily managed by the state-run public education system. It falls under the Ministry of Education. As per law, all citizens in China are required to attend school for a minimum of nine years called as “nine-year compulsory education”. Compulsory education is funded by the government.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested the high-speed expendable aerial target (HEAT) called ABHYAS on October 22, 2021.
ABHYAS has been designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of DRDO, headquartered in Bengaluru.
The flight test of ABHYAS was carried out as a part of developmental flight trials. To produce them, an expression of interest has already been floated for the Indian industries. This indigenous target aircraft will meet the requirements of High-speed Expendable Aerial Targets (HEAT) after its development. It is being developed for the Indian Armed Forces.
ABHYAS is powered by a gas turbine engine due to which, aircraft will sustain a long endurance flight at a subsonic speed. This target aircraft has been equipped with MEMS-based Inertial Navigation System (INS) in order to navigation along with Flight Control Computer (FCC) for guidance and control. It has been programmed for fully autonomous flight. The check-out of air vehicle is completed through a laptop-based Ground Control Station (GCS).
ADA was established in the year 1984, under the Department of Defence Research and Development (DR&D) of Ministry of Defence. It looks after the development of India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme. It has already developed HAL Tejas and currently involved in developing HAL AMCA, DRDO Ghatak and HAL TEDBF.
Fourth general assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) was held virtually between October 18 to October 21, 2021.
During the assembly, countries launched two new programmes namely- Management of Solar PV panels & battery usage waste and Solar Hydrogen programme.
The ISA also announced a partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies in order to mobilize $1 trillion in global investments for solar energy among the member countries of ISA. The two organizations will work with World Resources Institute (WRI) in a bid to develop a “Solar Investment Action Agenda” as well as a “Solar Investment Roadmap”. Both will be launched at COP26.
We Protect Global Alliance recently released its Global Threat Assessment report 2021.
Online grooming is the situation, in which someone befriends a child online, and builds up their trust in order to exploit them and cause them harm.
Report suggests following measures to tackle the instances of sexual exploitation and abuse online:
We Protect Global Alliance is a global movement of around 200 governments, private sector companies as well as civil society organisations who are working together to transform the global response to child sexual exploitation as well as abuse online.
The 52nd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is going to held in Goa from November 20 to November 28, 2021 in which Hungarian filmmaker Istvan Szabo and Hollywood icon Martin Scorsese will be honoured with “Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award”.
He is one of the greatest and most influential directors in film history. He established filmmaking history in nine films made with Robert De Niro, such as biographical sports drama Raging Bull (1980) and psychological thriller Taxi Driver (1976). He has also been known for his collaborations with actor Leonardo DiCaprio. Scorsese directed Leonardo in five films namely, Gangs of New York (2002), The Aviator (2004), The Departed (2006), Shutter Island (2010) and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).
52nd International film Festival of India is scheduled to organise from November 20 to November 28, 2021 in Goa. It will be held in hybrid form like its 51st edition. In the year 2021, to mark the birth centenary of Satyajit Rai, Directorate of Film Festivals will pay tribute to him by means of a ‘Special Retrospective’. An award named “Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Cinema, will be given on the occasion to recognise auteur’s legacy.
He was an Indian film director, documentary filmmaker, scriptwriter, essayist, author, illustrator, lyricist, magazine editor, calligrapher, and music composer. He is considered as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time.