NAITONAL NEWS

‘Electricity Access in India and Benchmarking Distribution Utilities’ report launched

• The Electricity Access in India and Benchmarking Distribution Utilities report was launched together by NITI Aayog, Ministry of Power, Rockefeller Foundation and Smart Power India.
• The report is based on a primary survey conducted across ten states, representing about 65 per cent of the total rural population of India tells that number of hours of power supply has improved to 17 hours per day.
• According to the report 87 per cent of the surveyed customers have access to grid-based electricity. The remaining 13 per cent either use non-grid sources or do not use any electricity at all.
• Also, 92 per cent of customers reported the overall availability of electricity infrastructure within 50 metres of their premises.
• A satisfaction index was created to assess the overall satisfaction level of customers with utility services.

National Program and Project Management Policy Framework was launched by Quality Council of India

• The National Program and Project Management Policy Framework was launched to bring reforms in the way of executing infrastructure development projects in India.
• The new framework was launched together by NITI Aayog and Quality Council of India.
• In the event of launching the framework, Union Minister for Road and Highways and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Nitin Gadkari released the book – “Indian Infrastructure Body of Knowledge” to aid the practice of program and project management in India.
• The three main areas where the reforms to be done are:
  1. Adopt a program and project management approach to infra development
  2. Institutionalize and promote the profession of program and project management and build a workforce of such professionals,
  3. Enhance institutional capacity and capability of professionals

Facts:

• Chairman of Quality Council of India: Adil Zainulbhai

INTERNALTIONAL NEWS

Japan Committed to Zero Carbon Emissions

• Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has announced that the country will achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050.
• As per Japan’s current energy plan, 56 per cent of its energy reqirements come from fossil fuels.
• He urges to make sustainable economy a pillar of his growth strategy and put maximum effort into achieving a green society by shifting away from fossil fuels to counter climate change.

10th Round of Ministerial UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue held virtually

Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman led the Indian Delegation in the 10th Round of Ministerial UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD), virtually through video conferencing.

India-UK trade has more than doubled since the first EFD in 2007, with bilateral investment supporting over half a million jobs across both countries.

The Dialogue touched the topics on finance track matters, international tax agenda, Financial Services Collaboration, Green Finance.

Also decided to establish bilateral India- UK Sustainable Finance Forum, Private sector initiatives under India-UK Financial Partnership (IUKFP) and India-UK Sustainable Finance Working Group

BUSINESS NEWS

NTPC signs loan agreement with Japanese Government Financial Institutions

• The loan agreement was signed by Shri Anil Kumar Gautam, Director (Finance), NTPC and Mr. TANIMOTO Masayuki, Managing Executive Officer, Global Head of Infrastructure & Environment Finance Group, JBIC through video conferencing.
• The Japan Bank for International Co-operation (JBIC) and the National Thermal Power Corporation has signed the loan agreement to be utilized by NTPC for funding its capex for Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) & RE projects.
• Japan has given the sum under its GREEN or Global Action for Reconciling Economic growth and Environment preservation initiative.

Facts:

• President of Japan: Yoshihide Suga

AWARDS

Dr. Tulsi Das Chugh Award-2020

• The National Academy of Medical Sciences (India), has selected Dr Satish Mishra, a Principal Scientist in CSIR – CDRI for “Dr.Tulsi Das Chugh Award” for the year 2020.
• The award was given for his research work on Malaria parasite's life cycle which is a complex process involving two hosts and three invasive stages.
• Invasion in both mammals and mosquitoes requires a coordinated sequence of events to be played out successfully.
• His research focused on “Secreted Protein with Altered Thrombospondin Repeat (SPATR) which is Essential for Asexual Blood Stages but not Required for Hepatocyte Invasion by the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium Berghei”.