RAJASTHAN

• MOU signed, state to get Yamuna water in summer

• In order to meet future water requirements, Rajasthan, along with five other states, signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the construction of ~4,000 crore Lakhwar multipurpose project in the upper Yamuna basin.

• The MOU between Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi was inked in presence of Union water resources minister Nitin Gadkari at National Media Centre.

• The ambitious project stalled since last 42 years, will help drought-affected Rajasthan have water for most of the months in a year – providing relief from water crisis during summers.

LAKHWAR MULTI PURPOSE PROJECT

• Lakhwar Project is a multi-purpose scheme, primarily a peaking power station on river Yamuna in the district of Dehradun in Uttarakhand.

• The scheme envisages construction of 204 m high concrete dam on river Yamuna near Lohari village.

• The multi-purpose scheme also envisages construction of Vyasi HEP (2×60 MW) (Hathiari power station) downstream of Lakhwar HEP.

• The scheme also includes construction of a barrage at Katapathar about 3 km downstream of Hathiari power station (Vyasi HEP) on river Yamuna.

INTERNATIONAL

• Global Finance names DBS world’s best bank

• DBS Bank has become the first Singaporean and Asian winner of Global Finance Magazine’s Best Bank in the World Award, unseating last year’s winner ING.

• This came after DBS was named Asia’s top bank in May, replacing 2017 winner ICBC, in the magazine’s annual World’s Best Bank awards.

• India and the World Bank sign $300 Million Agreement for India’s Energy Efficiency Program

• The Government of India and the World Bank signed a $220 million Loan Agreement and a $80 million Guarantee Agreement for the India Energy Efficiency Scale-Up Program.

• The Program, to be implemented by the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), will help scale-up the deployment of energy saving measures in residential and public sectors, strengthen EESL’s institutional capacity, and enhance its access to commercial financing.

• The investments under the Program are expected to avoid lifetime greenhouse gas emissions of 170 million tons of CO2, and contribute to avoiding an estimated 10 GW of additional generation capacity

NATIONAL

·        Cabinet approved Rs.1,623 crore to set up more disaster warning systems

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs cleared at an outlay of 1,623 croreto get more disaster warning systems and desalination plants along Indian coasts. The system will be functioning under the programme called O-SMART (Ocean Services,Technology, Observations, Resources Modelling and Science). O-SMART is monitored by the Union earth sciences ministry.

• O-SMART provides economic benefits to a number of user communities in the coastal and ocean sectors, namely, fisheries, offshore industry, coastal States, defence, shipping, ports, etc.

• ISRO to send first Indian into Space by 2022

• As announced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address, India’s first Indian human mission will be launched by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) by 2022.

• This was stated by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh.

• The programme will make India the fourth nation in the world to launch a Human Spaceflight Mission.

• So far, only the USA, Russia and China have launched human spaceflight missions.

·        Third Edition Of Worlds Biggest Open Innovation Model Smart India Hackathon 2019 launched

• It is a nationwide initiative to provide students a platform to solve some of the pressing problems we face in our daily lives, and thus inculcate a culture of product innovation and a mindset of problem-solving.
• For the first time, Private industry/ organizations and NGOs can also send their problem statements to students under SIH-2019.

·        India’s first interstate connected wind power project commissioned in Bhuj

• 126 MW wind power capacity, part of country’s first Inter State Transmission System(ISTS) auction, is commissioned in Bhuj, Gujarat.
• The energy generated from this project is being purchased by Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.
• This was a 1,000 MW bid for projects to be connected on ISTS (inter-state transmission system) wherein power generated from one state (renewable resource rich state) could be transmitted to other renewable deficient states.

·        Manjit Singh wins India’s first gold in 800m since 1982 Asiad

• India’s 28-year-old sprinterManjit Singhwon the gold medal in the men’s 800m event at the 2018 Asian Games, securing the ninth gold for the country.
• Another Indian sprinter Jinson Johnson, who is ranked first in Asia, won the silver medal at the same event.
• Manjit clocked 1:46.15 while Johnson clocked 1:46.35 to make it a memorable double for India.
• Manjit’s gold was also the first after Charles Bor romeo’s feat in the 1982 Asian Games.