1) PM Modi Inaugurates 3rd global renewable energy event “RE-INVEST” 2020
•Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 3rd Global Renewable Energy Investment Meeting and Expo (RE-Invest 2020) through video conferencing. The summit is organised by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The theme for RE-Invest 2020 is ‘Innovations for Sustainable Energy Transition’. The first two editions of RE-Invest were held in 2015 and 2018.
•The two day virtual programme will provide an international forum for investment promotion in renewable energy sector and an opportunity to various countries, states, business houses & organizations to showcase their strategies, achievements and expectations. It must be noted that India has set an ambitious target of having 175GW of renewable energy by 2022 and 450GW by 2030.
2) UNDP and Invest India tie-up to launch the SDG Investor Map for India
•The National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency, Invest India has partnered with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India to develop the first-ever ‘SDG Investor Map for India’. The map lays out 18 Investment Opportunities Areas (IOAs) in six critical SDG enabling sectors, that can help India to move forward on Sustainable Development path. This initiative is an instrumental stride in India’s development trajectory.
•The Map comes at a critical time for India. With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the financing gap for the SDGs in India has only widened further and decades of development progress is nearly on the verge of a reversal. Investing in the SDGs at this point is crucial to ‘Building Back Better’ and making the economy and our societies more resilient and sustainable. Enhanced productivity, technology adoption and increased inclusion are all critical factors that this map uses to identify the most attractive sectors for investors.
3) Sports Minister launches 2nd edition of Fit India School Week
•Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has launched the 2nd edition of the “Fit India School Week” program in the presence of Fit India Mission. Sports Minister encourages school children to participate in the Fit India movement.
•To participate in the program the schools have to register themselves on www.fitindia.gov.in/fit-india-school-week. The Fit India School week program was launched in November last year and saw participation from over 15 thousand schools across the country.
4) Lt Gen Harpal Singh appointed new Engineer-in-Chief of Indian Army
•Lt Gen Harpal Singh has appointed new Engineer-in-Chief of Indian Army. He is presently the Director-General of Border Roads Organisation and would take over his new appointment on 1 December.
About Lt Gen Harpal Singh:
•Lt Gen Harpal Singh, an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers on 24 December 1982. He later commanded a Border Roads, Task Force, in Jammu and Kashmir valley. He has also been the Chief Engineer of Project Dantak (BRO) at Bhutan, Chief Engineer (Navy), Mumbai and Chief Engineer HQ Eastern Command. Lt Gen Harpal Singh is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the Higher Command and National Defence College courses.
•Major Gen Rajeev Chaudhary has been appointed as the new Director-General of the Border Roads Organisation. The BRO is responsible for the construction and maintenance of roads along the borders with China and Pakistan.
5) Ayodhya Airport to be renamed as Maryada Purushottam Sri Ram Airport
•Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has cleared the proposal to rename the Ayodhya airport as Maryada Purushottam Sri Ram Airport, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. The proposal for the same will be sent to the Ministry of Civil Aviation after it is passed by the state Assembly.
•Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath had announced on the occasion of Deepotsav on Diwali eve in November 2018 that Ayodhya will have both international and domestic terminals and could potentially be one of the largest airports of UP.
6) Ladakh gets largest solar project at Leh Indian Air Force station
•The Union Territory of Ladakh has got the largest solar power project set up under the Centre’s ‘Make In India’ initiative at Leh IAF station to provide sustainable energy alternative to fossil fuel and traditional methods of energy generation. The project namely ‘Provision of Solar Photo Voltaic Powerplant 1.5 MW’ has been completed within 12 months well before the completion deadline of March 31, 2021.
7) Malayalam film ‘Jallikattu’ is India’s official entry for the Oscars
•Malayalam film “Jallikattu”, directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery, has been selected as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category for the 93rd Academy Awards. Jallikattu is the third Malayalam film after Guru (1997) and Adaminte Makan Abu (2011) to be chosen as the country’s official entry for the Oscars.
•Jallikattu premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, garnering praise from critics. It was later screened at the Busan International Film Festival and a host of other major venues. In 2019, Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy, starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt, was India’s entry to the Oscars.
