1) PM Narendra Modi inaugurates ‘Rudraksh’ convention centre in Varanasi
•Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the International Cooperation and Convention Centre “Rudraksh”, in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The centre will become an attractive destination for conferences and pull in tourists and businesspersons to the city. The international cooperation and convention centre has been named “Rudraksh” and has as many as 108 Rudraksha at the centre. Its roof is shaped like a ‘Shiva Linga’.
•The objective is to provide opportunities for social and cultural interactions between people at the international convention centre. The convention centre has been built with the assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency. An environment-friendly building, the centre is equipped with adequate security and safety systems. It features a regular entrance, a service entrance and a separate VIP entrance, making it an ideal destination for holding all types of international events.
2) 6th anniversary of Skill India Mission addressed by PM Modi
•Prime Minister Narendra Modi has addressed the nation on July 15, 2021, on the occasion of World Youth Skills Day 2021 and the 6th anniversary of the Skill India Mission. In his address, Prime Minister highlighted “Skill development of the youth of new generation is a national need and a huge foundation for self-reliant India”. According to PM, under Skill India Mission, 1.25 crore youth have been trained till date.
3) Rajnath Singh launches AI-based grievance analysis app “CPGRAMS”
•Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has launched a mobile application, called CPGRAMS to lodge grievances using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning tools. The Raksha Mantri was briefed that this AI-powered application will automatically handle and analyse the complaints of the people and would reduce human intervention, save time and bring more transparency to their disposal.
4) Karnataka CM unveils bike taxi scheme for state
•Karnataka Chief Minister, BS Yediyurappa has unveiled the Karnataka Electric Bike Taxi scheme-2021. This will serve as a bridge between public transport and daily commuters. The scheme aims to reduce travel time and inconvenience in reaching bus, railway and metro stations. It will allow people, partnership firms and companies to participate.
•The authority concerned will issue licences under this scheme. Vehicles registered under this scheme will be in the transport category for which the government has given several exemptions like permits, tax and financial benefits for electric vehicles manufacturers.
5) Manduadih railway station renamed as Banaras
•The Manduadih railway station has been finally renamed as Banaras by the Northeastern railways (NER). The NER replaced the old signboard with the new one which read ‘Banaras’ after the Railway Board gave its nod for the new name. The newly painted signboards were put up with Banaras written in Hindi, Sanskrit, English, and Urdu.
•The process to change the station’s name started in 2019 when the former railway minister and the present governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Singh, put forth the request. In the same year, the Uttar Pradesh government accepted the proposal and forwarded it to the ministry of home affairs.
6) China begins construction of world’s 1st commercial small modular reactor
•China has officially begun the construction of the world’s first commercial modular small reactor ‘Linglong One’ at the Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant in the country’s Hainan Province. The project is based on China National Nuclear Corporation’s (CNNC’s Linglong One (ACP100) technology.
7) UAE becomes 1st Gulf nation to open embassy in Israel
•The United Arab Emirates has became the first Gulf nation to open an embassy in Israel, nearly a year after both countries signed an agreement to normalise diplomatic ties. The new mission is located in Tel Aviv Stock Exchange building. The ceremony was attended by new Israeli President Isaac Herzog. UAE Ambassador Mohammad Mahmoud Al Khajah officially presented his credentials at the beginning of March.
8) IAHE inks pact with University of New South Wales to set up CATTS in Noida
•The Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE) under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has inked an agreement with the University of New South Wales, Australia for setting up a Centre for Advanced Transportation Technology and Systems (CATTS) in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The Agreement was signed in a virtual ceremony in the presence of Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.
•This CATTS will be a centre of excellence (CoE) to promote industries and startups from Australia and India in the transportation sector, and will also provide opportunities for innovation, research and development of advanced transport systems.
9) Adani Group takes over Mumbai airport management
•Adani Group led by Gautam Adani has completed the takeover of ‘Mumbai International Airport’ from the GVK group. With this takeover, Adani group has become the top company in terms of airport infrastructure companies in India. Mumbai International Airport will be operated by Adani Airport Holdings which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adani Enterprises. With the takeover, Adani group’s airports now account for a fourth of total footfalls at airports across India, and a third of total air cargo handled.
10) Singapore unveils one of the world’s biggest floating solar panel farms
•Singapore has unveiled one of the world’s largest floating solar panel farms. The project is part of efforts by the country to meet a goal of quadrupling its solar energy production by 2025 to help tackle climate change. Located on a reservoir in western Singapore, the 60 megawatt-peak solar photovoltaic farm has been built by a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sembcorp Industries. Spanning an area equivalent to 45 football fields and producing enough electricity to power the island’s five water treatment plants.
•The electricity generated from the one lakh 22 thousand solar panels on the 45-hectare site should make Singapore one of the few countries in the world to have a water treatment system fully powered by sustainable energy. The solar farm could help to reduce carbon emissions by about 32 kilotonnes annually, comparable to taking 7,000 cars off the roads.
