GUJARAT
PM to inaugurates Arogya Van & Arogya Kutir at Kevadia in Gujarat
He will pay tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the 'Statue of Unity' near Kevadiya in
Narmada district on the occasion of 145th birth anniversary of this great leader.
He inaugurated the Arogya Van and Arogya Kutir at Kevadia.
He also inaugurated Ekta Mall Children Nutrition Park. Mr. Modi will then inaugurate Jungle
Safari and Geodesic Dome Aviary and lay the foundation stone for various projects before
reaching the Statue of Unity.
He will also launch the country's first seaplane service between Kevadia and Ahmedabad
Riverfront.
INTERNATIONAL
U.S. to support Indias defence of territory
The Union Defence Minister of India and the U.S. Secretary of Defence reviewed bilateral
defence cooperation spanning “military-to-military cooperation, secure communication
systems and information sharing, defence trade and industrial issues”. The third India-U.S.
‘2+2’ dialogue was held in New Delhi.
2+2 ministerial dialogue is a format of dialogue where the defence and foreign ministers
meet with their counterparts from another country. This is the highest-level institutional
mechanism between India and the USA. This aims at bringing together the perspectives of
both the countries on issues relating to foreign policy, defence and also other strategic
issues. India holds such dialogues even with Japan. With Australia, it is held at the foreign
secretary and defence secretary level.
The Defence Ministry has said that India and the U.S. will sign the last foundational
agreement, Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial Cooperation (BECA)
during the 2+2 ministerial dialogue.
Gk bit: BECA
BECA is one of the four foundational agreements for strengthening defence ties between
India and the US. The agreement allows exchanging of Geospatial-Intelligence information
for use by the governments for defence and other purposes. The US would exchange
technical and procedural information about standardisation of methods, specifications and
formats for the collection, processing and production of geo-intelligence information with
India. It shall also include the tools and models to process GPS data and transform Latitude,
Longitude and Height coordinates across various reference frames and others.
NATIONAL
Cabinet approves Mechanism for procurement of ethanol by Public Sector Oil Marketing
Companies
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA approved Mechanism for procurement
of ethanol by Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies under Ethanol Blended Petrol
Programme.
Earlier, there used to be one rate for ethanol but now there will be different prices.
He said the new Price fixed for Ethanol produced from sugar will be Rs 62.65 per litre,
ethanol manufactured from B heavy molasses will be Rs 57.61 per litre and ethanol
manufactured from C heavy molasses will be Rs 45.69 per litre.
Government has been implementing Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme wherein
OMCs sell petrol blended with ethanol up to 10 per cent.
Habitat loss of Himalayan Brown Bear
The scientists of the ZSI – Zoological Survey of India conducted a study on the Himalayan
brown bear (Ursus arctos isabellinus) has analyzed a significant reduction in suitable habitat
and biological corridors of the Himalayan brown bear.
The study named ‘Adaptive spatial planning of protected area networks for conserving the
Himalayan brown bear’ was done in the western Himalayas. It has noted that the decline of
about 73% of the bear's habitat by the year 2050.
The western Himalayas where the brown bear population is distributed is most vulnerable
to global warming, and climate change as this elevation belt is getting warmer much faster
than other elevation belts of Himalayas.
Himalayan Brown Bear ranges in the area of North-western and central Himalayas, including
India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan and the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China. The Habitat of
the bear is High altitude open valleys and pastures. IUCN Status of the bear is Red List-
Critically endangered. It is under Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972.
Mansar Lake project attracts 20 lakh tourists every year
The project is to attract almost 20 lakh tourists every year & create employment for 1.15
crore person-days with an income output of 800 crore/year.
The day is a historic day for the people of Mansar Region, as the Mansar Lake Development
Plan is getting completed after a long wait of 70 years.
The recent developments in Jammu and Kashmir region had received the highest priority in
development, particularly the Udhampur-Doda-Kathua parliamentary constituency.
The numbers of national projects initiated in the region during the last 6 years are greater
than the number of projects initiated in the earlier 7 decades.
The world's highest railway bridge coming up in Reasi.
Mansar is of importance from pilgrimage as well heritage point of view beyond being the
most scenic attraction due to vast Mansar Lake and its flora and fauna.
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