GUJARAT
Gujarat Technological University plans roadmap to streamline education
The biggest varsity in the state, Gujarat Technological University (GTU) will soon chalk out an action
plan aimed at further improving educational standards in around 500 colleges affiliated with the
university.
The university has decided to introduce an academic audit and improve the standards according to
the findings of the audit report. The colleges must make concerted efforts to secure NBA and NAAC
accreditations.
INTERNATIONAL
Kartarpur corridor issue between India and Pakistan
India condemned Pakistan’s decision to transfer the management of the Kartarpur Sahib
gurudwara from a Sikh body to a separate trust, saying it runs against the religious
sentiments of the Sikh community.
While China strongly condemned India's move to abrogate Article 370 and the grant of UT's
status to Jammu and Kashmir, it has turned a blind eye to Pakistan's motion to grant
province status to Gilgit-Baltistan.
China's support for Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir is motivated by a desire to perpetuate
its illegal territorial occupation in the trans-Karakoram Shaksgam Tract of Kashmir.
The Shaksgam Valley in the trans-Karakoram tract, part of PoK, was handed over by Pakistan
to China through an illegal border agreement in 1963.
This has allowed China to claim the whole of Aksai Chin in which it had no historical
presence.
China occupies 5,180 square kilometres in the Shaksgam Valley and approximately 38,000
square kilometres in Aksai Chin. China and Pakistan have been trying to promote the China-
Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which runs through parts of Indian territory under their
respective occupation.
NATIONAL
PINAKA Rocket tested successfully
Enhanced PINAKA rocket, developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO), has been successfully flight tested from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off
Odisha's coast.
The development of the Enhanced PINAKA system was taken up to achieve more extended
range performance compared to the earlier design.
The design and development have been carried out by Pune based DRDO laboratories,
namely Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and High Energy
Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL).
A total of six rockets were launched in quick succession, and the tests met complete mission
objectives.
Rockets tested have been manufactured by M/s Economic Explosives Limited, Nagpur, to
whom the technology has been transferred.
All the flight articles were tracked by Range instruments such as telemetry, radar, and
Electro-Optical Tracking Systems, which confirmed the flight performance.
An enhanced version of the PINAKA rocket would replace the existing PINAKA MK-I rockets
currently under production.
Cabinet approves Rs.1810.56 crore for Luhri Stage-I Hydro Power Project
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by PM has approved Rs.1810.56 crore
for 210 MW Luhri Stage-I Hydro Electric Project located on river Sutlej which is situated in
Shimla &Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh.
This Hydro Power project will generate 758.20 million units of electricity annually.
This project is being implemented by Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) on Build-Own-
Operate-Maintain (BOOM) basis with active support from India's and State Government.
The MoU of this project was signed with the Govt. of Himachal Pradesh during Rising
Himachal, Global Investor Meet.
The government of India is also supporting this project by providing grants of Rs. 66.19 crore
for enabling infrastructure, which has helped in reducing power tariff.
The Luhri Stage-I Hydro Electric Project shall be commissioned within 62 months.
The power generated from the project will provide Grid stability and improve the power
supply position.
The project would also reduce 6.1 lakh Tons of carbon dioxide from the environment
annually, thus contributing to an improvement in air quality.
The project's construction activities will result in direct & indirect employment to around
2000 persons and contribute to the overall socio-economic development of the state.
SJVN has forayed into the fields of Renewable Energy, Power Transmission, and Thermal
power generation.
SJVNL has envisaged Internal Growth Targets of total installed capacity from all sources of
5000 MW by 2023, 12000 MW by 2030, and 25000 MW by the year 2040.
Govt draws up 5-year plan to save vultures
In the backdrop of substantial decline in population of vultures in India, the Centre has
come out with a five-year action plan for conservation of this nature’s scavengers which
feed on animal carcasses and thus keep our surroundings clean.
The plan includes instituting a system with the help of Drugs Controller General of
India (DCGI) which automatically removes a drug from veterinary use, such as Diclofenac, if
it is found to be toxic to vultures This will ensure preventing the poisoning of principal food
of vultures.
Vultures were very common in India till 1980s when its population was estimated to be 40
million. The overall population of vultures was, however, crashed by over 90% during mid-
90s. By 2007, 99% of the three Gyps species had been wiped out. It prompted the ministry
to come out with a dedicated plan to conserve vultures as the earlier three-year plan of
2006 could not get the desired results.
Under the 2020-25 plan, the ministry will also work for conservation breeding programme
of Red Headed Vulture and Egyptian Vulture, and help states in establishing at least one
‘Vulture Safe Zone’ in each state for the conservation of the remnant population.
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