GUJARAT
Gujarat ranked top for water efficiency Delhi among worst performing states
Gujarat ranked the best for parameters on efficiency targets in the review of state and
Central government water departments by the ministry of Jal Shakti. Rajasthan is the third-
best, and Delhi is among the worst-performing states, according to the ranking for 2019
circulated to different state governments recently. The seven Central departments
reviewed, the Survey of India, got the top billing followed by the National Institute of
Hydrology (NIH) and Central Water Commission. The Central Pollution Control Board, the
country’s pollution watchdog, has got the lowest rank in the ranking for the year 2019.
Telangana got the top slot, and this year’s topper, Gujarat, was ranked seventh last time.
Delhi. Among the states that significantly improved its ranking was Tamil Nadu.
The departments ranked on parameters for procurement, finance, real-time data acquisition
system, data digitization, analytical work, training, and updating MIS. The agencies are given
a score out of 100, and those scoring between 48 and 100 are called satisfactory; the ones
scoring between 40 and 48 are moderately satisfactory. The ranking is moderate
considering moderate is 48 to 100 points, the water resource departments of nine states,
union territories, and river basin organizations ranked as satisfactory, eight are moderately
satisfactory, four moderately unsatisfactory, and 12, including Delhi, are in the
unsatisfactory category.
INTERNATIONAL
Israel unveils revolutionary laser-based air defense system
Israeli Ministry of Defense announced that it has successfully developed a laser-based air
defense system.
The system is meant to intercept aerial threats ranging from as mortar fire, drones, medium
range Grad rockets, anti-tank missiles as well as long-range missiles, currently at the
disposal of Iran-backed terror groups in Syria and Lebanon.
The system is set to be tested in six months' time at an undisclosed location in northern
Israel.
If the interception test is successful, the laser-based system will be dispatched for field use
along Israel's border with the Gaza Strip.
The technological development will enable the long-range targeting and stabilization of
laser beams, allowing them to intercept targets at great distances.
NATIONAL
Pravasi Bhartiya Divas: 09 January
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated every year to mark the contribution of overseas Indian
community in the development of India.
It also commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India on 9
January 1915.
Established in 2003 the celebratory event is organised by the Ministry of External Affairs
every year on this day.
On the occasion of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar
interacted with Indian Diaspora across the globe through a digital video conference.
Budget to be presented on Feb 1; Economic Survey on Jan 31
Union Budget will be presented on 1st of next month and the Economic Survey on 31st
January.
The Budget Session of Parliament will begin on the 31st of this month.
The first Union budget of independent India was presented by R. K. Shanmukham Chetty on
26 November 1947.
Until 2016, the budget of the Indian Railways was presented separately to Parliament and
dealt with separately.
RBI amends KYC norms, allows banks to use V-CIP
The RBI has amended the KYC norms allowing banks and other lending institutions regulated
by it to use Video based Customer Identification Process (V-CIP).
It will help them onboard customers remotely.
The Reserve Bank said it decided to permit video based Customer Identification Process (V-
CIP) as a consent based alternate method of establishing the customer's identity.
The RBI further said that the regulated entities will have to ensure that the video recording
is stored in a safe and secure manner and bears the date and time stamp.
It also said that Live location of the customer (Geotagging) shall be captured to ensure that
the customer is physically present in India.
GoI notified new set of rules to conserve wetlands
The government of India has notified a new set of rules to conserve wetlands across the
country. The rule set by the Ministry of Environment was issued recently.
The new rules prohibit setting up or expansion of industries, and disposal of construction
and demolition waste within the wetlands.
The rules ensure to set up authority in each state and Union Territory (UT).
The authority has been directed to prepare a list of all wetlands of the state/UT within 3
months and make strategies for conservation and wise use of wetlands within their
jurisdiction.
The official should recommend mechanisms to maintain ecological character through
promotional activities for land within the boundary of notified wetlands.
The authority will include one expert each in the fields of wetland ecology, fisheries,
hydrology, landscape planning, and socio-economics.
In September 2019, the government has identified 130 wetlands for priority restoration in
the next 5 years.
It has also directed the States to submit their respective integrated management plan. The
highest number of such identified wetlands are Uttar Pradesh with 16, Madhya Pradesh
with 13, Jammu & Kashmir with 12, Gujarat with 8, Karnataka with 7 and West Bengal with
6. According to the data by ISRO provided national wetlands atlas on the basis of satellite
imagery and mapping over 2 lakh wetlands that cover around 4.63% of the total
geographic area of India.
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