TAMILNADU

Chennai: Solar power to boost farmers’ income

Green policy think tanks are pushing for the adoption of pro-farmer solar power policies that would power the needs of the farmers in operating the pump sets besides enhance their income through grid-connected solar pumps.

This would reduce the farmers’ dependency on diesel-operated pumps, besides enable them to earn additional income by selling excess power to the grid.
Shortly after Mukhyamantri Kisan Aaye Badhotri Yojna (MKABY) was launched in Delhi, state governments of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra also came up with solar-power based solutions for their farmers.

Also, ensuring high-quality, round-the-clock grid power to farmers prevents the over-exploitation of groundwater, besides reduces their reliance on subsidised power. Further, farmers could earn money for the power injected into the grid, quite similar to the rooftop net-metering scheme.

According to sources, Tamil Nadu government hopes to revolutionise the farm sector through the Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (Teda), by aiming to provide one-lakh grid-connected solar powered agriculture pumps. The move would also help to reduce the subsidy burden for the State government.

At present, 6 lakh solar pumps are under wait list and the state government is only able to energise a small portion of it. According to policy note on the State Energy department, between 2013-14 and March 31, 2018, a total of 2,295 of 5 HP AC solar pumps were energised at a subsidy of about Rs 80.76 crore. Solar pumps could add as much as 15 giga watt and more, to India’s 100 GW of solar by 2022 target.

INTERNATIONAL

· China incursions dropped by 20% this yr: Officials

Incursion by the Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) along the 3,488km Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China has reduced significantly in 2018 as compared to 2017, according to government officials familiar with the matter.

India and China continue to build on their relationship, which has warmed significantly since the chill of the Doklam face-off, which was resolved in August 2017 when the two sides agreed to withdraw troops from an area under Chinese control but claimed by Bhutan, and Beijing indicated that it had halted work on a road that triggered the row.

NATIONAL

AP, Odisha & Madhya Pradesh are Three Best Performing States in Ease of Living Index

Andhra Pradesh has topped the charts among States in terms of “Ease of Living Index” rankings launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

It was followed by Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.

The three States were awarded best performing States at the National Dissemination Workshop on Ease of Living Index, 2018.

· Sushma to talk in the 73rd UNGA meeting in US

External Affairs MinisterSushma Swaraj started the diplomatic engagements at the 73rd United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in the U.S. The meetings will focus on issues such as climate change, digital infrastructure, sustainability and South-South cooperation. This meeting is happening against the backdrop of increased American hostility towards the world body in particular and multilateralism in general.
She attended a special meeting on drugs convened at the instance of U.S President Donald Trump. She is to attend several bilateral and multilateral meetings over the next few days. She will address the UNGA on 30th September. Ms.Swaraj will also attend a special meeting on climate change which will be convened by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterresduring her stay in New York.

· Irrfan starrer Doob named Bangladesh’s official Oscars entry

Actor Irrfan Khan starrer ‘Doob‘, titled ‘No Bed Of Roses‘ in English, has been chosen as Bangladesh’s official entry for the Oscars 2019.
The India-Bangladesh co-production, written and directed by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, ‘Doob’ will contest in the Best Foreign Language category at the 91st Academy (Oscar) Awards.
The 91st Academy Awards will be held on February 24, 2019.

· India to introduce help line number for tobacco users

India has introduced a quit-line number, 1800-11-2356, on tobacco products. The Union Health Ministry has already been creating awareness among people by making mandate display of pictorial health warningon both sides of packets containing cigarettes, bidis, and chewing tobacco. The quit-line number is to be printed on all tobacco products that will be manufactured after September 1, 2018.
India is the first country among the SAARC countries to have introduced such a helpline. India is the fourthcountry in Asia after Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore to have this government helpline for those looking at quitting tobacco.

Rape investigation kits to be provided in Police stations soon

Police stations in the country will soon have special kits to collect blood and semen samples, besides other evidence, to carry out immediate investigation into sexual assault cases.

The Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits (SAECK) or ‘rape investigation kits’ are designed to carry out immediate medico-legal investigation and aid in furnishing evidence in sexual assault and rape cases.

The Home Ministry, as part of a pilot project, will initially procure 3,960 rape investigation kits at a cost of ₹79.20 lakh, and 100 such kits will be given to each State and U.T.

· Govt draws up ₹1,500 crore plan to boost agri exports

The commerce ministry is planning to invest ₹1,500 crore to develop 40 export-oriented clusters under the proposed agriculture export policy. The move is part of the Centre’s short- and long-term initiatives to boost exports and curb India’s rising current account deficit.

The ministry had released the draft agriculture export policy in March with the aim to double agriculture exports to $60 billion by 2022.

Under the new scheme, assistance will be provided for postharvest infrastructure in clusters, capacity building, laboratories, new technology or machinery introduction, implementation of good agricultural practices and grant towards public-private partnerships for integrated agriculture development.

The scheme will be implemented in partnership with private exporters, who will have natural incentive to promote such clusters.

· Ayush at AIIMS soon; to be covered under Ayushman Bharat scheme

THE Centre has decided to include Ayush (ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha and homeopathy) as part of health delivery system at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) besides including their packages in the second phase of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship programme—ayushman Bharat.

The government would also include Ayush packages in the second phase of Ayushman Bharat. At present the Ayushman Bharat has 1,350 packages, which excludes indigenous medicines.

The Modi government might also consider including the middle and upper middle class under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

The country saved Rs 10,000 crore on medicines under the government’s Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) programme. The scheme allows people to access cheap, affordable and reliable drugs and implants at 40-50% less cost than their retail selling price.

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