TAMILNADU

Renewable energy projects attract more finance in T.N.

Tamil Nadu is among the States which saw significant lending to renewable energy projects and nil lending to coal projects in 2017, according to a report by the Center for Financial Accountability (CFA).

The report titled Coal vs Renewables Finance Analysis said only 12 of India’s 29 States attracted renewable energy project financing in 2017. Out of the 12, five States – Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Rajasthan – attracted three-quarters of the total lending of ₹22,913 crore to the sector.

As per the report, Tamil Nadu attracted funding of ₹2,797 crore for renewable energy projects. Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Telangana had no lending for coal projects in 2017, it said. The nil coal funding also means that no project sought refinancing in 2017. Telangana attracted ₹4,076 crore, Karnataka attracted ₹1,981 crore and Punjab attracted ₹473 crore in renewable energy financing respectively.

According to a recent policy note of Tamil Nadu’s energy department, the State had a total installed renewable energy capacity of 11,113 MW as of March 31, 2018.

Out of this, wind accounted for about 8,152 MW and solar accounted for 2,034 MW.

The State has harnessed around 13,000 million units of wind energy and 2,905 million units of solar energy during 2017-18, it added. The State has plans to enhance its renewable energy capacity and recently got approval to procure 1,500 MW each of wind and solar power.

INTERNATIONAL

NSG plenary meeting held in Jurmala, Latvia

The 28th Plenary Meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was held in Jurmala, Latvia On 14th and 15th June 2018.

The NSG plenary meeting was chaired by Ambassador Jānis Zlamets of Latvia.

The NSG reviewed the developments since the last meeting in Bern in 2017.

· Russia Launched Soyuz 2.1b Carrier Rocket With Glonass M Navigation Satellite

Russia launched a Soyuz-2.1bcarrier rocket from the Plesetsk space center to orbit a Glonass-M satellite.
GLONASS – the Russian acronym for ‘Global Navigation Satellite System’.
The Glonass network provides real-time positioning data for surface, sea and airborne objects around the globe, at an accuracy reportedly on par with the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS).
With this Launch, there are now 26 Glonass satellites in orbit.

· SAARC fund to launch social enterprise programme in India and 7 other member nations

Thimpu-based SAARC Development Fund (SDF) will soon be launching a Social Enterprise Development Programme (SEDP) to fund 80 entities annually across the 8-member states including India.
SDF was established by the Heads of the eight SAARC member states in April 2010 and its Governing Council comprises finance ministers of these eight countries.
SAARC members are – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

· World Bank approves 700 mn dollar to improve primary education in Bangladesh

The World Bank has approved $700 million to improve the primary education sector in
It will also finance implementation of the government’s Fourth Primary Education Development Program (PEDP4).
This project will build about 95,000 classrooms, teachers’ rooms, and multipurpose rooms.
It will also build 80,000 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) blocks and 15,000 safe water sources.
The projects will provide recruitment to about 100,000 teachers.

· China unveils 4 point vision for future cooperation with India

On June 18, 2018, Chinese envoy to India Luo Zhaohui unveiled a four-point vision for future cooperation with India.
This is followed by the informal summit between PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The four-point vision are:
1) Sign a Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation
2) Negotiate a bilateral Free Trade Agreement
3) Enhance connectivity
4) Work for early harvest on boundary issues.

NATIONAL

Government to team up with Google for flood forecasting

Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Shri Nitin Gadkari has expressed hope that collaboration with Google will help in effective flood management in India.

Central Water Commission (CWC), India’s apex technical organization in the field of Water Resources, has entered into a Collaboration Agreement with Google.

CWC would use state-of-the-art advances made by Google in the in the field of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and geo spatial mapping for effective management of water resources particularly in the field of flood forecasting and dissemination of flood related information to the masses widely using the dissemination platforms developed by Google.

This initiative is likely to help crisis management agencies to deal extreme hydrological events in a better manner.

· Mehbooba Mufti resigns as Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister

Mehbooba Muftiresigned as Jammu and Kashmir’s chief minister, after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ended its alliance with her Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), potentially pushing the state towards Governor’s rule.
She handed over her resignation to Governor NN Vohra.

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