The Chhattisgarh Government has received an in-principle nod from the Centre to go ahead with a $300 million (approximately ₹2,100 crore) school education project the State is negotiating with the World Bank.

 

Confirming this, Principal Secretary (Planning, Economics and Statistics, Implementation of 20pts. Programme, Science and Technology), Alok Shukla said on Thursday(7th July 2022) that the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) under the Union Finance Ministry had given an in-principle approval for the project.

“A team of the World Bank is visiting Chhattisgarh later this month for the first stage of discussion,” Mr. Shukla added.

Loan tenure : 5 years, the state government has to payback this amount over a period of 20 years.

Source : Thehindu

Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and Safran Helicopter Engines signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create a new joint venture intended to develop helicopter engines.

 

Both the companies will establish a new aero-engine company in India, dedicated to the development, production, sales and support of helicopter engines. One of its main objectives will be to meet the requirements of HAL and Ministry of Defence's future helicopters, including the 13-ton Indian multi-role helicopter (IMRH).

 

HAL and Safran Helicopter Engines already have multiple partnerships, including the Shakti engine, which powers HAL-produced helicopters, including the Dhruv, Rudra and the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH). The Ardiden 1 U variant also powers the new Light Utility Helicopter (LUH). More than 500 Shakti engines have already been produced, said HAL..

Source : Business Standard

Angola's former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who ruled Africa's second-biggest oil producer for nearly four decades, died on Friday(8th July 2022), the presidency said.

 

The 79-year-old died at the Teknon clinic in Barcelona, Spain, where he was being treated following a prolonged illness, according to the statement.

 

One of Africa's longest serving leaders, dos Santos stepped down five years ago. His rule was marked by a civil war lasting nearly three decades against U.S.-backed UNITA rebels, which he won in 2002, and a subsequent oil-fuelled boom..

Source : Reuters

Two suspected cases of the Ebola-like Marburg virus disease have been detected in Ghana, said the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday(8th July 2022). 

 

WHO said preliminary analysis of samples taken from two patients from Ghana's southern Ashanti region — both of whom have died — turned positive. 

 

The samples have, however, been forwarded for full confirmation to the Pasteur Institute in Dakar, Senegal, which works with the UN health agency.

 

“Preparations for a possible outbreak response are being set up swiftly as further investigations are underway," WHO said, adding that it is deploying experts to support health authorities in Ghana.

 

The two suspected patients had symptoms, including diarrhoea, fever, nausea and vomiting, before dying in hospital..

Source : Mint

World Population Day is observed every year on July 11th to shift the focus of the world on population issues. Overpopulation has become a critical concern as the world's resources are being used up at an unsustainable rate. The major purpose of World Population Day 2022 is to raise awareness of all the negative impacts that population growth has on the steady development of nature.

 

World Population Day 2022 Theme :  The theme of World Population Day 2022 is 'A World of 8 billion: Towards a resilient future for all- Harnessing Opportunities and ensuring rights and choices for all'. As per this year's theme, there are 8 billion people living today, however, not all of them have equal rights and opportunities. 

 

History : In 1989, World Population Day was established by the Governing Council of the United National Development Programme as an outgrowth of the interest generated by the Day of Five Billion, which was observed on 11th July, 1987. By the time, now it is necessary to generate awareness among the public about the population issues and the impact they have on development and the environment.

 

Several organisations like United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), governments, and non-governmental organisations organise educational activities and other events on this day.

 

The United Nations General Assembly by resolution 45/216 of December 1990, decided to continue observing World Population Day to raise awareness of population issues and their relations to the environment and development. On 11 July, 1990, the day was first marked in more than 90 countries. Since then, a number of UNFPA country offices and other organisations and institutions commemorate World Population Day in partnership with governments and civil society..

Source : News18

Jharkhand has secured the first position in the Delta Ranking for the month of June 2022 released by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India under the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission. At the same time, while improving the overall ranking, it has succeeded in making its position at the eighth position.

 

MGNREGA Commissioner, "Rajeshwari B" informed that in June 2022, there has been a positive change in the rank of Jharkhand due to the continuous improvement in each of the areas.

 

“The main objective of RURBAN Scheme is to focus on all round development of the region. The emphasis is on economic development and value creation, increasing ENT and basic services as well as construction for irrigation facilities in the State,” she added.

 

Secretary Rural Development Department, Government of Jharkhand, Dr. Manish Ranjan informed that continuous work is being done in RURBAN Mission and regular review of the progress of work is being done at the state level..

Source : Dailypioneer

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Brajesh Kumar Upadhyay as Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), a PSU under the Ministry of Defence.

 

Upadhyay has been appointed to the post for a period of five years from the date of his assumption of charge of the post, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

 

Presently, he is serving as Director (Operations) in the same organisation. Upadhyay had played a major role in bringing new technologies to GSL through the Transfer of Technologies (ToT) and MoUs with reputed and established international firms. He has played a pivotal role in establishing GSL as a major producer of Simulators in the Indian sub-continent.

Sri Lanka Prime Minister "Ranil Wickremesinghe" has announced that he will resign from his post in order to ensure the continuation of the government and the safety of all the citizens.

 

Taking to Twitter, Wickremesinghe said, “To ensure the continuation of the Government including the safety of all citizens I accept the best recommendation of the Party Leaders 9th July 2022, to make way for an All-Party Government. To facilitate this I will resign as Prime Minister.”

 

Earlier, Sri Lankan Prime Minister said in a statement that he took this decision in view of the fact that island-wide fuel distribution is due to recommence this week, the World Food Program Director is due to visit the country this week and the Debt Sustainability report for the IMF is due to be finalised shortly.”..

Source : The Print

Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar- Minister of State, Electronics and Information Technology, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India in august presence of Shri S S Ahluwalia, Member of Parliament Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha inaugurated two new Internet Exchange points (IXP) of National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) at Durgapur and Bardhman on 10th of July 2022. 

 

The launch of these Internet exchanges is under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India vision to connect every Indian with open, safe & trusted and accountable internet and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (MeitY) vision 1000 days.

 

The launch event was graced by several guests including Mayor of Durgapur Anindita Mukherjee, Shri Pradip Kr. Mazumder, MLA Durgapur Purba, Shri Lakshman Chandra Ghorui, MLA Durgapur Paschim and Shri Khokan Das MLA BardhamanDakshin and Shri Paresh Chandra Sarkar, Mayor of Bardhaman, members of Chamber of Commerce and representatives of Civil Society..

Source : PIB

India has given a boost to self-reliance in safeguarding its space assets with ISRO System for Safe and Sustainable Space Operation and Management (IS4OM).

 

Union Minister of State for Space "Jitendra Singh" would inaugurate the IS4OM here on Monday(11th July 2022), in the presence of Secretary in the Department of Space and Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation S Somanath.

 

IS40M is a system conceived with a holistic approach towards ensuring safety and sustainability of the space environment while reaping the benefits of sustainable utilisation of outer space for national development, according to ISRO.

 

“It’s part of the space situational awareness (SSA) programme to identify space debris and monitor them”, an ISRO official told PTI.

 

“It’s to identify the potential collision of our active satellites with other space objects and avoid collisions with proper maneuvering to save our space assets (satellites),” he said.

 

In addition, as part of IS4OM, dedicated labs have also been set up for space debris mitigation and remediation, compliance verification of UN/Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) guidelines and various R&D activities..

Source : The Print