International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM) is a supreme international committee, which is responsible for Development and Implementation of Weight and Measures globally. Prof. Venu Gopal Achanta is among 18 members worldwide from different countries. He is the 7th Indian to be in the prestigious international committee.

 

* In a historic election, Prof. Venu Gopal Achanta, Director, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL), New Delhi, has been elected as a member of the prestigious International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM). 

 

* Prof. Gopal was declared an elected Member of CIPM in the recently held 27th General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) meeting during November 15-18, 2022 at Paris, France.

 

* The election of Prof. Gopal is not only significant for CSIR-NPL and advancement of metrology in the country, wherein metrology is the backbone of industries and national missions of Govt. of India i.e. ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, 'Clean and green India', “Swasth Bharat, Sashakt Bharat”, etc., but is also pride of nation as it would enhance India’s global visibility and participation in global decision making. 

 

* Prof. Achanta is among 18 elected members from different countries and 7th personality in Indian history elected to CIPM after a few decades..

Source : PIB

Karnataka came at the top position while comparing the total installed capacity of grid-interactive renewable power of all the states of the country.

* The Karnataka state had a total installed capacity of 15,463 megawatts (mw), according to an RBI publication.

 

* Tamil Nadu, with 15,225 mw, came at the second; Gujarat, with 13,153 mw, was at third position while Maharashtra, with 10,267 mw, was at the fourth, according to Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2021-22, which was the seventh edition of its statistical publication, released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

* Through this publication, the Reserve Bank has been disseminating wide-ranging data on the regional economies of India.

 

* Data for the calculation of state-wise total installed capacity of grid interactive renewable power had been sourced through Energy Statistics from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation and the states’ figures of installed capacity was till the end of March 2021.

 

* Maharashtra was followed by Rajasthan (10,205 mw), Andhra Pradesh (8,969 mw), Madhya Pradesh (5,206 mw), Telangana (4,378 mw), Uttar Pradesh (3,879 mw), Punjab (1,617 mw) and Himachal Pradesh (988 mw) and Uttarakhand (713 mw) in that order.

 

* According to the RBI statement, renewable power includes power from various sources namely bio-power, solar power, small hydro power, waste to energy and wind power.

 

* On Saturday(19th Nov 2022), the Reserve Bank of India released the seventh edition of its statistical publication titled ‘Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2021-22’..

Source : The Print

World Television Day is observed every year on November 21. The purpose of this day is to recognise the importance and influence of television in our lives.

 

* Television remains the most popular source of video consumption. Although screen sizes have changed, and people are creating, posting, streaming, and consuming content on a variety of platforms, television sets continue to be in high demand.

 

* The United Nations General Assembly established World Television Day on November 21 by resolution 51/205 on December 17, 1996.

 

* The decision was made in recognition of the growing influence television has on our decision-making. TV allowed us to stay up-to-date on everything happening around the world without leaving our living rooms.

 

* On November 21 and 22, 1996, the United Nations organised the first World Television Forum. Media figures gathered to discuss how television has become increasingly relevant in a fast-changing world. Additionally, they discussed ways to improve their collaboration.

 

* World Television Day celebrates not the tool as much as it does the philosophy that it represents. Television serves as a symbol of communication and globalisation in the contemporary world.

* The importance of television in society and in an individual's life is well-known to all of us.

* There is no doubt that television plays a crucial role in society and in individuals' lives.

* For us, it serves as both an information source and an entertainment source. Using this medium, we keep up with global events.

* In 1927, American inventor "Philo Taylor Farnsworth" invented the world's first all-electronic television..

Source : Times now News

To promote ecotourism and to create environmental awareness, the Pollachi forest department will launch a one-day tour package in Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) from Saturday(19th Nov 2022).

* The Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) has launched ‘jumbo trails', with the aim to educate visitors to the tiger reserve about elephants, the flora, and fauna of ATR and the aboriginal tribes.

The first batch of 23 participants will leave forest interpretation centre ‘Anamalaiyagam’ at Sethumadai at 7.30am, assistant conservator of forests V Selvam said. "The participants should register their names and pay 999 each.

* The tourists will be taken from Sethumadai to Kozhikamuthi elephant camp.

* The programme is organised by the Advanced Wildlife Management Training Centre (Attakatti) and implemented by Keelpoonachi Eco Development Committee.

* The income from the initiative will be used to help tribal people..

Source : Times of India

Veteran actor "Tabassum Govil", who was popularly known as Baby Tabassum on 18 November 2022 passed away at the age of 78 due to cardiac arrest.

 

Baby Tabassum, the talk show host started her career as child actor in 1947. Apart from acting in films like Nargis (1947), followed by Mera Suhaag (1947), Manjhdhar (1947), Bari Behen (1949), Deedar (1951) and Swarg (1990), Tabassum hosted the popular Doordarshan celebrity talk show Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan from 1972 to 1993.

 

"Few days ago, she was admitted to a hospital. She had gastro problem and we went there for check-up. She suffered two cardiac attacks at 8.40 pm and 8.42 pm. She passed away peacefully on Friday(18h Nov 2022) night..

Source : Mint

Tata Power Solar Systems Limited (TPSSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power Renewable Energy (TPREL) has tied up with Union Bank of India (UBI) , to help MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) sector switch to solar solutions.

* The objective of this collaboration is to improve access to green energy and save on the cost of electricity, thus making MSMEs more profitable.

* The association will be implemented under UBI's solar scheme called 'Union Solar', which was launched on a pan-India level to relieve the MSME's from the stress of higher power costs and grid exigencies.

* MSMEs can avail the dual services of Solar EPC by TPSSL, financed through term loan facility by UBI, wherein industries can avail up to Rs 8 crore of loan amount at best possible interest rates (exclusive for Tata Power customers) with nil or minimum collateral.

* The scheme also requires minimum down payment of only 20% of project cost thus making it very attractive for the MSME..

Source : Business Standard

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has launched a training module for Child Welfare Committees(CWC) to enhance knowledge and skills improvement of its members to deliver effective and timely service for protection and rehabilitation of children, an official statement said on Sunday, November 20, 2022.

 

Further, NCPCR has launched the ‘GHAR – GO Home and Re-Unite’ (Portal for Restoration and Repatriation of Child) which addresses the amended roles of CWCs and District Child Protection Officer (DCPOs) for children in need of care and protection.

 

The module is a 15-day programme for training CWCs. It is divided into 63 sessions of over 72-hour duration. The participants would be required to spend an average of four hours 50 minutes in the training per day, it stated.

 

According to the statement, the module was launched at an event during which a video message of Women and Child Development minister "Smriti Irani" was played. Irani appealed to all CWCs and DCPOs to implement the amendment of JJ Act and Rules, 2021 and 2022..

Source : Financial Express

On Sunday(20th Nov 2022), the 27th UN Conference of Parties (COP27) agreed for establishing the special “Loss and Damage Fund”. It will make up for the losses suffered by developing nations that are vulnerable to climate change.

 

While addressing the conference COP 27 President Sameh Shoukry said, “I invite the CMA to adopt the draft decision of title funding arrangements for responding to loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including the focus on addressing loss and damage contained in the document FCCC/CP/2022/L18FCCC/PA/CMA/2022L20. There are no objects. It is so decided.”

 

Soon after the announcement of the “Loss and Damage” fund was adopted after days of negotiations over the proposal, the delegates present at the COP27 applauded the same.

 

Addressing the delegates at the COP27 on November 18, Sameh Shoukry said, “I remain concerned at the number of outstanding issues, including on finance mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage and their inter-linkages.”.

Source : The Statesman

Noted Odiya literateur and former Indian ambassador Abasara Beuria died in a private hospital in the city in the early hours of Thursday(17th Nov 2022), at the age of 80.

He died following a cardiac arrest and is survived by his wife and two daughters. Beuria had served in Indian diplomatic missions in Japan, Russia (formerly USSR), the United States of America, United Arab Emirates, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Madagascar.

 

He started his career as a lecturer and then as a bank officer before joining IFS.

 

He served as the chairman of the Institute of Odia Studies & Research (IOSR).

 

He was involved as a member of the Indian delegation in bilateral and multilateral international talks including the Non-Alignment Summit, Commonwealth Heads of Governments Conference, and G-77 Conventions..

Source : The Print

India will take over the Chair of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) from France today, 21st November 2022.

* Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology "Rajeev Chandrasekhar" will represent the country at the GPAI meeting in Tokyo for the symbolic takeover from France.

* This development comes on the heels of assuming the Presidency of the G20, a league of the world’s largest economies.

 

* GPAI is an international initiative to support responsible and human-centric development and the use of Artificial Intelligence. 

* The GPAI is a congregation of 25 member countries, including the US, UK, European Union, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Korea, and Singapore.

       

* India joined the GPAI in 2020 as a founding member. Artificial Intelligence is expected to add 967 billion US dollars to the Indian economy by 2035.

* It is also expected to add  450 to 500 billion US dollars to India’s GDP by 2025 accounting for 10 per cent of the country’s 5 trillion dollar GDP target. 

 

* India occupying the chair also signifies how the world today perceives it as a Trusted Technology partner and one that has always advocated for the ethical use of technology for transforming citizens lives..

Source : AIR