25-08-21 Daily-Himachal Pradesh-HPPSC Current Affairs

Decks have been cleared for the Rs 1,813-crore Satluj water supply scheme for meeting the water requirements of the state capital till 2050 as the Cabinet approved the draft negotiation package for the -funded project.

The Cabinet at its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur gave approval for the negotiations by the Urban Development Department with the World Bank and Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India for funding Shimla Water Supply and Sewerage Services delivery programme for improvement of water services in Greater Shimla Area.

Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj revealed that out of $250 million (Rs 1,813 crore), the World Bank will provide financial assistance to the tune of $160 million (Rs 1,160.32 crore) and the remaining amount of $90 million (Rs 652.68 crore) will be borne by the Himachal Government. He added that Principal Secretary, Department of Urban Development, had been authorized to finalize and sign the negotiation package with the World Bank.

The main component of the water scheme include augmentation of Shimla water supply from river Sutlej with additional 67 MLD to meet the water demand of the state capital up to year 2050. The scheme will help meet the bulk water supply requirement to Shimla peri-urban areas and meet the demand of Special Area Development Authorities (SADA) of Kufri, Shoghi, Ghanahatti and additional planning areasand improved sewerage services within the MC areas.

Yuktahara is a geospatial planning portal for facilitating Gram Panchayat level planning of MGNREGA. The new portal under Bhuvan Yuktahara will enable the planning of MGNREGA assets, the use of far flung sensing and GIS based total information.

Highlights:

The Yuktahara platform will serve as a repository of property (Geotags) created underneath a number of countrywide rural development programmes i.e. MGNREGA, Integrated Programme, Per Drop More Crop and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, etc., along with discipline photographs.

This G2G service for rural planning fosters decentralised selection making.

The Bhuvan geospatial portal has been developed by ISRO and it supports various authorities packages and initiatives reducing across ministries and sectors.

The Chief Minister of Delhi inaugurated the country’s first ‘smog tower in Connaught Place. It was once inaugurated months before the Air Pollution level spikes in the national capital due to burning of crop waste (stubble burning) with the aid of farmers.

Background:

In 2019, The Supreme Court directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Delhi authorities to come up with a sketch to install smog towers to fight air pollution.

IIT-Bombay then submitted a suggestion for the towers to the CPCB.

In January 2020, the Supreme Court directed that two towers need to be established through April as a pilot project.

The smog tower at Connaught Place (CP) is the first of these towers. The 2nd tower, being built at Anand Vihar in east Delhi with CPCB as the nodal agency, is nearing completion.

& World Resources Institute (WRI), India, collectively launched the Forum for Decarbonizing Transport in India. NITI Aayog is the imposing partner for India.

Highlights:

The intention of the venture is to reduce the height of GHG emissions (transport sector) in Asia (in line with a well beneath 2-degree pathway), resulting in issues like congestion and Air Pollution.

The Forum has been launched underneath the NDC-Transport Initiative for Asia project. The project NDC Transport Initiative for Asia (TIA 2020-2023) is a joint programme of 7 agencies that will interact with China, India, and Vietnam in promoting a complete approach to decarbonizing transport in their respective countries.

Asian (ADB) and the Government of India have signed a $500 million loan to enlarge the metro rail community in Bengaluru with the development of two new metro lines totalling 56 km in length.

Highlights:

The undertaking will assemble two new metro lines, usually elevated, along Outer Ring Road and National Highway forty four between Central Silk Board and Kempegowda International Airport with 30 stations.

The new metro tracks will further toughen safe, affordable and green mobility in Bengaluru, having a positive effect on improving the great of life, sustainable increase in city habitat and livelihood opportunities.

The Annual Impact Summit of the World Economic Forum will take place on September 20-23, 2021 in Geneva, Switzerland. This years match will focus strongly on inclusively revitalizing economies.

Highlights:

The UN General Assembly, the summit convenes below the theme Shaping an Equitable, Inclusive and Sustainable Recovery. It will welcome nearly all leaders from government, business and civil Society who will work collectively to pressure action and construct momentum for an extra sustainable and inclusive future.