HIMACHAL PRADESH

Govt eyes 40 gw power from rooftop solar plan

The state government has set a target of achieving 40 gw (gigawatt) under the Grid Connected Rooftop Solar Programme in consonance with the National Policy of Renewable Energy and notified the same in the Solar Power Policy, 2016.

The State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) has notified the regulations for the Grid Connected Rooftop Solar Programme under the Net Metering Scheme and the same are now being implemented by the State Electricity Board (SEB).

A 1 KWp grid connected rooftop solar plant produces 4.5-5.5 units per day during clear sunny conditions and assuming an average of 280 clear days, the annual electricity generation from a 1 KWp grid connected rooftop solar plant will be about 1,300 units.

Some of the major installations under the Grid Connected Rooftop Solar programme include 600 kWp plant at MMU University, 350 KWp at Sirmaur and 120 KWp at Chitkara University.

Apart from this, there are some smaller institutions that have installed grid connected rooftop solar plants of capacities varying from 5 kWp to 30 kWp.

The state government has announced a subsidy of 10 per cent or Rs 4,000 per KWp whichever is less for the installation of the grid connected rooftop solar plants which is in addition to 70 per cent Central financial assistance available for the scheme.

INTERNATIONAL

· Rashida Tlaib set to become 1st Muslim woman in US Congress

She (42-year-old) is the daughter of Palestinian immigrants and won a Democratic primary election to represent Michigan’s 13thdistrict, securing 33.6 percent of the vote.
Tlaib is set to replace John Conyers.
She served in the Michigan state house from 2009 to 2014, and was also the first Muslim womanever elected to the state’s legislature.

· Oscar Academy is adding a New Category for Popular Films

The new Oscar will be awarded for “Outstanding Achievement in Popular Film” and will be introduced this coming year, at the 91st
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which awards the Oscars, has added a new category after 17 years to recognise popular films.
The last category to be added was ‘Best AnimatedFeature Film’.

NATIONAL

· Largest museum of US to return 2 ancient sculptures to India

An eighth-century stone sculpture of Goddess Durgaand a third century limestonesculpture ‘Head of a Male Deity‘ will be returned to India by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the largest museum in the US.
The stone sculpture of Durga Mahishasuramardini was donated to the museum in 2015.
The limestone sculpture, donated in 1986, was part of Nagarjunakonda Site Museum’s excavated inventory

· Government introduced four GST amendment Bills

The government introduced four Billsto amend the Goods and Services Tax (GST) laws in order to make the return forms simpler and raise the turnover threshold for availing composition scheme to 1.5 crore.
The four amendment Bills are the Central GST (Amendment) Bill, the Integrated GST (Amendment) Bill, the GST (Compensation to States) Amendment Bill and the Union Territory GST (Amendment) Bill. Initially, the Bill was aimed to help the MSME sector and small traders.

· NSE unveiled new logo at its silver jubilee celebration

The National Stock Exchange(NSE), India’s largest equity bourse, has celebrated its silver jubilee by unveiling its new logo, which is a modern representation of a blooming marigold with red, yellow, orange, and blue hues.
The celebrations were attended by former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Union minister Nitin Gadkari, NITI Aayog deputy chairman Rajiv Kumar, and Delhi lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal.
The NSE was inaugurated by Singh in 1994 when he was finance minister.

· Project ‘SWAYAM’ launched By HRD Ministry

‘Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds’ (SWAYAM), aims to provide one integrated platform and portal for online courses.
This course covers all higher education subjects and skill sector courses.
The main objective is to ensure that every student in the country has access to the best quality higher education at the affordable cost.

Immovable Property (Amendment) Bill, 2017

The Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property (Amendment) Bill, 2017 which was moved by Union Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, was adopted by a voice vote.
The Lok Sabha had passed the bill in December last year.
It aimed to amend the regulations governing the compensation payable for acquisition of immovable property by the Centre for defence and security purposes.

· Govt to provide discount of Rs. 15 per kg on pulses for poor

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) decided to provide a discount of ₹15/kg on pulses, over the wholesale market price, to States for distribution under welfare schemes like mid-day meal, Public Distribution System (PDS), and Integrated Child Development Programmes (ICDP).
States and Union Territories will be offered to lift 34.88 lakh tonnes of Tur, Chana, Masoor, Moong and Uradat the discount of ₹15/kg over the prevailing wholesale market price on a first-come-first-serve basis.
The Government will spend ₹5,237 crorefor implementing this scheme.

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