RAJASTHAN
- Interlinking of rivers project gets clearance by water panel
- The Central Water Commission (CWC) has given hydrological clearance to Rajasthan’s first interlinking of rivers project called Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP).
- ERCP aims to provide drinking water to 40% of state population through interlinking of rivers. It proposes to provide drinking water to 13 districts by tapping surplus rain water.
- On ground, the ERCP would also provide drinking water to over 20 dams of 13 districts– Kota, Bundi, Baran, Jhalawar, Dholpur, Sawai Madhopur, Ajmer, Jaipur, Tonk, Dausa, Alwar, Bharatpur and Karauli.
- Rajasthan river basin and water resource planning authority chief Sriram Vedire said the CWC has given hydrological clearance to ERCP and the process for interstate permission has also been started
- If the interstate river interlinking is given a national project stamp, then 90% fund may be provided by the government of India. The concept on which the Rajasthan river basin and water resource planning authority is working proposes interlinking of rivers and constructing barrages.
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.