HIMACHAL PRADESH

Bring hydro power units under green category : CM to Centre

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur urged the Centre to bring “all hydro power projects under the green category of renewable energy” so that the investors could also avail the benefits being given to renewable energy projects. He also invited investors to invest in hydropower and solar energy sector as Himachal had eased norms under the state power policy.

The state offers hydro power projects worth 2,100 MW capacity to be allocated soon while big dams will be developed into hydro tourism.

Himachal had power potential of 27,000 MW, out of which 10,547 MW capacity had already been tapped. The 63 projects of 2,395 MW capacity were under construction, while 770 projects worth 8,000 MW had been allocated.

Jai Ram Thakur said the state government had identified 1,000 MW solar park in Spiti. Additional projects worth 200 MW capacity were also proposed for near future under the state solar policy. The government was promoting only green and clean energy and at present 90 percent of the utilised energy was clean and has banned thermal power houses in the state.

INTERNATIONAL

Nobel Peace Prize 2018 : Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad

The 2018 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.

Mukwege, a gynecologist and surgeon, has long worked to treat thousands of women and girls affected by rape and sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Murad is a Yazidi woman from the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar, who was held as a sex slave by ISIS.

· India and Russia signed S 400 missile deal

India and Russia after the annual summit concluded the contract for five S-400 ‘Triumf’ missile systems. The deal is one of the biggest defence deals in recent times.

The deliveries of S-400 will begin in 24 months, at the end of 2020. The agreement for the estimated $5.43 billion (Rs.40,300 crores) S-400 system was not referred to by either leader.

The S-400 has three components — the missile launchers themselves, a powerful radar and a command centre.

The radar can track targets 600 km away.

NATIONAL

GI Tag for Alphonso from Konkan

Alphonso from Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Palghar, Thane and Raigad districts of Maharashtra, is registered asGeographical Indication (GI).
A Geographical Indication or a GI is an indication used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.

Darjeeling Tea, Mahabaleshwar Strawberry, Blue Pottery of Jaipur, Banarasi Sarees and Tirupati Laddus are some of the GIs.

The king of mangoes, Alphonso, better known as ‘Hapus’ in Maharashtra, is in demand in domestic and international markets not only for its taste but also for pleasant fragrance and vibrant colour.

The first product to get a GI tag in India was the Darjeeling tea in 2004. There are a total of 325productsfrom India that carry this indication.

Successful night trial of Prithvi-II missile

India’s Strategic Forces Command successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile during night time as part of a user trial by the Army from a test range in Odisha.

The surface-to-surface missile, which has a strike range of 350 km, was launched from a mobile launcher from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur near Balasore.

The missile is capable of carrying 500 to 1,000 kilogramme of warheads and is thrusted by liquid propulsion twin engines.

· Flipkart teams up with Bajaj Allianz to offer insurance for smartphones

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) gave Flipkart the license to go on a pact with Bajaj Allianz General Insurance for the scheme.
According to the scheme, Customers who buy the plan will be offered either a cash payout or a free pickup, service, and drop facility if their devices get damaged or stolen.
The minimum insurance price for the scheme is Rs. 99for a year which will be operational the day the device is delivered to a customer.
The insurance offering will be available from October 10, 2018.

U-19 Asia Cup: India beat Sri Lanka by 144 runs to win 6th title

The Indian Under-19 boys registered a comfortable victory over Sri Lanka in the final to win the U-19 Asia Cup for the sixth time.

India thrashed Sri Lanka by 144 runs in the summit clash in Dhaka thanks to spinner Harsh Tyagi’s six-wicket haul.

Chasing a mammoth 305 for a victory, Sri Lanka kept losing wickets and crumbled for 160 in 38.4 overs as Tyagi finished with an impressive figures of 6/38.

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