PUNJAB
Capt orders scrapping of ‘one-sided’ PPAs
It’s power-play in Punjab. As the State is moving towards Assembly polls with little patience, political parties in Punjab are apparently seeking “power” out of “power issues”. Less than a month after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) promised free power supply to domestic consumers besides cancellation of contentious power pacts, Punjab Government, too, has come out with electrifying orders.
INTERNATIONAL
India Inequality Report 2021 – Oxfam
Oxfam India’s report entitled “Inequality Report 2021: India’s Unequal Health Care Story” shows that due to the lack of universal health coverage (UHC), socio-economic inequality permeates the health sector and is marginalized.
It provides a comprehensive analysis of health outcomes across different socioeconomic groups in order to assess the level of health inequality that exists in the country.
The findings are primarily based on secondary analysis of the National Family Health Survey rounds 3 and 4 as well as various rounds of the National Sample Survey.
he performance of different groups: the general category performs better than SC and ST; Hindus perform better than Muslims; the rich perform better than the poor; men live better than women; the urban population is better than rural population in all health indicators
Liverpool not s UNESCO World Heritage Site
Liverpool was removed from UNESCO World Heritage sites after being granted the title in 2004. The decision was taken after the UNESCO committee did a secret ballot. They voted in favour of stripping Liverpool of this status.
Liverpool gained its World Heritage status in the year 2004 in recognition of its maritime history. In the 18th & 19th centuries, it was one of the world’s major trading centres.
The heritage list has been designed to preserve and recognize the buildings, monuments and other sites, and this decision to remove Liverpool will puncture a hole in the city’s prestige
NATIONAL
National Broadcasting Day – 23rd July
National Broadcasting Day is designated on July 23 each and every year to celebrate the radio, an essential part of people’s lives in India, both as an accessible medium of entertainment and the news. The first-ever radio broadcast went on air from the Bombay Station under the Indian Broadcasting Company in 1927.
The first broadcast of radio was happened on 23 July 1927, from Bombay Station. The Bombay station was then owned by the Indian Broadcasting Company, a private company.
The State took over the broadcasting on 1st April 1930, & renamed it as Indian State Broadcasting Service.
Initially, It was on an experimental basis. It permanently came under government control in the year 1932.
SMILE Scheme – Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
The government has devised a plan that includes comprehensive measures to improve the well-being of beggars.
About SMILE:
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has developed a scheme called “SMILE – Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise,” which includes a sub-scheme called “Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Persons Involved in Begging.”
The scheme focuses heavily on rehabilitation, medical facilities, counselling, basic documentation, education, skill development, economic links, and so on.
The scheme would be implemented with the help of state/local governments/local urban bodies, non-profit organisations, community-based organisations (CBOs), institutions, and others.
The scheme provides for the use of existing shelters provided by the state/UT government and urban local governments to help people who engage in begging recover
If existing shelter homes are not available, the implementing agencies will establish new dedicated shelter homes.
Fifth Largest Holder – Forex reserves
As of June 25, 2021, India will be the world’s fifth largest holder of forex reserves.
Highlights:
As of June 25, 2021, India’s foreign exchange reserves were 608.99 billion U.S. dollars, and it has become the world’s fifth largest foreign exchange reserve holder after China, Japan, Switzerland and Russia.
In terms of import guarantees over 18 months, India’s foreign exchange reserves are in good condition and provide a buffer against unforeseen external shocks.
The RBI diversifies its forex reserves on a regular basis by expanding operations in the forex swap and repo markets, acquiring gold, and exploring new markets/products while adhering to safety and liquidity standards.
The orders came a day after Punjab Congress’ newly-appointed team, led by state unit president Navjot Singh Sidhu, had urged a review of the PPAs with Independent Power Producers (IPPs), inked during Akali rule.
Notably, the PSPCL had signed 14 PPAs with Thermal or Hydro plants and 122 Long Term PPAs with Solar or Biomass plants after 2007, to make the state power surplus with a generation capacity of around 13,800 MW (megawatt).
PSPCL was also forced to utilize full power from the Central Sector Generating Stations so that the crops of the farmers could be saved, Capt Amarinder noted, adding that the State was also compelled to enforce power regulatory measures from July 1 to 11 on Large Supply (LS) industry of to meet the rising demand of the farmers.
It may be mentioned that the Chief Minister had sought a legal opinion on renegotiating controversial PPAs.
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