08-12-22 Daily-Punjab-PPSC Current Affairs

To make Punjab clean, green, and pollution-free, Punjab Transport Department has prepared a draft of a new Electric Vehicle policy to check environmental pollution in the state. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann gave nod to the draft policy, which envisages registration of 25 percent more electric vehicles as compared to the previous year.

Under the new draft policy, a major thrust will be laid in cities like Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala, and Bathinda that cater to more than 50 percent vehicles in the state. As per this draft, in terms of electric charging points will be set up across the State for private and public electric vehicles.

This draft policy also stipulates cash incentives to the people opting for electric vehicles in the state. First one lakh buyers of the electric vehicles will get a financial incentive up to Rs 10,000. First 10,000 buyers of electric auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaw will get a financial incentive up to Rs 30,000. First 5,000 e-cart buyers will get an incentive up to Rs 30,000. First 5,000 buyers of Light commercial vehicles will get an incentive between up to Rs 30,000-Rs50,000, said the state Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar.

Provision has also been made to waive off registration fee and road tax on the registration of these electric vehicles, said the Minister adding that peoples views will be taken before finalizing this policy.

Similarly, taking a leap towards hassle-free e-Governance Services, the state Transport Department has launched an online driving license facility for the people thereby facilitating the citizens to get learners driving license on a single click of their computer, mobile, tablet, or laptop.

In line withthePrime Ministers announcement at COP26, Ministry of New and is working towards achieving 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030, and achieving Net Zero by 2070.

A total of 172.72 GW capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy Resources has been installed in the country as on 31.10.2022. This includes 119.09 GW Renewable Energy, 46.85 GW Large Hydro and 6.78 GW Nuclear Power capacity. This constitutes a share of 42.26% of total installed generation capacity in the country i.e. 408.71 GW as on 31.10.2022.

Further, Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has carried out generation expansion studies with the projected All India peak electricity demand and electrical energy requirement of 325 GW and 2256 BU respectively for the year 2029-30 (as per the draft 20th EPS projections). Study reveals that the share of RE based installed capacity (including Large Hydro) in the capacity mix is likely to increase to around 480 GW by 2029-30. The share of RE (including Large Hydro) in the generation mix of the country, which stands at around 22% as of March, 2022 is likely to increase to around 41% by 2029-30.

Government of India launched the Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) in December, 2014 for rural electrification works across the country.

Under DDUGJY and thereafter under Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (Saubhagya), the electrification of all villages and all willing Households was completed by 31stMarch, 2019 as reported by all State Governments.

A total of 2.86 crore Households were electrified under the aegis of Saubhagya including additional households in two tranches that were unwilling for electrification earlier but became willing later. TheRevamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) has provisions for providing assistance for giving connectivity to any habitation/household which may have been left out, provided that the said house/habitation was in existence when DDUGJY/Saubhagya were sanctioned.

The Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Skill development & , Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar today said that the Government of India is going to launch a Digital India Innovation Fund that will support Deeptech Startups.

The Minister made these remarks during his address to over 1000 college students as part of the New India for Young India: Techade of Opportunities program at the Catholic Bishop House Campus, Thamarassery, Kerala.

The government said that the Food Processing has invested Rs 4,900 crore so far underthe production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme. The PLI scheme for the food processing industry was approved in March 2021, with a budget outlay of Rs 10,900 crore. It will be implementedfor seven years, until 2026-27.

A total of 182 applications have been approved under the PLI scheme for the food processingindustry. This includes 30 applications for Millets-based products under the PLI scheme (8 largeentities and 22 SMEs). Incentives amounting to Rs 800 crore are likely to be disbursed in thecurrent financial year. Sales-based incentive of Rs 107.3 crore has been disbursed so far.

Tesla and Twitter CEOElon Muskbecame the first person to lose$200 billionfrom his net worth. Elon Musk has seen a drop of up to $137 billion in his wealth after a recent drop in Tesla . The shares of his electric car company are down nearly 65 percent.Elon Muskbecame therichest personin the world for the first time in January 2021 with a net worth of more than $185 billion.

However, he was replaced byBernard Arnault,the chief executive of luxury brand Louis Vuittons parent company LVMH as the worlds richest man.