Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the Kashi Tamil Sangam program in Varanasi
- While inaugurating the Kashi Tamil Sangam program in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi yesterday, Prime Minister Modi said, "It is the duty of all Indians to protect the Tamil language."
- Tamil Sangam programs are going to be held continuously for one month. More than 2,500 people from Tamil Nadu went to Varanasi to participate in this program organized by the Education Department of the Central Government.
- Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandi Ben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, L. Murugan, former Minister Pon. Radhakrishnan and others participated in this program. The programs are going to be held continuously for one month.
- The Prime Minister released the Thirukkural books which have been translated into 13 languages including Hindi, Urdu and Arabic by the Classical Tamil Research Institute. He also watched a short film on Tamil culture.
Gandhi-Mandela Award to Dalai Lama
- Himachal Pradesh Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar honored the Dalai Lama with the Gandhi-Mandela award on Saturday. Himachal Pradesh Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Saturday honored the Dalai Lama with the Gandhi-Mandela Award.
ISRO's 'Kaganyan' project 'parachute' test success
- The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) plans to send humans into space by 2025. Appropriate trials are going on under this scheme known as Kaganyan.
- A manned spacecraft will be released from a rocket on its way to space. A parachute will be used to land the spacecraft at high speed. According to this, the spacecraft will have three parachutes. Two parachutes are sufficient.
- However, if one does not work, the other is used. These parachutes can be used to land safely in space. Functional testing of these parachutes was carried out at the gunnery complex at Babina, Uttar Pradesh.
- At that time, all three parachutes worked well and the spacecraft landed safely. This is the main feature of Kaganyan project. The Indian Air Force collaborated with ISRO, the Military Research and Development Organization (DRDO) in this test effort.
Arun Goyal has been appointed as the new Election Commissioner
- Rajiv Kumar is the Chief Election Commissioner of Election Commission of India. There are always 2 Election Commissioners appointed to assist the Chief Election Commissioner.
- Currently, Anup Chandra Pandey is the only Election Commissioner. Another post was vacant. In this case, former IAS officer Arun Goyal has been appointed for this vacant post. President Murmu issued the order to this effect.
- The current Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar will retire in February 2025. Arun Goyal is likely to succeed him as Chief Election Commissioner.
Prime Minister Modi inaugurated Tony Polo Green Airport in Arunachal Pradesh
- In the absence of an airport in Arunachal Pradesh, a green airport has been constructed at a cost of Rs 645 crore with the contribution of the Union and State Governments. Prime Minister Modi inaugurated it and dedicated it to the country.
- This airport is named as 'Tony Polo'. The airport is located at a distance of 15 km from the state capital Itanagar. Similarly, Modi also dedicated to the country a 600 MW hydropower plant built at a cost of Rs 8,450 crore.
'Egypt Conference Agrees to Create Climate Fund'
- An agreement was reached at the Egypt Conference to create a climate fund to compensate poor countries for damages caused by climate change disasters. UN The 27th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is being held in Sharm Al-Sheikh, Egypt for two weeks.
- Decisions were made regarding the measures to be taken by the countries of the world to prevent climate change, and mainly, the developed countries have said that they will give the developing countries about Rs. 8 lakh crore per year to prevent the effects of climate change.
- In this case, it will take many years for funds to compensate poor countries for damages caused by climate disasters. Therefore, a draft resolution was proposed on Saturday afternoon on behalf of Egypt, which is chairing the conference, insisting on the creation of a climate fund to allow for quick compensation for poor countries.
- In the second draft resolution proposed under the name of 'Loss and Damages', it was emphasized that 'developed countries should contribute significantly to climate finance, and other international financial institutions, both private and public, should also contribute'.
- The Asia Cup Table Tennis Tournament is being held in Bangkok, Thailand. India's star athlete Manika Patra and Hina Hayata clashed in the bronze medal match held today in this series.
- Manika Patra, who played well in this match, won 4-2 (11-6, 6-11, 11-7, 12-10, 4-11, 11-2). Manika became the first Indian player to win a bronze medal in the Asia Cup table tennis tournament.
- With this, Manika Patra became the first Indian woman table tennis player to win a medal in the Asia Cup Table Tennis Championships.
Government has withdrawn export duty on steel
- 2022, the central government has restored the pre-May 22 status. It has also withdrawn export duty on iron ore lumps below 58% iron content and certain steel products including low-grade lumps, iron ore pellets and pig iron.
- Import duty concessions on anthracite/PCI coal, coking coal, coke & semi-coke and ferronickel have also been withdrawn.
- Export of iron ore lumps with less than 58 percent iron content is not subject to duty.
- Exports of iron ore lumps with an iron content of more than 58 percent will be subject to a reduced export duty of 30%.
- Export of iron ore pellets is exempt from duty.
- Export of pig iron and steel products classified under HS 7201, 7208, 7209,7210,7213, 7214, 7219, 7222 & 7227 is duty free.
- Anthracite/PCI & Coking Coal, Ferronickel will be subject to import duty of 2.5%.
- 5% import duty is levied on coke and semi-coke. It will come into effect from November 19, 2022.
Conference on Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises chaired by the Union Minister
- Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Mr. Banu Pratap Singh Verma presided over the conference of Central Public Sector Enterprises organized by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises under National SC-SD Center in New Delhi on November 18.
- The conference was held with the objective of understanding the challenges faced by Central Public Sector Enterprises in achieving the targets set under the Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises and to discuss with them.
- According to the Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises, every Central Government Ministry, Department and Public Sector Undertaking shall procure at least 25% of their annual supply of goods and services from Micro and Small Enterprises.
- A further 4% of procurement should be from micro and small enterprises run by Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe entrepreneurs and 3% from women entrepreneurs.
- The conference also focused on recognizing and appreciating PSUs that have made efforts to achieve the target of procurement from Scheduled Tribes/Scheduled Tribes and Women Micro and Small Enterprises.
- Appreciating the steps being taken by Central Public Sector Undertakings towards achieving the target set under this policy, Minister Mr. Banu Pratap Singh Verma requested the institutions to provide necessary support to Scheduled Tribes/ Scheduled Tribes/ Women Entrepreneurs.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the 600 MW Kameng Funal Power Plant, implemented by NEEPCO Limited, a Mini Ratna PSU under the Union Ministry of Power
- Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today dedicated the 600 MW Kameng Funal Power Station in Arunachal Pradesh to the nation. It is the largest tunnel power project executed by NEEPCO Limited (North Eastern Electricity Corporation), a Mini Ratna PSU under the Union Ministry of Electricity.
- Under the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister, the Union Minister for Power, Mr. R.K. Singh, despite various challenges, was very focused on ensuring that the Kameng Tunnel Power Project was dedicated to the country.
- The project will be of great benefit in generating clean energy and bringing prosperity to Arunachal Pradesh. The Minister has given high priority to this scheme which will greatly help in the development of the North Eastern region.
- The project stretches over 80 kilometers in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh at a cost of around Rs 8200 crore.
- The project consists of two dams and one power station with 4 units of 150 MW capacity to generate 3353 million units of electricity. Annual generation of 3353 million units through this project will make Arunachal Pradesh a power surplus state.
- While most of the infrastructure projects around the world have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, this mega project has been successfully executed by Neepco.
- Union Law and Justice Minister Kiran Rijiju, Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brigadier P.T. Mishra, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Mr. Pema Kandu and others attended the function.
