WCR develops battery-operated dual-mode locomotive ‘Navdoot’
West Central Railway has developed a battery-operated dual-mode locomotive named Navdoot. This engine runs on both modes i.e. battery and electricity. Currently, it is being used during the shunting of trains at Jabalpur, Mudwara, and other stations on a trial basis. This Dual Mode Locomotive has also received the Best Innovation Award from the Railway Board. Railways will save 1000 litres of diesel every day with this new locomotive. After clearing all the trials, it will be used more widely.
About ‘Navdoot’
- This engine runs on both modes i.e. battery and electricity.
- This e-engine can pull 18 coaches at a speed of 30 kmph.
- It has 84 batteries and has a capacity to pull 400 tonnes at present.
- This has been developed by the Electric Department of New Katni Junction.
- After clearing all the trials, it will be used more widely in other stations for purposes like carrying goods, coal, oil tankers etc.
Panel of PM’s Office recommends urban job guarantee scheme
The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) has recommended that the government implement a guaranteed employment programme for the unemployed in cities and implement a universal basic income (UBI) scheme to eliminate income gaps. Citing the country’s uneven income distribution, the report also advocated raising the minimum wage and increasing government investment on the social sector to make vulnerable groups more resilient to shocks and prevent them from falling into poverty.
KEY POINTS:
- According to the report that is titled, “The State of Inequality in India”, given the disparity in labour force participation rates between rural and urban areas, the urban equivalent of demand-based and guaranteed employment programmes such as MGNREGS should be implemented so that surplus labour can be rehabilitated.
- It added that boosting the minimum wage and implementing universal basic income are two ideas that can help close the income gap and ensure that wages are distributed equally in the labour market.
- The EAC-PM stated that charting the mobility into and out of poverty is the most significant part of quantifying poverty in a multi-dimensional environment.
- According to the results of the three rounds of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), the top 1% of the population possessed 6-7% of total income earned in the three years to 2019-20, with the top 10% holding a third.
List of National Highways in India with Updated Names
National Highways in India
The national highways in India are upgraded, maintained, and built by the national highway authority of India. The national highway authority of India works under the ministry of road transport and highway which is responsible for the national highway networks. India has the second-largest road network in the world with 2% road length and National Highway forms 40% of the road traffic. India has over 200 highways and which are up to 1 lakh km. National highways cover most of the road length in India and others are covered by State highways and other roads. In India, the road transport network is differentiated into five categories expressways, National highways, state highways, and rural roads or others. In this article, we have discussed the important national highways in India and the length of national highways passing through each state.
List of Important National Highways in India
| States/UTs | Old National Highway Number | New National Highway Number |
| Jammu & Kashmir | NH 1 A and NH 1 D | NH 1 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | NH 1 B | NH 244 |
| Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal | NH 2 | NH 19 (Golden Quadrilateral) |
| Uttar Pradesh | NH 2A | NH 519 |
| West Bengal | NH 2B | NH 114 |
| Maharashtra | NH 3
NH 50 |
NH 60 |
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | NH 223 | NH 4 |
| Goa, Karnataka | NH 4 A | NH 748 |
| Maharashtra | NH 4 B | NH 348 |
| Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal | NH 5
NH 6 NH 60 NH 217 |
NH 16 (Golden Quadrilateral) |
| Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh | NH 7 | NH 135 |
| Tamil Nadu | NH 7 A | NH 138 |
| Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu | NH 8 | NH 48 (Golden Quadrilateral) |
| Gujarat
|
NH 8 A | NH 41 |
| NH 8 C | NH 147 | |
| NH 8 D | NH 151 | |
| Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana | NH 9 | NH 65 |
| Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh | NH 11 | NH 21 |
| Rajasthan | NH 11 A | NH 148 |
| Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh | NH 12 | NH 45 |
| Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu | NH 18
NH 4 |
NH 40 |
| Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab | NH 21
NH 22 NH 95 |
NH 5 |
| Jharkhand | NH 23 | NH 320 |
| Uttar Pradesh | NH 24 | NH 530 |
| Bihar | NH 30 | NH 319 |
| West Bengal | NH 35 | NH 112 |
| Assam, Nagaland | NH 39 | NH 129 |
| Kerala, Tamil Nadu | NH 47 | NH 544 |
| Kerala | NH 47 A | NH 966 B |
| Kerala | NH 47 C | NH 966 A |
| West Bengal | NH 55 | NH 110 |
| Uttar Pradesh | NH 56 | NH 731 |
| Rajasthan | NH 79 | NH 156 |
| Assam | NH 152 | NH 127 A |
| Assam, Arunachal Pradesh | NH 38 & NH 153 | NH 315 |
States and Length of National Highways
- Andhra Pradesh – 6529.5
- Arunachal Pradesh- 2537.4
- Assam- 3908.5
- Bihar- 5030.6
- Chhattisgarh- 3605.8
- Goa- 292.9
- Gujarat- 6635
- Haryana- 3097.6
- Himachal Pradesh- 2606.9
- Jharkhand- 3366.8
- Karnataka- 7334.8
- Kerala- 1781.6
- Madhya Pradesh- 8772.3
- Maharashtra- 17756.6
- Manipur- 1750.3
- Meghalaya- 1155.6
- Mizoram- 1422.5
- Nagaland- 1547.7
- Odisha- 5761.5
- Punjab- 3769.5
- Rajasthan- 9988.8
- Sikkim- 463
- Tami Nadu – 6741.5
- Telangana- 3795.5
- Tripura- 8
- Uttar Pradesh- 11736.8
- Uttarakhand- 2949.3
- West Bengal- 3664.5
How national highways in India are numbered?
The ministry of road transport and Highway officially published a numbering system for the national highway networks on 28 April 2010. The numbering system has the following rules for naming the national highway network
- North-South highways will carry even numbers.
- East-West highways will carry odd numbers.
- Single-digit or double-digit numbers will be given to all major highways.
- North-South highways will increase from east to west in number.
- Three-digit numbers high waves are secondary roots of the main highway
- Suffixes like A, B, C, or D are added to 3-digit sub-highways to indicate small spin-off stretches of sub-highways.
Interesting facts about national highways in India
- The longest national highway in India is NH 44 which was previously NH7. The highway starts from Jammu and Kashmir and ends at Kanyakumari. It passes states like Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and ends in Tamil Nadu.
- The shortest national highway in India is NH 966 B which was previously known as NH 47A. It is the shortest national highway in India which covers the distance of 8 km between Kundanoor and Willingdon Island in Kochi Kerala.
- The golden quadrilateral is a national highway network that connects 4 major metropolitan cities of India, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai from all the major four directions.
- India has the second largest road network in the world which comprises 40% of national highways.
- World’s second-highest motorable highway is the Leh-Manali highway which connects Shimla to Leh in Ladakh. It is the world’s second highest altitude motorable highway.
FAQ is related to national highways in India
1. Which is the longest-running measure national highway in India?
Ans. The longest-running major national highway in India is NH 44 which was previously NH7, which starts from Srinagar and terminates in Kanyakumari. It passes through the states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
2. What are the different types of roads in India?
Ans. The different types of road networks in India are expressways, National highways, state highways, and others and rural roads.
3. Who is responsible for building and maintaining highways in India?
Ans. The national highway Authority of India is responsible for building and maintaining the highways in India. The national highway authority of India works under the ministry of road transport and Highway.
After Pakistan shot SAARC in 2016, India will go bilateral
The future of SAARC seems bleak, with Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Nepal in economic limbo, and Afghanistan under Islamist Taliban control. This leaves India with little choice but to engage in bilateral engagement with its neighbours in order to protect its national security. Ironically, the Taliban in Afghanistan are currently embroiled in a simmering war with their tutor, the Pakistan Army, which refuses to recognise the Durand Line, which splits the Pashtun tribe between the two countries.
KEY POINTS:
- Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is confronting a full-blown economic crisis and does not have a magic wand to miraculously address the country’s various problems, despite the fact that Imran Khan Niazi has been booted out of office, putting a stop to the political upheaval.
- Afghanistan is ruled by a hardline Islamist Taliban administration eight years after the last summit, with a total budget of $2.6 billion for the current fiscal year.
- The country is on the verge of famine and disease as the ISI-backed Haqqani Network, led by global terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani, battles the Kandahar Taliban, led by Mullah Omar’s son Yaqub, for control of Kabul.
- The country is on life support, with its primary international exports being terrorism and narcotics.
BACKGROUND:
On September 18, 2016, the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed assaulted the Uri Brigade headquarters, killing 19 Indian Army troopers and injuring another two scores. All SAARC countries except Nepal, the chair, walked out of the summit with India.
Rajnath Singh launches India-made warships, INS Surat and INS Udaygiri
Defence minister Rajnath Singh has launched two made-in-India warships INS ‘Surat’ and ‘Udaygiri’ at the Mazagon Docks in Mumbai. This is the first time that the two indigenously built warships have been launched together, the Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL). Both warships have been designed in-house by the Directorate of Naval Design (DND) and built at MDL, Mumbai.
About INS Surat:
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Surat is the fourth destroyer in Project 15B which is named after the second-largest commercial hub of western India. Built using block construction, the ship involves the hull construction in two different geographical locations, which was then assembled at Mazagon Docks Limited.
About the INS Udaygiri:
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Udaygiri, named after a mountain range in Andhra Pradesh, is the third ship of Project 17A Frigates. It is a follow to the P17 Frigates (Shivalik Class) with improved stealth features, advanced weapons and sensors and platform management systems. The new warship is the reincarnation of the erstwhile ‘Udaygiri’, the Leander class ASW frigate, which saw numerous challenging operations in its illustrious service to the country, spanning over three decades from February 1976 to August 2007.
Patanjali Food Business will be acquired by Ruchi Soya for Rs. 690 crore
Ruchi Soya, an edible oil company, has announced that it will buy Patanjali Ayurved’s food division for Rs 690 crore. Ruchi Soya’s transition to the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) category is likely to be accelerated as a result of this. After regulatory permissions, the name of Ruchi Soya Industries Ltd would be changed to Patanjali Foods Ltd. Ghee, honey, spices, juices, and wheat are among the 21 products in the acquired food industry.
KEY POINTS:
- According to a company source, Ruchi Soya will pay Patanjali Ayurved an annual royalty estimated at 1% of the gross turnover of the items under the transfer agreement.
- It’s a debt-free transaction, with Ruchi Soya paying for it with internal accruals.
- With effect from, the board of Patanjali Ayurved has approved the transfer of food business to Ruchi Soya Industries.
- In trading, Ruchi Soya’s shares closed 10% higher at Rs 1,192.15 per share.
- Ruchi Soya will receive the production units in Padartha (Haridwar, Uttarakhand) and Newasa as part of the agreement (Maharashtra).
- Employees, assets, contracts, licences and permits, distribution network, and consumers associated to Patanjali Ayurved’s food retail business will all be transferred.
About Ruchi Soya:
Ruchi Soya is India’s largest producer of edible oil. Patanjali Ayurved purchased it in 2019. According to a survey issued by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Ruchi Soya was rated 175 among the top 250 consumer products businesses in the Global Powers of the Consumer Products Industry 2012.
Ashwini Vaishnaw Opened NIELIT Center in Leh, Ladakh
Union Cabinet Minister of Electronics & Information Technology, Communications and Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw has inaugurated the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) Centre Leh, Extension Centre Kargil and IT Enabled Incubation Centre for Handicraft and Handloom Sector.
Union Minister, Sh. Ashwini Vaishnaw, while inaugurating the NIELIT Centres at Leh, Kargil and Incubation Centre at Leh, reiterated the commitment of the Hon’ble Prime Minister for the development of UT of Ladakh. He informed that after the abrogation of Article 370 and the formation of the new UT, the path of development in this area has opened manifolds. Any proposal related to IT Education, Training, and Incubation for the development of UT of Ladakh will be approved immediately by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. He also complimented NIELIT for starting the Leh and Kargil Centres and setting up of IT Enabled Incubation Centre in record time which needs to be scaled up at a faster pace.
Supreme Court has ordered the release of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination suspect
The Supreme Court used Article 142 of the Constitution to grant AG Perarivalan, a convict in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, extraordinary powers to “do complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it.” Perarivalan was released free by a bench of justices led by L.N. Rao and B.R. Gavai, who took into account his lengthy incarceration.
Perarivalan spent 29 of his 32 years in prison in solitary confinement until being granted bail by the Supreme Court in March 2022. He spent 16 years on execution row before the court remitted his sentence to life imprisonment in 2014. The court further noted that Perarivalan had filed his clemency plea under Article 161 with the Tamil Nadu Governor in 2015, and that the state cabinet had instructed the state’s chief executive to accept it in September 2018.
BACKGROUND
Rajiv Gandhi was slain in a suicide explosion at a rally in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, on May 21, 1991. Perarivalan was arrested on June 11, 1991, while he was only 19 years old. On January 28, 1998, 26 persons were sentenced to death, including Perarivalan and his co-accused Nalini. On May 11, 1999, the Supreme Court maintained the death sentences of Murugan, Santhan, Perarivalan, and Nalini.
BSE named Ex RBI Deputy Governor SS Mundra as Chairman
Leading stock exchange BSE Limited announced that it has approved the appointment of SS Mundra, Public Interest Director as the Chairman of the board of directors of the company. Mundra will replace Justice Vikramajit Sen who is the current chairman. Mundra was appointed as Public Interest Director at BSE in January 2018. He retired as Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India on 30th July 2017.
Prior to that, the last position held by him was as Chairman and Managing Director of Bank of Baroda from where he superannuated in July 2014. However, the appointment is subject to approval by market regulator SEBI. The experience gained in guiding these entities has bestowed him with wide leadership skills and keen insights in best practices in Corporate Governance.
Centre announces formation of Cotton Council of India
The Union Government has announced the formation of the Cotton Council of India under the Chairmanship of renowned veteran cotton man Suresh Bhai Kotak. The Council will have representation from Textiles, Agriculture, Commerce, and Finance Ministries along with Cotton Corporation of India and Cotton Research Institute. Mr Goyal also appealed to the spinning and trading community to ensure a hassle-free supply of cotton and yarn first to the domestic industry.
The government is committed to protecting the interests of cotton farmers, spinners, and weavers, the Minister assured to actively consider the demand of the spinning sector for exemption from import duty on those import contracts in which bills of loading are issued up to September 30, 2022, to overcome the current cotton shortage and logistic issues.
About Cotton Council of India (CCI)
The council will discuss, deliberate, and prepare a robust action plan for bringing out a tangible improvement in this field. The announcement came yesterday during a meeting with stakeholders from the cotton value chain, held under the Chairmanship of Union Textiles Minister Piyush Goyal.
Cotton Industry in India
About: Cotton yarn and fabrics export account for about 23% of India’s total textiles and apparel export.
- In 2019-20, India’s cotton production was 36.04 million bales of 170 kgs each.
- During 2019-20, the export of cotton yarn, cotton fabrics, cotton made-ups and handloom products reached US$ US$ 10.01 billion.
Associated Concerns:
- Price Rise: There is a price rise witnessed in the current season due to poor productivity despite a large area under cotton production in the Country.
- Poor Cotton Productivity: Cotton productivity is the biggest challenge in the country, resulting thereby less cotton production despite the largest area under cotton cultivation.
LSG now have the highest opening partnership in IPL history
Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul of the Lucknow Super Giants put up the best first-wicket stand in the Indian Premier League’s history. This is the first time in the IPL where a team batted first and finished 20 overs with an unbroken opening partnership. Quinton de Kock blasted an unbeaten 140 off 70 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders, while KL Rahul slammed 68 not out to create a new IPL record with their 210-run stand in 20 overs.
This is the tournament’s second-highest undefeated partnership and the third-highest partnership for any wicket. Jonny Bairstow and David Warner set the record for the best opening partnership in the Indian Premier League when they contributed 185 runs for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2019. Gautam Gambhir and Chris Lynn made a 183-run partnership for Kolkata Knight Riders against Gujarat Lions in 2017.
Delhi Lg Anil Baijal Submits Resignation to President Ramnath Kovind
Delhi Lieutenant Governor, Anil Baijal has submitted his resignation to President Ram Nath Kovind citing personal reasons. He was appointed the national capital’s LG in December 2016 after the sudden resignation of Najeeb Jung. He had earlier served as DDA vice-chairperson and Union Home Secretary during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.
Baijalwas transferred to the urban development ministry by the Congress-led UPA government where he oversaw the planning and implementation of the Rs 60,000 crores Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. The 1969 batch AGMUT cadre, short for Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory, has also headed public sector companies including Prasar Bharati and Indian Airlines.
Relation between Anil Baijal and Delhi Government:
- Baijal’s long tenure was not without conflict with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over many issues.
- The biggest tussle was seen when Kejriwal and his cabinet of ministers held a dharna at the LG office, accusing Baijal of not letting the government-run smoothly by not working to resolve the issues between bureaucrats and the government in Delhi.
- Differences had flared up again when the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, was passed by the Parliament in 2021, which effectively made the LG the overall head of the Delhi government.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Delhi Chief minister: Arvind Kejriwal.
National Startup Advisory Council’s 4th meeting, chaired by Piyush Goyal
Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles, presided over the National Startup Advisory Council’s (NSAC) 4th meeting in New Delhi. The Minister told the audience that the government would continue to promote the development of the startup ecosystem. He praised NSAC members’ efforts and encouraged them to concentrate on tier 2 and tier 3 locations, where VC financing is scarce.
KEY POINTS:
- Piyush Goyal underlined the importance of creating capacity and raising knowledge about the government’s various programmes to foster startups in such cities.
- Members of the council have also been touring states and speaking with entrepreneurs and students at educational institutions in order to better understand and stimulate the startup ecosystem.
- The Council discussed critical aspects of the startup ecosystem, such as protecting original promoter ownership, incorporating in India, listing in India, and building innovation centres.
- Members also discussed progress on programmes such as the National Mentorship Program, Investor-Startup Matchmaking Portal, and Incubator Capacity Development Program, which had been discussed at previous NSAC sessions.
- The Minister also announced the introduction of the NavIC Grand Challenge, which aims to promote the use of NavIC as a Geo-positioning solution and a significant proponent of digital Aatmanirbharta.
- The grand challenge is now accepting submissions on Startup India’s website, with the goal of identifying and supporting entrepreneurs working on NavIC-enabled drones.
Important Takeaways For All Competitive Exams:
- Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles: Shri Piyush Goyal
Bharti Airtel re-appoints Gopal Vittal as MD and CEO for 5 years
Bharti Airtel board has reappointed Gopal Vittal as Managing Director & CEO for a further period of five years ending on January 31, 2028. The reappointment came on a day the telco posted a consolidated net profit at Rs 2,007.8 crore in the March quarter, up 141% sequentially and 164% on the year. Analysts had an estimated net profit of around Rs 1,970 crore. This was Airtel’s sixth successive quarter in the black after six straight losses earlier.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Bharti Airtel Founder: Sunil Bharti Mittal;
- Bharti Airtel Founded: 7 July 1995, India.
HarperCollins India to publish Preeti Shenoy new novel, ‘A Place Called Home’
Bestselling author Preeti Shenoy is set to publish a new novel titled “A Place Called Home”, a story set in a coffee estate in Sakleshpur, Karnataka with a strong female protagonist at its core. The new novel is about secrets, family, and finding yourself. The book published by HarperCollins Publishers India is set to be released in June 2022.
Preeti Shenoy has authored around 15 novels which include, The Magic Mindset, When Love Came Calling, Wake Up Life is Calling, Life is What You Make it, The Rule Breakers, and A Hundred Little Flames. Her works have also been translated into many Indian languages and also into Turkish.
Ajay Piramal receives Order of the British Empire award
Chairman of the Piramal Group, Ajay Piramal has received an honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Her Majesty The Queen. He received the award for services to the UK-India trade relationship as India Co-Chair of the UK-India CEO Forum. As co-chair of the India-UK CEO forum since 2016, the endeavour has been to help strengthen the strong bilateral relations between the two countries through greater economic cooperation.
About Honorary Commander of The Order of The British Empire
A prominent national role of a lesser degree, a conspicuous leading role in regional affairs through achievement or service to the community, or a highly distinguished, innovative contribution in his or her area of activity. The award was Instituted in 1917 by King George V.
Elon Musk not happy with Tesla’s removal from the S&P 500 ESG Index
Tesla Inc has been excluded from S&P Dow Jones Indices’ widely watched S&P 500 ESG Index, citing issues such as racial discrimination accusations and crashes tied to its autopilot vehicles, a move that provoked a series of angry tweets from Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Tesla’s lack of disclosed details relating to its low-carbon plan or business behaviour norms were also significant factors, according to Margaret Dorn, the organization’s head of ESG indices for North America, in an interview.
KEY POINTS:
- Even if Tesla’s electric cars help to reduce emissions, Dorn believes that the firm’s flaws and lack of disclosures in comparison to industry rivals should raise concerns for investors evaluating the company based on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.
- Tesla officials did not react to inquiries right away. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, meanwhile, tweeted on Wednesday after the index revisions that ESG is a hoax. Fake social justice warriors have turned it into a weapon.
- The back-and-forth highlights a growing debate over how to assess business ESG performance. Investors worried about issues such as diversity and climate change have poured money into funds that buy companies based on ESG criteria, raising questions about how effective the funds are at promoting change and if they have become too involved in policymaking.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh Released E-book Civil List-2022 of IAS officers
Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State(MoS), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions released the e-book ‘Civil List – 2022 of IAS officers’ at North Block, Secretariat Building, New Delhi. This is an effort by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) as a part of the Digital India initiative of the Government of India.
This is the 67th edition of the Civil List and the 2nd edition of the e-book in pdf with unique search facilities and hyperlinking of contents for ease of access of information. This will support in selecting the right officer for the right assignment based on the available profile. This is also a vital source of information on the officers manning various posts for the general public.
S&P Cuts India’s Economic Growth Forecast To 7.3% For 2022-23
S&P Global Ratings cut India’s growth projection for the current fiscal to 7.3 per cent from 7.8 per cent earlier on rising inflation and the longer-than-expected Russia-Ukraine conflict. S&P had in December last year pegged India’s GDP growth in 2022-23 fiscal, which began on April 1, 2022, at 7.8 per cent. For the next fiscal the growth has been pegged at 6.5 per cent.
Other Important points:
- In the aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine war and rising commodity prices, various global agencies have cut India’s growth forecast recently.
- The World Bank in April slashed India’s GDP forecast for fiscal 2022-23 to 8 per cent from 8.7 per cent predicted earlier, while IMF has cut the projections to 8.2 per cent from 9 per cent.
- Asian Development Bank (ADB) has projected India’s growth at 7.5 per cent, while the RBI, last month, cut its forecast to 7.2 per cent from 7.8 per cent amid volatile crude oil prices and supply chain disruptions due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
At Plumbex India Exhibition, the BHARAT TAP project gets unveiled
Plumbex India Exhibition ceremony of was started by Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Sh. Hardeep Singh Puri. He also announced the Bharat Tap project, a campaign to produce low-flow fixtures and sanitaryware to help India enter a new era of water conservation and sustainable development. Plumbex India is a three-day event that will take place in the Pragati Maidan in New Delhi and is the country’s largest solo exhibition on plumbing, water, and sanitation products.
KEY POINTS:
- It is a public awareness campaign to promote BIS Certified Water Efficient Plumbing Fixtures under IS 17650, Parts 1 and 2, which include Low Flow Sanitaryware and Sanitary Fittings that minimise water dispensation at the source, saving at least 40% of water.
- This will save both water and energy because less water will be required for pumping, transportation, and purification.
- At Plumbex India, Sh. Hardeep Singh Puri also served the ‘Nirmal Jal Prayas.’ Because it is critical to safeguard fossil water/underground water, NAREDCO Mahi, through the Nirmal Jal Prayaas, looks into mapping ground water.
- NAREDCO Mahi’s ‘Nirmal Jal Prayaas’ is an initiative that will disseminate and emphasise water conservation advocacy, awareness, and amplification.
Important Takeaways For All Competitive Exams:
- Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs: Sh. Hardeep Singh Puri
