Month: February 2017

In the face of the socio-cultural transformation that the present society is witnessing and the higher human aspirations that are overtaking every individual today, certain good things in life like animals, environment and all other forms of life are becoming the least important issues for us. Ms. Jasjit Purewal, Campaign owner of Indigree Angels Trust tells SPOI of how desperately she wants to change that notion and with the help of her NGO tries to save street dogs from the cruelty and indifference of urban life. An excerpt – Tell…

Thermal power projects of more than 25,000 Megawatt (MW) capacity are operating without long term power purchase agreements (LTPPA’s) with state owned discoms, according to ICRA. State owned discoms have created a trend over the past two to three years, of buying power from trading markets for a cheaper price when compared to signing fixed rate PPA’s with thermal power plants. This decision by state owned distributors has given them the freedom to buy power at cheaper rates from exchanges and also create a highly competitive bidding environment to lower…

The Delhi government has ordered the Badarpur power plant to be shut for 10 days due to high pollution levels. Last year, too, it was closed for some time, but resumed operations after the state-run NTPC managed to show that the emission levels from its two functional units were within 50 microgram per cubic metre, the standard set by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee. Though Delhi’s only coal-based plant has an installed capacity of 702MW, only two units, each of 210MW capacity, are working while four older units have been…

After consulting domestic aluminium manufacturers, state-run engineering consultant Mecon Ltd in a recent report submitted to the ministry of mines has recommended imposition of minimum import price (MIP) on primary aluminium to guard the industry against cheap imports. Primary aluminium is the metal extracted during the reduction process of metallurgical alumina. Aluminium Association of India-a lobby group with firms such as Vedanta Ltd, Hindalco Industries Ltd and National Aluminium Co. Ltd (Nalco) are hiring Mecon to prepare a report to explore the possibility of introducing MIP on aluminium products. “We…

Oil India Limited (OIL) has set up an OIL Start-Up fund of Rs 50 crore to encourage new “out of the box” ideas related to the oil and gas sector, particularly in the Northeast. The oil exploration major’s chairman-cum-managing director Utpal Bora said in a press conference that the initiative was in line with the Centre’s ‘Start-up India’ initiative. “The OIL Start-Up fund is to encourage students, young entrepreneurs and institutions to come out with out of the box ideas for the benefit of the oil and gas sector that…

Airports Authority of India has signed an MOU with Ministry of Finance, to promote Waste Paper Recycling through AAI Paper Recycling Unit, as part of ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’, wherein, AAI paper recycling unit will recycle the waste paper of Ministry of Finance and will supply recycled paper, produced at the AAI Paper Recycling Unit Vasant Kunj, New Delhi Chairman AAI, Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra has signed the MoU with Jt. Secy. Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. The MOU was exchanged recently by Sh. Rakesh Kalra, Regional Executive Director (NR), with…

In a first of its kind service, the Centre is planning to launch a ‘mobile air dispensary’ for the Northeast, with a helicopter, fitted with medical equipment and doctors on board, flying in remote areas for the benefit of people. Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh said the mobile air dispensary with a doctor, necessary equipment and medicines will fly to remote areas on regular basis especially where patients find it difficult to reach a doctor and basic health centre. The experiment, which would…

Over one-third of the mission target of constructing individual household toilets in urban areas under Swachh Bharat Mission has been met, a statement from the Ministry of Urban Development said. During the two years of Swachh Bharat Mission, 22, 97,389 individual household toilets have so far been constructed in urban areas. With 35% of mission target being met in two years i.e 40% of the mission duration, construction of toilets meant for ending Open Defecation in urban areas is broadly on course. Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh have met the mission…

Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) is planning to build energy highways across the country to meet a projected growth in demand and ease the load on the national grid. The highways include 11 high-capacity corridors, each with a capacity of about 4,000 Mw, and three high-capacity HVDC (high-voltage, direct current) systems (6,000 Mw each). The central transmission utility will also develop eight inter-state transmission systems (ISTS) or green energy corridors to help the renewable energy sector. The ones to come up first would be to connect the solar power…

After November 8 evening, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s broadcast that led to the demonetisation of Rs500 and Rs1,000 banknotes, fierce debate is raging about the success and failure of this move that is being dubbed as the boldest exercise to crack down on corruption and shadow money in independent India. While the proponents and opponents of demonetisation will slug it out, there is no denying that banning 85 percent of the currency in circulation is bold and radical bordering on audacious. Quite expectedly, the demonetisation reform has brought troubles…