• Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN), a public sector undertaking involved in hydroelectric power generation and transmission has won 100 MW Wind Power Project at the rate of Rs 2.90 per unit on Build Own and Operate basis through e-Reverse Auction.
• SJVN participated in the tariff based competitive bidding for setting up 1200 MW Inter State Transmission System connected Wind Projects in India (Phase -XIII) conducted by Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited.
• “The project will be developed anywhere in India through SJVN’s wholly owned subsidiary SGEL.
• The tentative cost of the development of this project is Rs 700 crores.
• The project is expected to generate 262 MU in the first year of commissioning and cumulative energy generation over a period of 25 years will be about 6574 MU,” he said.

Why in News

• Recently, the 17th round of Corps Commander-level talks was held between India and China.

More about the news

• Location of the talks:

• • The talks were held at the Chushul- Moldo border meeting point on the Chinese side.

• Key highlights:

• • During the talks both sides agreed to continue dialogue through military and diplomatic channels and work out a “mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest”.
  • The two sides exchanged views on the resolution of the relevant issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the western sector in an “open and constructive manner.

• Significance of the talks:

• • The talks came 10 days after soldiers of the two armies clashed at the Yangtse area in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh, resulting in injuries on both sides.
  • Since the standoff began in May 2020, the two sides have so far held 16 rounds of talks.
  • Both sides disengaged from Pangong Tso in February 2021, from patrolling in the Gogra-Hot Springs area. This is in addition to the disengagement from Galwan in 2020 after the violent clash there.

Areas of dispute between India & China

• There are infirmities in India’s boundary with China, both in the east and the west.
  • In the Western sector: 
    • Here India shares a 2152 km long border with China, and territorial disputes over Aksai Chin region of Jammu and Kashmir, with both countries claiming the region as their own.
    • The recent dispute is around the region of the northern bank of Pangong Tso lake, Demchok and the Galwan Valley.
  • In the middle sector: 
    • Here India roughly shares about a 625 km long boundary with China with a few minor disputes regarding Tibet.
  • In the Eastern Sector: 
    • Here India shares a 1,140 km long boundary with China and this boundary line is called McMahon Line.
    • The major dispute here is around the region of Tawang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh, Chumbi Valley (Dokalam Tri-Junction) which India shares with Bhutan.
  • China’s interest in Ladakh region:
    • China had never accepted the British-negotiated boundary agreements in northeastern Kashmir.
    • China has traditionally been active in areas close to Ladakh given the significance of the Xinjiang-Tibet region in its domestic narrative.
    • However, with its sights on an ageing Dalai Lama, and the issue of his succession, China may want to bring into focus its claims on Tawang, and the rest of Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Issues:
    • Over 50,000 troops and heavy equipment continue to be deployed on both sides, close to the LAC.
    • In the last two years, China has also undertaken massive construction of infrastructure, habitat and support structures to maintain its troops close to the LAC, altering the ground status.
      • There are roads, helipads and airfields being built right upto the passes.

About The Urban Learning Internship Program (TULIP):

• TULIP is a programme for providing internship opportunities to fresh graduates in all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Smart Cities across the country.
• The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA)in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MoE) and All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) has developed this programme.
• At the State level, TULIP will be supported by the Urban Development departments in providing a clear roadmap for the ULBs/smart cities to adopt TULIP in their respective organisations.
• Duration: Internship durations can range from eight weeks to one year.

Benefits of the TULIP:

• Enhanced employability through “learning by doing” and opportunity to co-create innovation for cities.
• TULIP interns would get exposure in a large number of areas including but not limited to urban planning, urban design, different branches of engineering, information and technology, mobility, finance, social sector issues and environmental issues.
• Strengthen institutional capacity of the urban ecosystem and youth engagement towards urban initiatives, creating an ecosystem wherein youth can contribute towards building a liveable city.
• Skilled, high-quality workforce and innovative citizen-centric solutions that help them address critical challenges.

About Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA):

• UIDAI believes in and promotes the idea of recycling and reusing to reduce carbon footprint.
• It has been harnessing solar power to meet a portion of its energy consumption.
• It is recycling and reuses water and has been adhering to sustainable waste management practices.

What is GRIHA?

• It is the national rating system of India for any completed building construction.
• It was jointly set up by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
• Objective: To help design green buildings and help evaluate the ‘greenness’ of the buildings.

Parameters used in Rating:

• Site selection and planning
• Conservation and efficient utilization of resources
• Building operation and maintenance
• Innovation points

About National programme on High-Efficiency Solar PV Module: 

• The national programme on High-Efficiency Solar PV Modules aims to build an ecosystem for the manufacturing of high-efficiency solar PV modules in India.
• Associated Ministry: The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy.
• Funding: Under it, the government has provided an outlay of Rs.19,500 crores for achieving manufacturing capacity.
• PLI will be disbursed for 5 years post commissioning of solar PV manufacturing plants on sales of high-efficiency solar PV modules from the domestic market will be incentivised.

What is the Significance? 

• This programme will strengthen the Atamnirbhar Bharat initiative and generate employment.
• It will help in reducing the country’s import dependence in the area of Renewable Energy.

Why in News?

• Forex reserves decline $571 mn to $563.5 bn
• After rising for five consecutive weeks, India’s forex kitty dropped USD 571 million to USD 563.499 billion for the week ended December 16, according to RBI data released on 23rd December 2022.
• In October 2021, the country’s foreign exchange kitty had reached an all-time high of USD 645 billion.
• Foreign Currency Assets (FCA), a major component of the overall reserves, decreased USD 500 million to USD 499.624 billion during the week to December 16, as per the Weekly Statistical Supplement released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• Expressed in dollar terms, FCA includes the effect of appreciation or depreciation of non-US units like the euro, pound and yen held in the foreign exchange reserves. Gold reserves decreased USD 150 million to USD 40.579 billion, it said.
• The Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) jumped USD 75 million to USD 18.181 billion. The country’s reserve position with the IMF also rose USD 4 million.

Foreign Exchange Reserves:

• Foreign exchange reserves are assets held on reserve by a central bank in foreign currencies, which can include bonds, treasury bills and other government securities. It needs to be noted that most foreign exchange reserves are held in US dollars.
  • India’s Forex Reserve include:
    • Foreign Currency Assets
    • Gold reserves
    • Special Drawing Rights
    • Reserve position with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
  • Objectives of Holding Forex Reserves:
    • Supporting and maintaining confidence in the policies for monetary and exchange rate
    • Provides the capacity to intervene in support of the national or union currency.
    • Limits external vulnerability by maintaining foreign currency liquidity to absorb shocks during times of crisis or when access to borrowing is curtailed.

Special Drawing Rights

• The SDR is an international reserve asset, created by the IMF in 1969 to supplement its member countries’ official reserves.
• The SDR is neither a currency nor a claim on the IMF. Rather, it isa potential claim on the freely usable currencies of IMF members. SDRs can be exchanged for these currencies.
• The value of the SDR is calculated from a weighted basket of major currencies, including the US dollar, the euro, Japanese yen, Chinese yuan, and British pound.
• The interest rate on SDRs or (SDRi) is the interest paid to members on their SDR holdings.

Why in News?

• NDMA and IMD are working with 23 States to develop Heat Action Plans.
• The Government has said that the National Disaster Management Authority and India Meteorological Department are working with 23 States to develop Heat Action Plans. Earth Science Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said this in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.

Where heat action plans are being developed?

• The heat action plans are being developed in the States prone to high temperatures leading to heat-wave conditions.

Effects of Heatwaves:

• As per studies, the stress induced due to heat waves;
• Increases respiration and mortality,
• Reduces fertility,
• Modifies animal behavior, and
• Suppresses the Immune and endocrine systems.

About Heat Action Plan

• The Heat Action Plan is a comprehensive early warning system and preparedness plan for extreme heat events.
• The Plan presents immediate as well as longer-term actions to increase preparedness, information-sharing, and response coordination to reduce the health impacts of extreme heat on vulnerable populations.
• Heatwave is one of the severe weather phenomena for which IMD issues an early warning.

Successful example of Heat Action Plan: Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan

• The Ahmedabad’s Heat Action Plan was unveiled in 2013.
• It has brought down heat wave linked deaths by up to 25%.

Why in News?

• NHA announces Digital Health Incentive Scheme for stakeholders to give boost to digital health transactions under ABDM
• The National Health Authority, NHA has announced a Digital Health Incentive Scheme, DHIS for the stakeholders of the digital health ecosystem.
• The scheme aims to give a further boost to digital health transactions in the country under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
• The incentives under this scheme would be provided to hospitals and diagnostic labs and also to the providers of digital health solutions such as Hospital/ Health Management Information Systems and Laboratory Management Information Systems.
• Under the DHIS, the eligible health facilities and digital solutions companies shall be able to earn financial incentives of up to Four crore rupees based on the number of digital health records they create and link to Ayushman Bharat Health Account, ABHA.
• This incentive can be availed by the hospitals and diagnostic labs registered with Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission’s Health Facility Registry and fulfilling the eligibility criterion specified under the scheme.

About NHA

• National Health Authority (NHA) is the apex body responsible for implementing India’s flagship public health insurance/assurance scheme called “Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana” & has been entrusted with the role of designing strategy, building technological infrastructure and implementation of “National Digital Health Mission” to create a National Digital Health Eco-system.
• National Health Authority is the successor of the National Health Agency, which was functioning as a registered society since 23rd May, 2018.
• NHA has been set-up to implement PM-JAY, as it is popularly known, at the national level. An attached office of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with full functional autonomy, NHA is governed by a Governing Board chaired by the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare. It is headed by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), an officer of the rank of Secretary to the Government of India, who manages its affairs. The CEO is the Ex-Office Member Secretary of the Governing Board.
• To implement the scheme at the State level, State Health Agencies (SHAs) in the form of a society/trust have been set up by respective States. SHAs have full operational autonomy over the implementation of the scheme in the State including extending the coverage to non SECC beneficiaries.
• NHA is leading the implementation for Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission ABDM in coordination with different ministries/departments of the Government of India, State Governments, and private sector/civil society organizations.

About Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)

• Prime Minister launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) via video conferencing on 27th September 2021, in the presence of Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, among other dignitaries.
• Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission will connect the digital health solutions of hospitals across the country with each other.
• The Mission will not only make the processes of hospitals simplified but also will increase ease of living.
• The Digital Ecosystem will also enable a host of other facilities like Digital Consultation, Consent of patients in letting medical practitioners access their records, etc. With the implementation of this scheme, old medical records cannot get lost as every record will be stored digitally.

The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission was piloted successfully for one year in the six Union Territories:

• Andaman & Nicobar Islands
• Chandigarh
• Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu
• Ladakh
• Lakshadweep
• Puducherry

• The Great Himalayan National Park here has turned a haven for endangered species. The population of blue sheep has almost doubled in a decade while that of musk dear has also increased, reveals a census carried out by the park management in October.
• Now, the park management has prepared data. The presence of blue sheep has been found to have doubled as compared to the 2010-11 census. The team found herds of blue sheep in many places and the number was up to 10 in every sq km, as compared to four or five per sq km a decade ago. The habitat of blue sheep is about 3,500 m above sea level and their presence in the park is around 60 sq km to 70 sq km
• The number of musk deer, which is on the verge of extinction, has also been found to be more than the 2010-11 census. The average number density of musk deer was two per sq km about a decade ago. Even during the survey this time, the sample points were the same as a decade earlier and the average number density was found to be two or three per sq km.
• However, the authorities say that the data may vary if a large sample size is observed. The musk deer is found in areas with an altitude of about 3,000 m. The musk deer habitat is about 30 sq km to 40 sq km in the park.
• Park’s Assistant Conservator of Forest Munish Rangra says that there is no direct sighting of brown bear, but teams have spotted its hair and footmarks. Brown bear is found at an altitude of about 2,500 m to 2,800 m above sea level.
• Rangra says that the reason for the increase in blue sheep and musk deer in the park is the ban on poaching. “At the same time, there is regular patrolling in the park area and monitoring is also being done with trap cameras installed at various places,” he adds. The park is spread over 905.4 sq km. The process of increasing its area to 3,120 sq km is also underway.

• Shoolini University’s start-up — Shoolini Life Sciences Pvt Ltd — has been declared HP’s first commercial food testing facility and approved by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
• The NABL is an autonomous body under the guidance of the Department of Science and Technology.