The Central Govt declared Apda Prabandhan Puraskar
Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar
To commemorate the birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose. The winner of 2021 Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar in the individual category has been given to Mr. Rajendra Bhandari. He has been selected for the award for his contribution to the field of disaster management.
An institution named the Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS) has been picked in the institutional category.
A certificate with a cheque of Rs five lakhs has been provided to the winner in the individual category, while the institute has been bestowed with Rs prize money. 51 lakh and a certificate from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
As the name suggests, it is the award given every year to an individual and an institute to recognize and honor disaster management’s contribution. The application for the award will remain open in July-Aug 2021.
First Gas to Ethanol plant of the nation in Maharashtra
The Steel Authority of India has decided to set up the nation’s first gas to ethanol plan in Chandrapur District of Maharashtra. The plant will be set up on the campus along with the Ferroalloy plant in Chandrapur.
What is the reason to establish such a plant?
To reduce the import burden of crude oil.
To reduce the hazardous effects of fossil fuels by addressing the issue of carbon emissions.
About the plant
Steel Research and Technology Mission of India will assist SAIL in establishing the plant.
Funding
The plant is expected to cost approximately 400 Crores.
Under the National Policy on Biofuels 2018, the government will subsidize the 20% amount.
This would be the 4th plant in the world (two plants in China and one in Belgium) and 1st in India.
Gas to Ethanol plant
The plant works on the technology that captures gases like Carbon dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, and Hydrogen mainly that emit from the ferroalloy plant’s furnace. These captured hot gases will then be converted into ethanol using fermentation technology.
The Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam
A report named ‘The Inequality Virus’ has been published by Oxfam.
Primary and Prominent findings
The pandemic stalled the economy.
Millions of poor Indians had been forced out of jobs.
The richest Billionaires become richer, increased their wealth by 35 percent (90% since 2009).
The top 11 billionaires of India can even sustain ten years budget of the National Rural Employment Generation Scheme or the Health Ministry budget.
In short, inequality has reached its new height.
India-China Border Tension
The ongoing border conflict between the two neighboring states, India and China, had seen a new chapter near Naku La, Sikkim, when soldiers of both nation’s Army once again indulged in a physical fight after just over six months. According to the report, the Chinese Patrol Party was attempting to intrude inside Indian Territory, which forced Indian Soldiers to thwart them out. As many as 20 Chinese soldiers have been injured, and 4 Indian soldiers are wounded.
Important Passes along the Indo-China Border-
Himachal Pradesh:
Bara Lacha La
Debra Pass
Rohtang Pass
Shipki La
Uttarakhand
Lipu lekh
Mana Pass
Niti Pass
Muling La
Sikkim
Nathu La
Jelep La
Naku La
National Tourism Day was celebrated on the 25th of January
The National Tourism Day has been celebrated on the 25th of January with the following theme: “Dekho Apna Desh.”
Why we celebrate National Tourism Day?
To highlight the role of tourism in employment generation.
To encourage tourism in the nation.
Govt has started a month-long campaign of seminars, organized until the 22nd of February 2021. To increase the tourism in the newly found Ladakh Union Territory, an institute named Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering (IISM), in Kargil, Ladakh.
World Tourism
Every year on the 27th of September, the United Nations celebrates World Tourism Day.
The first edition was organized in 1980.
Aim- To spread awareness about the significance of Tourism and its impact on society.
According to United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), the pandemic has cost a loss of $ 910 billion to $ 1.2 trillion.
Union Minister of Tourism: Prahlad Singh Patel.
119 individuals have been conferred Padma Awards
A total of 119 distinguished individuals have been bestowed with Padma Awards, including Shinzo Abe, B. B. Lal, Dr. B. M. Hedge, Sudarshan Sahoo (Artist), Nripendra Mishra (Ex Principal Secretary PMO). The Awards have been categorized as follows:
Padma Shri Awards
Padma Bhushan Awards
Padma Vibhushan Awards
– Padma Shri Award is given for distinguished service in any field.
– Padma Bhushan is awarded for distinguished service in high order in any field.
– Padma Vibhushan is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service in any sector.
Padma Vibhushan:
P. Bal Subramaniam
Narinder Singh Kapany (Indian-American Scientist)
Shinzo Abe
Padma Bhushan:
Tarun Gogoi
Ram Vilas Paswan
Kesubhai Patel
Kalbe Sadiq
