India is third largest solar market in the world: Mercom Communications

  • India was the third largest solar market in the world in 2017 behind China and the US, according to Mercom Communications India.
  • India set a new record, with 9.6 GW of solar installations in 2017, which is more than double the 4.3 GW installed in 2016.
  • This boosted the country’s total solar installed capacity to 19.6 GW as of December 2017.
  • Since 2010, India has had a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 170%.

Cabinet approves setting up of a new AIIMS in Deoghar, Jharkhand

  • The Union Cabinet has approved setting up of a new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Deoghar, Jharkhand.
  • Funds of Rs.1,103 crore have been approved for the project.
  • The new AIIMS will be set up under the Pradhan MantriSwasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) scheme.
  • The new AIIMS will consist of a hospital with 750 beds, a medical college for 100 MBBS students per year, a nursing college for 60 B.Sc.(Nursing) students per year, 20 Speciality/Super Speciality Departments including 15 Operation Theatres, and an Ayush Department with 30 beds for treatment in the traditional system of medicine.

Atal Pension Yojana subscribers base crosses 1 crore mark

  • The Atal Pension Yojana (APY) Scheme’s subscriber base has crossed the 1 crore mark, with a total of 1.10 crore subscribers currently.
  • It has been 3 years since the launch of the scheme. PM Narendra Modi had launched APY in Kolkataon May 9th, 2015.
  • APY is a guaranteed Pension Scheme for citizens of India, and is focused on unorganised sector workers, who constitute more than 85% of the workforce.

Indian President inaugurates integrated centre for crisis management at BARC

  • President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated an integrated centre for crisis management (ICCM) at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Mumbai.
  • The ICCM will help India respond more effectively to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear emergencies.
  • The new facility at BARC will monitor radiological data from a network of 504 radiation sensors across the country.

IIM Ahmedabad launches $25 million Bharat Inclusion Initiative to fund start-ups

  • IIM-Ahmedabad’s Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) has launched a Bharat Inclusion Initiative.
  • The initiative will put in approximately $25 million over the next 3-4 years towards backing game-changing start-ups.
  • The Bharat Inclusion Initiative aims to build knowledge and foster innovation and entrepreneurial activity across areas such as financial inclusion, livelihood, education and health.
  • This initiative from the CIIE has already received an initial commitment of $12.5 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, and the Omidyar Network.

BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa sworn in as CM of Karnataka

  • BS Yeddyurappa took the oath as the new Chief Minister of Karnataka, after the Supreme Court refused to stay his swearing-in as Karnataka Chief Minister.
  • This is the second time that he was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka.
  • However, the Supreme Court has said that the swearing-in and the forming of the government are subject to the outcome of the case before it.

NTPC signs MoU with Government of Bihar to improve performance of state’s power sector

  • The Government of Bihar (GoB) and NTPC Limited have signed an MoU to improve the performance of Power Sector in Bihar.
  • As per the MoU, the Barauni Thermal Power Station (720 MW) will be transferred to NTPC.
  • Also to be transferred to NTPC are 2 more power stations Kanti Bijlee Utpadan Nigam Limited (KBUN) and Nabinagar Power Generating Company (Pvt.) Limited (NPGC).
  • This is being done to bring power tariffs down and benefit the people of Bihar at large.