Emergency action plan implemented in NCR to combat air pollution

  • An emergency action plan to tackle poor air quality in Delhi has come into force.
  • It consists of an early warning air quality system, which is part of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
  • The first phase is a ban on diesel generator sets in the national capital.
  • The Graded Response Action Plan was put in place in 2017 on the directions of the Supreme Court after high pollution levels in the National Capital Region in the winter of 2016.

Delhi govt launches Chief Minister’s Urban Leaders Fellowship Programme

  • The Delhi government has announced a fellowship programme – the Chief Minister’s Urban Leaders Fellowship Programme – targeted at young leaders across the country.
  • The aim of the programme is for these young leaders to work with the government to address some of the most pressing urban challenges.
  • Fellows will be assigned to work with ministers or senior officials across various departments of the Delhi government such as education, health, water, transport, art and culture.

Microsoft India, NITI Aayog sign agreement for AI tools in agriculture, healthcare

  • Microsoft India has signed an agreement with NITI Aayog to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in order to address challenges in agriculture and healthcare.
  • The agreement will also cover adoption of local language computing.
  • The areas in agriculture and healthcare that the two organisations will be looking at include farm advisory services and healthcare screening models at Primary Health Centres.

Govt launches award scheme under ‘Saubhagya’

  • RK Singh, Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy announced an award scheme under Saubhagya.
  • The scheme is to felicitate the DISCOMs or Power Department of the States and their employees for achieving 100% household electrification in their area of operation.
  • Eight states have already achieved more than 99% household electrification prior to launch of Saubhagya.
  • These states include Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab and Tamil Nadu.

Saudi Arabia commits to meeting India’s oil demand

  • Saudi Arabia has committed to meeting India’s rising oil demand.
  • The nation said that it is keen to invest in fuel retailing and petrochemical business in the world’s fastest-growing energy consumer.
  • Saudi Arabia is the India’s second-biggest oil supplier, behind Iraq, and is committed to meet any shortfall that may arise due to sanctions on Iran.
  • India is the world’s third-biggest oil importer, and is facing record high retail prices as international crude rate has soared and the value of the rupee has dipped.

Shekhar Mande appointed new director general of CSIR

  • The Government has appointed Shekhar C Mande as the Director General of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and Secretary of the Department of Scientific and Research (DSIR).
  • Mande is a structural biologist with a doctoral degree from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.
  • In 2005, Mande received the coveted SS Bhatnagar Prize, which is the most prestigious science honour in the country.

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