(HT) Aimed to enhance civil defence preparedness in the event of wartime emergencies, the Uttar Pradesh government has begun preparations for a statewide mock drill based on directives from the Union ministry of home affairs. The mock drill is expected to take place on May 7 (Wednesday). The move comes amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. The exercise, focused on civil defence and wartime response, marks the first such initiative in the state since the 1971 Indo-Pak war—over five decades ago. Officials from the civil defence department and the Uttar Pradesh Police are…
Author: Aruna Sharma
(PIB) Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and Hon’ble Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Sir Keir Starmer have announced the successful conclusion of a mutually beneficial India – UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This forward-looking Agreement is aligned with India’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and complements the growth aspirations of both the countries. The engagement builds upon the discussions held between the two Prime Ministers on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in November 2024. Following the meeting between the two Prime Ministers, intense FTA negotiations resumed in February 2025 marked…
(PIB) In a significant push towards holistic river and environmental rejuvenation, the 62nd Executive Committee (EC) Meeting of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), chaired by Shri Rajeev Kumar Mital, Director-General, NMCG, focused on sustainability in river rejuvenation. Conservation of critical wetlands and promoting the reuse of treated wastewater through city specific reuse plans and were deliberated in the meeting. The Committee approved projects that align with the mission’s objectives of ecosystem restoration across the Ganga basin. It may be noted that Namami Gange program has been recognised as one of the Top TEN, World Restoration Flagship initiatives by…
(TOI) Commission for Air Quality Management has informed National Green Tribunal that only 13 out of the 35 units in 11 thermal power plants operating within a 300km radius of Delhi have installed the flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) technology, which helps in reducing sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions. In a report dated April 22, CAQM said, “Out of the total 35 units in the zone of consideration within 300km of Delhi, only 13 units have FGDs installed while action is ongoing for the balance towards compliance with the SO2 emission norms.” It added that it was likely to take at least…
(CW) India has launched the Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme (GHCI) to establish a transparent and credible framework for certifying green hydrogen production. The scheme, introduced by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, was launched by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi during a national workshop focused on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the green hydrogen supply chain. The GHCI aims to ensure traceability and market trust in green hydrogen, which is a key component of India’s clean energy strategy. The scheme also seeks to support India’s energy transition by engaging MSMEs, which are expected to play a vital role…
(BS) The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday approved a proposal to procure 1,500 MW power from a 2×800 MW (1600 MW) thermal power project through a competitive bidding, in a move aimed at bridging the state’s growing electricity demand. The decision in this regard was taken at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. According to Energy Minister AK Sharma, the state is projected to require an additional 10,795 MW of thermal power by 203334 to meet its rising energy needs. The procurement of 1,500 MW from the upcoming project is a part of the state’s long-term planning…
(HT) The Reserve Bank may cumulatively cut the key interest rate in the range of 125-150 basis points this fiscal amid benign inflationary patterns, an SBI Research report said on Monday. The study suggested that the central bank should go for “jumbo” rate cuts of 50 bps as it would be more effective. The sharp moderation in consumer price index based inflation, hitting a 67-month low of 3.34% in March 2025 due to sharp correction in food inflation, bodes well for lowering the average CPI headline forecast for FY2025-26 below 4% now (with below 3% in Q1FY26), the report said.…
(HT) A joint venture of Shell, Reliance Industries Ltd and ONGC has successfully completed India’s first offshore facilities decommissioning project with the safe removal of installations on the mid and south Tapti gas field in the Arabian Sea, the firms said on Monday. Once a field stops producing oil and gas, the facilities that were erected to bring out hydrocarbons from below ground or under seabed, have to be safely removed – a process called decommissioning. The Tapti field, lying 160 km north-west of Mumbai, stopped producing in 2016. Certain facilities at the mid and south Tapti fields, known as…
(HT) Europe must display sensitivity and mutuality of interest for deeper ties with India, which is looking for partners that do not resort to preaching, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Jaishankar, who was participating in an interactive session, criticised attempts by the West to find a solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict without involving Moscow by saying that such an approach “challenged the basics of realism”. There is an “important fit” and complementarity between India and Russia as a resource provider and consumer, he said against the backdrop of efforts by…
(HT) The nearly month-long shutdown of runway 28/10 at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) was marked by negligible progress on the technical upgrade that the closure was meant for, officials aware of the matter said, adding that the runway is now expected to be available for operations by May 8. While the Airports Authority of India (AAI), responsible for installing the instrument landing system (ILS), continued its work, officials said the airport operator in charge of the runway lighting system “could barely begin the work” and will resume it during the next shutdown in mid-June. The runway was closed…