21ST JULY
Contents
GOI EXTENDED STAND UP INDIA SCHEME UPTO 2025
IOC TO SET UP ‘FIRST GREEN HYDROGEN’ PLANT
RUSSIA TEST-FIRED S-500 AIR DEFENCE SYSTEM
JEFF BEZOS INTO SPACE ON NEW SHEPARD ROCKET SHIP
CHINA UNVEILS MAGLEV TRAIN OF TOP SPEED 600 KPH
REJUVENATION PROGRAMME OF SIX RIVERS IN UTTARAKHAND
GOI EXTENDED STAND UP INDIA SCHEME UPTO 2025
- The Government of India has extended the duration of the ‘Stand Up India Scheme’ up to the year 2025.
- The scheme was launched by the Prime Minister on 05 April 2016 to facilitate loans to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and women borrowers, to promote entrepreneurship among them.
- About the scheme: The scheme offers bank loans to women and SC & ST communities to encourage them in setting up a greenfield enterprise, outside of the farm sector, that is in the manufacturing, services or trading sector.
- A total of 1,16,266 loans amounting to Rs. 26204.49 crore has been extended under the Scheme since its inception.
- The loan under Stand Up India Scheme is extended by Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) between Rs. 10 lakh and Rs.1 Crore.
(SOURCE: TIMES OF INDIA)
IOC TO SET UP ‘FIRST GREEN HYDROGEN’ PLANT
- Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), India’s largest oil firm, will build the first ‘green hydrogen’ plant of the country at its Mathura refinery, to meet the growing demand for both oil and cleaner forms of energy.
- This will be the nation’s first green hydrogen unit. Previously, projects have been announced to produce ‘grey hydrogen’ using fossil fuels such as natural gas.
- For this, the company will make use of 250 MW of electricity which it produces from renewable sources like solar power, to produce absolutely green hydrogen through electrolysis.
- Mathura has been selected by virtue of its proximity to TTZ (Taj Trapezium Zone). Hydrogen is the latest buzz for meeting the world’s energy needs. Hydrogen, in itself, is a clean fuel but manufacturing it is energy-intensive and has carbon byproducts.
- Indian Oil Corporation Chairperson: Shrikant Madhav Vaidya.
- Indian Oil Corporation Headquarters:
- Indian Oil Corporation Founded: 30 June 1959.
(SOURCE: JAGRAN JOSH)
RUSSIA TEST-FIRED S-500 AIR DEFENCE SYSTEM
- Russia has successfully test-fired its new S-500 air defence missile systems, from a southern training range, Kapustin Yar, on July 20, 2021.
- It hit a high-speed ballistic target as planned. The S-500 missile system is under development by the Almaz-Antey Air Defence Concern.
- After tests are successfully completed the first S-500 systems which are also named the Triumfator-M and Prometheus will be placed at an air defence unit outside the city of Moscow.
- The S-500 is the most advanced anti-missile system in the world and is expected to have a range of 600km. This missile system is also capable of countering attacks from space.
- The S-500, also known as Prometey or 55R6M “Triumfator-M”, is a Russian surface-to-air missile/anti-ballistic missile system which is the most advanced anti-missile system in the world and is capable of countering attacks from space.
(SOURCE: THE ECONOMIC TIMES)
JEFF BEZOS INTO SPACE ON NEW SHEPARD ROCKET SHIP
- Billionaire Jeff Bezos has made a short journey to space, in the first crewed flight of his rocket ship, New Shepard.
- He was accompanied by Mark Bezos, his brother, Wally Funk, an 82-year-old pioneer of the space race, and an 18-year-old student.
- They travelled in a capsule with the biggest windows flown in space, offering stunning views of the Earth. On this flight was the oldest person who has been to space, Wally Funk and the youngest, student Oliver Daemen.
- When the capsule touched back down after the 10-minute, 10-second flight, Jeff Bezos exclaimed: “Best day ever!”. New Shepard, built by Bezos’ company Blue Origin, is designed to serve the burgeoning market for space tourism.
(SOURCE: INDIAN EXPRESS)
CHINA UNVEILS MAGLEV TRAIN OF TOP SPEED 600 KPH
- China unveiled a maglev train capable of a top speed of 600 kph.
- The maximum speed would make the train, self-developed by China and manufactured in the coastal city of Qingdao, the fastest ground vehicle globally.
- Using electromagnetic force, the maglev train “levitates” above the track with no contact between body and rail. China has been using the technology for almost two decades on a very limited scale.
- About the train: Shanghai has a short maglev line running from one of its airports to town. At 600 kph, it would only take 2.5 hours to travel from Beijing to Shanghai by train – a journey of more than 1,000 km.
- Launched in October 2016, the high-speed maglev train project saw the development of a magnetic-levitation train prototype with a designed top speed of 600 km per hour in 2019 and conducted a successful test run in June 2020.
(SOURCE: TIMES NOW)
REJUVENATION PROGRAMME OF SIX RIVERS IN UTTARAKHAND
- The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in its 36th Executive Committee has approved new projects for the rejuvenation of six rivers in Uttarakhand.
- According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), there are a total of nine polluted stretches in Uttarakhand and six of them are in the Udham Singh Nagar district on various tributaries or small rivers such as Bhela, Dhela, Kichha, Nandor, Pilankha and Kosi.
- The projects shall cover the six polluted river stretches in the Kumaon region. Out of the rest three polluted stretches, the project of Ganga at Jagjeetpur, Haridwar has already been commissioned and on the remaining two, Namami Gange projects are already under execution.
- It also approved Sewerage (I&D) scheme (Dhela River) Phase-1 of District Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand under Namami Gange Programme at a sanctioned cost of Rs 199.36 crore.
- Governor of Uttarakhand: Baby Rani Maurya.
- The chief minister of Uttarakhand: Pushkar Singh Dhami.
(SOURCE: HINDUSTAN TIMES)
ASSURED GOVT. JOBS TO NATIONAL GAMES MEDALLIST
- The Assam State Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has assured jobs for all National Games medalists of Assam from now on.
- He also mentioned that all those who won medals in National Games so far for Assam would be given Sports Pension by the State Government. He hoped that this decision would help the sportspersons of the state.
- The Chief Minister also announced that the house would send a goodwill message to boxer Lovlina Borgohain who will be vying for a medal in the Tokyo Olympics.
- The Chief Minister stated about the increase of sports pension on the sixth day of the Assam Assembly cabinet meeting.
- Further, the minister also said that the government is planning to increase the pension of sportsperson from Rs. 8000 to Rs. 10,000.
(SOURCE: LIVE MINT)