Daily Current Capsules
10 March 2023

High Price Day Ahead Market and Surplus Power Portal (PUShP)

What's the NEWS

• The Central Government has launched a High Price Day Ahead Market and Surplus Power Portal (PUShP) - an initiative to ensure greater availability of power during the peak demand season.
• This will facilitate electricity generating firms to sell power at a price as high as ₹50 per unit.
• The HP-DAM was part of the overall strategy to ensure that all available power capacity is utilized for supply the power to consumers.

Know! the Operation of HP-DAM

• Nobody would be allowed to charge exorbitant rates.
• Only those generating capacities which have cost of producing power of more than Rs. 12 per unit would be allowed to operate in HP-DAM.
• If the cost of production is less than Rs.12, the generators will have to offer power in the Power Exchange's Integrated Day Ahead Market (I-DAM) only with a ceiling price of Rs.12.
• The surplus power portal is a one-of-its-kind initiative, reflecting the ingenuity of the Ministry of Power and the Regulator.
• Distribution Companies have tied up long term PPAs for power supply.
• They have to pay fixed charges even when they do not schedule the power.
• Now the DISCOMs will be able to indicate their surplus power in block times / days / months on portal.
• Those DISCOMs who need power will be able to requisition the surplus power.
• The new buyer will pay both variable charge (VC) and fixed cost (FC) as determined by Regulators.
• Once power is reassigned, the original beneficiary shall have no right to recall as entire FC liability is also shifted to the new beneficiary.
• Financial liability of new buyer shall be limited to quantum of temporary allocated / transferred power.
• This will reduce the fixed cost burden on the DISCOMs, and will also enable all the available generation capacity to be utilized.

National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR)

What's the NEWS

• Prime Minister inaugurated the 3rd Session of the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR) at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 10th March, 2023
• The main theme of the 3rd session of this Platform is "Building Local Resilience in a Changing Climate".
• During the event, Prime Minister will facilitate awardees of the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar.
• The winners of the 2023 Puraskar are Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) and the Lunglei Fire Station, Mizoram.

• NPDRR is a multi-stakeholder platform constituted by the Government of India to facilitate dialogue, sharing experiences, views, ideas, action-oriented research & explore opportunities in the area of Disaster Risk Reduction.
• The Union Home Minister chairs the NPDRR, which is also headed by the Minister of State in charge of Disaster Management in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Vice-Chairman of, the National Disaster Management Authority.
• The National Platform aims to bring together the whole range of India's disaster risk community from Government, Parliamentarians, Mayors, Media, International Organizations, NGOs, local community representatives, scientific and academic institutions and corporate businesses etc.
• The output from the National Platform will offer a strategic direction and a road map for the formulation of our future National Action Plans on DRR.
• The Government of India recognizes the need to evolve a participatory process of decision making in disaster management with active involvement of the Central & State Governments and stakeholders including people representing different interests in the field of disaster management.
• NPDRR was constituted by Government of India vide resolution dated 26th February 2013.

• It is an Indian National Award for disaster management those who served selfless service for the country.
• Every individuals and organisations awarded by the Government Of India on every year on January 23, the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
• The award was instituted on the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose to recognise and honour the invaluable contribution and selfless service rendered by individuals and organisations in India in the field of disaster management

• The National Disaster Management Authority, or the NDMA, is an apex body for disaster management, headed by the Prime Minister of India.
• It is responsible for the supervision, direction, and control of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

First Edition of Women Icons Leading Swacchata (WINS) Awards 2023 Launched By MoHUA

What's the NEWS

• To highlight the impact of women in sanitation and waste management, the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, announced the ‘Women Icons Leading Swachhata' (WINS) Awards 2023
• The WINS Awards 2023 aim to recognize celebrate and disseminate inspiring and exemplary initiatives in urban sanitation and waste management by women led organizations and individual women.
• The applications are open from 8th March to 5th April 2023.

1. Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
2. Micro-enterprises,
3. Non-Government Organisations (NGOs),
4. Startups and
5. Individual Women Leaders/Swachhata champions.

Swachh Bharat Mission Urban

• It is now eight years since the flagship Mission of the Government of India-the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban was launched by the Prime Minister in October 2014.
• The Mission has enabled access to safe sanitation and dignity of women while also opening up livelihood and skilling opportunities to women in the area of sanitation and waste management.

Exclusive women's portal for research grants and funds

What's the NEWS

• Union Minister of Science & Technology announced an exclusive women's portal for research grants and funds.
• CSIR has decided to start exclusive Research Grants for Women Scientists under CSIR-ASPIRE and an exclusive portal in this regard will be available from April 1, 2023.
• The Special Call inviting proposals from Women Scientists will open the same day.
• Only women scientists across the country will be eligible to apply for research grants to carry out R&D in major disciplines of science and engineering viz Life Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Engineering Sciences and inter/trans disciplinary sciences.
• The funds will be provided for staff (JRF/SRF/RA), contingency and minor equipment.
• The total budget of a research proposal including research fellow's stipend should generally not exceed the limit of 25-30 lacs.

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

• It was established by the Government of India in September 1942 as an autonomous body that has emerged as the largest research and development organisation in India.
• CSIR is also among the world's largest publicly funded R&D organisation which is pioneering sustained contribution to S&T human resource development in the country.

International ‘Golden City Gate Tourism Awards 2023

What's the NEWS

• The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India , has bagged Golden & Silver Star at The International ‘Golden City Gate Tourism Awards 2023' in ‘TV/Cinema Commercials International and Country International' Category at ITB, Berlin 2023.

• The Golden City Gate Tourism Multi-media Awards are given annually in various categories related to the Tourism and Hospitality sectors.
• The ‘Golden City Gate' is a creative multi-media international competition for countries, cities, regions and hotels.
• The entries received for the awards are judged by an international jury comprising film and tourism experts.
• The annual award ceremony takes place at ITB Berlin, the world's leading tourism trade show.
• The Promotional films / television commercials received the awards were produced by the Ministry as part of its Post Covid Promotional Global Campaign on India reopening.
• Ministry of Tourism has developed the new Incredible India brand films for welcoming of foreign tourists to the country after the pandemic.
• These brand films have been widely circulated within the domestic and international travel industry for wider usage in for promotional and marketing purposes.

5th ASEAN-India Business summit

What's the NEWS

• The Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology addressed the addresses 5th ASEAN-India Business summit.
• It is being held as part of the ASEAN-India Year of Friendship to commemorate the more than three-decade-long engagement between India and the 10-member bloc in Kuala Lumpur.

Know! about ASEAN

• It is a group of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which was established in 1967 with the signing of the Bangkok declaration.
• Founding members: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
• Presently ASEAN comprises 10 member states namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam.
• It promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, military, educational, and sociocultural integration between its members and other countries in Asia.

Parambikulam Tiger Reserve

What's the NEWS

• A faunal survey conducted in the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve spread across Palakkad and Thrissur has recorded over 500 species, many of which were hitherto unseen in the protected area.

• Parambikulam Tiger Reserve is a 643.66 square kilometres protected area lying in Palakkad district and Thrissur district of Kerala state, South India.
• The Wildlife Sanctuary, which had an area of 285 square kilometres (110 sq mi) was established in part in 1973 and 1984.
• It is in the Sungam range of hills between the Anaimalai Hills and Nelliampathy Hills.
• The Western Ghats, Anamalai Sub-Cluster, including all of Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, has been declared by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee as a World Heritage Site.
• The Tiger Reserve is the home of four different tribes of indigenous peoples including the Kadar, Malasar, Muduvar and Mala Malasar settled in six colonies.
• It supports diverse habitat types namely; evergreen forests, moist and dry deciduous forests and grasslands.

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