TELANGANA

Discoms making weekly payments for power purchases

The cash strapped power distribution companies in Telangana are making weekly payments for power purchases from generation companies ever since the Letter of Credit (LoC) norm, routed through the banking system, came into force on August 1.

Also, the subsidy bill raised by Discoms for supply of free power to agriculture and domestic consumers below the threshold level was barely met by the State government. Against the annual demand of ₹ 10,000 crore, the government released only ₹ 4,980 crore. This, despite the supply of free power to agriculture being extended from nine to 24 hours in the last few years.

The financial problems were compounded by Discoms being required to open LoC for the desired quantum of power in advance. The LoCs were liable to be invoked if the Discoms defaulted in payments to generation companies beyond the 60-day grace period as provided in the PPAs. It will result in huge interest burden for them.

INTERNATIONAL

· India announces contribution of 22 millions USD to GFTAM for 6th replenishment cycle

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi India announced a contribution of 22 million US Dollarsto the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFTAM) for the 6th replenishment cycle.

Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare stated that India stands firm to its long-standing partnership with the Global Fund and its commitment to eliminate AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.India’s pledge for the Global Fund strongly demonstrates its strong political leadership to achieve the universal health for all and its equally strong commitment to work across borders to join hands in fighting the epidemics of these three diseases.

India is the first implementing country to host a replenishment milestone of the Global Fund become first among G20, BRICS and implementer countries to announce the pledge for the 6th Replenishment Conference, setting precedent for other donors to contribute India inched a step closer in this direction by stepping up the Global Fund efforts to strengthen health systems and save 16 million more lives across the globe.

· Yutu 2 found gel like substance in the far side of Moon

China’s lunar roverYutu-2has found a strange gel-like substance during its exploration activities on the far side of the moon.
Gel-like substance:
The gel’s shape and color are significantly different from the surrounding lunar soil. The colour of the material has been described as unusual. The material is located on the inner edge of the impact crater. The substance was found during the 8th day of an exploration mission to a region covered in small impact craters.

NATIONAL

· Election Commission of India launches Electors Verification Programme voter verification and authentication

Election Commission launched the Electors Verification Programme (EVP) across the nation on September 1, 2019. The Electors Verification Programme is a one-stop solution to verify and authenticate voter details and ensure an error-free electoral roll.
The program was launched at all levels starting from the state/UT Headquarters by 32 CEOs, district level by about 700 DEOs and at around 1 million polling stations by BLOs/EROs and will continue from September 1, 2019 to October 15, 2019
The main aim of the Electors Verification Programme is to improve the health of electoral rolls and provide better electoral services to the citizens. The programme also aims to increase the level of communication between the voters and the commission.
Under the EVP programme, voters can verify or authenticate their details by logging on to NVSP portal (nvsp.in) or Voter Helpline App or Common Service Centres or by visiting any nearby voter facilitation centre. The EVP programme can be availed both online and offline.

· Vikram lander detached successfully from its orbiter

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully seperated lander Vikram separated from the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter. Now the Lander is ready for its soft landing on Moon on 7 September. The lander has been scheduled to touch the lunar surface in 5 days from the separation.
ISRO has been monitoring the health of the Lander and Orbiter from the Mission Operations Complex at ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru along withIndian Deep Space Network (IDSN)antennas at nearby Bylalu. It reported that the parameters of the Chandraayan-2’s lander and orbiter are normal.
The lander is expected to carry out two deorbit manoeuvres before it touches the south polar region of the moon. Rover Pragyaan, a six-wheeled robotic vehicle, will roll out from the lander after the soft landing. It will carry out various tests on the lunar soil.

· A new book entitled First They Erased Our Name A Rohingya Speaks

A new book entitled First They Erased Our Name: A Rohingya Speaks book journalist Sophie Ansel(France) released by Penguin Random House on September 9, 2019.
The book explains about the Rohingya community through the eyes of a Rohingya, Habiburahman who was born and raised in a small village in western Burma in 1979 grew up stateless with his people when their own country’s military leader ordered that Rohingya were not one among the 135 recognized ethnic groups that formed the 8 national races.
Millions of Rohingya people left their homes since the year 1982.
The Myanmar government rapids the process of ethnic cleansing in 2016 & 2017 and about 600,000 Rohingya were forced to cross the border into Bangladesh.

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