11 June 2016

Union Ministry of Power launches Surya Mitra Mobile App

The Union Ministry of Power has launched Surya Mitra mobile App to serve customers in the field of renewable energy. 
The app was launched by Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal at National Workshop on Rooftop Solar Power held in New Delhi. 
The App will serve customers at their doorsteps with quality installation, repair, and Observations and Measurements (O&M) in the field of renewable energy. 


About Surya Mitra Mobile App 

• Surya Mitra Mobile App has been developed by National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), an autonomous institution of Union Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE). 
• The app has been developed in a high end technology platform that can handle thousands of customers’ calls simultaneously and can efficiently monitor all visits of Suryamitra’s. 
• Using this app, customers can avail services like maintenance, serving and repairing at the click of a button on their mobiles.
•  It will help enhance the employment of trained youth i.e. Suryamitra’s in solar PV technology. Further it will also help to improve the businesses of solar entrepreneurs.

India, Japan and US navies kick off 2016 Malabar Exercise near South China Sea

India, Japan and United States (US) navies have kicked off 2016 MALABAR trilateral naval Exercise near South China Sea. This year it is the 20th edition of the naval exercise in which over 100 aircraft and 22 naval ships including a nuclear submarine are participating. 

Key facts 

The 20th edition of the naval exercise will be conducted for 8 days. It includes harbour phase exercises at Sasebo, Japan and the sea phase exercises in the Pacific Ocean. 
Aim of exercise: Increase interoperability amongst the three navies and develop common understanding of procedures for Maritime Security Operations.
Scope of 2016 MALABAR: It includes professional interactions in harbour and sea phases, including complex sub-surface, surface and air operations. 
Participation: The joint fleet of 3 navies will include aircraft carriers, warships and fast attack submarines. 
India’s Participation: Four ships of Indian Navy from the Eastern Fleet are participating in the naval exercise in consonance with country’s ‘Act East Policy’. They are Missile stealth frigates INS Sahyadri and INS Satpura, modern fleet tanker and support ship INS Shakti, missile corvette INS Kirch

Google, Tata Trusts launch ‘Internet Sathi’ in West Bengal to empower rural women

The Indian unit of search giant Google Inc and Tata Trusts have jointly launched ‘Internet Saathi’ program in Purulia district of West Bengal. The initiative has been launched as part of Google’s ‘Helping Women Get Online’ campaign, in order to create awareness about the benefits of Internet among women in rural India. 
Key facts 

• The initiative will initially be rolled out with an objective to reach 1 lakh women in over 400 villages in Purulia district. It will focus on training women and larger communities to learn and explore various uses and benefits of the Internet.
•  Tata Trusts will play a crucial role in training women master trainers called “saathis” identified from Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Women’s federations. 
• Google will provide the tablet and mobile devices along with training material. It will also train the master trainers. 
• The initiative includes an awareness module, coupled with hands-on training modules on how to use the Internet, using mobile devices in their local languages.

Machilipatnam town sanctioned for development under AMRUT scheme

·        The Union Urban Development Ministry has sanctioned 37.5 crore rupees for development of Machilipatnam town under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme.

·        K. Ravindra, the minister of Andhra Pradesh Excise and BC Welfare, said that the funds under the scheme should be used for development of amusement parks and beautification of the town, apart from development of cemeteries while he was in Machilipatnam addressing the media.

·        At least Rs. 18 crore will be alloted to complete the pending drainage project that will help maintain better sanitary conditions in the historical town said the minister.

Bindra to be India’s flag-bearer at Rio Olympics

·        Shooter AbhinavBindra has been chosen to be the flag-bearer​ of the Indian contingent at the Rio Olympics’ opening ceremony on August 5.

·        Bindra is India’s only individual Olympic gold medallist, having clinched Gold in 10m Air Rifle at Beijing Olympics in 2008.

·        Notably, India will be sending its largest ever contingent to the Olympics this time.

Sikkim becomes India’s first State to launch open 

government data portal

Sikkim became the first state in India to have an open government data portal linked ‘sikkim.data.gov.in’. The portal was launched by Lok Sabha MP, P D Rai and also launched Open Government Data Platform (Sikkim). 

Key facts

 The portal has been developed by Government of Sikkim’s Information Technology Department and NIC team from Delhi. The open government data portal facilitates free use, reuse and redistribution of data produced or commissioned by the government or government controlled entities by anyone.

V. Vaithilingam elected as Speaker of Puducherry 

Assembly

Congress leader and former Chief Minister V. Vaithilingam was elected unopposed as the Speaker of the 14th Puducherry legislative Assembly. Besides, pro-tem Speaker VP Shivakozhuthu was declared elected unopposed as the Deputy Speaker. V. Vaithilingam had served Chief Minister of the Union Territory twice. 

For first time he was in office from 1991 to 1996 and for second time again from 2008-2011. He was the second youngest Chief Minister and the first Chief Minister of Puducherry to serve the full five-year term till date. 

Earlier in May 2016, Congress-DMK alliance had emerged victorious in 2016general elections. The alliance had won 17 seats (Congress: 15; DMK:2) in the 30 member Territorial Assembly.