UTTAR PRADESH
Sandila all set to become a big business hub
Hitherto famous across the country for its ‘laddoos’, Sandila township of Hardoi is well on its way to becoming a business hub as a number of Indian and multinational industrial houses have decided to set up their factories there.
An official communiqué released in Lucknow said that major industry players like Pepsi, British Paints, Berger Paints, ITC Ltd., Haldiram’s and Webley & Scott have taken the initiative to set up their factories in Sandila.
Handgun biggie Webley & Scott’s world famous revolver is already being manufactured in Sandila and soon British Paints and Berger Paints will also start manufacturing their products which do not need any introduction. The release attributed the encouraging development to the Yogi Adityanath government’s investor-friendly policies in the last four years that has acted as a catalyst, making the industrial houses to head to Sandila.
The Uttar Pradesh government received investment proposals worth over Rs 6,000 crore for setting up various industrial units in Sandila of which projects worth Rs 5,000 crore have already got off the ground. Webley & Scott has set up its plant, the maiden foreign arms manufacturing unit in UP, at a cost of Rs 100 crore. Similarly, Berger Paints Limited is setting up its factory on 35 acres of land at a cost of about Rs 850 crore. As per estimates, as many as 2,500 people will get employment in the Berger Paints factory, which will start producing various types of paints by April, 2022.
Similarly, British Paints Limited, a well-known company of England, has also started construction of its unit on over 10 acres of UP State Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDA) land at a cost of Rs 150 crore. A total of 600 people are expected to get employment in this factory, which is scheduled to start production next year.
Located about 60 kilometres away from Lucknow, Sandila failed to attract attention until the time Yogi Adityanath took over as chief minister of the state. But now big investors are seeking land from the UP State Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDA) to set up their units in Sandila.
Other prominent investors that are setting up their plants at Sandila include, Green Ply Company, Austin Plywood Company, Gang Industries Ltd, Varun Beverages Limited, ITC Limited, Hindustan Food Limited, Haldiram and pharmaceutical firm Swarup Chemicals.
INTERNATIONAL
G7 – Build Back Better World Initiative
At the recent 47th G7 summit, the G7 (Group of Seven) Countries proposed a ‘Build Back Better World (B3W) initiative to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
About B3W:
♦ Goal: To address the infrastructure investment gap in developing and low-income countries, which China is increasingly capturing through 2,600 BRI projects.
♦ This infrastructure plan is led by the United States.
♦ The B3W initiative will provide a transparent infrastructure partnership to assist developing countries in meeting their $40 trillion infrastructure needs by 2035.
♦ It requires hundreds of billions of dollars to be spent in cooperation with the private sector while complying with climate standards and labor practices.
About China’s BRI:
♦ It was established in 2013.
♦ It is a multibillion-dollar initiative that aims to connect Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa, and Europe via land and sea routes.
♦ It entails development and investment initiatives that would span Asia, Europe, and beyond.
♦ Over 100 countries have signed bilateral agreements with China to collaborate on BRI projects such as railways, ports, highways, and other infrastructure.
NATIONAL
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban
One of the world’s largest affordable housing missions, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U), has launched two novel initiatives.
It has launched Khushiyon Ka Aashiyana- Short Film Contest 2021 and Awas Par Samvaad, a 75-seminar and workshop series, to advance the Prime Minister’s vision of “Housing for All.”
♦ ‘Awas Par Samvaad’ aims to raise awareness and promote discussion, dissemination and deliberation on ‘Housing for All’ among a wide range of stakeholders from various fields of study and practise, such as engineering, urban community development, planning, finance, and so on.
♦ This will be accomplished through 75 workshops and seminars held across the country.
Registration of Vintage Motor Vehicles
The registration process for vintage motor vehicles has been formalised.
Highlights:
♦ The Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, have been amended by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
♦ The registration of Vintage Motor Vehicles has been formalised as a result of this amendment, with the goal of preserving and promoting the heritage of vintage vehicles.
♦ The new rules will ensure a smooth process with notable features such as the retention of old registration numbers for previously registered vehicles and the use of a “VA” series (Unique Registration Mark) for new registrations.
♦ Vintage Motor Vehicles are defined as all two and four wheeler vehicles that are over 50 years old, have been kept in their original condition, and have not undergone any significant overhaul.
MH-60R Multi Role Helicopters – MRH
The Indian Navy has accepted the first two MH-60R Multi Role Helicopters (MRH).
Highlights:
♦ The Indian Navy is obtaining 24 MH-60R MRH (Manufactured by Lockheed Martin corporation) from the US (United States) government at an estimated cost of US$2.4 billion.
♦ The first two Sikorsky MH-60R multi-purpose helicopters have been handed over from the US Navy to the Indian Navy. At present, the MH-60R is the most advanced maritime multi-mission helicopter.
♦ The addition of these all-weather MRHs would improve the Indian Navy’s three-dimensional capabilities.
♦ The helicopters would also be outfitted with a variety of unique weapons and equipment.
Bio-toilets in Railways
A bio-toilet is a dry toilet that treats human waste through a biological process known as composting.
Highlights:
♦ It uses specific high graded bacteria (aerobic or anaerobic) to decompose human excretory waste in a digester tank, converting it into methane gas, carbon dioxide gas, and water.
♦ It treats human waste at the source. A group of anaerobic bacteria has been adapted to enter the biological digester as an inoculum (seed material) at temperatures as low as -5 degrees Celsius and as high as 50 degrees Celsius to convert human organic waste into water, methane and carbon dioxide gas.
Launch of Kiran Sarathi
Digital Platform Kisan Sarathi launched for farmers.
About Kisan Sarathi:
♦ It is a digital platform to facilitate farmers to get the ‘right information at the right time’ in their desired language.
♦ It is available in Hindi and other regional languages. Farmers can interact & avail personalised suggestions on agriculture and allied areas directly from the respective scientists of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs). These nodal centres ensure growers benefit from research and technology.
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