ANDHRA PRADESH

Andhra Pradesh government mulls new system to solve streetlight troubles

As the LED streetlight maintenance system remains far from perfect, the state government is contemplating the introduction of a new complaint monitoring system (CMS) by involving the panchayati raj and energy departments along with village volunteers to improve the street lighting system in the state.

The country’s biggest street lighting project, being implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) in Andhra Pradesh, has failed to meet maintenance standards, say officials.

The EESL is looking after the maintenance of LED streetlights but often failing to restore malfunctioning lights within the stipulated time period of 72 hours. According to energy department officials, the current average restoration time in seven to nine days against the three days as has been agreed upon.

The state government is aiming to reduce restoration time to somewhere between 24 and 48 hours. The panchayati raj department has prepared a draft proposal in this regard. In a review meeting on Sunday, officials explained the draft proposal to panchayati raj minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy.

The new system is slated to lead to a four-fold increase in manpower. Therefore, the number of lights in a person’s charge will go down from 4,000 currently to 1,000. Inordinate delays take place as one technician has to look after 4,000 lights across up to 20 villages, officials said while adding that under the new system, this will come down to 1,000 lights per technician spread across four to five villages.

INTERNATIONAL

Russia plans to take first tourist on space walk in 2023

Russia’s Energia space corporation said that it will take the first tourist on a space walk in 2023, under the terms of a new contract with a US partner.

Energia has inked a contract with Space Adventures, which promises to take two space tourists to the International Space Station.

As per the deal, two tourists will be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) in the year 2023 under the joint agreement of both the companies.

From the end of RSC Energia, one of the two tourists will be able to do a spacewalk together with a cosmonaut from Roscosmos.

Australia, New Zealand to co-host FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup

Australia and New Zealand will co-host the Women’s World Cup in 2023, with the following edition possibly set to take place just two years later.

The joint bid beat Colombia 22-13 in a vote by FIFA’s ruling council, which judged them as having the best commercial prospects for women’s soccer.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino was one of the members who voted for Australia and New Zealand to stage the first 32-team Women’s World Cup.

FIFA’s decision means South America is still waiting to host its first Women’s World Cup, a tournament that was first played in 1991.

The 2023 tournament will be the first time a World Cup for men or women will be shared across two countries from different FIFA confederations.

NATIONAL

President promulgates Banking Regulation Amendment Ordinance 2020 to ensure safety

President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. It is in pursuance with the commitment to ensure the safety of depositors across banks. The Ordinance will amend the Banking Regulation Act 1949 as applicable to Cooperative Banks.

The Ordinance will seek to protect the interests of depositors and strengthen cooperative banks by improving governance and oversight.

The ordinance will extend powers that are already available with RBI in respect of other banks to Co-operative Banks and for sound banking regulation, and by ensuring professionalism and enabling their access to capital.

The amendments do not affect existing powers of the State Registrars of Co-operative Societies under state co-operative laws.

The amendments do not apply to Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) or co-operative societies whose primary object and principal business is long-term finance for agricultural development, and which do not use the word “bank” or “banker” or “banking” and do not act as drawees of cheques.

RailTel to provide video surveillance at 6,049 stations across country

The Indian Railways has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with RailTel for installation of an IP-based video surveillance system at 6,049 railway stations across the country.

RailTel is a public sector undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Railways.

It will provide the video surveillance system (VSS) work at the 6,049 stations under categories A1, A, B, C ,D and E of the Indian Railways.

The scope of work also includes integration of the existing standalone CCTV network of the railways into the VSS system for centralised monitoring.

Indian Institute of Science develops Nanozymes

A research team at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru has developed nanozymes that destroy the cell membrane of bacteria by directly targeting its phospholipids.

Nanozymes are nanomaterials that can disintegrate the cell membranes of a range of diseases causing bacteria.

The nanomaterial developed in IISc is tested on several potentially pathogenic bacteria causing typhoid, gastroenteritis, dysentery, cholera and pneumonia.

It was found that the nanozyme stopped growth and killed the microbes.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Launches ‘eBlood Services’ Mobile App Amid COVID-19 Crisis

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan launched the ‘eBlood Services’ Mobile Application, in partnership with the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), for easy access to blood in this critical time of coronavirus pandemic.

Notably, this initiative would help the people to get the blood on time just by registering on the application.

A person will be able to place orders for four units of blood at a time.

The ‘eBloodServices’ mobile application is developed by the ERaktkosh team of Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).

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