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The has authorized a USD 250 million project in India for long-term dam safety Software and improving the safety and performance of existing Dams across quite a number of states of India.

Highlights:

The 2nd Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP-2) agreement was inked on between the World Bank, the Indian Government, the Central Water Commission, and government representatives from 10 collaborating states. The assignment will be applied at the countrywide stage through the Central Water Commission (Cwc).

At the national level, about a hundred and twenty dams will be undertaken throughout Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu. Other states or businesses may additionally be added to the mission at some point of task implementation.

Aadhaar-based face authentication is gaining traction, having jumped to 10.6 million, up 34% since the start of this financial year, due to its increasing use in accessing central as well as several Services. Latest government data estimates that its use has increased over 22 times since last September.

The service, introduced by theUnique Identification Authority of India(UIDAI) in October 2021, initially saw a slow to take off but has gained traction in recent months.

Official sources saidAndhra Pradeshgovernment is one of the top users among the states for its Jagananna Vidya Deevena Scheme for fee reimbursement to eligible higher Education students and under the EBC Nestham scheme for welfare delivery to Women from economically backward segments.

Face authentication is also used by central government staf for attendance and by senior citizens to provide life certification through the Jeevan Pramaan facility launched by the department of personnel and training.Aayushmaan Bharatand PM-Kisan are the two central schemes where the use of the tool has significantly picked up.

A recent study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) warns that the warming Climate caused by is poised to have a detrimental impact on bird populations, with an estimated 12 per cent decrease in the Average songbird species. Researchers have found that the warmer climate will disrupt the breeding patterns of birds, leading to fewer chicks being produced.

The study, conducted by scientists from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and Michigan State University in the United States, highlights that the mismatch between an early spring onset and the birds’ readiness to breed is expected to worsen as global temperatures continue to rise.

The research reveals that birds experience reduced breeding productivity when they initiate breeding either too early or too late in the season. This phenomenon contributes to the projected 12% decline in the average songbird species.

Greater Chennai Police established a Drone Police Unit to assist cops in aerial surveillance. This will particularly be helpful in case of large gatherings, real-time checking of vehicle registration data and spotting of suspects.

According to the police, a total of nine drones under three categories are available in this unit: Quick Response Surveillance Drones (6), Heavy Lift Multirotor Drone (1) and Long Range Survey Wing Place (2). These are all equipped with built-in (AI) capabilities and can be operated up to a distance of 5-10 km from the ground station.

These drones equipped with AI technology can accurate estimate crowds during festivals or other gatherings, thereby enabling police to correctly plan crowd control strategies.

Debt-trappedPakistanwill become the fourth largestIMF borrowerin the world after receiving a fresh loan of $3 billion in the next nine months under the standby arrangement reached with the global lender.
Pakistan, which is facing its worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1947, was on March 31, 2023, ranked fifth in the list of countries with the highest borrowing from theInternational Monetary Fund(IMF), The Express Tribune newspaper reported, citing the global lender’s data.

However, Pakistan will move to the fourth place in this list when it receives another $3 billion in the next nine months under the Stand-By Arrangement made with the Washington-based global lender.

Earlier, in terms of loans from the IMF, Argentina ranked first with $ 46 billion, Egypt stood in second place with $18 billion, Ukraine came in third with $ 12.2 billion, Ecuador took the fourth spot with $8.2 billion, and Pakistan was at fifth position with $7.4 billion.
With loans from the global lender worth $10.4 billion, Pakistan will overtake Ecuador to become the world’s fourth-largest IMF borrower.

In August 2022, the IMF extended $1.1 billion to Pakistan as part of a $6.5 billion programme agreed back in July 2019.

Indians stands at 11%. In a research study published in ‘Scientific Reports’ journal ofNaturegroup, it was revealed that around 89% were willing to be vaccinated.

Various sections of people like those who are delaying taking the Covid-19 vaccine, those undecided and those who would reject the vaccine even if it is provided for free are included. Respondents for the vaccine study are mostly fromTelangana(7.1%),Karnataka(32%), Nadu(15.5%) andAndhra Pradesh(8.7%).

The study was aimed at identifying vaccine hesitancy behaviour among Indian Population. The researchers collected data from 1,006 participants. The study found a prevalence rate of vaccine hesitancy in the population.

Concerned over the countrys rising food subsidy bill, the Centre has asked states to reduce their statutory and overhead charges on the minimum support price (MSP) of foodgrains, which include mandi fees, arathia commission and development fees, to 2% or less.

WhilePunjaband Haryana add a maximum charge of 6% and 4% on theMSPrespectively, four other states Uttar Pradesh,Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh and levy charges more than 2%.

According to the 2020-21 annual report of Food Corporation of India (Fci), it paid Rs 5,550 crore to the states. Making a detailed presentation before food ministers and secretaries from states, the food ministry has urged them to reduce such charges to help lower the subsidy burden.

The ministry urged the state governments to float tenders for getting short-term cash credit loans (CCl) to get a lower interest rate. It cited how the FCI has got short-term loans at an interest rate of less than 5%. The Centre has also asked states to transport paddy from mandis to mills directly and thereby avoiding storage expenses.

The pandemic seems to have put India’s national accounting system in disarray with the combined GSDP (gross state domestic product) at 2011-12 prices of 26 large states and UTs exceeding the national GDP by Rs 4.7 lakh crore, shows data collated from the RBI and state governments. And this is despite the fact that four north-eastern states and the smaller UTs are not part of the total.

For the financial year 2020-21, the combined total of GSDP (constant prices) of these 26 states and UTs, for which data is available, works out to Rs 140.3 lakh crore. But the country’s GDP for the same year at constant prices was Rs 135.6 lakh crore, according to estimates put out on May 31.

Analysis of data since 2011-12, the year from which state GSDP data for the base 2011-12 is available, shows that in the past, the combined GSDP of 26 large states and UTs ranged between 97% and 99% of the country’s GDP. In 2019-20, this increased to 99.9% of the national GDP but for 2020-21 it was 104% of India’s GDP. This means the aggregate of these state economies is larger than the economy of the country, clearly not possible.

Kerala seems to have suffered the most as the state’s economy shrunk by 9.2%. The figures were 7.6% for Maharashtra, the country’s largest state economy with nearly 14% of national GDP for 2020-21.

Other states whose economies shrunk by 6% or higher were Haryana, Delhi, HP, UP,Rajasthanand Punjab. Among smaller states, Meghalaya was the worst hit as its economy shrunk by 7.5%. The data for 2020-21 was not available for , AP, Chandigarh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Puducherry.

The BTIA was proposed to encompass trade in goods, Services and investments

Recently,India and theEuropean Unionconcluded the first round of negotiations for India-EU Trade and Agreements in New Delhi.