Arunachal: MoA to be signed with CPSU for hydropower developmentArunachal Pradesh Cabinet, in its 7th meeting of the year chaired by Chief Minister Pema Khandu gave its go ahead signal for proposed inking of Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) for the development of hydropower in the State, which will unlock the potential five hydroelectric projects (HEPs) with an installed capacity of 2820 MW.

The Cabinet approved the MoA to be signed with CPSU for development of hydropower in the State. This will pave the way to unlocking potential 5 HEPs with an installed capacity of 2820 MW. This will spur huge in the State and generate EMPLOYMENT.

Further, the Cabinet gave its nod to recall the order of new Chairman and Members of Appsc (Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission) and recommended the same to the Governor for recalling the appointment orders of 7th February 2023.


AFSPA to be extended in 8 Assam districts

The Assam government will extend the ‘disturbed area’ tag under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) for another six months in eight districts of the state from April 1. It will be extended for Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao, according to a notification issued by the state Home and political department. The tag, however, would be lifted from Lakhipur sub-division of Cachar district from April 1, following a review of the law and order scenario in the state. The Centre had earlier announced removal of AFSPA from April 1, 2022 from the entire state of Assam barring nine districts and a sub-division of Cachar district. The state was declared a ‘disturbed area’ under AFSPA during the intervening night of November 27-28, 1990, and this has been extended every six months since then.

Given the way ground water is getting depleted for various reasons, Odisha may face a severe water crisis by 2051, revealed a study made by the SwitchON Foundation.

According to the study, parts of the State are yet to achieve the recommended daily drinking water target of 40 liter per capita per day (LPCD). While about 17 districts in the State have issues with saline groundwater, in many districts, the concentration of fluoride, nitrate, iron and chromium (hexavalent) are found to be above the permissible limits. Besides, there is huge wastage of water in the domestic sector. Due to a lack of adequate and metering, around 54% of unaccounted water losses were observed within the system.

The availability of water by the year 2051 was assessed, and the result shows that the surface water availability from its own drainage boundary remains more or less fixed but the inflow of surface water from neighbouring States will be reduced from 37.556 billion cubic metres (BCM) to 25.272 BCM.

The study indicated that by the year 2051 the total water requirement may go up to 85 BCM from the present requirement of 55 BCM, and the State may face a severe water scarcity situation in 2051.

Tamil Nadu can become Indias tech capital

Naducontributes more than 10% to the countrys overall technology sector and all stakeholders must come together to increase this, chief minister M K Stalin said on Thursday, in a video message addressing the technology conference Umagine Chennai 2023. More than 1,300 centres in the field of tech are already present in the state. We have the best educational institutions and we are already leading in the fields of automation and innovation, he said. The information technology (IT) sector is key for our model of inclusive development, and I urge the Industry to work together and help us achieve these goals, he added.

Inaugurating the event, state I&T minister Mano Thangaraj said TNs Software export potential is immense, and it can become Indias tech capital. The state is in talks with Google and Amazon to grow here, and they are proceeding well, he added.
The minister said the state has already identified land parcels for the tech cities announced in the statebudgetearlier this week. The one in Chennai is around 150 acres, the second will be in Hosur on around 500 acres, and we will soon identify land in Coimbatore, the minister said.

‘Kerala is one of the best marketed states for tourism’

British Deputy High Commissioner Chandru Iyer, who is in charge ofKeralaand Karnataka, talks to TOI’s Nijeesh Narayanan on issues of mutual interest for Kerala and his country. He was in the state in connection with the port of call of theBritish Royal Navy warshipHMS Lancaster inKochi.

India-UK relation is centuries old and is very strong. Our Royal Navy ship is now in Cochin port and Indian Air Force personnel are currently in the UK participating in Cobra Warrior’s exercise. Talks on between India and UK is going on smoothly in Delhi.

Kerala is one of the best marketed states for tourism. While planning holidays in India, British people prefer either Goa or Kerala. The Kerala government is doing a great job in promoting the state as a tourism destination.

Telangana HC summons tourism corp MD on delay in Hill Fort renovation

Telanganahigh court on Monday took a serious view of the delaying tactics of the authorities for dodging the renovation and protection ofHill Fortpalace, a heritage structure, in Basheerbagh.

A bench of Chief JusticeUjjal Bhuyanand N Tukaramji asked theTelangana State Tourism Development Corporation MDto be present in the court along with the blueprint on April 20 or face a contempt case.

The bench did not hide its disappointment when the state counsel sought time once again to furnish a report on the governments plan of action to renovate and protect the structure.

Andhra Pradesh govt releases investors friendly New Industrial Policy

Andhra Pradeshindustries minister Gudivada Amarnath said that theYSRCP governmenthas brought the new Industrial Policy even though the existing policys term is to be completed. Many governments would take long gaps in announcing new policies even after the existing policy term was completed. By putting aside this practice, the YSRCP government has brought the 2023-27 New Industrial Policy which isinvestors friendly policy.

Industries ministerGudivada Amaranthreleased the New Industrial Policy and also launched YSR AP One on Monday and said that CM Jagan Mohan Reddy gave priority to many sectors that were neglected by the previous governments. He said the new industrial policy is showcasing the state’s financial Growth. Ware Housing got the ‘s status in the New Policy. The new policy focused on Low-Cast Low-Risk businesses.

The stable government and industrial policy with reforms attracted investors during the Global Investors Summit. The State Government planned to utilize its entire 974 km coastline as CM had decided to construct Ports and fishing harbors, besides Port based industries on 48,000 acres adjacent to these ports and harbours. The state government would encourage land waterways rather than road transport.

Goa: In new bill, industries can buy agriculture land ‘to pursue farming’

The Goa Restriction on Transfer ofAgricultural Land Bill, 2023, introduced in the assembly, has provisions for industries, societies, andnon-agriculturistswho intend to buy agricultural land to pursue farming.

Farmerscannot sell agricultural land to non-agriculturists unless the collector concerned grants permission. The permission may be granted in special circumstances, such as when an industrial or a commercial undertaking needs land for Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture in connection with its operations.

Only 10% of colleges in Maharashtra offering tech courses are accredited

Only 10% of colleges in the state offering technical Education in engineering, MBA, architecture, etc have courses that are accredited by the National Board of Accreditation (NBA). Of the 1,502 technical colleges in the state, only about 156 have accredited courses. Together these colleges offer 5,921 courses, but only 471 are accredited.

The data was provided in a written answer by the higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil in the state assembly over questions raised by the opposition. Colleges have been given a deadline of six months to seek the board’s accreditation for eligible courses. The board accredits technical courses in the country and not the entire college like the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).

Accreditation from NBA is must for professional courses, as is reinforced by the All-India Council of Technical Education (AICTE). And it will be wrong for colleges to seek permission for new courses, or to seek an increase in intake capacity for existing courses without it.

The state will act as per section 110 (4) of theMaharashtraPublic Universities Act, 2016, which states colleges failing to comply with accreditation or re-accreditation requirements can be denied affiliation by the university. Such institutions then cannot admit any student.