Today's Headlines - 01 August 2023
Lok Sabha passes MMDR Amendment bill
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)
The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023 was taken up for consideration and passed by the Lok Sabha. This bill proposes to empower the Central government to exclusively auction mining lease and composite licence for 26 critical minerals in the country.
More about the Amendment
This amendment to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, “would facilitate, encourage and incentivise private sector participation in all spheres of mineral exploration for critical and deep-seated minerals”. Under the existing framework, state governments auction mining blocks.
Even in case of conduct of auction by the central government, the mineral concession shall be granted to the selected bidders by the state government only and the auction premium and other statutory payments shall accrue to the state government.
According to the statement of objects and reasons for the bill, it would help hasten the pace of auction and early production of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and graphite that are crucial for electric vehicles and batteries.
Nickel, platinum, and tin-bearing minerals are also among the 26 that are proposed to be brought under the ambit of the central government.
This would be the Fifth Amendment to the MMDR Act since 2014. Earlier changes included mandating e-auction for mineral resources, and allowing extension of mining leases which were expiring.
#upsc #news #loksabha #MMDR #amendnent #bill #polity #mines #minerals #development #central #goverment #critical #goverments #statutory #exploration #lithium #cobalt #grapite #nickel #platinum #resources #leases #private #sector
Lok Sabha passes MMDR Amendment bill
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)
The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023 was taken up for consideration and passed by the Lok Sabha. This bill proposes to empower the Central government to exclusively auction mining lease and composite licence for 26 critical minerals in the country.
More about the Amendment
This amendment to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, “would facilitate, encourage and incentivise private sector participation in all spheres of mineral exploration for critical and deep-seated minerals”. Under the existing framework, state governments auction mining blocks.
Even in case of conduct of auction by the central government, the mineral concession shall be granted to the selected bidders by the state government only and the auction premium and other statutory payments shall accrue to the state government.
According to the statement of objects and reasons for the bill, it would help hasten the pace of auction and early production of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and graphite that are crucial for electric vehicles and batteries.
Nickel, platinum, and tin-bearing minerals are also among the 26 that are proposed to be brought under the ambit of the central government.
This would be the Fifth Amendment to the MMDR Act since 2014. Earlier changes included mandating e-auction for mineral resources, and allowing extension of mining leases which were expiring.
#upsc #news #loksabha #MMDR #amendnent #bill #polity #mines #minerals #development #central #goverment #critical #goverments #statutory #exploration #lithium #cobalt #grapite #nickel #platinum #resources #leases #private #sector
Today's Headlines - 17 August 2023
'PM-eBus Sewa' approved
GS Paper - 2 (Infrastructure)
The Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister approved the Rs 57,613 crore PM-eBus Sewa initiatives to augment the use of electric buses in 169 cities. The scheme will augment city bus operations, under which priority will be given to cities having no organised bus service.
More about the Initiatives
These include all the capital cities of Union Territories (UTs), north eastern and hill states. The e-buses will be provided under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode for 10 years.
The scheme will cover cities of 3 lakh and above population and priority will be given to cities not having organised bus services.
Ten thousand e-buses will be deployed on public-private partnership (PPP) model in 169 cities.
Infrastructure will be upgraded in 181 cities under the Green Urban Mobility Initiatives.
The Scheme has two segments
Segment A – Augmenting the City bus services (169 cities)
The approved bus scheme will augment city bus operations with 10,000 e-buses on Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Associated Infrastructure will provide support for Development/ up-gradation of depot infrastructure; and Creation of behind-the-meter power infrastructure (substation, etc.) for e-buses.
Segment B– Green Urban Mobility Initiatives (GUMI): (181 cities)
The scheme envisages green initiatives like bus priority, infrastructure, multimodal interchange facilities, NCMC-based Automated Fare Collection Systems, Charging infrastructure, etc.
Support for Operation: Under the scheme, States/Cities shall be responsible for running the bus services and making payments to the bus operators.
The Central Government will support these bus operations by providing subsidies to the extent specified in the proposed scheme.
Boost to E-Mobility:
The scheme will promote e-mobility and provide full support for behind-the-meter power infrastructure.
Cities will also be supported for development of charging infrastructure under Green Urban Mobility Initiatives.
The support to bus priority infrastructure shall not only accelerate the proliferation of state-of-the-art, energy efficient electric buses but also foster the innovation in the e-mobility sector as well as development of resilient supply chain for electric vehicles.
This scheme shall also bring in economies of scale for procurement of electric buses through aggregation for e-buses.
Adoption to Electric mobility will reduce noise and air pollution and curb carbon emission.
Modal shift due to increased share of bus-based public transportation will lead to GHG reduction.
#upsc #news #headline #PM #ebus #sewa #infrastructure #cabinet #electric #cities #operations #service #unionterritories #partnership #population #mobility #scheme #segments #public #private #depot #infrastructure #development #NCMC #collection #system #airpollution #carbonemission #transportation #GHG #adoption #procurement
'PM-eBus Sewa' approved
GS Paper - 2 (Infrastructure)
The Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister approved the Rs 57,613 crore PM-eBus Sewa initiatives to augment the use of electric buses in 169 cities. The scheme will augment city bus operations, under which priority will be given to cities having no organised bus service.
More about the Initiatives
These include all the capital cities of Union Territories (UTs), north eastern and hill states. The e-buses will be provided under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode for 10 years.
The scheme will cover cities of 3 lakh and above population and priority will be given to cities not having organised bus services.
Ten thousand e-buses will be deployed on public-private partnership (PPP) model in 169 cities.
Infrastructure will be upgraded in 181 cities under the Green Urban Mobility Initiatives.
The Scheme has two segments
Segment A – Augmenting the City bus services (169 cities)
The approved bus scheme will augment city bus operations with 10,000 e-buses on Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Associated Infrastructure will provide support for Development/ up-gradation of depot infrastructure; and Creation of behind-the-meter power infrastructure (substation, etc.) for e-buses.
Segment B– Green Urban Mobility Initiatives (GUMI): (181 cities)
The scheme envisages green initiatives like bus priority, infrastructure, multimodal interchange facilities, NCMC-based Automated Fare Collection Systems, Charging infrastructure, etc.
Support for Operation: Under the scheme, States/Cities shall be responsible for running the bus services and making payments to the bus operators.
The Central Government will support these bus operations by providing subsidies to the extent specified in the proposed scheme.
Boost to E-Mobility:
The scheme will promote e-mobility and provide full support for behind-the-meter power infrastructure.
Cities will also be supported for development of charging infrastructure under Green Urban Mobility Initiatives.
The support to bus priority infrastructure shall not only accelerate the proliferation of state-of-the-art, energy efficient electric buses but also foster the innovation in the e-mobility sector as well as development of resilient supply chain for electric vehicles.
This scheme shall also bring in economies of scale for procurement of electric buses through aggregation for e-buses.
Adoption to Electric mobility will reduce noise and air pollution and curb carbon emission.
Modal shift due to increased share of bus-based public transportation will lead to GHG reduction.
#upsc #news #headline #PM #ebus #sewa #infrastructure #cabinet #electric #cities #operations #service #unionterritories #partnership #population #mobility #scheme #segments #public #private #depot #infrastructure #development #NCMC #collection #system #airpollution #carbonemission #transportation #GHG #adoption #procurement
#upsc #news #headline #private #rockets #3D #printed #engines #emerging #technology #chennai #spacetech #agnikul #cosmos #rocket #developed #launchpad #flight #suborbital #company #hyderabad #skyroot #indian #commence #integration #aerospace #vikram #privatespace #industry #vehicle #agnilet #agnibaan #LEO #payloads #earth #orbit #diameter #mass #cryogenic #supercold #kerosene #dhawan #superalloy #globally #economy #indiannationalspacepromation #authorisationcenter #satellite #market #research #ISRO #NASA #scientificmisssion