Current Affairs - 30th Jan - 2014
New Delhi women commission head
Maitreyi Pushpa is made as the new Delhi women commission head by Lt. governor Najeeb Jung.Pushpa is renowned for her feminist writings and strong feminist leanings. The suggestion has come in the backdrop of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government accusing the present DCW chairperson Barkha Singh of politicising the role of her office while dealing with the midnight raid episode allegedly involving Law Minister Somnath Bharti.
World’s largest solar power project
In a first of its kind venture, six public sector undertakings (PSUs) including state-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) on 29 January 2014 announced joining hands to set up world’s largest 4,000 MW ultra mega solar power project in Rajasthan.In Rajasthan this solar plant spread across 19,000 acres is going to be established in Sambhar. The project will be the largest single location solar plant spread across 19,000 acres at Sambhar in Rajasthan. It entails an investment of Rs. 7,500 crore in the first phase. The JV will have equity of 26% from BHEL, 23% from SECI (Solar Energy Corporation of India), 16% from SSL (Sambhar Salt Ltd), 16% from PGCIL, 16% from SJVNL (Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam) and 3% from REIL (Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments Limited).
India has largest population of illiterates
According to the recently released Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2013-14, India has the largest population of illiterate adults in the world and it comprises of about 37% of the global total. The total number of illiterate adults in India according to this report is 287 million or 28.7 crore.The report mentions that India’s literacy rate rose from 48% in 1991 to 63% in 2006, the latest year it has available data, but population growth cancelled the gains so there was no change in the number of illiterate adults.
Study on fuel usage in India
A study conducted by Nielsen and commissioned by Oil Ministry’s Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC), in its report has found that cheaper fuel is finding usage by unintended beneficiaries. According to this study the proportion of diese being consumed by high-end cars and SUVs (sports utility vehicles) is 13.15%.This study found that 70% of the diesel was being used in the transport sector. Private cars and SUVs consumed 13.15% of the 69.08 million tonne diesel consumed in the country in 2012-13. Commercial vehicles such as trucks however constituted the largest user base of diesel at 28.25%. Other commercial vehicles used another 8.94% and three-wheelers, a further 6.39%. Agriculture tractors and pumps used 13% of the diesel. Industries and electricity generators consumed almost 9% diesel, while mobile towers used 1.54%. The study found that 99.6% of petrol is consumed in the transport sector alone. Of this, majority consumption of 61.42% is accounted for by two-wheelers while cars use 34.33%, followed by 3-wheelers at 2.34%.
