THE HEADLINES:
- Government approves sewerage projects worth 272 crore rupees under National Mission for Clean Ganga for Uttar Pradesh.
- Total annual groundwater recharge in the country increased by 15 Billion Cubic Meters in 2024.
- Cold wave tightens grip in North-West India; IMD forecasts scattered snowfall and rain in the region for next two days.
- India rings in New Year 2025 with festive and religious spirit.
- And in Football, West Bengal lifts Santosh Trophy by defeating Kerala 1-Nil in Hyderabad.
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The Central Government has approved a project worth 272 crore rupees for Chandauli and Manikpur in Uttar Pradesh under the National Mission for Clean Ganga. The 59th Executive Committee meeting of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), chaired by Director-General, NMCG Rajeev Kumar Mital yesterday approved several projects dedicated to the conservation and rejuvenation of the Ganga River. These initiatives are aimed at promoting the cleanliness, sustainable development, and preservation of the environmental and cultural significance of the river.
Taking a significant step towards river conservation in Buxar, Bihar, the committee has also approved an ambitious project at a cost of 257 crore rupees. Under this initiative, a state-of-the-art Sewage Treatment Plant with a capacity of 50 Million litres per day and supporting structures will be constructed.
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The total annual groundwater recharge in the country has increased by 15 Billion Cubic Meters and extraction has declined by three Billion Cubic Meters in 2024. Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil yesterday released the Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment Report for the year 2024. According to reports the total annual groundwater recharge has been assessed as over 446 Billion Cubic Meters. The annual groundwater extraction for all uses is over 245 Billion Cubic Meters.
The report highlights that 100 per cent of ground water samples in the North-Eastern States are in an excellent category for irrigation.
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In Madhya Pradesh, on the instructions of the Central Government’s Oversight Committee and the order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, action is being taken to destroy the remaining 337 metric tonnes of chemical waste of Union Carbide located in Bhopal. The packing, loading and transportation of the Union Carbide waste will be done in special containers, as per the standards set by the Central Pollution Control Board and with strong security arrangements.
“The containers containing Union Carbide waste will be accompanied by police, ambulance, fire brigade and quick response team. These containers are leak proof and fire resistant. The movement of these containers will be monitored by GPS. Gas Relief and Rehabilitation Director Swatantra Kumar Singh has said that the waste will be transported soon by creating a green corridor from Bhopal to Pithampur.
Meanwhile, the government has clarified that during and after the trial run of destroying Union Carbide’s waste, the emission standards were found to be in accordance with the prescribed national standards and no harmful elements were found in the water and air. Sanjeev Sharma, Akashvani News, Bhopal.”
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In the last ten years, the Narendra Modi government has propelled a new wave of opportunities for India’s youth. Our correspondent reports that in the first 100 days of the third term of the Modi Government, appointment letters have been issued to over 15 thousand youth for government jobs.
“From reimagining education through the transformative New Education Policy to nearly doubling the number of medical colleges, the government has laid the foundation for a future brimming with possibilities. The government is providing internship opportunities to one crore youth to bridge the gap between education and employment. More than one crore 42 lakh youths have been trained under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana. To address the systemic issues of cheating and unfair practices in public examinations, the government introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. Recognizing the importance of science and technology in India’s future, the Vigyan Dhara Scheme was launched to inspire and empower young minds to pursue careers in Science and Technology. The revival of the ancient Nalanda University is a testament to the Modi Government’s dedication to preserving its rich educational heritage. With Dipendra Kumar, Bhanu Pratap Singh, Akashvani News, Delhi.”
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Akashvani News brings you glimpses of 2024 in its special Year-Ender series. Today, we take a look at the key initiatives and achievements of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
“India crossed the 200 Giga Watt milestone of total installed Renewable Energy capacity in September 2024, marking a 14 per cent increase compared to the previous year. In February 2024, the government launched the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana to install rooftop solar panels in one crore households. India’s cumulative installed solar energy capacity has reached over 94 GigaWatt. The National Green Hydrogen Mission with an outlay of 600 crore rupees was also launched to reduce fossil fuel imports by one lakh crore and cut carbon emissions by five Million Metric Tonnes by 2030. This mission aims to position India as a global hub for green hydrogen production and export, creating over 6 lakh jobs and attracting investments worth 8 lakh crore rupees by 2030. Pallavi Parmar, Akashvani News, Delhi.”
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The Manipur government will provide collateral free loans up to 50,000 rupees to the ethnic violence displaced people under the Chief Minister’s Entrepreneurship Support Scheme (CMESS). The announcement was made by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh in Imphal yesterday. The Chief Minister said that the government has already provided loans under the scheme to around 426 displaced people to support their entrepreneurial activities. He also urged the people to apply for financial assistance under the scheme.
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India rings in New Year 2025 with festive and religious spirit. President Droupadi Murmu greeted the nation on the New Year 2025. In a social media post President said, may the year 2025 bring joy, harmony and prosperity to all. She added that on this occasion, let us renew our commitment to work together for creating a brighter, more inclusive and sustainable future for India and the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also greeted the people saying may this year bring everyone new opportunities, success and endless joy.
The national capital welcomed New Year 2025 with a blend of religious fervor and vibrant celebrations. Devotees flocked to temples, including Birla Mandir and Jhandewalan Temple, to attend the morning Aarti and seek blessings on the first day of the New Year.
In Himachal Pradesh tourists and local people welcomed the New Year with great enthusiasm. In view of the huge number of tourists, elaborate security arrangements have also been made in the state.
“To make the New Year celebration memorable, tourists as well as local people were seen dancing and singing till 12 o’clock in the night. A ot of enthusiasm was seen especially among the tourists and youth for the New Year celebrations. Special programs were also organized for the entertainment of tourists in various hotels of the state. The administration has made elaborate security arrangements in Shimla, Manali and other tourist destinations. Meanwhile, on the first day of the new year, people are offering prayers in Shaktipeeths and other temples of the state and wishing each other a Happy New year. Prabha Sharma, Akashvani News, Shimla.”
In Mumbai, the administration has made various arrangements for new year celebrations. Large gatherings were witnessed at various places including the Marine Drive, Juhu Beach and Gateway of India.
“The city sea front in Mumbai including places like Marine Drive, Gateway of India, Girgaon Chowpatty, Bandra Bandstand, Juhu and Versova beaches witness large number of revellers who gather celebrate the New Year. The administration has tightened security in order to avoid any untoward incident in the city. More than 14,000 police personnel have been deployed in the city. On the first of the year, special aartis are performed at various temples including the Siddhivinayak temple and Prabhadevi. Special masses are being held at Churches. Prarthna, Akashvani News, Mumbai.”
In Kerala, partying, dancing, music and colourful firework displays marked the New Year celebrations across the state. Revellers gathered in large numbers at beaches and other open places to welcome the New Year.
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to scattered rainfall and snowfall over the Western Himalayan region during the next two to three days. According to the IMD, cold to severe cold conditions are expected in isolated places over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh today. Dense fog conditions are also very likely to prevail during the night and morning hours in Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura over the next two-three days.
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In Jammu & Kashmir, the cold wave conditions have intensified across Kashmir since the last two days, with the MeT office forecasting fresh spells of light to moderate snowfall in the valley during the week.
“Director Meteorological Department Dr Mukhtar Ahmad said a feeble western disturbance is likely to hit Kashmir till tomorrow with possibility of light snow at scattered places. He further said there is a chance of snow at most places with peak activity on January 4 to 6 adding there was a possibility of heavy snow at a few places in the higher reaches during the second spell. Kashmir is currently under the grip of 40 day ‘Chillai-Kalan’, that is the harshest period of winter that will end on 30th of this month. TARIQ RATHER, Akashvani News, Srinagar.”
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India’s fiscal deficit for the first eight months of this fiscal year through November stood at 8.47 lakh crore rupees, or 52.5 percent of annual estimates, data from Ministry of Finance showed. Total receipts stood at 18.94 lakh crore rupees, while overall expenditure in April to November was at 27.41 lakh crore rupees. These figures were 59.1 percent and 56.9 percent of this fiscal year’s budget target. Tax revenue was 14.43 lakh crore rupees and non-tax revenue was 4.27 lakh crore rupees.
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Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has signed a new law ending the death penalty in the country. The move follows a recent vote in parliament to scrap capital punishment. Although Zimbabwe hasn’t executed anyone since 2005, courts continued to issue death sentences for serious crimes like murder. Zimbabwe’s Minister of Justice Mr. Ziyambi Ziyambi called the change a sign of Zimbabwe’s commitment to justice and humanity.
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In Football, West Bengal clinched their 33rd National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy, defeating Kerala 1-nil in the final at Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad. Robi Hansda scored the decisive goal in injury time, ending Bengal’s seven-year title drought. Hansda, the tournament’s top scorer with 12 goals, was awarded both the Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament honors.
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In the World Blitz Chess Championship 2024, Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi shared the title after their final match ended in a tie in New York yesterday. Carlsen, who led 2-NIL, needed a draw in the third game to win the title. However, Nepomniachtchi came back to level the score 2-2, forcing tiebreaks. After three draws in sudden-death games, Carlsen proposed sharing the title, which was accepted.
In the Women’s section, China’s Ju Wenjun defeated her compatriot Lei Tingjie in the final to win the World Blitz Championship, completing a double after drawing five games.
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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINE,
The government’s response to the President of Yemen approving the execution of an Indian nurse dominates front page headlines. The Tribune reports “MEA promises to provide assistance to Kerala nurse facing execution in Yemen”.
The meeting of the foreign ministers of the four-nation Quad grouping is widely noticed in the press. The Hindustan Times writes “Quad foreign ministers reiterate vow to ensure free, open Indo-Pacific”.
The Indian Express reintroduces us to India’s billionth baby who was born in the year 2000. The paper writes “Meet Astha,25, an Army nurse with a dream; A house where each of us has a room”.
And finally, the Times of India informs us of some new Gen Z terms like ‘tomoz’ for tomorrow and ‘Peng’ for very beautiful that have been added to the official Scrabble dictionary.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:-
- Government approves sewerage projects worth 272 crore rupees under National Mission for Clean Ganga for Uttar Pradesh.
- Total annual groundwater recharge in the country increased by 15 Billion Cubic Meters in 2024.
- Cold wave tightens grip in North-West India; IMD forecasts scattered snowfall and rain in the region for next two days.
- India rings in New Year 2025 with festive and religious spirit.
- And in Football, West Bengal lifts Santosh Trophy by defeating Kerala 1-nil in Hyderabad.
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