TITBITS
:
1. In
a sharp escalation of the row between the two countries, India ordered the
expulsion of six Canadian diplomats, while also announcing its decision to
withdraw the Indian High Commissioner to Canada and "other targeted
diplomats", citing security concerns after Ottawa identified them as
"persons of interest" in its investigation into the killing of
Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
2. The Royal Swedish Academy of
Sciences awarded the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of
Alfred Nobel for 2024 to three US-based economists - Daron Acemoglu, Simon
Johnson, and James A Robinson - "for studies of how institutions are
formed and affect prosperity".
3. The Union Ministry of Labour
and Employment is drafting a national law to incorporate gig workers into
social security schemes, offering benefits such as health insurance and
retirement savings.
4.MAHARATNA
STATUS
Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has achieved Maharatna status,
granting it greater financial autonomy.This recognition underscores HAL’s
crucial role in India’s aerospace and defence sectors, promoting self-reliance
and global competitiveness.As mentioned above, HAL will be the 14th Maharatna company in India. The first 13 Maharatna companies
are as below:
- National
Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Ltd;
- Oil
and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Ltd;
- Steel
Authority of India Limited (SAIL);
- Bharat
Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL);
- Indian
Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL);
- Hindustan
Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL);
- Coal
India Limited (CIL);
- GAIL
India Limited;
- Bharat
Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL);
- Power
Grid Corporation of India Limited;
- Power
Finance Corporation (PFC);
- Rural
Electrification Corporation (REC) Limited; and
- Oil
India Ltd (OIL).
5.NATIONAL
ELECTRICITY PLAN:
The National Electricity Plan (Transmission) by the
CEA outlines India’s roadmap for achieving 600 GW of renewable energy
capacity by 2032, including storage systems and cross-border
connectivity.It highlights massive investment opportunities and technological
advancements in the transmission sector.