Coal Ministry aims to achieve 100 Million Ton Coal Gasification by 2030

​​​​​​​Coal India signs MoUs with BHEL, IOCL and GAIL (India) for setting up Coal Gasification Projects.

4 MoUs signed to establish 4 large-scale coal-to-chemical projects through the surface coal gasification method. 3 MoUs were signed by Coal India Limited (CIL) with BHEL, IOCL and GAIL(India) while one was between BHEL and NLC India Limited.

Surface Coal Gasification (SCG) projects will be set up in the states of West Bengal, Odisha, Chattisgarh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

What is Surface Coal Gasification (SCG) Method?

Coal is converted into Syngas through the SCG technique. Syngas can be further processed to produce chemicals which are otherwise produced through expensive and imported natural gas or crude oil. Needless to say, it makes the end product costlier apart from draining our foreign exchange reserves.

Benefits of SCG

It will promote self-reliance and capitalization of indigenous resources. Another benefit will be employment generation with direct employment to around 1200 personnel and indirect employment to the tune of over 20,000 persons.

How much Coal India has?

India has 344 Billion Tonnes (BT) of coal reserves. The Coal Ministry targets to achieve 100 million tons (MT) of coal gasification by 2030.

Read about conclusion of National Games 2022 below.

National Affairs

Tripura gets a National Law University

President Droupadi Murmu has inaugurated Tripura State Judicial Academy, an MLA Hostel, and laid the foundation stone for Tripura National Law University at Narsingarh, Agartala on October 12, 2022. Apart from these, foundation stones were laid for Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya Museum & Cultural Centre; IIIT-Agartala; and various other projects related to roads, schools and hostels.

Defence Minister to launch a website for people to contribute to the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund (AFBCWF)

The Website named “Maa Bharati Ke Sapoot” will be launched at National War Memorial Complex in New Delhi on 14 October 2022. Famous Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan will be its Goodwill Ambassador. AFBCWF is a Tri-service fund, utilised for the grant of immediate financial assistance of ex-gratia, to the Next of Kin and dependents of Battle Casualties. Ten Next of Kins of fallen heroes and soldiers disabled in active military operations will also be felicitated during the launch ceremony.

NTPC and Siemens Limited signs MoU to explore new hydrogen generation technologies for affordable and sustainable power

Both will experiment at NTPC Faridabad gas power plant on how feasible it is to blend hydrogen co-firing with natural gas in the two Siemens V94.2 gas turbines installed there. Hydrogen co-firing in gas turbines can play a key role in reducing our CO2 emissions and achieving the COP26 commitments. The total installed capacity of the Faridabad gas power plant is 432 megawatts (MW) with two V94.2 gas turbines operating in combined cycle mode. NTPC is exploring various new hydrogen generation technologies to produce green, affordable, reliable and sustainable power for all.

India likely to become self-reliant in Thermal Coal Production by March 2023: Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi

40 million tons of coal stock will be available with thermal power plants in the country by March next year. Just so you know only 24 million tons of ready-to-use coal stock is available in the country as of today.

36th National Games 2022 concludes with Services emerging champions again, 4th time in a row

Services were handed the coveted Raja Bhalindra Singh Trophy - which is awarded to the team that tops the medal table - for the fourth successive time. Just so you know, they have won it in the last 3 editions - 2007, 2011 & 2015 - as well. They obtained 61 gold, 35 silver and 32 bronze. Maharashtra - which came second by bagging 39 gold among overall 140 medals - won the Best State trophy at the Games. Haryana finished third (38 gold among 116 medals) while the host Gujarat - despite winning the most medals in their history - had to be satisfied with 12th place. Sajan Prakash of Kerala (5 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze) received the 'Best Male Athlete' title again. He won it in the 2015 edition as well. Karnataka’s Hashika Ramchandra - all of 14 years old - bagged the 'Best Female Athlete' crown with 6 gold and 1 bronze. Goa will host the next edition of the games which is the National Games 2023

International Affairs

India- Norway Joint Working Group on Science & Technology to discuss extending bilateral cooperation in green hydrogen and other areas

Cooperation is expected in areas such as green hydrogen and renewable energy, quantum science and technology, electric mobility, ocean science, cyber-physical system, blue economy, and information and communication technology. The Indo-Norwegian Science & Technology Cooperation was formalized through an Inter-governmental agreement signed in Tromso, Norway in 2006 and was activated through a Programme of Cooperation (POC) signed in Oslo in May 2009. A Joint Working Group constituted under the framework of an Inter-Governmental agreement has met for 6 times so far, alternately in India and Norway. Currently, the 6th India-Norway Joint Working Group meeting is underway in New Delhi.

Production halted at cough syrup maker linked to deaths of children in the Gambia

The government has stopped all manufacturing activity at a Sonepat-based pharmaceutical company - Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited - amid pending global enquiry and on grounds of deficiencies found following a local inspection. the majority of the 50,000 bottles of the contaminated syrups that were imported into the country had now been seized. 66 children had died of acute kidney injuries in the Gambia that may have been caused by the cough syrup produced by Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited.

UN General Assembly passed a resolution condemning, and demanding the reversal of, the Russian annexation of eastern Ukraine

The resolution was overwhelmingly passed by 143 votes to 5 in a 193-member UN General Assembly. 35 countries including India, China, and South Africa abstained. Russia is being blamed for violating key principles of the UN Charter which is to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all UN member nations. UNGA resolutions don't achieve anything on the ground as unlike UNSC Resolutions, they are not legally binding. All they do is reflect world opinion on a particular issue. If it was a UNSC Resolution - which would never pass as Russia would immediately Veto it - we'd see some actions on the ground against Russia by the global body.