Kautilya

FY 2021-22: Rising Industrial Growth, Restrained Inflation and Strong Services Revival

The release of quick estimates of Index of Industrial Production (IIP) for the month of September 2021 shows a sustained increase in industrial production. The IIP, in FY 2021-22, has grown from an average of 121.3 in Q1 to 130.2 in Q2. The IIP in Q2 would have been still higher but for heavy monsoons disrupting mining activity, especially coal and consequently electricity generation, that repressed the growth of overall production index.

Power Grid Upgrades New Mariani Sub-Station In Assam

Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID), a Maharatna CPSE under Ministry of Power has upgraded Assam’s New Mariani Sub-station from 220 kiloVolt (kV) switching station to a 400/220 kV Sub-station with 2×500 MegaVolt Ampere (MVA) transformation capacity, 2×125 Mega volt ampere (re- active)  power  compensation  along  with  other  associated  bays  under  North  Eastern  Region  Strengthening Scheme (NERSS-VI) project.

BRO Feat Recognised by Guinness World Records

The 52-kilometre long Chisumle to Demchok tarmac road passes through the 19,024 feet high Umlingla Pass and betters the previous record of a road in Bolivia, which connects volcano Uturuncu at 18,953 feet. The Umlingla Pass road is another landmark in resurgent India’s achievement as it has been constructed at an altitude higher than the North and South Base Camps of Mount Everest which are at an altitude of 16,900 feet and 17,598 feet respectively. 

India Launches the 41st Scientific Expedition to Antarctica

India has successfully launched the 41st Scientific Expedition to Antarctica with the arrival of the first batch of its contingent at the southern white continent. The first batch comprising of 23 scientists and support staff reached the Indian Antarctic station Maitri on last week. Four more batches shall be landing in Antarctica by air using DROMLAN facility and onboard chartered ice-class vessel MV Vasiliy Golovnin by mid-January 2022.

Indian Patent Filings Grow Despite Pandemic

Globally, IP filings — including patents, trademarks and designs — rebounded in 2020, indicating the resilience of human innovation despite dire global and economic turmoil during the Covid pandemic, latest data from World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) showed. In contrast, during the global financial crisis of 2008-2009, both patent and trademark filing activity had contracted sharply.

After RBI’s Warning Against Cryptocurrency, PM Modi Chairs Crucial Meeting

The government plans to closely monitor cryptocurrency as it is believed to be a quickly evolving technology. Officials have been directed to take proactive steps if any discrepancy is spotted. This was a result of a “consultative process as RBI, finance ministry, the home ministry had done an elaborate exercise on it as well as consulted experts from across the country and the world,” sources who know about the matter told news agencies.

Army Chief Naravane Heads to Israel to Boost Defence Ties

Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Sunday left for Israel on a five-day official visit to discuss avenues for enhancing bilateral defence relations. His visit comes weeks after the India-Israel joint working group (JWG) on defence cooperation decided to set up a task force to put together a comprehensive 10-year roadmap to identify new areas of collaboration.