Finance ministry releases grant worth Rs 9,871 crore to 17 states
• The Ministry of Finance on July 8, 2021 released the fourth monthly installment of post-devolution revenue deficit grant worth Rs 9,871 crore to 17 states.
• With this, the total amount released to eligible states in the current financial year stands at Rs 39,484 crore.
• The post-devolution revenue deficit grant is provided to states under Article 275 of the Constitution. The grant is being released in monthly installments as per the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission to meet the gap in revenue accounts of the states post-devolution.
• The 15th Finance Commission has recommended post-devolution revenue deficit grants to 17 states during the financial year 2021-22. The states eligible for the grant include Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Kerala, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.
Jammu, Srinagar airports to receive night flights
• Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla had chaired a high-level meeting on July 7, 2021 to review the implementation of various schemes in Civil Aviation, Agriculture and Horticulture sectors in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
• Detailed deliberations were held on the possibility of operationalising commercial flights during nighttime at the airports of Jammu and Srinagar by incorporating suitable facilities and arrangements.
• Efforts are being made to complete the lighting project at the earliest to improve night visibility at the Srinagar Airport. This would facilitate flights during low visibility round the year.
• The ongoing air-strip repair works at Jammu Airport will also be completed this week and lights will be installed by the month-end to enable the operation of night flights at Jammu Airport.
Saudi firm Alfanar acquires Senvion India
• Saudi Arabia-based Alfanar has entered the Indian energy sector by acquiring 100 percent stakes in wind turbine maker Senvion India from Senvion GmbH. The entire acquisition has been completed for an undisclosed amount.
• The deal will help Alfanar strengthen its competitive position in India to grow its multi-dimensional end-to-end competitive solutions in the renewable energy and grid transmission field.
• It will power Senvion India to continue to operate as a full-fledged OEM (original equipment manufacturers) in the Indian market.
• Senvion India will provide full EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) and operations and maintenance solutions for wind power projects to customers in India.
Filmmaker Robert Downey Sr passes away
• Filmmaker Robert Downey Sr has passed away at the age of 85 years on July 6, 2021. He was the father of Hollywood actor Robert Downey Jr. The late actor and filmmaker was battling Parkinson’s disease.
• He has acted in breakthrough anti-establishment films such as ‘Putney Swope’ and ‘Greaser’s Place’. He also appeared in films like ‘Boogie Nights’, ‘Magnolia’ and ‘To Live and Die in L.A’.
• He had begun writing and directing in 1961 and had started with low-budget films. His first film was ‘Ball’s Bluff’ (1961), which was about a Civil War soldier who wakes up in Central Park in the 1960s.
• His son, the Avengers’ star took to his Instagram account to write a heartfelt note in the loving memory of his father.
EAM Jaishankar to hold talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on July 9th
• External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on July 9, 2021 and hold discussions on bilateral cooperation at various multilateral forums. The two leaders will also compare notes on major global and regional issues, including the political process in Afghanistan.
• The Indian External Affairs Minister is currently on a three-day visit to Russia. During the visit, the EAM will also meet the Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov and other high-level Russian delegates. The visit is in continuation of the frequent high-level visits between the two sides. The Russian Foreign Minister had earlier visited New Delhi in April 2021.
• The two ministers are expected to discuss key directions of Russian-Indian relations.