News Bulletin : November 2021 – Issue 2
1. JNPT to connect with other ports & boost coastal container traffic through new Coastal Berth : COASTAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Construction of Coastal Berth: The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust is set to connect with other Indian ports as well as boost coastal container traffic of the country through its newly constructed Coastal Berth. According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, it has a capacity of 1.5 million tonnes per year of liquid cargo as well as 1 million tonnes per year of general cargo. One of the major benefits of the coastal berth’s construction is that it will cater to coastal movement of cement as well as edible oil under the new policy in which a green channel is provided for coastal cargo which is not possible in customs notified area.
Source: Financial Express
2. Opinion: Coastal states and cost of cyclones : COASTAL INFRASTRUCTURE
India’s geo-climatic and socioeconomic factors are contributing to an increase in the frequency and damage from cyclones. Among the natural disasters, cyclones constituted the second most frequent phenomena accounting for 15% of India’s total natural disasters over 1999-2020.
Around 12,388 persons were killed and the total damage stood at $32,615 million in the same period. In addition, it is the third most lethal disaster after earthquakes and floods. According to the Global Climate Risk Index Report 2021, India was the 7th worst disaster-affected nation in the world in 2019 due to extreme weather-related events.
Source: Telangana Today
3. WB expedites development of private industrial parks : BUSINESS PARKS
The Bengal government that is putting impetus on job creation in the state has taken up the task to expedite private industrial parks by identifying prospective plots for such parks.
On Friday, Bengal chief secretary H.K. Dwivedi wrote to all district magistrates of the state, instructing them to identify all parcels of private land measuring 5 acres and above where owners intend to develop industrial parks.
Source: Telegraph India
4. DNV Seeks Partners for Floating Substations Joint Industry Project : FLOATING STRUCTURES
”In DNV’s latest Energy Transition Outlook Report, we predict that by 2050, the installed floating wind capacity will have grown to over 260 GW and that the technology will reach commercial-scale deployment in the next 15 years,” said Kim Sandgaard-Mørk, Executive Vice President for Renewables Certification at DNV.
”Although essential for scaling floating offshore wind farms, floating substations have not received the same degree of attention as their turbine counterparts – therefore we are initiating this JIP.”
Source: Offshore Wind
5. 90% of Rotterdam is below sea level. So the city built an office building that floats : FLOATING STRUCTURES
The people of Rotterdam know a thing or two about living on the water. About 90% of the second-largest city in the Netherlands lies below sea level, which leaves it vulnerable to rising waters. To prepare for the inevitable, the waterlogged city has been building parking garages that can double as emergency reservoirs, parks that can act as retention ponds, and homes that sit on floating pontoons.
Now, Rotterdam has added another tool in its climate change tool kit. The city recently unveiled the world’s largest floating office. Moored at Rijnhaven port, the structure was designed to rise and fall with the tide, so even when the water rises enough to flood the harbor, the building will rise with it and be spared any damage.
Source: Fast Company
6. India\’s Mega Projects! How Bharatmala project is promise of a New India? : INLAND WATERWAYS
Bharatmala Project is famously known as India\’s garland project and is a centrally sponsored initiative of the Indian government. Under the genesis of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Bharatmala project is an umbrella project to improve the country\’s road infrastructure. It would subsume all the existing road projects. The mammoth project would provide India with 50 national corridors, which would provide better transportation for over 70 to 80 per cent of the carriers, as opposed to the current 40 per cent. Improvement of the golden quadrilateral and the North-South and East-West corridors are the key agendas of the centrally sponsored project.
Source: The Logical Indian
7. PPP synergies can accelerate growth of India’s maritime sector, says Sonowal : INLAND WATERWAYS
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and AYUSH, Sarbananda Sonowal, has pushed for public-private partnership synergies that he believes can accelerate the growth of India’s maritime sector; Sonowal was on a visit to JNPT in Navi Mumbai on Saturday
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and AYUSH, Sarbananda Sonowal, has pushed for public-private partnership (PPP) synergies that he believes can accelerate the growth of India’s maritime sector.
Source: Hindustan Times
8. India\’s logistics space demand resilient: Report : LOGISTICS
Demand for logistics space in India remained resilient in the July-September quarter, with a net absorption of nine million sq ft, said a report.
In Asia, the net absorption reached 27.4 million sq ft, a record quarterly high, despite disruption to manufacturing and container shipping, real estate consultancy CBRE\’s Asia Pacific report said.
Leasing demand was led by online retailers and related third-party logistics (3PL) firms preparing for year-end sales promotions.
Source: Economic Times
9. Gujarat ranks 1st for third consecutive year in logistics performance index : LOGISTICS
A commerce ministry report on Monday pointed out that Gujarat topped the logistics index chart, a marker of the efficiency of logistical services necessary for promoting exports and economic growth. This is the third year in a row that the state remained on top of the rankings.
Gujarat was followed by Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra. The report said that it ranked the states on the basis of their logistics ecosystem, while highlighting the key logistics-related challenges faced by the stakeholders and also includes suggestive recommendations.
Source: Hindustan Times
10. FinMin reviews Capex plan of urban development, railways ministries : RAILWAYS AND METRO
To push investment in infrastructure projects, the finance ministry on Wednesday reviewed the progress of capital expenditure (Capex) by the urban development and railway ministries.
Union Budget for 2021-22 has provided a capital outlay of Rs 5.54 lakh crore, an increase of 34.5 per cent over the Budget Estimate of 2020-21.
\”To push investment in infrastructure projects and accelerate capital spending, @FinMinIndia held review meetings with @MoHUA_India and @RailMinIndia today, to review the progress of capital expenditure, implementation of infrastructure projects and asset monetization plans,\” the finance ministry said in a tweet.
Source: Business Standard
11. UK and India launch clean energy coalition : RENEWABLE ENERGY
A multinational clean energy coalition has been launched at COP26 involving major governments, international organisations, legislators, business leaders, researchers and citizen groups.
The One Sun One World One Grid group was announced at COP26 by summit host Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In the presence of other heads of government including US President Biden, the two prime ministers presented a One Sun Declaration, endorsed by more than 80 countries, setting out the group’s aims.
Source: Renews
12. Telangana’s public transport system is steadily moving towards clean energy : RENEWABLE ENERGY
Telangana’s gradual shift towards renewable energy-powered public transport system is resulting in savings worth millions and earning the state agencies plaudits from the public.
Utilising clean energy, primarily solar, in various parts of the state’s transport infrastructure – road transport, airport and metro – and transitioning to electric vehicles are some of the ways that Telangana, a state in southern India that was carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, is making the shift to reduce its carbon emissions, one of the primary drivers of climate change and save power costs.
Source: Scroll
13. Why IT architecture holds the key to building future-fit utilities : RESOURCES AND UTILITIES
The transition to a distributed energy model is forcing many utilities to rethink their IT architecture. Grid flexibility, changes in consumer behaviour, the shift to renewables and the growing importance of real-time energy data are all adding to a highly complex environment. In addition, the growing list of extreme weather events has put grid resilience in the spotlight.
This operating environment is making system flexibility a core driver in the energy market and a means of managing the grid as more variable energy resources are brought online. But a different type of flexibility is also needed as utilities adapt to today’s dynamic energy landscape.
Source: Smart Energy
14. AI, Automation & Robotics safeguarding energy and utilities industries : RESOURCES AND UTILITIES
While the Energy and Utilities industries may not seem like the most obvious places to look when it comes to automation, robotics and artificial intelligence, they are actually some of the biggest potential adopters of these technologies.
With ageing infrastructure in need of continuous maintenance, high levels of customer churn and retention as well as high costs and manual processes in place, there’s plenty of opportunities here for Automation, Robotics and AI to come in and streamline those old processes while cutting costs and increasing customer satisfaction.
Source: Energy Live News
15. NHAI raises over Rs 5,000 crore through InvIT : ROADS AND HIGHWAYS
The National Highway Authority of India\’s first infrastructure investment trust has raised more than Rs 5,000 crore, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday.
Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) are instruments on the pattern of mutual funds, designed to pool money from investors and invest the amount in assets that will provide cash flows over a period of time.
Source: Business Standard
16. Govt constitutes empowered group to synchronise construction of roads, rail and other utility services : ROADS AND HIGHWAYS
The government of India has constituted a 20-member Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS), which will be a monitoring mechanism for the development and implementation of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP).
The Cabinet Secretary will be its Chairperson. Members include Chairman, Railway Board; Secretaries of Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways; Ports, Shipping and Waterways; Civil Aviation; Petroleum and Natural Gas; Power; Telecommunications; Coal; Mines; Chemicals and Petro-Chemicals; Fertilisers; Steel; Expenditure; DPIIT; Food and Public Distribution; Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying; and Tourism. Head of Logistics Division will be the Member, Convenor. Besides, the EGoS can co-opt any other Secretary or Secretaries as per requirement.
Source: Swarajyamag
17. 74% of India’s districts prone to extreme climate like droughts, floods & cyclones, says study : WATER & ENVIRONMENT
Over 74 per cent of India’s districts are vulnerable to extreme climate events, with 27 out of 35 states and union territories being affected, a study by the Council for Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) has found.
Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Bihar are the five states most vulnerable to droughts, floods, cyclones, or a combination of the three, says the study titled ‘Mapping India’s Climate Vulnerability — A District Level Assessment.’
Source: The Print
