The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday approved a green hydrogen policy, and a proposal for setting up two units of 800 MW in Anpara in collaboration with NTPC at a cost of Rs 8,624 crore. The decisions were taken at a Cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

"So far, hydrogen production technology has relied on electricity or gas, known as gray hydrogen. A significant effort is now underway to transition from gray hydrogen to green hydrogen. The policy outlines an ambitious goal to produce one million metric tonne of green hydrogen annually within the next 4 years, by 2028," an official release quoted Energy Minister AK Sharma as saying.

The green hydrogen policy has been set for 5 years. Industries establishing themselves within this timeframe will receive subsidies and other incentives totalling Rs 5,045 crore.

Ghana, the second most populous country in West Africa, is marking its 67th Independence Day today. The Republic of Ghana got its independence on March 6, 1957, from the United Kingdom. Today, Google Doodle is also celebrating Ghana's Independence Day depicting the country's national flag with 'Google' written at the bottom. The visibility of Doodle spans the region of Ghana located in Africa.

Ghana gained independence in 1957 and it is the first sub-Saharan African country to get independence from European colonial rule. This is the day marking the declaration of Ghanaian independence from colonial rule.

To enable quicker settlements of funds to merchants, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das on Monday announced the introduction of an ‘interoperable payment system’ for Internet banking, which is likely to be launched during the current calendar year.

Interoperability has the capability of various digital systems, applications, and databases to link and exchange information. Payment platforms utilise financial technology to facilitate connectivity and data sharing among ecosystem participants such as banks, payment gateways, processors, merchants, and consumers.

Union Steel Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia today virtually inaugurated India's 1st Green Hydrogen Plant in the Stainless Steel Sector at Jindal Stainless Limited, Hisar. This plant will be the world’s first off-grid Green Hydrogen plant for the stainless steel industry and the world’s first Green Hydrogen plant with rooftop and floating solar. This project will reduce carbon emissions by around two thousand 700 Metric Tonnes per annum and 54 thousand tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the next two decades.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Scindia highlighted India's commitment to a green and sustainable future, emphasizing the need for responsible economic progress in the post-COVID era. He also highlighted India's progress in the steel sector, evolving from a net importer to a net exporter and aiming to become the world's largest producer of crude steel.

The first edition of the Naval Commanders' Conference of 2024 is scheduled to commence on March 5. According to the Indian Navy, the first phase will be held in a hybrid format where the first phase will be held at sea with the Defence Minister embarking at sea to witness both aircraft carriers demonstrating the Indian Navy's ability to conduct 'twin carrier operations'.

During the three-day event, the defence minister will address the Naval Commanders.

The Chief of Defence Staff, along with Chiefs of the Indian Army and Indian Air Force, will also engage with the Naval Commanders during the conference to discuss the convergence of the three Services in light of the common national security environment.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya launched the AYUSH-ICMR Advanced Centre today in New Delhi for Integrated Health Research at AIIMS. The AYUSH-ICMR Advanced Centre's goal will be to provide holistic healthcare to patients by using both traditional Indian wisdom and modern medicine together.

These centers will be set up in various AIIMS locations such as AIIMS Delhi, AIIMS Jodhpur, AIIMS Nagpur, and AIIMS Rishikesh. They will focus on important research areas to develop comprehensive treatment plans and guidelines. Mr. Mandviya said, it IS more important to focus on our own traditional wisdom, even if it's not trendy. The Minister highlighted the importance of adding Ayurveda to regular healthcare, saying it is both culturally important and effective. He also praised AYUSH for their work over the past decade and encouraged young people to find inspiration in ancient texts.

In his address, Shri Vivek Bhardwaj emphasized the pivotal role of Gram Sabhas empowered by the PESA Act in addressing social issues, resolving disputes, managing natural resources and fostering economic empowerment efforts in a sustainable manner. He highlighted that the efficient implementation of the PESA Act will pave the way for strengthening traditional lifestyles and mitigating societal evils. Shri Bharadwaj said that the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has spearheaded initiatives to convene and collaborate with the concerned Departments and stakeholders to enhance the effectiveness of the PESA Act.

Shri Vivek Bharadwaj encouraged participants to share their views, experiences, and suggestions during two-days Regional Conference to promote a collaborative atmosphere where diverse perspectives can be considered, leading to more comprehensive and effective strategies. The upcoming National Conference on PESA aims to consolidate insights from the two editions of Regional Conferences held at Pune and Ranchi, to streamline and accelerate the implementation of the PESA Act based on unanimous consent. The Ministry's overarching objective is to raise awareness about the benefits of the PESA Act, empower Gram Sabhas, and extend the benefits to tribal communities as envisioned in the Act.

Bihar’s outgoing Chief Secretary Amir Subhani will take over as chairman of the Bihar Electricity Regulatory Commission, an official notification said on Sunday.

The notification came a day after the state government announced that senior IAS officer Brajesh Mehrotra will assume charge as the chief secretary on March 4.

Subhani, who is to attain the age of superannuation in a month, would be heading the commission “for five years from the date of assuming charge, or till the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier”, it said.

Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in April-May, The Election Commission of India on Wednesday appointed IAS officer S. Chockalingam as the new chief electoral officer (CEO) of Maharashtra.

According to an EC notification, Chockalingam, a 1996-batch IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre, has been designated as the CEO of the state in place of the incumbent S M Deshpande.

S. Chockalingam is a Senior IAS officer who is currently working as a Director General of Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration in Pune.

The 1989-batch IAS officer Brajesh Mehrotra was on Saturday appointed as new chief secretary of Bihar, replacing Amir Subhani (1987-batch) who has applied for voluntary retirement from the government job to enable his appointment as the chairperson of a state-level commission.

“Mehrotra’s appointment as chief secretary will be effective from Monday (March 4),” a notification issued from the state’s general administration department (GAD) said.