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| Jan 01, 1970 | Daily Report |
| RISING BHARAT | News Count (102968) | |
1481. PM Modi flags off three new Vande Bharat Express trains from Bengaluru
- On August 10, 2025, Prime Minister flagged off three new Vande Bharat Express trains from KSR Bengaluru railway station Ajni (Nagpur)-Pune, KSR Bengaluru-Belgavi, and Shree Mata Vaishnodevi Katra-Amritsar.
- The Bengaluru–Belagavi service 611 km in 8 hours 20 minutes, fastest on this route, runs six days a week except Wednesday, the Ajni–Pune service India’s longest at 881 km, fastest between Nagpur and Pune with 10 stops.
- The Katra–Amritsar service will benefit businessmen, students and employ and will boost tourism and opening up new avenues for trade and commerce.
1482. Cabinet OKs Continuation of Targeted Subsidy for PMUY Consumers at Rs 12,000 Crore Expenditure
- The Union Cabinet On 8 august, 2025, approved the continuation of a targeted subsidy for Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana consumers for the financial year 2025-26, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting said.
- The subsidy amounts to Rs 300 per 14.2 kg cylinder for up to 9 refills per year, with a proportionate rate for 5 kg cylinders, at an expenditure of Rs 12,000 crore.
- PMUY beneficiaries receive a deposit-free LPG connection, including a security deposit, pressure regulator, safety hose, and installation charges. The first refill and stove are also provided free of cost. The minister said that the government’s objective is to make LPG more affordable for PMUY consumers, who are vulnerable to price fluctuations.
1483. Indian Railways Achieves New Milestone With 4.5 Km Long 'Rudrastra' Freight Train
- On August 8, 2025, Indian Railways successfully ran its longest ever freight train named “Rudrastra.” The train covered a distance of 200 km between Ganjkhwaja station and Garhwa Road station in the East Central Railway zone.
- The “Rudrastra” train is 4.5 km long and had 354 wagons, arranged in 6 rakes and pulled by 7 engines completed an experimental run from Ganjkhwaja to Dhanbad. Union Railway Minister shared the achievement on social media (formerly Twitter), calling it a proud moment for Indian Railways.
- Running such a long freight train helps Indian Railways move large amounts of goods more efficiently. It means fewer trips, lower costs, and better use of tracks and engines. The development is part of India’s efforts to improve its railway network and support the country’s growing economy by making goods transport faster and more reliable.
1484. Renewable Energy Capacity in India’s Power Mix Reaches 48.3% in Q2 2025
- On 8 August 2025, According to data from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), MNRE, and Mercom’s India Solar Project Tracker, by June 2025 (Q2) India’s renewable energy capacity, including large hydro, reached 234.2 GW—48.3% of the total installed power capacity. Solar alone accounted for 24% of the total power mix and 49.7% of renewables.
- The growth is driven by increased solar and wind installations, large hydropower projects, and pumped storage additions like THDC’s Tehri PSP (250 MW) and Greenko’s Pinnapuram HPS (1,200 MW). Renewable capacity rose 19% YoY and 7.1% QoQ, with solar capacity alone growing 33.5% YoY and generating 43 BU in Q2 2025.
- While conventional power still accounts for 51.7% of installed capacity (250.8 GW), its share is falling from 53.9% in Q1 2025. Coal remains dominant at 44.3% but saw net capacity decline due to 2 GW decommissioning. The trend signals accelerating renewable adoption and reduced reliance on conventional energy sources in India’s power mix.
1485. OIL, IREL Ink Pact To Boost Critical Mineral Development
- On 7 August 2025 in Mumbai, Oil India Limited (OIL) and IREL (India) Limited, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed to cooperate in developing critical minerals essential for energy security and technological growth, marking a strategic expansion beyond OIL’s traditional oil and gas portfolio.
- The collaboration aims to support the National Critical Mineral Mission by securing rare earth elements and other vital resources. OIL will bring its exploration and production expertise, while IREL contributes its mining and refining capabilities, enabling India to reduce import dependency and strengthen self-reliance in critical mineral supply chains.
- The MoU was signed by Ranjan Goswami of OIL and Ravi Prakash Jha of IREL, in the presence of both companies’ CMDs. This partnership is a milestone in building robust domestic capabilities, ensuring strategic resource availability, and reinforcing India’s long-term commitment to energy security and industrial growth.
1486. India’s Electronics Exports Surge 47% in Q1 FY26, Driven by Mobile Phones: ICEA
- According to data released by the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) on 7 August, 2025, in April–June (Q1) FY26, India’s electronics exports reached $12.4 billion, a 47% year-on-year increase from $8.43 billion in Q1 FY25, driven mainly by a 55% surge in mobile phone exports.
- Exports rose due to increasing global demand, expanded domestic production, and government policy support. Growth was led by mobile phones, followed by a 37% increase in non-mobile electronics such as solar modules, networking equipment, chargers, and components, reflecting India’s broader manufacturing capacity improvement.
- ICEA projects electronics exports could reach $46–50 billion in FY26, up from $38.6 billion in FY25 and $29.1 billion in FY24. Over the past decade, India’s electronics production has quadrupled from $31 billion in FY15 to $133 billion in FY25 marking a major milestone in manufacturing growth.
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1487. Over ₹309cr sanctioned for ‘Kavach’ installation in North Central Railway
- On August 8, 2025, Indian Railways sanctioned over ₹309 crore for the installation of the indigenous ‘Kavach’ automatic train protection system across more than 790 route kilometres in the North Central Railway (NCR) zone.
- The Kavach system will be deployed in key sections under the Prayagraj, Agra, and Jhansi divisions. This is part of a ₹27,693 crore national project, with ₹540 crore allocated to NCR and ₹309.26 crore earmarked for Kavach. The system prevents signal passing at danger (SPAD), regulates train speed, and enables emergency braking. Over 30,000 personnel have been trained to operate it.
- This project aims to significantly enhance operational safety and prevent accidents on critical rail routes. It is a step toward Indian Railways’ broader mission to modernize safety infrastructure with annual investments exceeding ₹1 lakh crore.
1488. Railways open J&K’s Anantnag station for goods transport
- On August 7, 2025, Northern Railway announced the opening of Anantnag railway station in Jammu & Kashmir for the transport of goods, marking a major step toward promoting economic activities in the Kashmir Valley.
- The station is part of the Jammu division and the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link project, will operate daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. to handle all types of goods except petroleum products. Now the Valley has full rail connectivity from Katra to Srinagar, including the world's highest railway bridge over the Chenab River.
- The project is expected to lower transport costs, improve delivery speed, and give Kashmir’s horticulture, handicrafts, and fresh produce better access to national markets—especially crucial during harsh winters.
1489. Indian Railways Approves ₹309 Cr Budget To Install ‘Kavach’ On 14 Key Rail Sections Of UP & MP To Prevent Accidents
- On August 7, 2025, Indian Railways announced the installation of the Kavach ATP system on the Birlanagar-Udimorh rail route (102 km), as part of a larger ₹309.26 crore safety project covering 14 key railway sections.
- Kavach works by automatically controlling train speed, issuing real-time alerts to drivers, and preventing collisions, even in low-visibility conditions like fog. This move is part of the government’s Zero Tolerance for Safety approach to reduce human errors and enhance operational reliability.
- The project covers critical routes in Prayagraj, Jhansi, and Agra divisions, including sections like Shikohabad-Farrukhabad, Lalitpur-Khajuraho, Aligarh-Harduaganj, and more. Passengers in Gwalior and surrounding areas will soon benefit from safer, more dependable train travel, with implementation targeted for completion by 2025.
1490. India And Russia Sign Protocol To Deepen Industrial Cooperation In Aluminium, Railways, And Mining
- On August 6, 2025, India and Russia held the 11th session of their Working Group on Modernisation and Industrial Cooperation at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, co-chaired by officials from DPIIT (India) and the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade.
- The session focused on cooperation in aerospace technology, small aircraft engine production, 3D printing, carbon fibre, and critical minerals extraction, aiming to review progress since the 10th session and promote technology transfer, industrial infrastructure, and sustainable development.
- The session concluded with the signing of a Protocol, reaffirming the strategic India-Russia partnership. About 80 delegates from both nations participated. Separately, Russia’s Deputy Defence Minister met India’s Ambassador in Moscow, reflecting ongoing high-level defence cooperation in a warm and trusted diplomatic atmosphere.
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