PIB Summary- 21th August, 2022 | PIB (Press Information Bureau) Summary - UPSC PDF Download

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus

Context
The launch of hydrogen fuel cell bus – as a part of PM Modi’s National Green Hydrogen Mission

Details

• The Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh unveils country’s first truly indigenously made Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus developed by KPIT-CSIR in Pune.
• It is environment friendly as it utilises hydrogen and air to produce electricity to run the bus and the only effluent from the bus is water. The fuel cells give zero greenhouse gas emissions. 
• The National Green  Hydrogen Mission is important for our country to ensure affordable and accessible clean energy, to meet climate change goals and to create new entrepreneurs and generate job opportunities.
• The operational costs (in Rupees) for fuel cell trucks and buses are lower than diesel run vehicles and therefore, can bring freight revolution in India.
• The minister said that India can become a net exporter of clean hydrogen energy and a large green hydrogen producer and supplier of equipment for green hydrogen.

The minister also inaugurated the pilot plant in CSIR-NCL for production of Bisphenol-A. These pilot plants have successfully demonstrated novel process technologies developed by NCL under CSIR’s Covid-19 mission program and Bulk Chemicals mission program. Bisphenol-A is an important feedstock to produce epoxy resins, polycarbonate and other engineering plastics. The Global Market for Bisphenol – A is supposed to reach 7.1 Million Tons by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 2% over the analysis period 2020 – 27.

11th National Seed Congress

Context
Inauguration of 11th National Seed Congress at Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University , Gwalior.

Details

• The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar applauded the agricultural scientists for making great progress through research, and said India is at first or second place in terms of most food produce. 
• At the launch of the 11th National Seed Congress, the minister said that our country should be self-sufficient in pulses and oil seeds. The invention of seeds should be such that it increases production and takes the country towards self-reliance.

Also , the State Academy of Agricultural and Allied Sciences (SAAS) was launched. The efforts of NAAS at the national level and SAAS at the regional level will further accelerate the activities of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry science and promotion of related research and education.