UTTARAKHAND
Udaan flights on chopper
Choppers will start operating the subsidised ude desh ka aam nagarik (Udaan) flights from this Saturday with a private company connecting Chamoli and Uttarkashi with Dehradun.
Heritage Aviation will connect Sahastradhara (a helipad in Dehradun) with Chinyali Saur (in Uttarkashi) and Gauchar (in Chamoli) with two daily sorties each.
One-way fare for the 30-minute Sahastradhara-ChinyaliSaur journey will be Rs 3,320 and the 40-minute Sahastradhara-Gauchar journey will cost Rs 4,120.
International Religious Freedom Alliance
The United States announced the launch of a 27-nation International Religious Freedom Alliance, which will try to adopt a collective approach in protecting and preserving religious freedom across the world.
The areas will include things like technology and religious oppression, blasphemy and apostasy laws, for instance. Toolbox will include things like, whether it’s putting out statements, actions that can take place in international bodies that the group can come together and hopefully come behind, the possibilities of sanctions being used
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will visit India
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will visit India from February 13-16
The visit will provide an opportunity for the two sides to review progress in various sectors of bilateral relations and pursue new avenues of cooperation and exchange view on international issues of common interes
The two countries have active and growing cooperation in the field of economy and business, science, culture and education. They also share considerable convergences on international issues
Russian S-400 missile delivery to India to begin by end-2021
India signed a $5 billion deal for S-400 missiles in 2018
The S-400 ‘Triumf’ is the most advanced long-range air defense missile system that went into service in Russia in 2007. It is designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, including medium-range missiles, and can also be used against ground installations.
The S-400 can engage targets at a distance of 400 km and at an altitude of up to 30 km.
Privitization of Railway
In its bid to open up the railways for private investment, the railway ministry has prepared an ambitious plan to allow private players to run 500 passenger trains, manage 750 stations and even buy rolling stock from private players.
the stations are planned to be taken up for redevelopment, in phases. The facilities proposed in a redeveloped station include congestion free non-conflicting entry/exit to the station premises, segregation of arrival/departure of passengers, adequate concourse without overcrowding, among others.