NOVEMBER 20239TOP STORIESPUNJAB & HPCL SIGNED AN AGREEMENT FOR 10 COMPRESSED BIOGAS FACILITIESPunjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) for setting up ten compressed biogas (CBG) projects and other new and renewable energy projects in the state.The pact was signed by Chief Executive Officer, PEDA, Amarpal Singh and Executive Director, HPCL, Shuvendu Gupta here in the presence of Ravi Bhagat, Secretary, New and Renewable Energy Sources, Punjab. Gupta said HPCL would initially set up ten CBG projects with an investment of about Rs 600 crore. It will also explore possibilities of establishing other renewable projects.These ten plants are expected to produce over 35,000 tonnes of CBG and about 8,700 tonnes of organic manure annually, besides generating revenue of around Rs 300 crore annually from CBG production. The projects will also generate direct employment opportunities for more than 600 people and about 1,500 indirect jobs.Amarpal Singh said with the implementation of these ten projects, at least 2.75 lakh tonnes of paddy straw will be prevented from being burnt in about 1.10 lakh acres. This will prevent creation of CO2 emissions and other pollutants to the tune of five lakh tonnes annually, which is equivalent to planting 83,000 trees each year. The projects will also create around 50 rural entrepreneurs for supply of paddy straw to these plants, further creating employment for more than 500 people. SAHASRA SEMICONDUCTORS BEGINS PRODUCTION AT BHIWADI UNITSahasra Semiconductors, situated in Rajasthan, produced memory chips earlier than Micron, making it the first company of its kind in India. At its semiconductor assembly, testing, and packaging facility in the Bhiwadi district, Sahasra began production last month and has already shipped its first product to online retailers."We are genuinely the first company to offer made-in-India micro-SD cards, and the feedback we have gotten on e-commerce platforms has been amazing," said Sahasra Group managing director Amrit Manwani. He stated that by the end of this year, the Bhiwadi facility is anticipated to ramp up to 30 percent capacity, and in the next phase, early in 2024, it will reach its full potential. The business will begin implementing sophisticated packaging for items like internal memory chips in the second phase.Two government programmes, the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) for White Goods components and subassemblies and the Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Electronic Components and Semiconductors (SPECS), have approved Sahasra. The chip manufacturer is entitled to a 25 percent capital reimbursement under SPECS for the costs incurred in establishing or growing their production plant.
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