Emphasising on India's climate commitments, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the country has shown leadership in climate action and achieved its non-fossil installed electric capacity target nine years in advance. In a video message to the G20 Energy Ministerial Meeting in Goa on Saturday, the Prime Minister said India now plans to achieve 50 percent non-fossil installed capacity by the year 2030. “No talk about the future, sustainability or growth and development can be complete without energy. It impacts development at all levels, from individuals to nations,” the Prime Minister said at the meeting that brought together ministers from the countries in the G20 grouping. He pointed out that India is among the global leaders in solar and wind power and is making great efforts in green growth and energy transition. “India is the most populated nation and the fastest-growing large economy in the world yet we are moving strongly on our climate commitments... We achieved our non-fossil, installed electric capacity target 9 years in advance. We have now set a higher target, we plan to achieve 50 per cent non-fossil installed capacity by 2030," PM Modi said.  The G20 Energy Ministerial meeting is being held under the chairpersonship of Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy, R K Singh. Earlier on Friday, Union minister Singh said that India has achieved its target of producing 43.6 per cent of its total energy through non-fossil fuel sources nine years ahead of the schedule of 2023.  The Prime Minister pointed out that the world looks to the G20 countries to this group to advance sustainable, just, affordable, inclusive, and clean energy transition and urged them to ensure that the Global South is not left behind, “We must ensure low-cost finance for developing countries,” PM Modi said.  “We must find ways to bridge technology gaps, promote energy security, and work on diversifying supply chains. And, we must strengthen collaboration on the 'fuels for the future,'” he said. Meanwhile in his video message today, the Prime Minister said more than 119 million families in the country have got LPG connections in the last nine years. “We have also achieved the historic milestone of connecting every village to electricity,” he said. "In 2015, we began a small movement, by launching a scheme for the use of LED lights, this became the largest LED distribution programme in the world. Saving more than 45 billion units of energy per year," the prime minister said.  He said that India's domestic electrical market, is projected to reach 10 million annual sales by 2030. "We have commenced the rollout of 20 per cent ethanol blended petrol this year. Our aim is to cover entire country by 2025," he said.  The Prime Minister said that for decarbonising India is working on a mission mode on green hydrogen as an alternative.   "The aim is to make India, a global hub for the production, use and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives," the PM said.  The Energy Ministerial meeting was followed by the launch of the Green Hydrogen Innovation Centre by the Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy RK Singh and the Global Biofuel Alliance by Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh.  Earlier on July 14, Power Secretary informed that the Energy Ministers from G20 member countries, nine invited countries and high-ranking officials from 14 international organizations will be part of the Ministerial meeting.  In the lead-up to the Energy Ministerial Meeting, a two-day 4th Energy Transition Working Group meeting concluded on Thursday in Goa. 

The much awaited ‘Nuclear Reactor Pressure Vessel’ is going to be installed in the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant situated in Pabna district. It is called the ‘heart’ of a nuclear power plant. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate it through video conferencing at 11 am on Sunday. Deputy Commissioner of Pabna Bishwas Russel Hossain and Ishwardi Upazila Nirbahi Officer Imrul Kayesh confirmed about the inauguration program. According to Russian atomic energy agency (RUSATOM) and the project sources, the reactor pressure vessel reached in the country through waterways of about 14 thousand kilometers for the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in October last year. To place the reactor its infrastructure was constructed throughout the year. The ‘Reactor Pressure Vessel’ is the main part of the power plant. Key fuels will be put here. It was known that, the weight of the pot is 333.60 tons. The reactor reached at the Mongla port on its way through Black Sea and Suez Canal. From there it was brought to Pakshi at Ishwardi through waterways of the Padma. Meanwhile, all out preparation has been taken for the inaugural program of placement of the reactor at the project site at Rooppur in Ishwardi. Experts and guests from the country and abroad were invited. Science and Technology Minister Dr. Yafes Osman, Project Director Dr. Sowkat Akbar, experts from Russia and concerned ministry officials will be present in the inaugural program. Mentionable, Bangladesh Awami League in its election manifesto in 2008 pledged about constructing the Nuclear Power Plant. In 2010 a framework agreement was signed with Russia about peaceful use of the nuclear power. The proposal was accepted in the parliament to construct the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in the same year. In 2012 Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Act was passed in the parliament. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the first phase work of the power plant in 2013. AH  

The last span (41st span) of the long-cherished Padma Multi-Purpose Bridge was installed today (Thursday), making the entire bridge visible. “The last span of the bridge was put on 12 and 13 pillars around 11:00am and with installation of the 41st span, a total of 6.15 km (6,150 meters) main structure of the Padma Bridge has become visible,” an official familiar with the process told BSS today. State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury was present during the installation of the span. He also visited Mawa dredging channel this morning. Earlier, Project Director of Padma Multipurpose Bridge Md Shafiqul Islam said that they are hopeful about setting up of the remaining last span by December, adding, “Then the main structure of the mega bridge will be visible.” The Padma Bridge is the largest construction infrastructure since the independence of Bangladesh initiated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The construction work began in December, 2014 with government’s own fund. The construction of the main bridge is being carried out by China Major Bridge Engineering Company (MBEC), a Chinese contractor Company, and the river management is being done by Sino Hydro Corporation of China. Padma Bridge is expected to change not only the socioeconomic structure of southern parts of Bangladesh, but also create positive impacts on the whole economy of the country. It will also connect many countries of South and Southeast Asia and contribute to communication, trade, industry, tourism and many other sectors in various ways. Source: BSS AH

The 37th span of the Padma Bridge was installed this morning, six days after setting up the previous one, making 5,550 meters of the main structure visible. “After installation of the 37th span today, we are hopeful that the rest four spans are likely to be set up by December 10 and through this, the construction of 6.15-kilometre long bridge will be completed,” said Dewan M Abdul Kader, executive engineer of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge. The official said the 38th span will be installed on November 16 and the 39th on November 23. On December 2, the 40th span and the remaining one will be installed on December 10, added the official. The 37th span bearing number ‘2-C’ was put on the pillars no 9 and 10 at Mawa point. A specialized floating crane picked up the span from Mawa’s Kumarbhog Construction around 10:45am this morning and it was transported to the designated poles, said the official. The 6.15-km long double-layer bridge will have a total of 41 spans which would be installed on 42 poles — 21 poles at Mawa site and other 21 poles at Jajira point and all the poles have already become visible. Construction of the Padma Bridge began in December 2014. With the installation of 37th and 38th spans in September 2016, the structure became visible for the first time. The construction of the main bridge is being carried out by China Major Bridge Engineering Company (MBEC), a Chinese contractor, while Sino Hydro Corporation, another Chinese company, is working on river management. Meanwhile, Abdul Monem Ltd has built two connecting roads and the infrastructure for the bridge. The structure of the bridge is being constructed with concrete and steel. The multi-purpose Padma Bridge is expected to be opened in 2021. Source: BSS AH

The 36th span of the Padma Bridge has been installed this morning five days after setting up the previous one, making a 5400-meter or 5.4-km stretch of the main structure visible. “After installation of 36th span around 9.42am, we are hopeful that the rest five spans are likely to be set up by December 10 and through this, the construction of 6.15-kilometre long bridge will be completed,” said Dewan M Abdul Kader, executive engineer of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge. On November 11, he said the 37th span will be installed on the bridge, 38th on November 16 and the 39th on November 23. On December 2, the 40th span and the remaining one will be installed on December 10, added the official. Meanwhile, the 36th span bearing number ‘1B’ was put on the pillars no 2 and 3 at Mawa point as the span was near the Mawa point. A specialised floating crane picked up the span from Mawa’s Kumarbhog Construction Yard on Thursday morning and transported it to the designated poles at 12.30pm, according to the official. Earlier, on October 31, the 35th span of the Padma Bridge was installed, bringing a total of over 5.2 kilometers of the huge structure into view. The 6.15-km long double-layered bridge will have a total of 41 spans which would be installed on 42 poles — 21 poles at Mawa site and other 21 poles at Jajira point as all the poles have already become visible. Construction of the Padma Bridge began in December 2014. With the installation of 37th and 38th spans in September 2016, the structure became visible for the first time. The construction of the main bridge is being carried out by China Major Bridge Engineering Company (MBEC), a Chinese contractor, while Sino Hydro Corporation, another Chinese company, is working on river management. Meanwhile, Abdul Monem Ltd has built two connecting roads and the infrastructure for the bridge. The structure of the bridge is being constructed with concrete and steel. The multi-purpose Padma Bridge is expected to be opened in 2021. Source: BSS AH

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Monday said all the spans of the Padma Bridge will be installed by July 2020. “The much-hyped Padma Bridge will be opened to traffic by 2021,” he said while talking to reporters after a courtesy meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki at Setu Bhaban in the city. Nearly half of the Padma Bridge became visible after the installation of the 19th span at Majher Char in Shibchar upazila of Madaripur on December 18. The 6.15-kilometre bridge will have 41 spans, each 150 meters long. The 20th span will be installed on Tuesday and three spans will be installed each month from now, Quader said. Quader, also Awami League General Secretary, urged Japan to invest in tourism sector and Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar network development project. On October 17, Quader said the construction work on the Padma Bridge will be completed by June 2021. Once in operation, the Padma Bridge, Bangladesh’s largest infrastructure project till date, will connect 21 southern districts with the capital and boost the GDP by 1 percent. Source: UNB AH

The 18th span of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge was installed on Wednesday at Mawa point making 2.7 kilometers visible out of total 6.15km of the main structure of the bridge. “With the installation of ‘3-E’ span on the 17th and the 18th pillars at the Mawa point, the construction work of about 2700 meters (2.7 kilometres) of the main structure of this mega bridge has been completed,” said Engineer Humayun Kabir of the bridge project. Earlier, the 3-E span was brought in front of the 17th and 18th pillars this morning by a floating crane from construction yard-1 at Mawa point where the span was kept temporarily, he said. After completion of all other works, the span was installed on the pillars at around 1.03 pm, he added. On November 26, the 17th span of the bridge was installed on the 22nd and the 23rd pillars. According to the officials, there is a plan to install three more spans, including ‘4-C’ and ‘3-F’, within this month as five spans remain ready in the construction yard for installation. A total of 17 spans out of 33, which have come from China, have been installed. Along with the spans installation, construction work of roadway slabs and railway slabs is also progressing simultaneously, the officials said. A total of 41 spans will be installed on 42 concrete pillars to complete the bridge. According to the project details, the construction of the 6.15-kilometre long Padma Bridge is going on in full swing with the target to complete it as soon as possible. On October 14, 2018, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina unveiled the name plaque of Padma Bridge Toll Plaza at the Mawa end. According to experts, the national economy is expected to witness 1.2 percent GDP growth rate, while 0.84 percent poverty will be reduced every year after the completion of the bridge to be built with an estimated cost of Taka 30,193.39 crore. The first span of the Padma Bridge was installed on September 30, 2017. Source: BSS AH

National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said, to realize Value Added Tax (VAT) the work of installing Electronic Fiscal Device (EFD) in every shop will begin from the current month. He said this at a press conference held at National Revenue Building at Segun Bagicha in the capital on Sunday on the occasion of national VAT day and VAT week. The NBR Chairman said, our EFD machines have reached at the Chattogram port. Those will be cleared from the port by today. The work of installing the machines in the shops will begin from the month of December. He said, at first 10 thousand machines will be given. These machines will be installed in 50 percent business organizations within the current fiscal year. The NBR Chairman also said, if the 10 thousand machines work properly then rest 90 thousand machines will be installed. After that further one lakh machines will be bought. In the current fiscal year a Chinese consortium was given the work order of supply, set up and operation for one lakh machines. The price of each EFD machine will be 32 thousand taka which will be given by the government to the businessmen through installments. AH

The ninth span of the 6.15-kilometre Padma Bridge was installed on the 34th and the 35th pillars at Jajira end in Shariatpur district. With the installation of the ninth span about one and half kilometers from the both end of the mega bridge is visible at the moment. Deputy Assistant Engineer of Padma Bridge project Humayun Kabir said that the span was installed at around 8:15 am on Friday. He said, the span could not be possible to install on Thursday due to technical problem. With installing the span on Friday total 1 thousand 200 meters of the Padma Bridge is visible at the Jajira end. He also said, the ninth span was ready for installing at the Kumarbhog construction yard of Mawa. On Wednesday at 8:55 am 3 thousand 600 tons capacity crane Tian moved for Jajira after taking the 150 meters long and 3 thousand 140 tons weight span from the construction yard. Earlier, on September 30, 2017 the first span was installed between pillar number 37 and 38, the second span was installed on January 28, 2018 between pillar number 38 and 39, the third span on March 11 between pillar number 39 and 40, the fourth on May 13 between pillar number 40 and 41, the fifth span on June 29 between 41 and 42, the sixth span was installed on January 23, 2019 between pillar number 36 and 37 and the seventh span was installed between pillar number 35 and 36 on February 20. Besides, another span was installed between pillar number 4 and 5 at the Mawa end. On Friday the ninth span was installed at Naudoba in Jajira end. The number of total pillars in Padma Bridge is 42 and total 41 spans will be installed. The distance between one pillar to another is 150 meters. AH      

Eighth span of Padma Bridge will be installed tomorrow (Wednesday). The span was carried with help of a crane from Mawa construction yard to Jajira end. The span will be installed between pillar number 35 and 36. Confirming the information Padma Bridge Project Director Shafiqul Islam said, the span carried with help of a 3 thousand 600 hundred tons capacity crane from Mawa to Jajira end at around 8 am on Tuesday. It will be installed on the pillars on Wednesday. Engineers of the bridge project said, at the Jajira end 6 spans were installed on the pillars number 42 to 36. And at the Mawa end one span was installed between pillar number 4 and 5. Total 63 percent works have been completed of the total project. From now one span each will be installed in every month. The Padma Bridge construction work began in 2015. The 6.15 kilometers long bridge construction work was scheduled to complete in last December. But due to natural adversity the bridge will be opened for traffic at the end of 2020. By this time 7 spans were installed and 34 remaining. The bridge will get its complete shape with 41 spans and 42 pillars. The bridge construction cost is 33 thousand crore taka. AH