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Union Finance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> highlighted India's significant progress in electrification, <keyword id="23692737" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="water-accessibility" source="keywords">water accessibility</keyword>, and <keyword id="20879840" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="economic-empowerment" source="keywords">economic empowerment</keyword> during a fireside chat with John J Hamre, President and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), in Washington, DC. Highlighting the progress made in <keyword id="23003732" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rural-electrification" source="keywords">rural electrification</keyword>, <keyword id="19916494" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sitharaman" source="keywords">Sitharaman</keyword> highlighted that every village in India now has access to electricity. She noted that in 2014, many villages across India, including those near state capitals, lacked even basic infrastructure for electrification. She said "I don't think any village in India is unelectrified today. Households have received the connections. So, if I remember the situation in 2014, there were still many villages in many parts of India, some even very close to the state capital, provincial headquarters, without even a pole to receive the electric wires. Now, all that has been overcome. Houses have got their electricity." The Finance Minister also discussed the <keyword id="19971121" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jal-Jeevan-Mission" source="keywords">Jal Jeevan Mission</keyword>, a program initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide tap water connections to every household. She explained, "Earlier, one tap water connection was provided to a village, from where everyone would take water to their home. But under the 'Jal Jeevan Mission,' each and every house gets a tap water connection." Sitharaman emphasized the positive impact of this initiative on health, sanitation, and convenience for millions of Indian families. Turning to the economic empowerment of <keyword id="20101496" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="municipalities" source="keywords">municipalities</keyword> and urban centers, Sitharaman noted that these local governments are receiving increased autonomy and financial support. She explained that municipalities receive a portion of taxes collected by the central government, along with additional funds based on the Finance Commission's recommendations. "Over and above, today, we are enhancing their capacities to raise resources from the market. Municipalities are a very powerful instrument of economic development and they, on their own, are raising a lot of resources," she added. Sitharaman also expressed confidence in India's economic growth and its appeal to <keyword id="20632552" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-investors" source="keywords">global investors</keyword>. "The policies are working, reforms are happening, and they shall continue to happen," she stated, adding that "greater liberalisation of the economy will be there and, in a way, we are accessing newer markets and speaking about the <keyword id="19948184" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-economy" source="keywords">Indian economy</keyword> in more avenues and platforms that will attract more investors." With ongoing reforms and increased global engagement, Sitharaman noted, India is solidifying its position as a significant player on the world stage, expanding its economic reach and inviting foreign investment.

No village in India left without access to electricity, claims FM Nirmala Sitharaman

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US is considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the eastern Mediterranean, reports say.</li><li>USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is set to pass through the area but could be tasked to waters near Israel.</li></ul>After sending its newest and most advanced aircraft carrier and the accompanying warships in its strike group to the eastern Mediterranean in a show of strength and support for Israel amid its war with Hamas, the US is considering sending a second aircraft carrier into the area, multiple reports say.The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and its escorts could join the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group in waters near Israel in the coming weeks, US defense officials <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/israel-hamas-war-gaza/card/u-s-weighs-deploying-second-aircraft-carrier-group-i4fMGkmj7mGmlQCNqW1W?mod=e2twp">told The Wall Street Journal</a> on Tuesday. <a href="https://x.com/LMartinezABC/status/1711793581462003980?s=20">ABC News also reported</a> the discussions.The Eisenhower is already set to head to the Middle East, reportedly via the Meditteranean, this week for a deployment that was planned months ago, but officials are now apparently debating whether the carrier should join the Ford or replace it. The Ford, which has been operating in the Mediterranean as part of its first full deployment, arrived in the eastern part of the waterway Tuesday. "The arrival of these highly capable forces to the region is a strong signal of deterrence should any actor hostile to Israel consider trying to take advantage of this situation," said Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla, the commander of US Central Command. The US Department of Defense declined to comment to Insider on whether there were conversations on tasking the Eisenhower with a mission outside its original deployment plans.If the Eisenhower does join the Ford, it'll be the first time two carriers have been deployed in the area since March 2020, when rocket attacks aimed at Camp Taji, an Iraqi military installation north of Baghdad, killed two American soldiers and one British soldier.The retasking of the Ford and reported considerations surrounding the Eisenhower speak to growing concerns about the crisis unfolding in Israel after surprise attacks by Hamas on Saturday were said to have left more than 800 civilians dead and injured significantly more. Israel responded by officially declaring war on Hamas and conducting devastating airstrikes on Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip. There are also expectations that an Israeli ground assault could be coming, which could wreak havoc on the densely populated area where many have already been killed or injured in the retaliatory strikes.In response to the attacks by Hamas, the US pledged full support for Israel — overall the largest receiver of US military aid — and moved its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-newest-supercarrier-deployment-unexpected-turn-israel-crisis-2023-10">newest and most advanced aircraft carrier</a>, USS Gerald R. Ford, into waters near Israel. It was an unexpected change in the carrier's first full deployment, which the Ford spent mostly conducting exercises with partners and calls in friendly ports. <div type="image" title="A large ship with a helicopter hovering above it." height="3527" width="5300" msid="104324599" hostid="261"></div>The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is a nuclear-powered Nimitz-class aircraft carrier that was commissioned in 1977. Unlike the younger first-in-class Ford, the Eisenhower has seen action with deployments during the Gulf War in the 1990s and the later wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.Were the US to move the Eisenhower into position near Israel, it would be a flex of US naval might in a hostile area, providing both logistics and humanitarian support while also unnerving enemy forces."Often the presence of an aircraft carrier has deterred potential adversaries from striking against US interests," the Navy says on its website. "Aircraft carriers support and operate aircraft that engage in attacks on airborne, afloat and ashore targets that threaten free use of the sea and engage in sustained power projection operations in support of US and coalition forces."That's especially noteworthy in Israel right now, as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-gearing-up-ground-invasion-war-with-hamas-risks-expanding-2023-10">fighting has broken out</a> along the country's border with Lebanon, and Hezbollah — an Iran-backed independent group that, like Hamas, is designated as a terrorist organization by the US State Department — has been exchanging fire with Israeli forces. There has also been troubling rhetoric from Tehran.

The US is thinking about sending another aircraft carrier into waters near Israel, possibly to back up the Ford strike group: reports

New Delhi, The Centre on Saturday said that all states except Tamil Nadu have availed benefits of "Special Assistance to States for <keyword id="112324" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="capital-expenditure">Capital Expenditure</keyword>". The scheme is aimed at boosting capital expenditure by the state governments, who are facing a difficult financial environment this year due to the shortfall in tax revenue arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. According to <keyword id="9291953" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-ministry-of-finance">the Ministry of Finance</keyword>, capital expenditure has a <keyword id="10421981" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="higher-multiplier-effect">higher multiplier effect</keyword>, enhancing the future productive capacity of the economy, and results in a higher rate of economic growth. "Therefore, despite the adverse financial position of the <keyword id="6357307" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Central-Government">central government</keyword>, it was decided to extend a special assistant to the state governments in respect of capital expenditure, in the financial year 2020-21," "The scheme has got very warm response from the state governments. So far capital expenditure proposals of Rs 9,879.61 crore of 27 States have been approved by the Ministry of Finance." As per the statement, an amount of Rs 4,939.81 crore has already been released to the states as the first instalment under the scheme. "The capital expenditure projects have been approved in diverse sectors of economy like, 'Health, Rural Development, Water Supply, Irrigation, Power, Transport, Education, <keyword id="111319" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Urban-development">Urban Development</keyword>'." Besides, the scheme has three parts of which the first covers the north-eastern region. "Under this part, Rs 200 crores is allocated to seven north-eastern states. In view of higher population and geographical area, Assam has been allocated Rs 450 crores under the scheme," The second part of the scheme for all other states that are not included in part-I. "An amount of Rs 7,500 crores is earmarked for this part. This amount has been allocated amongst these states in proportion to their share of central tax as per the interim award of <keyword id="9256069" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-15th-finance-commission">the 15th Finance Commission</keyword> for the year 2020-21," In addition, the third part of the scheme is aimed at pushing various citizen-centric reforms in the states. "Under this part, an amount of Rs 2,000 crores is earmarked. This amount will be available only to those states who carry out at least 3 out of the 4 reforms specified by the Ministry of Finance in its letter dated 17th May, 2020 regarding reform linked additional borrowing permissions." Accordingly, the four reforms are - 'One Nation One Ration Card, Ease of doing Business Reform, Urban Local Body pr Utility Reform and Power Sector Reform'. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/top-stocks-to-watch-irctc-hdfc-bank-tcs-tvs-motor-dalmia-bharat-ultratech-acc-ambuja-and-others/articleshow/79672813.cms">Top stocks to watch — IRCTC, HDFC Bank, TCS, TVS Motor, Dalmia Bharat, UltraTech, ACC, Ambuja, and others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/best-smartphones-of-2020-in-india/slidelist/79675101.cms">Best smartphones of 2020 in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/reports-suggest-that-tata-adani-and-hinduja-group-are-interested-in-air-india-divestment-plan/articleshow/79675955.cms">Last date for Air India divestment plan nears — reports suggest that Tata, Adani and Hinduja Group are interested</a>

All states except Tamil Nadu availed special capital expenditure scheme: Centre

(Image: BCCL) 
 <keyword id="6354780" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Karnataka">Karnataka</keyword> is going through a rough phase. There has been curfew, deaths, protests and crores of rupees loss of public property over last 24 hours. 
 
It’s been more than hundred years and yet the distribution of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/The-Drought-Series-Nearly-3-1-crore-people-in-Karnataka-are-hit-by-the-drought-and-migration-is-intensifying/articleshow/51979749.cms">Cauvery River’s</a> water is in a mess. Given the present situations, it’s far from getting resolved. It’s not the first time that two states are fighting over a river. The history has seen it all. The war of water between <keyword id="6354759" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bangladesh">Bangladesh</keyword> and <keyword id="6357783" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="West-Bengal">West Bengal</keyword> over Farakka barrage and now the <keyword id="763269" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Teesta-river">Teesta River</keyword> and the Punjab- <keyword id="41646" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Haryana">Haryana</keyword> conflict over Sutlej-Yamuna link are similar in nature as the <keyword id="6354543" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cauvery">Cauvery</keyword> issue.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/The-Drought-Series-Nearly-3-1-crore-people-in-Karnataka-are-hit-by-the-drought-and-migration-is-intensifying/articleshow/51979749.cms"> Agriculture</a> of both Karnataka and <keyword id="20154" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="tamil-nadu">Tamil Nadu</keyword> are dependent on the river that originates at <keyword id="65856" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kodagu">Kodagu</keyword> in Karnataka and flows for 765 km before meeting the <keyword id="55869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bay-of-Bengal">Bay of Bengal</keyword> in Tamil Nadu. The strategic course that the river takes during its flow has made it a villain for many years on the distribution of water issue. 
 
Current scenario If Karnataka decides to distribute water to Tamil Nadu as per their demand, the former wont have much left. According to the data provided by <keyword id="6357283" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Central-Water-Commission">Central Water Commission</keyword> (<keyword id="54702" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="CWC">CWC</keyword>), Karnataka’s reservoirs this year were 30% below the normal water level compared to Tamil Nadu’s shortage of 49%. 
 The main reservoirs in the two states’ catchment areas include <keyword id="864488" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Krishna-Raja-Sagara">Krishna Raja Sagara</keyword> dam in <keyword id="6355147" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mandya">Mandya</keyword> district, <keyword id="891106" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kabini">Kabini</keyword> in Mysore, Harangi in Kodagu and <keyword id="279522" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hemavathi">Hemavathi</keyword> in Hassan; Mettur dam in <keyword id="6357470" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Salem">Salem</keyword> and <keyword id="3003304" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bhavanisagar-dam">Bhavanisagar Dam</keyword> in Erode. All these reservoirs have reportedly 46% less water than normal and 27% lesser water than last year. In short, the situation is quite grim for both states, as per the CWC report. 
 
A third party needs to intervene 
No matter how much these two states fight, there would be no solid solution ever. There needs to be a third party intervention to resolve this issue. A third party can solve things like nobody else. A good example of third party intervention can be the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan. This was brokered by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/The-Drought-Series-Nearly-3-1-crore-people-in-Karnataka-are-hit-by-the-drought-and-migration-is-intensifying/articleshow/51979749.cms">World Bank</a>, which was signed on September 19, 1960 by Indian Prime Minister <keyword id="6360386" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jawaharlal-Nehru">Jawaharlal Nehru</keyword> and President of Pakistan <keyword id="27721" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ayub-khan">Ayub Khan</keyword>. 
 
Since the ratification of the treaty in 1960, India and Pakistan have not engaged in any water wars. Most disagreements and disputes have been settled via legal procedures, provided for within the framework of the treaty. The treaty is considered to be one of the most successful water-sharing endeavours in the world today even though analysts acknowledge the need to update certain technical specifications and expand the scope of the document to include climate change. As per the provisions in the treaty, India can use only 20% of the total water carried by the Indus River. 
 
Weapon of politics 
As things get murkier the in Karnataka, it’s a hint that the issue wouldn’t get settled as easily as expected. When a crisis becomes a weapon of politics, it is no longer an issue to be solved. Rather it becomes more of a chance for the political parties to milk the situation. In this political game, the crisis has surpassed the actual need of water, the need of the agriculture and become a war of egos between the two states. It’s a motive of victory than a solution that matters to the common people caught in the crossfire. The threat of not sharing a drop of water would gain more brownies for the parties in both the states rather than finding a lighted avenue to the dead end. 
 
It’s a murderous rage 
If media reports are to be believed, Tamil channels and movies have been unofficially banned in Karnataka. This gives proof to the fact that the fight over Cauvery’s water has actually delineated to become a war between two states. Even if the situation can be solved by the two ruling parties of the states through dialogue, there is no indication for the public rage incited by these parties subsiding anytime soon. 
 
Where lies the solution? <keyword id="2262165" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sanjeev-Kumar-Balyan">Sanjeev Kumar Balyan</keyword>, Minister of State for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/The-Drought-Series-Nearly-3-1-crore-people-in-Karnataka-are-hit-by-the-drought-and-migration-is-intensifying/articleshow/51979749.cms">Water Resources</a> has proposed that issue of river water distribution needs to be scrapped from the State list of constitution and added to the Concurrent List so that the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/The-Drought-Series-Nearly-3-1-crore-people-in-Karnataka-are-hit-by-the-drought-and-migration-is-intensifying/articleshow/51979749.cms">Centre </a>has its say as well. 
 The <keyword id="155317" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Republican">republican</keyword> set up of India has often been blamed for the centre hijacking power from the states to use it to dictate its own benefit. That is definitely something not so praiseworthy. However in the water distribution issue, the centre needs to have a say. 
 
The Cauvery issue keeps on recurring. 70 odd years have passed and the states couldn’t come up with a solution. Both the states are well aware of the fact that being adamant and sticking to illogical reasoning wouldn’t fetch any result. But for the game to be played in a gentleman’s way, the rules call for a quick change of perspective.

Hey Karnataka, why so angry?

The mercury has soared all across India, because of which the water storage availability at India's 91 major reservoirs has dipped to mere 37.92 billion cubic metres, and this might come as a shock to everyone, but this is just 24% of the total storage capacity of these reservoirs. 
 In its latest bulletin, the <keyword id="6357283" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Central-Water-Commission">Central Water Commission</keyword> has noted that as on April 7, the storage status of these reservoirs was even less than the corresponding period last year. 
 
It is during the monsoon period of June to September that the reservoirs usually get their share of water; however, because of less rainfall in 2014 and 2015, they have seen heavy decline in water availability. This is also directly hampering the irrigation scene of India. 
 
As a ray of hope, the India Meteorological Department has predicted abundant rainfall this year, because of which these reservoirs are supposed to get enough water during this monsoon. 
 
Indian states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Bengal, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, UP, Uttarakhand, MP, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala are facing lesser storage than last year’s corresponding period. 
 
On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh and Tripura, only two states have reported better storage as compared to the previous year. 
 
<a href="http://rack.1.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDE0LzAxLzMxLzE4L2NhbGlmb3JuaWEuMGU3YjUuanBnCnAJdGh1bWIJMTQ0MHgxMDAwPgplCWpwZw/4d99367d/853/california_drought_4.jpg">Image source</a> (Image for representational purpose only)

91 Key reservoirs in India have less than a quarter of their full capacities left

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A handful of the cryptocurrency industry's biggest executives are going to testify before US lawmakers on Wednesday, Dec. 8.</li><li>The roster includes <keyword id="11930688" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ftx" source="Orion">FTX</keyword> CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, <keyword id="11895315" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coinbase" source="Orion">Coinbase</keyword> CFO Alesia Haas, and <keyword id="11931192" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="circle" source="Orion">Circle</keyword> CEO Jeremy Allaire.</li></ul>Some of the cryptocurrency industry's biggest names are going to have something different on their agenda next week.A heavyweights roster including FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and Coinbase CFO Alesia Haas are set to meet with US lawmakers on Wednesday, Dec. 8, as Congress seeks to ramp up its regulatory oversight over the rapidly growing space. The <a href="https://financialservices.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=408856">list</a> of witnesses was released by Congresswoman <keyword id="12300413" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="maxine-waters" source="Orion">Maxine Waters</keyword>, Chair of the House Committee on Financial Services ahead of her <a href="https://financialservices.house.gov/events/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=408705">hearing</a> next week entitled "Digital Assets and the Future of Finance: Understanding the Challenges and Benefits of Financial Innovation in the United States." Other executives expected to attend include Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire, Bitfury CEO Brian Brooks, Paxos CEO Chad Cascarilla, and Stellar CEO Denelle Dixon.Since she became chair, Waters has executed on a stated mission to protect consumers and investors by holding big technology firms accountable. Her committee has held multiple hearings, including one on central bank digital currencies in <a href="https://financialservices.house.gov/events/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=408111">July 2021</a> and another on the ongoing <keyword id="11893898" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="crypto" source="Orion">crypto</keyword> frenzy in <a href="https://financialservices.house.gov/events/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=407958">June 2021</a>.The committee also announced the <a href="https://financialservices.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=408014">formation</a> of the Digital Assets Working Group of Democratic Members in June, which seeks to meet "regularly with experts and government officials to learn about the challenges and promise of digital assets."Generally speaking, Democrats, with Senator Elizabeth Warren as among the most outspoken, want stricter oversight as opposed to Republicans. Also on Wednesday, US Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler once again <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-01/crypto-exchanges-focus-for-gensler-as-sec-cracks-down-on-tokens?srnd=cryptocurrencies">reiterated his view</a> that crypto exchanges <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/sec-crypto-gary-gensler-regulation-trading-platforms-rules-oversight-2021-9">should be regulated</a>.

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No village in India left without access to electricity, claims FM Nirmala Sitharaman

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The US is thinking about sending another aircraft carrier into waters near Israel, possibly to back up the Ford strike group: reports

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All states except Tamil Nadu availed special capital expenditure scheme: Centre

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Hey Karnataka, why so angry?

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91 Key reservoirs in India have less than a quarter of their full capacities left

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Executives from Coinbase, FTX, Circle, and other crypto firms are set to testify before Congress next week

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