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| Exclusive for Subscribers Daily: Renewable energy and Consumer Price Index (CPI) matter for the UPSC Exam? Why are topics like Photovoltaic cells and Antimicrobial resistance important for both preliminary and main exams? Discover more insights in the UPSC Exam Notes for August 7, 2024 |
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Critical Topics and Their Significance for the UPSC CSE Examination on August 07, 2024
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Production of Energy From Renewable Energy Sources
For Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
For Mains Examination: GS III - Environment & Ecology
Context:
The Government has undertaken several measures and initiatives to promote the development of renewable energy (RE), including solar and wind power, as given at Annexure that directly/indirectly incentivize industries to increase the use of RE against the consumption of energy from conventional coal-thermal based power.
Read about:
What is Renewable energy?
Significance of renewable energy
Key takeaways:
The Government of India has implemented numerous measures to enhance and speed up the country's renewable energy capacity, aiming for 500 GW of installed capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030. These measures include:
- Issuing annual renewable energy power bid trajectories of 50 GW by Renewable Energy Implementation Agencies (REIAs) such as Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI), National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) from FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28.
- Allowing up to 100 percent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) through the automatic route.
- Waiving Inter State Transmission System (ISTS) charges for inter-state sales of solar and wind power for projects commissioned by June 30, 2025, for Green Hydrogen Projects until December 2030, and for offshore wind projects until December 2032.
- Establishing a Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) trajectory until 2029-30, including a separate RPO for Decentralized Renewable Energy to boost RE consumption.
- Setting up a Project Development Cell to attract and facilitate investments.
- Issuing Standard Bidding Guidelines for a tariff-based competitive bidding process for procuring power from grid-connected solar, wind, and wind-solar projects.
- Launching schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM), PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, the National Programme on High Efficiency Solar PV Modules, the National Green Hydrogen Mission, and the development of 1 GW Offshore Wind Energy Projects.
- Establishing Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Parks to provide land and transmission for large-scale RE project installations.
- Laying new transmission lines and creating new sub-station capacities under the Green Energy Corridor Scheme for renewable power evacuation.
- Issuing the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020 for net-metering up to 500 Kilowatts or the electrical sanctioned load, whichever is lower.
- Approving the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme for offshore wind energy projects to install and commission 1 GW of offshore wind energy projects (500 MW each off the coast of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu)
Read also:
What is Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)?
Follow Up Question
1.Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2016)
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Answer (A)
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The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme is a government initiative in India aimed at promoting the use of solar energy in the agricultural sector. Launched in 2019, the scheme has three main components:
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Component-A: Decentralized Grid-Connected Renewable Energy Plants
- Installation of grid-connected solar power plants, each with a capacity of up to 2 MW. These plants are typically set up on barren or fallow lands and are connected to the grid, allowing farmers to sell the generated electricity to the power distribution companies (DISCOMs).
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Component-B: Installation of Stand-alone Solar Agriculture Pumps
- Provision of standalone off-grid solar water pumps to farmers, particularly in areas where grid connectivity is not available. This helps farmers to access reliable and clean energy for irrigation, reducing their dependence on diesel-powered pumps and lowering their input costs.
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Component-C: Solarisation of Existing Grid-connected Agriculture Pumps
- Solarization of existing grid-connected agricultural pumps. Farmers can use solar power to meet their irrigation needs and sell any surplus power back to the grid, creating an additional source of income.
Objectives and Benefits
- By providing solar pumps, the scheme aims to reduce the use of diesel in agriculture, lowering greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality.
- Through the sale of excess solar power to the grid, farmers can generate additional income.
- The scheme supports sustainable agricultural practices by encouraging the use of clean and renewable energy.
- By enhancing the use of decentralized solar power, the scheme aims to improve energy security in rural areas
| The government provides substantial financial assistance for the implementation of the PM-KUSUM scheme. The cost-sharing pattern typically involves contributions from the central government, state governments, and the farmers themselves. Various subsidies and incentives are offered to make the scheme attractive and affordable for farmers |
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Answer (D)
In 2019, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy introduced the KUSUM (Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) program. This initiative encompasses three key elements:
The main goal of PM-KUSUM is to shift farmers away from reliance on fossil fuels like diesel and kerosene, instead promoting the use of solar energy for irrigation pumps. The scheme offers financial support for solarizing grid-connected agricultural pumps, with the central and state governments each providing 30% subsidy, while farmers contribute 40%. To accommodate small farmers, some states permit solar power projects under 500 kW, based on technical and economic viability. Solar installations are allowed on various types of land, including barren, fallow, agricultural, pasture, and marshy areas owned by farmers. The permitted solar capacity can be up to double the pump capacity in kilowatts, with excess power being purchased by the local power distribution company (DISCOM). Initially implemented as a pilot program, states were given flexibility to adopt different approaches, such as net metering, upgrading to BLDC pumps, or other innovative solutions. This initiative is expected to reduce both initial investment and ongoing power costs for farmers |
The Government of India has implemented numerous measures to address Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). These efforts began with the establishment of a National Task Force on AMR Containment in 2010, which led to the development of the National Policy on AMR Containment in 2011. In 2013, the National Programme on AMR Containment was launched. The Union Health Ministry has taken several steps to combat AMR:
- National surveillance networks, comprising laboratories from across the country, have been set up to generate annual National AMR Surveillance reports and submit data to the Global AMR Surveillance System (GLASS).
- Educational materials on the prudent use of antimicrobials, hand hygiene, and infection prevention have been created and distributed to various stakeholders.
- A National Guideline on Infection Prevention has been launched and converted into training materials. Trainers in all States and UTs have been trained, and these training sessions are being further disseminated at the state level.
- To promote the responsible use of antimicrobials, surveillance of antimicrobial use has been initiated in tertiary care hospitals.
- In 2017, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare launched the National Action Plan on AMR (NAP-AMR), which aligns with the Global Action Plan on AMR. This Action Plan, with a five-year duration, is being implemented by various stakeholder ministries.
In 2022, national expert consultations were conducted to develop NAP-AMR 2.0. These consultations covered the human health sector, research sector, professional associations, civil society organizations, environment, and animal husbandry sectors. Each session included experts from the private sector, technical institutions, professional groups, industry, cooperatives, NGOs, international partners, and other relevant organizations. The consultations aimed to perform SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analyses of the existing NAP-AMR and propose the structure and content of NAP 2.0, including essential elements of the AMR research policy and research agenda for the country
Follow Up Question
1.Which of the following are the reasons for the occurrence of multi-drug resistance in microbial pathogens in India? ( UPSC CSE 2019)
- Genetic predisposition of some people
- Taking incorrect doses of antibiotics to cure diseases
- Using antibiotics in livestock farming
- Multiple chronic diseases in some people
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4
(d) 2, 3 and 4
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Answer (b)
Based on this analysis, the correct options are 2 and 3. Therefore, the correct answer is (b) 2 and 3 only. |
Objectives and Uses
- Wage Adjustments: It is primarily used to adjust wages and allowances for industrial workers and government employees to compensate for inflation.
- Policy Formulation: It helps in the formulation of economic policies and labor agreements.
- Research and Analysis: It serves as a tool for economic analysis and research on inflation trends and cost of living
- The CPI-IW is based on a fixed basket of goods and services that represent the consumption pattern of industrial workers. This basket includes items such as food, clothing, housing, fuel, education, healthcare, and transportation
- Each item in the basket is assigned a weight based on its importance in the consumption pattern of industrial workers
- The index is calculated relative to a base year. The base year is periodically updated to reflect changes in consumption patterns and market conditions
- Price data is collected from selected markets in industrial centers across the country.
- The base year of the CPI-IW was revised from 2001 to 2016 to reflect more current consumption patterns and economic conditions
- The revision also included changes in the basket of goods and services, incorporating new items and dropping obsolete ones to better represent current consumption habits
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The Labour Bureau, an office under the Ministry of Labour & Employment, compiles the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) every month using retail price data from 317 markets across 88 key industrial centers in India. This press release announces the index for June 2024.
For June 2024, the All-India CPI-IW increased by 1.5 points, reaching 141.4. Year-on-year inflation for June 2024 eased to 3.67%, down from 5.57% in June 2023
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Answer (A)
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Legal Framework: In India, the practice of manual scavenging is prohibited under laws such as:
- The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993: This act aims to prohibit the employment of manual scavengers and the construction of dry latrines.
- The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013: This law further strengthens the prohibition of manual scavenging and provides for the rehabilitation of those involved in the practice.
According to Sections 2(d) and 2(g) of the ‘Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013’, the definitions are as follows:
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"Hazardous Cleaning" refers to the manual cleaning of a sewer or septic tank by an employee without the employer providing necessary protective gear and cleaning devices, and ensuring safety precautions as prescribed by current laws or regulations.
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"Manual Scavenger" denotes an individual employed by a person, local authority, or public/private agency to manually clean, carry, dispose of, or handle human excreta in insanitary latrines, open drains, pits, railway tracks, or other specified areas before the excreta decomposes fully. The term "manual scavenging" should be interpreted accordingly.
Under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban 2.0), the government has approved Rs 371 crore in funding for states to support smaller towns in acquiring mechanization equipment. States have reported having over 5000 standard septic tank vehicles, more than 1100 Hydrovac machines, and around 1000 desilting machines.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has advised Urban Local Bodies to include BIS 2470 standards for septic tanks in their bylaws and enforce these standards during building approvals. Additionally, advisories have been issued to ensure the provision of safety gear for workers, establish emergency desludging helplines, and conduct IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) activities
1.‘Rashtriya Garima Abhiyaan’ is a national campaign to (2016)
(a) rehabilitate the homeless and destitute persons and provide them with suitable sources of livelihood
(b) release the sex workers from their practice and provide them with alternative sources of livelihood
(c) eradicate the practice of manual scavenging and rehabilitate the manual scavengers
(d) release the bonded labourers from their bondage and rehabilitate them
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Answer (c)
Rashtriya Garima Abhiyaan’ is a national campaign launched to address and eliminate the practice of manual scavenging, which involves the hazardous and dehumanizing manual cleaning of human waste. The campaign focuses on eradicating this practice and providing rehabilitation and alternative livelihoods to those engaged in manual scavenging
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- On August 5, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared the abrogation of Article 370 and the cessation of the "special status" for Jammu and Kashmir. This move led Parliament to exercise its powers under Article 3 of the Constitution for the first time to revoke the state's status and establish two Union Territories.
- This action communicated three key points: first, that addressing Jammu and Kashmir's complex political and security issues required intervention from Delhi rather than relying on the state government; second, that altering the status of a "disputed territory" would shift deterrence dynamics with Pakistan; and third, that dissolving an elected legislature highlighted an uneven form of federalism.
- Five years later, after the Supreme Court confirmed the constitutionality of the process, two critical questions remain: Did the abrogation meet its objectives? And how can the democratic deficit in the Union Territories be addressed?
- Economically and administratively, there have been improvements. Service delivery has become more efficient, with over 1,000 public services digitized; major projects under the Prime Minister’s development package are either complete or nearing completion; and approximately Rs 6,000 crore worth of investments have been realized.
- Tourist numbers increased from 3.4 million in 2020 to 21.1 million in 2023, with a 20% rise in the first half of 2024. On the security front, while the Valley has remained peaceful, control has been more through enforcement than through winning public support.
- Recently, however, the nature of conflict is evolving, with increased activity from infiltrators in the Jammu sector. The ongoing international dimension involving Pakistan, its alliance with China, and its support for terrorism remains a significant challenge.
- Despite the detention of several elected leaders in August 2019, the people of Jammu and Kashmir demonstrated their trust in the electoral process, with a voter turnout of 58.6% in the 2024 general election—the highest in 35 years.
- Nevertheless, political progress remains crucial. The security situation is often cited as an obstacle to restoring statehood, but equating democracy with insecurity is a narrow perspective.
- Restoring statehood requires a thoughtful approach but must start promptly, with clear timelines—such as the Supreme Court's September deadline for elections—as a potential starting point.
- The Central Government needs to engage with the residents of Jammu and Kashmir actively. Recent protests over water and power issues highlight the need to listen to public grievances rather than suppress them.
- Engaging citizens in governance is essential to addressing their alienation. As reports marking five years since August 5 indicate, from strategic discussions to educational settings, there is a consensus that involving people in governance is crucial.
- For the New Delhi government, the success of the August 5, 2019, decision will be measured by how well it balances effective counter-terrorism measures with genuine public engagement and democratic participation
1.Which of the following statements accurately describe the abrogation of Article 370 and its impact on Jammu and Kashmir?
- Article 370 was abrogated on August 5, 2019, leading to the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
- The abrogation of Article 370 resulted in Jammu and Kashmir being reorganized into two separate Union Territories: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
- The Supreme Court of India has ruled that the abrogation of Article 370 was unconstitutional.
Choose the correct option(s):
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
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Answer (A)
Based on this analysis, the correct answer is: A. 1 and 2 only |
| Subject | Topic | Description |
| Polity | Indian Constitution | Non Constitutional bodies |
| History | Ancient History | Prehistoric times |
| Economy | NCERT Class 9 | Poverty as a Challenge |
| Geography | NCERT Class 9 | India Size and Location |
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