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Lithium

Why in News Various provinces of Argentina are building mining logistics nodes and access roads, lowering tax rates and rationalizing rules for the...

15 Sep 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
Unviability of New Coal-Based Power Plants

Why in News According to a recent report prepared by two independent think tanks, EMBER and Climate Risk Horizons, India does not require additional...

10 Sep 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
Substantial Investment Subsidies for Solar Power

Why in News In recent years, the Government of India has introduced several solar irrigation schemes like PM KUSUM, Suryamitra Skill Development...

31 Aug 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
PM-KUSUM and Rooftop Solar Programme Phase-II

Why in News Recently, the Ministry of New and Renewable (MNRE) has conducted a review of implementation of Prime Minister’s Kisan Urja...

21 Aug 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
Fossil Fuel And Policy Dilemma

This article is based on The agenda for Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri which was published in The Indian Express on 30/08/2021. It talks...

02 Aug 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
New Facilities Under Strategic Petroleum Reserves

Why in News Recently, under the Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) programme, the government has given approval for establishing two additional...

27 Jul 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
PLI Scheme For Specialty Steel

Why in News Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme (Central Sector Scheme) for manufacturing Speciality...

24 Jul 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
Stand-Off on GERD

Why in News Recently, Ethiopia has started the second phase of filling a Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam’s (GERD) reservoir on the upper Blue...

07 Jul 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
Loan to Sri Lanka for Solar Energy

Why in News Recently, India has signed an agreement extending a USD 100 million Line of Credit (LOC) to Sri Lanka for projects in the Solar Energy...

17 Jun 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
Rare Earth Metals and China’s Monopoly

Why in News China’s dominance in the rare earth metals, key to the future of manufacturing, is posing a major concern for the West. Key...

14 Jun 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
World Energy Investment Report, 2021: IEA

Why in News Recently, the International Energy Agency (IEA) published the World Energy Investment Report, 2021. Key Points Increased...

05 Jun 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
Illegal Sale of Uranium

Why in News Two people were arrested under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 for possessing uranium without licence and selling it illegally. On...

11 May 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
Helium Crisis for India

Why in News India imports helium for its needs, and with the USA appearing set to cut off exports of helium since 2021, Indian industry stands to...

26 Mar 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
The Big Picture: Mines & Minerals (Amendment) Bill

Why in News? Recently, the Lok Sabha has cleared the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Amendment Bill, 2021. The Bill...

24 Mar 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
MMDR Amendment Bill, 2021

Why in News Recently, the Coal and Mines Minister introduced the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Amendment Bill, 2021 in Lok...

19 Mar 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
India Energy Outlook 2021: IEA

Why in News Recently, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has released the India Energy Outlook 2021 Report which explores the opportunities and...

18 Feb 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
Unified Portal of Gobardhan

Why in News Recently, a Unified Portal of Gobardhan has been launched to ensure smooth implementation of Biogas schemes/initiatives and their real...

06 Feb 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
Rooftop Solar Scheme

Why in News Recently, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has released an advisory on the rooftop solar scheme. Key...

19 Jan 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
Single Window Clearance for Coal

Why in News Recently, the Union government has announced a new online single window clearance portal for the coal sector. The coal sector can be...

12 Jan 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources
The Big Picture : One Nation, One Gas Grid

Why in News? The Prime Minister of India has recently inaugurated the 450-km natural gas pipeline between Kochi in Kerala to Mangalore in...

12 Jan 2021 Mineral & Energy Resources

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		'article_id' => (int) 9775,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Lithium',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Various<strong> provinces of Argentina are building mining logistics</strong> nodes and access roads, lowering tax rates and rationalizing rules for the sector <strong>to attract investment in the Lithium metal.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Rising global lithium demand and surging prices have drawn increased interest in the so-called<strong> &lsquo;lithium triangle&rsquo;</strong> that spans parts of <strong>Argentina, Bolivia and Chile.</strong></li>
<li>Lithium has become the new <strong>'white gold'</strong> as the demand for high performing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/increasing-imports-of-li-ion-batteries" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>rechargeable batteries</strong> </a>is rising.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631694045_image6.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631694045_image6.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="375" height="506" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Properties of Lithium:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631694067_image7.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1631694067_image7.jpg" style="float: right;" caption="false" width="340" height="197" /></a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a chemical element with the symbol Li.</li>
<li>It is a <strong>soft, silvery-white metal.</strong></li>
<li>Under standard conditions, it is the <strong>lightest metal and the lightest solid element.</strong></li>
<li>It is <strong>highly reactive and flammable,</strong> and must be stored in mineral oil.</li>
<li>It is an<strong> alkali metal</strong> and a<strong> rare metal.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>alkali metals</strong> consist of the chemical elements lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium, and francium. Together with hydrogen they constitute group 1, which lies in the s-block of the periodic table.</li>
<li><strong>Rare Metals</strong> (RM) include Niobium (Nb), Tantalum (Ta), Lithium (Li), Beryllium (Be), Cesium (Cs) etc. and Rare Earths (RE) include Lanthanum (La) to Lutetium (Lu) besides Scandium (Sc) and Yttrium (Y).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These metals are <strong>strategic in nature with wide application in the nuclear and other high tech industries</strong> such as electronics, telecommunication, information technology, space, defense etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Uses:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Lithium metal is used to make <strong>useful alloys.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>For example, <strong>with lead to make &lsquo;white metal&rsquo; bearings</strong> for motor engines, <strong>with aluminium to make aircraft parts,</strong> and <strong>with magnesium to make armour plates.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In Thermonuclear reactions.</li>
<li>To make electrochemical cells. Lithium is an important component in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/electric-vehicles-policy-2020-delhi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Electric Vehicles</strong></a>, Laptops etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Countries with Largest Reserves:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Chile&gt; Australia&gt; Argentina</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lithium in India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Researchers at the Atomic Minerals Directorate (under India&rsquo;s Atomic Energy Commission) have estimated lithium reserves of<strong> 14,100 tonnes in a small patch of land surveyed in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/domestic-exploration-of-lithium" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southern Karnataka&rsquo;s Mandya district</a></strong> recently. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also to be <strong>India&rsquo;s first ever Lithium deposit site found.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Potential Sites in India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The major<strong> mica belts in Rajasthan, Bihar, and Andhra Pradesh.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Pegmatite</strong> (igneous rocks)<strong> belts</strong> in<strong> Odisha and Chhattisgarh.</strong></li>
<li>Brines of<strong> Sambhar and Pachpadra</strong> in Rajasthan, and <strong>Rann of Kachchh</strong> in Gujarat.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Related Government Initiative:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India, through a newly state-owned company<strong> Khanij Bidesh India Ltd,</strong> had signed an agreement with an Argentinian firm to<strong> jointly prospect lithium in Argentina.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Khanij Bidesh India Ltd has a <strong>specific mandate to acquire strategic mineral assets such as lithium and cobalt</strong> abroad.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lithium Production in Stars:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have provided evidence for the first time that<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/lithium-production-in-stars" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Lithium (Li) production</strong></a> is common among low mass Sun-like stars during their Helium (He) core burning phase.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/world/argentina-white-gold-lithium-7508319/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 9700,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Unviability of New Coal-Based Power Plants',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to a recent report prepared by two independent think tanks, EMBER and Climate Risk Horizons, India <strong>does not require additional new coal capacity</strong> to meet expected power demand growth by Financial Year (FY) 2030.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Highlights of the Report:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India&rsquo;s <strong>peak power demand would reach 301 GW by 2030</strong>, if it grows at an annual growth rate of 5% (which is also in line with projections made by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/prakash-portal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Electricity Authority</strong></a>), <strong>India&rsquo;s planned solar capacity can cover much of it.</strong></li>
<li>Therefore, <strong>adding new coal plants will lead to &ldquo;zombie&rdquo; units</strong> &ndash; ones which will exist, but not be operational.</li>
<li>Further, India can<strong> free up nearly Rs 2.5 lakh crore</strong> by not investing in these surplus plants.</li>
<li>Once incurred, these wasted investments<strong> will lock <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ujwal-discom-assurance-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DISCOMs</a></strong> (power distribution companies) and <strong>consumers into expensive contracts</strong> and <strong>jeopardise India&rsquo;s Renewable Energy goals</strong> by adding to the system&rsquo;s overcapacity.</li>
<li>Further, it will <strong>lead to the loss of annual savings of Rs 43,219 crore</strong> that India makes by investing in renewables and storage.</li>
<li>Thus, the report concludes that more coal capacity beyond what&rsquo;s already under construction isn&rsquo;t needed to meet the aggregate demand growth by FY 2030.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Factors Responsible for Solar Energy Over Coal Based Power Plants:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The disruption in the power sector owing to replacement of thermal based generation with Solar energy generation is possible with the <strong>downward trend of cost of solar panels.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Moreover, the <strong>newer technology options</strong> like battery energy storage systems will further promote solar energy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The world is <strong>focusing on environmental issues</strong>, especially climate change and therefore the idea of growing sustainably has taken centre stage globally.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Towards realizing the objective of carbon free energy, India has set for itself a target of installed capacity of <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-budget-2021-for-green-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>175 GW from Renewable Energy</strong></a> Sources (RE) by March 2022.</li>
<li>In pursuance of this, India has established the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/third-assembly-of-isa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> International Solar Alliance</strong></a> and proposed <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/one-sun-one-world-one-grid" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>One Sun One World One Grid</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Government Policy of active promotion of Solar energy through schemes like <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/pm-kusum#:~:text=PM%2DKUSUM%20consists%20of%20three,standalone%20solar%2Dpowered%20agriculture%20pumps." target="_blank" rel="noopener">PM KUSUM,</a> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rooftop-solar-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rooftop Solar Scheme</a></strong>, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Importance of Continuing Coal Based Power Plants:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to <strong>BP Energy Outlook 2019</strong>, coal&rsquo;s share in India&rsquo;s primary energy consumption will decline from 56% in 2017 to <strong>48% in 2040.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, that is s<strong>till nearly half of the total energy mix</strong> and way ahead of any other source of energy. Thus, it is not easy to replace coal very easily.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Issues related to land acquisition, funding and policy</strong> continue to come in the way of renewable energy plans.</li>
<li>Apart from the power sector, <strong>other critical sectors</strong> like steel and aluminium also depend on coal based power.</li>
<li>Further, the capacity value of the coal based power plants is critical to meet <strong>instantaneous peak load</strong>, and to meet load <strong>when renewable energy is unavailable.</strong></li>
<li>Further, India had initially set a 2017 deadline for thermal power plants to install <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sulfur-dioxide-emission-norms-delayed" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD)</strong></a> <strong>units</strong> that cut emissions of sulphur dioxides. But that was postponed to varying deadlines for different regions, ending in 2022.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Optimal Energy Mix in Power Generation:</strong> Power is generated through various sources of energy such as coal, hydro, natural gas, and renewables (solar, wind). An optimal energy mix is one that uses a mix of these generation sources in the most efficient manner. This gains tremendous importance as the future generation capacity mix should be cost effective as well as environmentally friendly.</li>
<li><strong>New Technologies for Coal Based Units:</strong> The government has commissioned more efficient supercritical coal based units and old and inefficient coal based capacity is being retired. A range of new technologies (like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coal-gasification-plant-for-urea-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Coal gasification</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/coal-sector-reforms#:~:text=Coal%20washeries%20are%20units%20that,grade%2C%20high%20ash%20Indian%20coal." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Coal beneficiation</strong></a>, etc.) can be deployed to make coal-fired power plants more environmentally compatible.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/no-new-coal-plants-needed-to-meet-2030-demand/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 9542,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Substantial Investment Subsidies for Solar Power',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>In recent years, the Government of India has introduced <strong>several solar irrigation schemes</strong> like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/pm-kusum#:~:text=PM%2DKUSUM%20consists%20of%20three,standalone%20solar%2Dpowered%20agriculture%20pumps." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>PM KUSUM</strong></a>, <strong>Suryamitra Skill Development Programme, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/scheme-for-promotion-of-academic-and-research-collaboration-sparc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SPaRC Program</a>,</strong> etc.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These schemes <strong>seek to provide Substantial Investment Subsidies (SIP) and incentivise farmers to conserve groundwater and energy,</strong> increase farmer income and enable more efficient irrigation.</li>
<li>SIPs promise a low carbon footprint, consistent energy availability, zero fuel costs and low operational costs. However, there are <strong>some issues associated with these schemes.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About Substantial Investment Subsidies:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Government of India through PM KUSUM has been promoting solar irrigation pumps by offering Substantial Investment Subsidies (SIP).</li>
<li>The objective of SIP is to<strong> provide subsidies to farmers for buying and installation of solar pumps and power plants.</strong></li>
<li>The farmer will be able to use the generated solar power to meet the irrigation needs and the <strong>excess solar power will be sold to power <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ujwal-discom-assurance-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">distribution companies (DISCOMs)</a></strong> at pre-fixed tariff.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>massive power subsidies in the Indian agriculture sector</strong> has led to <strong>development of the irrigation-energy nexus.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Electricity in the agriculture sector is supplied at subsidised rates.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This irrigation-energy nexus is<strong> characterised primarily by</strong> depleting groundwater and a growing debt burden of power <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ujwal-discom-assurance-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>DISCOMs.</strong></a> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>SIP can help in breaking this irrigation-energy nexus</strong> and provide other benefits.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Advantages of Offering SIP: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Eco-friendly Approach:</strong> SIPs will help move towards a<strong> zero-carbon footprint in the groundwater economy</strong> by decreasing reliability on fossil fuel-based electricity production.</li>
<li><strong>Providing Water and Electricity Security:</strong> The <strong>west-south corridor</strong> spanning from Punjab to Tamil Nadu has<strong> lower groundwater availability</strong> than the <strong>Ganga-Brahmaputra belt.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Farmers in this corridor also face frequent power cuts, low voltage and receive stable electricity only at night.</li>
<li>The west-south corridor will benefit significantly from introducing SIPs since the region has <strong>many solar hotspots and receives peak sunlight hours. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reducing Burden of DiISCOMs:</strong> It will also help relieve the DISCOM&rsquo;s subsidy burden from Rs 30,000-35,000 per year per SIP.</li>
<li><strong>Favourable Condition for Solar Energy Development:</strong> SIPs now, are more affordable, owing to the falling price of solar photovoltaic [PV] cells.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The recent rise in diesel prices has naturally increased the costs of irrigation.</li>
<li>Therefore, introducing SIPs may boost agricultural growth while curbing the need to lay rural electric networks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Associated Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Over-exploitation of Groundwater:</strong> The only possible drawback of SIPs could be the risk of the over-exploitation of groundwater since on-demand cheap power will always be available after introduction of SIPs in the corridor.</li>
<li><strong>Favours Medium and Large-scale Farmers:</strong> The schemes that are launched for solar energy promotion, gives preference to farmers who are already using water-saving micro-irrigation systems.</li>
<li><strong>High Initial Cost:</strong> Despite subsidies, the initial capital investment remains high, raising questions about the viability of SIPs. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Moreover, the operation and maintenance of solar PV systems require trained professionals and machine components, which may be hard to find in rural areas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Costly Grid Connection:</strong> The financial costs associated with grid connection can be enormous. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to the Centre for Science and Environment, installing a 100-kilowatt solar-powered system to an electricity grid costs around Rs 85 lakh.</li>
<li>Due to this, SIPs might not be the silver bullet to solve the irrigation-energy nexus.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Awareness programmes about efficient water management practices and the benefits of SIPs must be undertaken through existing networks of farmers.</li>
<li>Apart from promoting Joint Liability Groups (JLG) among small and marginal farmers, their inclusivity in existing solar irrigation schemes must also be ensured.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/renewable-energy/can-solar-pumps-save-groundwater-while-cutting-debt-of-power-cos--78685" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: DTE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 9403,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'PM-KUSUM and Rooftop Solar Programme Phase-II',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Ministry of New and Renewable (MNRE)</strong> has conducted a review of implementation of <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/pm-kusum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prime Minister&rsquo;s Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme </a></strong>and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/phase-ii-of-grid-connected-rooftop-solar-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rooftop Solar Programme Phase-II</strong></a> and suggested measures for expansion of the schemes.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About PM-KUSUM:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The PM-KUSUM scheme was launched by the MNRE in 2019, <strong>to support installation of off-grid solar pumps in rural areas</strong> and reduce dependence on grid, in grid-connected areas.</li>
<li>The objective of the scheme is to <strong>enable farmers to set up solar power generation capacity on their barren lands and to sell it to the grid.</strong></li>
<li>The government&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/union-budget-2020-21-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Budget for 2020-21</strong></a> expanded the scope for the scheme with <strong>20 lakh farmers</strong> to be provided assistance to install standalone solar pumps; another 15 lakh farmers to be given help to solarise their grid-connected pump sets.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Intended Benefits of the PM- KUSUM Scheme:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Helping Farmers:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It <strong>ensures water-security</strong> to farmers by providing a day-time reliable source of power for irrigation activities.</li>
<li>It also incentivises the farmers <strong>to sell surplus solar energy to the states</strong>, which in turn will augment their income.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Helping Environment:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>If farmers are able to sell surplus power, they will be incentivised to save power and, in turn, it will mean the <strong>reasonable and efficient use of groundwater.</strong></li>
<li>Also, expansion of the irrigation cover by providing decentralized solar-based irrigation and <strong>moving away from polluting diesel.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Helping Discoms:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>As farmers will be less dependent on subsidized electricity, the PM KUSUM scheme will support the financial health of electricity distribution companies (discoms) by reducing the burden of subsidy to the agriculture sector.</li>
<li>Help them meet the <strong>RPO (Renewable Purchase Obligation) targets.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Helping States:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Promotes decentralised solar power production</strong>, and reduces transmission losses.</li>
<li>A potential way to reduce their subsidy outlay towards irrigation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>About Rooftop Solar Programme Phase II:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>aim</strong> is to achieve<strong> a cumulative capacity of 40,000 MW from Rooftop Solar Projects by the year 2022.</strong></li>
<li>In a grid-connected rooftop or small Solar Voltaic Panel system, the DC power generated from the Solar Voltaic panel is converted to AC power using the power conditioning unit and is fed to the grid.</li>
<li>This scheme is being <strong>implemented in the states by distribution companies (DISCOMs).</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>MNRE is providing a 40% subsidy</strong> for the first 3 kW and 20% subsidy beyond 3 kW and upto 10 kW of solar panel capacity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objectives of the Rooftop Solar Programme:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To promote the <strong>grid-connected SPV rooftop</strong> and small SPV power generating plants among the residential, community, institutional, industrial and commercial establishments.</li>
<li>To mitigate the <strong>dependence on fossil fuel</strong> based electricity generation and encourage environment-friendly Solar electricity generation.</li>
<li>To create<strong> an enabling environment for investment in the solar energy sector</strong> by the private sector, state government and the individuals.</li>
<li>To create an enabling environment for the <strong>supply of solar power from rooftop and small plants to the grid.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Therefore, the installation of rooftop solar will <strong>bring down the electricity consumption</strong> of the households and <strong>save electricity expenditure.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Other Schemes for Promoting Solar Energy</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Scheme for Development of Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Parks:</strong> It is a scheme to develop Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Parks (UMREPPs) under the existing Solar Park Scheme.</li>
<li><strong>National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy 2018:</strong> The main objective of the Policy is to provide a framework for promotion of large grid connected wind-solar PV hybrid systems for optimal and efficient utilization of wind and solar resources, transmission infrastructure and land.</li>
<li><strong>Atal Jyoti Yojana:</strong> The AJAY scheme was launched in September 2016 for the installation of solar street lighting (SSL) systems in states with less than 50% households covered with grid power (as per Census 2011).</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/second-assembly-of-isa#:~:text=The%20second%20assembly%20of%20the,financial%20and%20programme%20related%20issues." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Solar Alliance (ISA)</strong></a>: The ISA, is an Indian initiative that was launched by the Prime Minister of India and the President of France on 30th November 2015 in Paris, France on the side-lines of the Conference of the Parties (COP-21), with 121 solar resource rich countries lying fully or partially between the tropic of Cancer and tropic of Capricorn as prospective members.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/one-sun-one-world-one-grid-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>One Sun, One World, One Grid</strong></a> (OSOWOG): It focuses on a framework for facilitating global cooperation, building a global ecosystem of interconnected renewable energy resources (mainly solar energy) that can be seamlessly shared.</li>
<li><a href="/mind-map/gs-paper2/national-action-plan-on-climate-change-mind-map" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Solar Mission</strong></a>: It is a part of the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/national-action-plan-on-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Action Plan on Climate Change</strong></a>.</li>
<li><strong>Suryamitra Skill Development Programme:</strong> To provide skill training to rural youth in handling solar installations.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1747469" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 9054,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Fossil Fuel And Policy Dilemma',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/petroleum-minister-climate-change-policy-dilemma-7433669/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The agenda for Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri</strong> </a>which was published in The Indian Express on 30/08/2021. It talks about the policy challenges faced by India with respect to crude oil import and utilisation.</p>
</div>
<p>The spread and speed of the destruction caused by climate change presents the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-petroleum-natural-gas" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas </strong></a>a<strong> policy dilemma, if not a moral one.</strong></p>
<p>Dilemma is how to redefine the supply-side priorities in the face of the imperatives of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atma Nirbharta (self Sufficiency)</strong></a> when about 85% fossil fuels are still imported.</p>
<p>Thus, there is a need to look into various measures that can be taken by the ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in order to bridge the demand supply gap.</p>
<h3>Issues Related to Crude Oil Management</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Balancing Environment With Extraction:</strong> Indian oil and gas industry leaders are faced with the twin challenge of responding to the<strong> changing environment, while sticking to the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ndc-synthesis-report-unfccc#:~:text=Aims%3A%20To%20reduce%20global%20GHG,1.5%C2%B0C%20by%202100.&amp;text=Addressing%20the%20financial%20losses%20vulnerable,impacts%20such%20as%20extreme%20weather." target="_blank" rel="noopener"> commitment</a></strong> of reduction of fossil fuel consumption.</li>
<li><strong>Import Dependent:</strong> The Indian economy is dependent on fossil fuels and there is no discernible end in sight to this dependence. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India imports approximately 85% of its crude oil requirements and is exposed to the volatility of the international oil market.</li>
<li>Moreover, a major chunk comes from the Middle East, predominantly <strong>Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran,</strong> which faces deep political and social fault lines and there is no knowing when our supply lines might get ruptured.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Issues With Exploration:</strong> There have been few substantive commercial discoveries in recent years, in large part because the bulk of the reserves are in <strong>complex geological structures and harsh terrain</strong> (Himalayan foothills or deep waters offshore). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They are difficult to find but even when found, the costs incurred are often so high that except in market conditions of high prices, the discovery is not commercially viable.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Structural Challenges:</strong> In 2021 structural changes are brought by the <strong>Covid-19 pandemic.</strong> Some are mentioned in the Graph1.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1627902532_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1627902532_image2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="615" height="179" /></a></p>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Rationalise Domestic Exploration:</strong> India should scale up the harnessing of its indigenous petroleum resources by intensifying exploration, but resources indulged in it should be properly managed.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>As the exploration has its own challenges, after rationalisation the resources earmarked for exploration can be deployed more productively elsewhere.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Improving The Productivity And Efficiency:</strong> Companies such as ONGC should allocate increasing resources to improving the productivity of its producing fields. The average oil recovery rate in India is around 28%. That is, for every 100 molecules discovered, only 28 are monetised. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The global average is around 45% for fields of comparable geology.</li>
<li>The recovery rate may be better today but if there is still a wide gap, the application of <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/increasing-domestic-oil-production#:~:text=Enhanced%20Oil%20Recovery%20(EOR)%20is,the%20viscosity%20of%20the%20oil." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)</a> technology</strong> offers a relatively low-risk avenue for increasing domestic production.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need For a Contingency Plan:</strong> India currently has strategic reserves equivalent to 12 days of imports. The government has approved plans to increase this buffer to 25 days. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>By comparison, China, the EU, South Korea and Japan hold between 70-100 days of reserves.</li>
<li>This should be done by constructing a cavern in Jamnagar, the entrepot that receives approximately 60% of our crude oil imports and is well connected through tanks and pipelines to the hinterland refineries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Restructure And Reorganise Public Sector Petroleum Companies:</strong> The upstream assets should be consolidated under ONGC (the upstream assets of BPCL, IOC, HPCL, and GAIL should pass onto ONGC) and GAIL should be changed into a public utility gas pipeline company. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This restructuring will help <strong>cut back the &ldquo;avoidable&rdquo; costs</strong> of intra-public sector competition, <strong>reduce the inefficiencies of &ldquo;sub scale&rdquo;</strong> operations and provide a focused platform for balancing the shorter-term need to provide secure and affordable hydrocarbons with the medium and longer-term imperative of developing clean energy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Search For Alternatives:</strong> These companies should be encouraged to look beyond hydrocarbons to build an<strong> &ldquo;<a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-s-renewable-energy-plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Green energy</a>&rdquo; enterprise.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Looking for other alternatives such as <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/biofuels-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>methanol based economy and biomass.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Thus, all stakeholders should not work through the siloed prism of oil and natural gas. They should broaden the aperture and become the progenitor of the energy transition.</p>
<p>The dilemma referred to in the opening sentence will be easier to resolve if priorities are developed within the framework of clean energy.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1627902555_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1627902555_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f2fff2;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>There is an urgent need to look into various measures that can be taken by India in order to bridge the demand supply gap. Comment.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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		'article_id' => (int) 8987,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'New Facilities Under Strategic Petroleum Reserves',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, under the<a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-strategic-petroleum-reserve" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR)</strong></a> programme, the government has given approval for establishing <strong>two additional facilities.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 2020, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/strategic-petroleum-reserves" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India filled its strategic petroleum reserves</strong></a> in view of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/oil-prices-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>slump in crude prices.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>New Facilities:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The new facilities will be <strong>commercial-cum-strategic facilities</strong> with a total storage capacity of <strong>6.5 MMT&nbsp;</strong>(Million Metric Ton) underground storages at:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Chandikhol, Odisha</strong> (4 MMT)</li>
<li><strong>Padur, Karnataka</strong> (2.5 MMT)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>They will be built in <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/ppp-investment-model" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Public Private Partnership</strong></a> mode under <strong>phase II</strong> of the SPR Programme.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Existing Facilities:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under <strong>Phase I of the Programme,</strong> Government of India has established petroleum storage facilities with total capacity of <strong>5.33 MMT at 3 locations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh</strong> (1.33 MMT).</li>
<li><strong>Mangaluru, Karnataka</strong> (1.5 MMT).</li>
<li><strong>Padur, Karnataka</strong> (2.5 MMT).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The petroleum reserves established under Phase I are <strong>strategic in nature</strong> and the crude oil stored in these reserves will be<strong> used during an oil shortage event,</strong> as and when declared so by the Government of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Strategic Petroleum Reserves</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Strategic petroleum reserves are <strong>huge stockpiles of crude oil</strong> to deal with any crude oil-related crisis like the risk of supply disruption from natural disasters, war or other calamities.</li>
<li>According to the agreement on an <strong>International Energy Programme (I.E.P.),</strong> each <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/opec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Energy Agency (IEA)</strong></a> country has an <strong>obligation to hold emergency oil stocks equivalent to at least 90 days of net oil imports.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In case of a severe oil supply disruption, <strong>IEA members may decide to release these stocks to the market</strong> as part of a collective action.</li>
<li><strong>India became an associate member</strong> of the IEA in 2017.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>concept</strong> of dedicated strategic reserves<strong> was first mooted in 1973 in the US,</strong> after the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/talks-on-oil-cut-deal-at-g-20" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)</strong></a> oil crisis.</li>
<li>Underground storage is, by far, the <strong>most economical method</strong> of storing petroleum products because the underground facility<strong> rules out the requirement of large swathes of land, ensures less evaporation</strong> and, since the caverns are built much below the sea level, it is <strong>easy to discharge crude</strong> into them from ships.</li>
<li>The construction of the Strategic Crude Oil Storage facilities in India is being managed by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/strategic-petroleum-reserves" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL).</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>ISPRL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Oil Industry Development Board (OIDB) under the Ministry of Petroleum &amp; Natural Gas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>After the new facilities get functional a total of<strong> 22 days (10+12)</strong> of oil consumption will be made available.</li>
<li>With the strategic facilities <strong>Indian refiners also maintain crude oil storage (industrial stock) of 65 days.</strong></li>
<li>Thus, Approximately a total of <strong>87 days (22 by strategic reserves + 65 by Indian refiners)</strong> of oil consumption will be made available in India after completion of <strong>Phase II of the SPR programme.</strong> This will be very <strong>close to the 90 days mandate by the IEA.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need of SPRs in India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Build Sufficient Capacity:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>current capacity of this is not sufficient</strong> to tackle any unpredicted event that occurs in the international crude market.</li>
<li>86% of the country is dependent on oil with <strong>nearly 5 million barrels of oil consumption in a day.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Energy Security:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> fluctuation in the price of crude oil in the international market</strong> leads to a dire need for India to make petroleum reserves to ensure the country's energy security and avoid monetary loss.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The demand is to look for assets of energy sources present abroad. <strong>India should buy and store the oil in the host countries</strong> as Indian assets and retrieve them when required like China.</li>
<li>India <strong>should distribute its oil contracts in several countries so as to avoid the monopoly</strong> of any one region. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For example, currently <strong>India is importing most of the oil from the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/solidarity-and-stability-deal-gulf-countries#:~:text=GCC%20is%20a%20political%2C%20economic,beliefs%2C%20joint%20destiny%20and%20common" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Gulf region.</a></strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The oil is the central source of energy but is limited, therefore <strong>alternative sources need to be looked upon.</strong></li>
<li>Indian oil imported in the ships consisting of 90% foreign ships; is also an issue to be looked upon. <strong>India needs to acquire its own ships to transport oil.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1739019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8959,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'PLI Scheme For Specialty Steel',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pli-scheme-for-food-processing-industry" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Production-Linked Incentive (PLI)</strong></a> scheme (<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/proposal-to-hike-monthly-pensions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Central Sector Scheme</strong></a>) for manufacturing<strong> Speciality Steel (SS)</strong> with a budgetary outlay of <strong>Rs 6,322 crore</strong> over a period of five years from <strong>2023-24.</strong></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Speciality Steel</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It <strong>is value-added steel,</strong> which is made by processing normal finished steel.</li>
<li>It is done by converting normal finished steel into high value-added steel by way of <strong>coating, plating and heat treatment.</strong></li>
<li>Apart from the automobile sector and specialised capital goods, they can be used in various strategic applications such as <strong>defence, space, power etc.</strong></li>
<li>SS are<strong> categorized in various types</strong> such as, coated/plated steel products, high strength/wear resistant steel, speciality rails, alloy steel products and steel wires, electrical steel etc.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>PLI Scheme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In order to<strong> boost domestic manufacturing and cut down on import bills,</strong> the central government<strong> in March 2020 introduced a PLI scheme</strong> that aims to give companies incentives on incremental sales from products manufactured in domestic units.</li>
<li>The scheme<strong> invites foreign companies to set units in India,</strong> however, it also aims to <strong>encourage local companies</strong> to set up or expand existing manufacturing units.</li>
<li>The Scheme <strong>has also been approved for sectors such as</strong> automobiles, <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pli-scheme-for-it-hardware-and-pharmaceuticals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pharmaceuticals, IT hardware including laptops</a></strong>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/schemes-for-electronic-manufacturing" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>mobile phones &amp; telecom equipment</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pli-scheme-for-ten-more-sectors" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>white goods</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-programme-on-advanced-chemistry-cell-battery-storage" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>chemical cells</strong></a>,<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pli-scheme-for-food-processing-industry" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> food processing</strong></a> and textiles, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1627107293_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1627107293_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>PLI for Speciality Steel:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Aim:</strong> To <strong>help India's SS production reach 42 Million Tonnes (MT) by 2026-27</strong> from 18 MT today.</li>
<li><strong>Categories:</strong> There are five <strong>categories of specialty steel which have been chosen in the PLI Scheme:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Coated/plated steel products.</li>
<li>High strength/wear resistant steel.</li>
<li>Speciality rails.</li>
<li>Alloy steel products and steel wires.</li>
<li>Electrical steel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Slabs:</strong> There are<strong> three slabs of PLI incentives,</strong> the lowest being <strong>4%</strong> and highest being <strong>12%.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Beneficiaries:</strong> Both<strong> big players</strong> i.e. integrated steel plants and to the <strong>smaller players</strong> (secondary steel players).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Any<strong> company registered in India,</strong> engaged in manufacturing of the identified &lsquo;specialty steel&rsquo; grades will be <strong>eligible to participate in the scheme.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reason for choosing speciality Steel:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>To Increase Production:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>SS has been chosen as the target segment by the government because <strong>out of a production of 102 million tonnes of steel</strong> in 2020-21, <strong>only 18 million tonnes of value-added steel/speciality steel</strong> were produced in the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>To Reduce Imports:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Most of the<strong> imports into India are in the value-added and speciality segment.</strong> The PLI scheme<strong> will boost manufacturing capacities</strong> by Indian mills in this segment and MSMEs will be able to source from them directly.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Out of<strong> 6.7 million tonnes of imports of steel in</strong> 2020-21, approximately <strong>4 million tonnes were of speciality steel,</strong> resulting in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/forex-reserves-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Foreign Exchange (Forex)</strong> </a>outgo of approximately <strong>Rs 30,000 crore.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sector in Uptrend:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The steel sector<strong> is on an uptrend</strong> and major integrated <strong>producers have lined up major expansion plans.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Promote Local Manufacturing:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It will ensure finished steel be made in India only, thereby ensuring that the scheme <strong>promotes end-to-end manufacturing</strong> within the country.</li>
<li>It will help <strong>create global manufacturing champions</strong> in India and bring the country <strong>on a par with global steel making majors</strong> such as South Korea and Japan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Employment Generation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It will generate employment for about <strong>5 lakh people,</strong> including direct employment for <strong>68,000 people.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Expected Outcome:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is expected to<strong> bring investments worth about Rs 40,000 crore</strong> and result in a <strong>capacity addition of 25 million tonnes (MT) for speciality steel.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>export of SS would become about 5.5 MT</strong> against the<strong> current 1.7 MT</strong> earning a Forex of Rs 33,000 crore.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Initiatives related to Steel:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mission-purvodaya-accelerated-development-of-steel-sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mission Purvodaya</a>:</strong> It was launched in 2020 for the accelerated development of eastern India through the establishment of an integrated steel hub in Kolkata, West Bengal.</li>
<li><strong><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/iron-and-steel-industry-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Steel Policy 2017</a>:</strong> To attain Self-sufficiency in steel production by providing policy support &amp; guidance to private manufacturers, MSME steel producers, it was launched in 2017.</li>
<li><strong>Adoption of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (<a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-industrial-revolution-4-0#:~:text=It%20is%20an%20initiative%20of,brought%20about%20by%20smart%20technologies." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Industry 4.0</a>):</strong> It will improve manufacturing processes, material usage, energy efficiency, plant and worker productivity, supply chain and product life-cycle.</li>
<li><strong>Steel Research and Technology Mission of India:</strong> It provides for the grant of financial assistance to various institutions including <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/council-of-scientific-and-industrial-research" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Council of Scientific and Industrial Research</a> (CSIR)</strong> laboratories and academic institutions for carrying out research in the iron and steel sector including environmental issues like utilisation of wastes, improvement in energy efficiency and reduction in <strong><a href="/infographics/info-paper3/greenhouse-gas-emission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">greenhouse gases</a> (GHG)</strong> emission.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1737722" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 7 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8803,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Stand-Off on GERD',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, Ethiopia has started the second phase of filling a<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/grand-ethiopian-renaissance-dam" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam&rsquo;s (GERD)</strong></a> reservoir on the upper Blue Nile, which raised tensions from Sudan and Egypt ahead of an upcoming <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-security-council-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN Security Council</a> meeting</strong> on the issue.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Ethiopia had previously announced it would proceed to the second stage of filling in July, with or without a deal.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1625651957_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1625651957_image6.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Nile, Africa&rsquo;s longest river,</strong> has been at the center of a decade-long complex dispute involving several countries that are dependent on the river&rsquo;s waters.</li>
<li><strong>Ethiopia began the construction of the GERD in 2011 on the Blue Nile.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This 145-meter-tall hydropower project is <strong>Africa&rsquo;s biggest dam project</strong> and will have <strong>lasting impacts on its longest river- Nile.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Blue Nile is a tributary of the Nile river</strong> and it carries about two-thirds of the river's water volume and most of the silt.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Egypt, which lies downstream, has <strong>objected to the construction</strong> of the dam and <strong>proposed a longer</strong> timeline for the project.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It does not want the water level of the Nile to dramatically drop as the reservoir fills with water in the initial stages.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Sudan <strong>has also been involved</strong> due to its location.</li>
<li>The Nile is an important water source in the region so there are concerns that <strong>this dispute may evolve into a full-fledged conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia.</strong></li>
<li>Recently,<strong> the USA has stepped</strong> in to mediate.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Dam&rsquo;s Importance for Ethiopia:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ethiopia believes this dam will <strong>generate approximately 6,000 megawatts of electricity</strong> which will support its industrial growth.</li>
<li>It <strong>can also export surplus electricity</strong> to neighbouring regions to generate revenue.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Neighbouring countries like Kenya, Sudan, Eritrea and South Sudan also suffer from electricity shortages and they can also benefit from the hydropower project if Ethiopia decides to sell electricity to them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Egypt&rsquo;s Concern:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Egypt lies downstream and is concerned that <strong>Ethiopia&rsquo;s control over the water could result in lower water levels</strong> within its own borders.</li>
<li>Egypt depends on the Nile for approximately 97% of its drinking water and irrigation supplies.</li>
<li>The dam would jeopardise food and water security and livelihoods of ordinary Egyptian citizens.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sudan&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Sudan too is<strong> concerned that if Ethiopia were to gain control over the river,</strong> it would affect the water levels Sudan receives.</li>
<li>However, <strong>Sudan is likely to benefit from the power generated</strong> by the dam.</li>
<li>The <strong>regulated flow of the river will save Sudan from serious flooding</strong> in August and September. Thus it has proposed <strong>joint management of the dam.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Nile River</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The River Nile is in Africa. It <strong>originates in Burundi,</strong> south of the equator, and flows northward through northeastern Africa, eventually flowing through Egypt and finally <strong>draining into the Mediterranean Sea.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> source of the Nile is sometimes considered to be Lake Victoria,</strong> but the lake itself has feeder rivers of considerable size like the Kagera River.</li>
<li>The Nile River <strong>is considered as one of the longest rivers in the world.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Nile is <strong>formed by three principal streams:</strong> the Blue Nile, the Atbara, and the White Nile.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Nile basin is huge</strong> and includes parts of Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Congo (Kinshasa), Kenya.</li>
<li>The Nile River <strong>forms an arcuate delta</strong> as it empties into the Mediterranean Sea. Deltas with triangular or fan-shape are called arcuate (arc-like) deltas.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To solve the conflict peacefully, mediation and facilitation by the neighbouring countries and the international bodies are necessary.</li>
<li>In case, the attempt to resolve the conflict does not work out by facilitating negotiations between the conflict parties, then a compensation method can be adopted which would need the countries to compensate each others&rsquo; losses.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/ethiopia-resumes-filling-disputed-dam/article35178685.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 8 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8625,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Loan to Sri Lanka for Solar Energy',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India has signed an agreement <strong>extending a USD 100 million Line of Credit (LOC) to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-sri-lanka-6#:~:text=India%27s%20Support%20against%20Terrorism%3A%20During,developmental%20assistance%20to%20Sri%20Lanka." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sri Lanka</a></strong> for projects in the Solar Energy Sector. The LOC is for a period of 20 years, with an interest of 1.75%.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The agreement was signed between the <strong>Government of Sri Lanka</strong> and the <strong>Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of India.</strong></li>
<li>EXIM Bank is a <strong>specialized financial institution,</strong> wholly owned by the Government of India.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1623923707_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1623923707_image2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Line of Credit</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a <strong>credit facility</strong> extended by a bank or any other financial institution to a government, business or an individual customer, that enables the customer to draw the maximum loan amount.</li>
<li>The borrower can<strong> access funds</strong> from the line of credit at <strong>any time</strong> as long as they do not exceed the <strong>maximum amount</strong> (or credit limit) set in the agreement and meet any other requirements such as making timely minimum payments.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Significance of the LOC:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will help <strong>finance various projects</strong> in the solar energy sector in Sri Lanka, such as <strong>rooftop solar photo-voltaic systems</strong> for households and government buildings.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Some of these projects were announced during the <strong>Founding Conference of the International Solar Alliance (ISA)</strong> held in March 2018 in Delhi.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Initiatives for Global Cooperation Solar Energy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-solar-technology-summit-isa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Solar Alliance</a> (ISA):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The ISA was <strong>launched by the Prime Minister of India and the President of France in 2015</strong> on the side-lines of the United Nations Climate Change <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Conference of the Parties (COP-21)</strong></a>, with 121 <strong>solar resource rich countries</strong> lying fully or partially between the <strong>tropic of Cancer and tropic of Capricorn</strong> as prospective members.</li>
<li><strong>89 countries</strong> have signed the ISA framework agreement.</li>
<li>ISA&rsquo; vision is to enable <strong>One World, One Sun, One Grid (OSOWOG).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/one-sun-one-world-one-grid-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One Sun, One World, One Grid</a> (OSOWOG):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It focuses on a framework for facilitating global cooperation, building a global ecosystem of interconnected renewable energy resources (mainly solar energy) that can be seamlessly shared.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Schemes for Promoting Solar Energy in India:</strong> Recently, India achieved<strong> 5<sup>th</sup> global position in solar power deployment</strong> by surpassing Italy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/mind-map/gs-paper2/national-action-plan-on-climate-change-mind-map" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Solar Mission</strong> </a>(a part of National Action Plan on Climate Change): The aim is to establish India as a global leader in solar energy by creating the policy conditions for its deployment across the country.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rooftop-solar-scheme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rooftop Solar Scheme:</strong></a> To generate solar power by installing solar panels on the roof of the houses, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is implementing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/phase-ii-of-grid-connected-rooftop-solar-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Grid-connected Rooftop Solar Scheme (Phase II)</strong></a>.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/expansion-of-production-linked-incentive-scheme#:~:text=This%20scheme%20will%20give%20cash,chemistry%20and%20solar%20PV%20manufacturing." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Production-linked Incentive (PLI) scheme</strong></a> to promote manufacturing of high efficiency solar PV modules in India.</li>
<li><strong>Scheme for Development of Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Parks:</strong> It is a scheme to develop Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Parks (UMREPPs) under the existing Solar Park Scheme.</li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/pm-kusum#:~:text=PM%2DKUSUM%20consists%20of%20three,standalone%20solar%2Dpowered%20agriculture%20pumps." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan</a> (PM-KUSUM):</strong> The scheme covers grid-connected Renewable Energy power plants (0.5 &ndash; 2 MW)/Solar water pumps/grid connected agriculture pumps.</li>
<li><strong>National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy, 2018:</strong> its main objective is to provide a framework for promotion of large grid connected wind-solar PV hybrid systems for optimal and efficient utilization of wind and solar resources, transmission infrastructure and land.</li>
<li><strong>Atal Jyoti Yojana (AJAY):</strong> It was launched in September 2016 for the installation <strong>of solar street lighting (SSL) systems</strong> in states with less than 50% households covered with grid power (as per Census 2011).</li>
<li><strong>Suryamitra Skill Development Programme:</strong> To provide skill training to rural youth in handling solar installations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/india-extends-100-mn-loan-to-sri-lanka/article34834128.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 9 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8600,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Rare Earth Metals and China’s Monopoly',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>China&rsquo;s dominance in the <strong>rare earth metals, key to the future of manufacturing,</strong> is posing a major concern for the West.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1623664077_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1623664077_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="528" height="380" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>China&rsquo;s Monopoly:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>China</strong> has over time acquired<strong> global domination of rare earths,</strong> even at one point, it produced <strong>90% of the rare earths</strong> the world needs.</li>
<li>Today, however, it has come down to <strong>60%</strong> and the remaining is produced by other countries, including the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quad-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Quad</strong></a> <strong>(Australia, India, Japan and United States).</strong></li>
<li>Since 2010, when China curbed shipments of Rare Earths to Japan, the US, and Europe, production units have come up in Australia, and the US along with smaller units in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.</li>
<li>Even so, the dominant share of processed Rare Earths lies with China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Heavy dependence on China (India and the World):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>India has the world&rsquo;s fifth-largest reserves of rare earth elements,</strong> nearly twice as much as Australia, but it<strong> imports most of its rare earth</strong> needs in finished form from China.</li>
<li>In 2019, the <strong>US imported 80%</strong> of its rare earth minerals from China while the <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union</a> gets 98%</strong> of its supply from China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Opportunity for India:</strong> There are three possible approaches to maximising India&rsquo;s rare earth potential.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>New Department for Rare Earths (DRE):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India should create the <strong>new Department for Rare Earths (DRE) under the Ministry of Petroleum &amp; Natural Gas</strong> which could secure access to<strong> Rare Earth Elements (REEs)</strong> of strategic importance by offering viability gap funding to companies to set up facilities in the upstream sector.</li>
<li>This could make Indian<strong> Rare Earth Oxide (REOs)</strong> globally competitive.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Downstream Processes and Applications:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Alternatively, it could focus on downstream processes and applications, such as manufacturing rare earth magnets and batteries.</li>
<li>This would require a focus on <strong>port infrastructure</strong> and <strong>ease of doing business</strong> measures to allow Indian manufacturers <strong>to import REOs</strong> from white-listed producers cheaply.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Coordination with Other Agencies:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Finally, it could coordinate with other agencies to partner directly with groupings such as the <strong>Quad,</strong> building up a strategic reserve as a buffer against global supply crises.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>With adjustments to the existing policy, India could emerge as a<strong> rare earths supplier to the world</strong> and use these resources to power a <strong>high-end manufacturing economy</strong> geared to the needs of the 21<sup>st</sup> century.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Rare Earth Elements</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>They are a set of<strong> seventeen metallic elements.</strong> These include the <strong>fifteen lanthanides</strong> on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/150-years-of-the-periodic-table" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>periodic table</strong></a> in addition to <strong>scandium and yttrium</strong> that show similar physical and chemical properties to the lanthanides.</li>
<li>The<strong> 17 Rare Earths</strong> are cerium (Ce), dysprosium (Dy), erbium (Er), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), holmium (Ho), lanthanum (La), lutetium (Lu), neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), promethium (Pm), samarium (Sm), scandium (Sc), terbium (Tb), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), and yttrium (Y).</li>
<li>These minerals have <strong>unique magnetic, luminescent, and electrochemical properties</strong> and thus are <strong>used in many modern technologies,</strong> including consumer electronics, computers and networks, communications, health care, national defense, etc.</li>
<li>Even<strong> futuristic technologies</strong> need these REEs (For example high-temperature superconductivity, safe storage and transport of hydrogen for a post-hydrocarbon economy, environmental global warming and energy efficiency issues).</li>
<li>They are called <strong>'rare earth'</strong> because earlier it was<strong> difficult to extract them from their oxides forms technologically.</strong></li>
<li>They occur in <strong>many minerals</strong> but typically <strong>in low concentrations</strong> to be refined in an economical manner.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1623664366_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1623664366_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="650" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><strong>India's Current Policy on Rare Earths</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Exploration in India <strong>has been conducted by the Bureau of Mines and the Department of Atomic Energy.</strong> Mining and processing has been performed by some minor private players in the past, but is<strong> today concentrated in the hands of IREL</strong> (India) Limited (formerly Indian Rare Earths Limited), a Public Sector Undertaking under the Department of Atomic Energy.</li>
<li>India has granted government corporations such as<strong> IREL a monopoly</strong> over the primary mineral that contains <strong>REEs: monazite beach sand,</strong> found in many coastal states.</li>
<li>IREL produces <strong>rare earth oxides</strong> (low-cost, low-reward &ldquo;upstream processes&rdquo;), selling these to foreign firms that extract the metals and manufacture end products (high-cost, high-reward <strong>&ldquo;downstream processes&rdquo;</strong>) elsewhere.</li>
<li><strong>IREL&rsquo;s focus</strong> is to provide<strong> thorium &mdash;</strong> extracted from monazite &mdash; to the <strong>Department of Atomic Energy.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/rare-earth-metals-at-the-heart-of-china-us-rivalry/article34806588.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 10 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8532,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'World Energy Investment Report, 2021: IEA',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-energy-outlook-2021-iea" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Energy Agency (IEA)</strong></a> published the <strong>World Energy Investment Report, 2021.</strong></p>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1622882214_image%202.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1622882214_image 2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="450" caption="false" /></a></h3>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Increased Investment in Energy Sector:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Global energy <strong>investment is expected to rebound in 2021 and increase 10%</strong> year-on-year to around <strong>USD 1.9 trillion.</strong></li>
<li>Most of this investment <strong>will flow towards power and end-use sectors</strong>, shifting out of traditional fossil fuel production.</li>
<li>The scenario is perfectly <strong>aligned with the projection that global energy demand will rise 4.6% year-on-year in 2021</strong>, offsetting its contraction in 2020.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Renewable Energy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Renewable power<strong> will have the largest share</strong> - around 70% of the total will be spent on new power generation capacity.</li>
<li>There will be <strong>substantial gain of <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-s-renewable-energy-plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">renewable energy</a></strong> as the future energy outlook has been dependent on technological development, well-established supply chain and demand from consumers for carbon-neutral electricity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fossil Fuels:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Upstream (production and exploration) <strong>investment in oil is expected to grow 10%.</strong> This expansion in fossil fuels was planned with novel technologies like <a href="/mains-practice-question/question-153" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)</strong></a> and<a href="/to-the-points/paper3/biofuels-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> bioenergy</strong></a> CCS, which are yet to attain commercial success.</li>
<li>The increment of <strong>coal-fired power in 2020, mostly driven by China, is indicating that coal is down but not yet out.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increased Emissions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The above<strong> positive scenarios will still not deter the increase in carbon dioxide emission</strong>, after contraction in 2020 mainly due to economic slowdown induced by the novel coronavirus pandemic. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Global emission is <strong>set to grow by 1.5 billion tonnes in 2021.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Many developing nations&rsquo; <strong>supporting policy and regulatory frameworks are not yet aligned with long-term <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-transforming-to-a-net-zero-emissions-energy-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener">net-zero</a> goals.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Net zero emissions</strong> refers to achieving an overall balance between <a href="/infographics/info-paper3/greenhouse-gas-emission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>greenhouse gas</strong> </a>emissions produced and greenhouse gas emissions taken out of the atmosphere.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In many <strong>Emerging Market and Developing Economies (EMDEs)</strong>, investment in renewables was hit harder by <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19</a></strong> than in developed nations &ndash; and now many EMDEs have prioritised coal and oil in recovery plans.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons of Increased Emissions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>emerging market is almost 70% responsible</strong> for demand growth and <strong>India plays an important part in this block.</strong></li>
<li><strong>China is showing a tremendous expansion in coal-based power production</strong> &mdash; their coal consumption in December 2020 was a historic high &mdash; though the country has a commendable renewable growth.</li>
<li>The <strong>responsibility-share of developed nations should not be undermined.</strong> Their in-country <strong>growth of emission is moderate but their exported emission is of concern.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Australia&rsquo;s</strong> exported emission through coal is double its domestic emission.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Although the US has shown renewed commitment to the multilateral <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations</strong> </a>system for tackling <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>climate change</strong></a> by re-joining the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/five-years-of-paris-climate-accord" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paris agreement</a>.</strong> Its fascination with cheap shale gas is creating an investment distortion and <strong>adversely affecting the sustainability of developmental pathways of countries like India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Energy Agency</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is an <strong>autonomous Intergovernmental Organisation established in 1974</strong> in Paris, France.</li>
<li>IEA mainly <strong>focuses on its energy policies</strong> which include <strong>economic development, energy security and environmental protection.</strong> These policies are also known as the 3 <strong>E&rsquo;s of IEA.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India and IEA:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>India became an Associate member of IEA in March 2017</strong> but it was in engagement with IEA long before its association with the organization.</li>
<li>Recently, India has inked a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/agreement-with-iea" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Strategic Partnership Agreement with the IEA</strong></a> to strengthen cooperation in global energy security, stability and sustainability.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pollution-from-coal-burning-ieaccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IEA Clean Coal Centre</a>:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is dedicated to providing independent information and analysis on how coal can become a cleaner source of energy, compatible with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reports:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>World Energy Investment Report, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-energy-outlook-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Energy Outlook Report</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-energy-review-2020-iea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Energy Review</a>.</strong></li>
<li>Recently, it has released the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-energy-outlook-2021-iea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Energy Outlook 2021 Report</a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/net-zero-by-2050-iea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Net Zero by 2050</a></strong>, World's first comprehensive energy roadmap.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Market stimulus <strong>amid the pandemic may have lost the opportunity</strong> to maximise the clean developmental pathway, which the world is in dire need of.</li>
<li>The <strong>urgency visible in communication is still not satisfactorily reflected in action</strong> and the world is far away from the scientific target of limiting climate change within two degrees Celsius.</li>
<li>A <strong>more democratic decision-making process and de-corporatisation of the energy sector is the need of the future</strong> for the survival of civilization on this planet.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/climate%20change/amp/renewable-energy-estimated-to-attract-70-global-energy-investment-in-2021-iea-77263" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:DTE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 11 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8346,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Illegal Sale of Uranium',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Two people were arrested under the <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/india-s-prospects-as-a-nuclear-power" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atomic Energy Act, 1962</strong></a> for possessing uranium without licence and selling it illegally.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>On testing, the sample was <strong>confirmed as natural uranium by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Uranium:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Uranium <strong>occurs naturally in low concentrations</strong> in soil, rock and water. It is<strong> a hard, dense, malleable, ductile, silver-white, radioactive metal.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Uranium metal has a <strong>very high density.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>When finely divided, it <strong>can react with cold water.</strong> In <strong>air</strong> it is coated by <strong>uranium oxide,</strong> tarnishing rapidly.</li>
<li>It can<strong> form solids solutions and intermetallic compounds</strong> with many of the metals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Applications:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Energy Production:</strong> The main use of uranium in the civilian sector is to fuel commercial nuclear power plants for generation of <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/india-s-prospects-as-a-nuclear-power" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>nuclear energy.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This requires uranium to be <strong>enriched with the uranium-235 isotope</strong> and the chain reaction to be controlled so that the energy is released in a more manageable way.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Making Atomic Bomb:</strong> The first atomic bomb used in warfare was an uranium bomb. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This bomb contained<strong> enough of the uranium-235 isotope</strong> to start a runaway chain reaction which in a fraction of a second caused a large number of the uranium atoms to undergo fission, thereby releasing a fireball of energy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Used as Shield against Radiation:</strong> Depleted uranium is also used as shield against radiation in <strong>medical processes</strong> using radiation therapy and also while <strong>transporting radioactive materials.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Though itself radioactive, uranium&rsquo;s high density makes it effective in halting radiation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Used as Counterweights in Industry:</strong> Its high density also makes it useful as counterweights in aircraft and industrial machinery.</li>
<li><strong>Radiometric Dating:</strong> The <strong>isotope uranium 238</strong> is used to estimate the age of the earliest igneous rocks and for other types of radiometric dating.</li>
<li><strong>Fertilizer: Phosphate fertilizers</strong> are made from material typically high in uranium, so they usually contain high amounts of it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Health and Environmental Impacts:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Impact on Health:</strong> Potentially depleted uranium has both chemical and radiological toxicity with the two important target organs being the <strong>kidneys and the lungs.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Impact on Environment:</strong> Uranium mining facilities produce tailings that generally are disposed of in near surface impoundments close to the mine. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These tailings pose serious environmental and health risks in the form of <strong>Radon emission, windblown dust dispersal and leaching of contaminants</strong> including heavy metals and arsenic into the water.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Uranium Deposits In India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In India, Uranium deposits occur in the <strong>Dharwar rocks.</strong></li>
<li>It occurs along the <strong>Singhbhum Copper belt (Jharkhand); Udaipur, Alwar</strong> and <strong>Jhunjhunu districts</strong> of Rajasthan,<strong> Durg district</strong> of Chhattisgarh, <strong>Bhandara district</strong> of Maharashtra and<strong> Kullu district</strong> of Himachal Pradesh.</li>
<li>Significant quantities of reserves have been recently discovered in parts of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/uranium-mining-in-nallamala-forest" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Andhra Pradesh and Telangana</strong></a> between Seshachalam forest and Sresailam (Southern edge of Andhra to Southern edge of Telangana).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Legal Framework in India:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In pursuance to <strong>entry at serial No. 54 of List I (Union List),</strong> the Parliament has passed<strong> &lsquo;The Mines &amp; Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act)&rsquo;.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, with respect to <strong>minor minerals,</strong> the <strong>rulemaking powers have been delegated to the States</strong> through this Act.</li>
<li>Since Uranium is a major mineral, it is<strong> managed by the Union Government</strong> under provisions of <strong>MMDR Act.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The policy and legislation relating to Major minerals are managed by the Ministry of Mines, but <strong>Uranium being an atomic mineral is managed by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Atomic Energy Act, 1962</strong> seeks to provide standards of controlling radioactive substances and plants and measures to prevent radiation accidents, retain public safety, assure cautious disposal of radioactive wastes, and so on.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Many of these mineral deposits are found in rich forest reserves and thus<strong> approval of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change</strong> becomes necessary.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Bhabha Atomic Research Centre</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha conceived the Nuclear Program in India. Dr Bhabha established the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) for carrying out nuclear science research in 1945.</li>
<li>To intensify the effort to exploit nuclear energy for the benefit of the nation, Dr Bhabha established the Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay (AEET) in January 1954 for a multidisciplinary research program essential for the ambitious nuclear program of India. AEET was renamed Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in 1966.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-ats-seizes-7kg-uranium-worth-rs-21-crore-from-a-scrap-dealer-heres-what-happened-7305856/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8019,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Helium Crisis for India',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>India imports helium for its needs, and with the USA appearing set to cut off exports of helium since 2021, Indian industry stands to lose out heavily.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Federal Helium Reserve</strong> which is the major helium reserve of the USA is set to <strong>close down production in 2021</strong>, and scientists are looking for new reserves to replace it.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About Helium:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Helium is a <strong>chemical element</strong> with the symbol <strong>He</strong> and atomic number <strong>2</strong>.</li>
<li>It is a <strong>colourless, odourless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas</strong>, the first in the noble gas group in the periodic table.</li>
<li>Its <strong>boiling point is the lowest</strong> among all the elements.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1616754903_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1616754903_image5.png" width="500" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Discovery of Helium:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Atmosphere Surrounding the Sun:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Helium was discovered <strong>in the gaseous atmosphere surrounding the Sun</strong> by the <strong>French astronomer Pierre Janssen</strong>, who detected a bright yellow line in the spectrum of the solar chromosphere during an eclipse in <strong>India</strong> in the year <strong>1868.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Joseph Norman Lockyer</strong> recorded the same line by observing the sun through London smog and, assuming the new element to be a metal, he <strong>named it helium.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>On Earth:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The British chemist <strong>Sir William Ramsay discovered</strong> the existence of <strong>helium on Earth in 1895.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>In India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>In 1906</strong> a young Englishman by the name of Morris Travers <strong>extracted helium in small quantities by heating up monazite sand</strong> abundantly available in Kerala beach, in a pioneering effort.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Monazite</strong> is a primarily reddish-brown phosphate mineral that contains rare-earth elements.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian Reserves:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India&rsquo;s <strong>Rajmahal volcanic basin in Jharkhand</strong> is the storehouse of helium trapped for billions of years, since the very birth of Earth from the Sun.</li>
<li>At present, researchers are mapping the Rajmahal basin extensively for future exploration and harnessing of helium.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need for India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>To Reduce Import Burden:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Every year, India imports helium worth Rs. 55,000 crores from the USA to meet its needs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Vast Use:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Helium is used in medicine, scientific research, for blimp inflation, party balloons as well as for welding applications.</li>
<li>It finds many applications, mainly in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, in rockets and in nuclear reactors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>USA&rsquo;s Monopoly:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>After discovering that helium was concentrated in large quantities under the <strong>American Great Plains.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>USA became the most important exporter of helium</strong> across the world.</li>
<li>It was soon realized that the <strong>USA was also the biggest storehouse of helium.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Option:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Qatar</strong> is a possible exporter but acute political and diplomatic wrangles have made Qatar <strong>unreliable</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/the-emerging-crisis-of-obtaining-helium-in-india/article34118742.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8001,
		'category_id' => (int) 15,
		'title' => 'The Big Picture: Mines & Minerals (Amendment) Bill',
		'description' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JiiUXhsEm7I" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<p>Recently, the Lok Sabha has cleared the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mmdr-amendment-bill-2021#:~:text=The%20Act%20empowers%20the%20central,reserved%20for%20particular%20end%2Duse." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Amendment Bill, 2021.</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Bill amends the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/investment-in-coal-mining#:~:text=The%20Union%20Cabinet%20has%20approved,attract%20investment%20in%20coal%20mining.&amp;text=)%20Act%2C%202015.-,The%20Mines%20and%20Minerals%20(Development%20and%20Regulation)%20Act%2C%201957,mining%20leases%20for%20mining%20operations." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957</strong></a>, which regulates the <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/mining-sector-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>mining sector in India.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The MMDR Act, 1957:</strong> The mines and minerals sector is governed by the Mines and Minerals Act of 1957. This act provides for:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The governance of mining leases within the country.</li>
<li>The purpose of why the lease is given.</li>
<li>How to ensure the well being of the people living in the areas where mines are auctioned.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mineral Potential of India:</strong> India has the same mineral potential as South Africa and Australia. It produces 95 types of minerals but despite this huge mineral potential, the mining sector of India still remains underexplored.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The mining sector contributes around 7 to 7.5% of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/base-year-for-gdp-calculations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GDP</strong></a> of countries like South Africa and Australia whereas it is only 1.75% in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>High Imports of Minerals:</strong> India is importing around 2.5 lac crore rupees worth minerals.</li>
<li><strong>Underexplored Mining Areas of India:</strong> India has explored only 10% of its <strong>Obvious Geological Potential (OGP)</strong> so far.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Only 5% of OGP is being used by India for mining.</li>
<li>In Australia and South Africa, 70-80% of OGP is mined.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>MMDR Amendment Bill, 2021</h3>
<p><strong>Objectives:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Transparency in the Auction Process:</strong> The bill passed by a <strong>voice vote</strong> (vote given on a topic by responding orally), is aimed at bringing more transparency in the auction processes of the mines.</li>
<li><strong>Enhancing Employment:</strong> The major objective of the amendment is to generate employment in the mining sector and enhance the contribution of the mining sector in the total GDP of the country.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Ministry of Mines has claimed an increment of about 55 lakh direct and indirect employment to be generated due to the reforms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Attracting Domestic as well as Foreign Investment:</strong> The government, through this amendment, is making an effort to attract domestic as well as foreign investment in the mining sector plus involvement of safe and effective technology in the sector.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, the government has permitted 100% <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/revised-fdi-norms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FDI under automatic route for sale of coal</strong></a>, for coal mining activities including associated processing infrastructure.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increasing the Contribution of Mining to GDP:&nbsp;</strong>The objective is to enhance the contribution of the mining sector in the GDP to up to at least 2.75% which at present is around 1.75%.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Proposed Amendments:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Removal of the distinction of Captive and Non-captive Mines:</strong> The MMDR Act, 1957 empowers the central government to reserve any mine as <strong>captive mine</strong> which is utilised for a specific purpose only.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The bill removes the distinction between captive and non-captive mines. The mines will not be limited to just a specific purpose/industry/sector.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ores and Minerals Extracted from Captive Mines: </strong>Earlier, the ores extracted from captive mines were only used by captive industries.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The bill allows the leaseholders of captive mines to sell upto 50% of their ore into the open market.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There is one caveat; additional charges will have to be paid to the government by the lessee for selling minerals in the open market.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The 50% cap is flexible, the government can go above the cap if necessary.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Transfer of Statutory Permissions:</strong> The bill provides that all clearances and licences granted shall continue till the reserves have been mined and post the expiry or termination of the lease, will be transferred to the next successful bidder.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This will help attract investors as under the previous regime, the new lessee had pre-embedded clearances for only two years, making it difficult to get fresh clearances within this time period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Involvement of Central Government:</strong> As per the bill, if the lease for a mine is expired and the state government is unable to auction a mine, then the central government can step in for auctions; the basic idea is to not leave a mine idle.</li>
<li><strong>Removal of Non-Exclusive License Regime:</strong> In the act, companies have a non-exclusive license for the reconnaissance of the area to find out mineral potential.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The amendment removes the non exclusive license permit.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Extension of Mining Leases to Government Companies:</strong> There are also provisions in the bill which allow the government to extend mining leases to government companies for a period of ten years. The idea is to ensure the utilisation of mine is more efficient.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The state governments will be provided additional royalty payments for extending leases to the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>District Mineral Foundation:</strong> It is a trust set up as a non-profit body, in the districts affected by the mining works, to work for the benefit of affected people and areas. It is funded through the contributions from miners.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The bill provides that the central government can also direct how the money should be spent for the development of the area.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges Associated</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Environmental Concern:</strong> The reforms in the act unshackle the mining sector of India, as much it is beneficial for the development of the country. Mining is harmful from the environmental point of view.</li>
<li><strong>Tribal Communities:</strong> Several tribal communities and <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/particularly-vulnerable-tribal-groups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)</a> fall into the mining zones.</strong> Their residence is also threatened by an increase in mining. Their rehabilitation &amp; compensation is another major issue.</li>
<li><strong>Intervention of Central Government in State Matters:</strong> Auction of a mine is a process where the power rests in the hands of state governments. There might exist ambiguity in the case where there are two different political parties in power at center &amp; state.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The state governments may <strong>object to the fixing of the royalties for extensions</strong> of leases to the government companies as this may lead to lower revenues as compared to a transparent process of auction.</li>
<li>Moreover, the involvement of the central government in <strong>directing the expenditure of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/district-mineral-foundation-trust-funds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">district mineral funds</a></strong> is also a matter of concern for the states.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Encouraging the Mining Sector Reforms:</strong> Reforms in the mining sector will propel the growth in other sectors that are dependent upon it.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The boom in the mining production will lead to a boost in a lot of metal and ancillary industries as well. A.lot of industries including the automobile sector will also be benefited with this.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reducing Imports:</strong> Despite having so much potential, India imports a large amount of raw materials. In order to fulfill the notion of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>self-reliant India</strong></a>, mining is one important aspect to take care of.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Currently many industries including steel, copper, etc import a large amount of raw materials and intermediaries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Introducing an Independent Regulatory Body:</strong> The ambiguity among the different ruling parties at state and central level should not be allowed to hamper the growth of the mining sector.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, the need is to have an independent regulating authority which should be given power to work in the larger interest of public &amp; economic growth.</li>
<li>Its purpose is to make sure that no particular side is favoured and utilisation of resources for holistic benefit of the country is maximised.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation Between Central and State Governments:</strong> In the best interest of mining industries, state governments and central government should cooperate and work together and make sure that mining involves more advanced technologies and is attracting more and more investment so that mining becomes safe for the people involved in mining and living around the mining areas and more employment is generated at the local level.</li>
<li><strong>Handling the Environmental Concerns:</strong> The government at different levels should work together to ensure that mining is environment friendly
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Clearance of the projects for mining should be given after <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/environmental-impact-assessment-1#:~:text=UNEP%20defines%20Environmental%20Impact%20Assessment,project%20prior%20to%20decision%2Dmaking." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Environmental Impact Assessment</strong></a>, Seismic studies and taking the Biodiversity into account.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>To Promote Exports and Employment:</strong> Mineral is a bulky cargo and in order to become an exporter of minerals, India needs to improve its infrastructure in terms of railway racks, port capacities and shipping facilities.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India should focus on generating employment too. The sector has huge potential for job creation at local level which can counter the migration and thus prevent cities from getting overburdened.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Constitutional Provision Related to Mining</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The entry at serial No. 23 of List II (State List) to the Constitution of India mandates the state government to own the minerals located within their boundaries,</li>
<li>The entry at serial No. 54 of List I (Central List) mandates the central government to own the minerals within the exclusive economic zone of India (EEZ).
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In pursuance to this Mines &amp; Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act of 1957 was framed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The central government has the ownership over all offshore minerals (ie, minerals extracted from the sea or ocean floor in the Indian maritime zones such as the territorial waters, continental shelf and exclusive economic zones).</li>
</ul>
</div>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7967,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'MMDR Amendment Bill, 2021',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Coal and <strong>Mines Minister introduced the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Amendment Bill, 2021</strong> in Lok Sabha.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Bill seeks to amend the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/investment-in-coal-mining#:~:text=The%20Union%20Cabinet%20has%20approved,attract%20investment%20in%20coal%20mining.&amp;text=)%20Act%2C%202015.-,The%20Mines%20and%20Minerals%20(Development%20and%20Regulation)%20Act%2C%201957,mining%20leases%20for%20mining%20operations." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957</strong></a> which regulates the mining sector in India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Proposed Changes:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Removal of restriction on end-use of minerals:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Act <strong>empowers the central government to reserve any mine</strong> (other than coal, lignite, and atomic minerals) to be leased through an auction for a particular end-use (such as iron ore mine for a steel plant). Such mines are known as captive mines.</li>
<li>The Bill provides that <strong>no mine will be reserved for particular end-use.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sale of minerals by captive mines:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Bill provides that <strong>captive mines</strong> (other than atomic minerals) <strong>may sell up to 50% of their annual mineral production in the open market</strong> after meeting their own needs. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The central <strong>government may increase this threshold through</strong> a notification.</li>
<li>The <strong>lessee will have to pay additional charges</strong> for minerals sold in the open market.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Auction by the central government in certain cases:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Bill <strong>empowers the central government to specify a time period for completion of the auction process</strong> in consultation with the state government.</li>
<li>If the state government is unable to complete the auction process within this period, the <strong>auctions may be conducted by the central government.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Transfer of statutory clearances:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It <strong>provides that transferred statutory clearances will be valid throughout the lease period</strong> of the new lessee.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Currently the new lessee has to apply for fresh clearances within two years of the transfer from the previous lessee.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Allocation of mines with expired leases:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Bill adds that mines whose lease has expired, may be allocated to a government company in certain cases.</li>
<li>This will be applicable if the auction process for granting a new lease has not been completed, or the new lease has been terminated within a year of the auction.</li>
<li>The state government may grant a lease for such a mine to a government company for a period of up to 10 years or until the selection of a new lessee, whichever is earlier.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Extension of leases to government companies:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Act provides that the period of mining leases granted to government companies will be prescribed by the central government and may be <strong>extended on payment of additional amounts</strong> prescribed in the Bill.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Conditions for lapse of mining lease:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>If the lessee is <strong>not able to start mining operations within two years</strong> of the grant of a lease.</li>
<li>If the lessee has <strong>discontinued mining operations for a period of two years.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The lease will not lapse at the end of this period if a concession is provided by the state government upon an application by the lessee.</li>
<li>The Bill adds that the threshold period for lapse of the lease may be extended by the state government only once and up to one year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Non-exclusive reconnaissance permit:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Act provides for a non-exclusive reconnaissance permit (for minerals other than coal, lignite, and atomic minerals). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Reconnaissance</strong> means preliminary prospecting of a mineral through certain surveys. The <strong>Bill removes the provision for this permit.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Transparency:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It would lead to <strong>greater transparency</strong> <strong>in the auction process</strong> as there is a perception that state governments may in some cases prefer some bidders, and try to delay or cancel mining rights if their preferred bidders do not win mining rights.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Maximization of Output:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Increased <strong>flexibility would allow miners to maximise output from captive mines</strong> as they would be able to sell output in excess of their own requirements.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ease of Doing Business:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It will provide<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/steps-to-boost-ease-of-doing-business" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> ease of doing business</strong></a>, simplification of procedure and benefit all the parties in areas where minerals are located.</li>
<li>It will also <strong>speed up the process</strong> of implementation of projects.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Efficient Energy Market:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It will create an <strong>efficient energy market</strong> and bring in more competition as well as <strong>reduce coal imports.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Access to High-End Technology:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It would also help India gain access to high-end technology for underground mining used by miners across the globe.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/mmdr-amendment-bill-2021-explained-7233672/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 15 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7722,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India Energy Outlook 2021: IEA',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-energy-review-2020-iea" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Energy Agency (IEA)</strong></a> has released the <strong>India Energy Outlook 2021 Report</strong> which explores the opportunities and challenges ahead for India as it seeks to ensure reliable, affordable and sustainable energy for a growing population.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The India Energy Outlook 2021 is<strong> a new special report from the IEA&rsquo;s World Energy Outlook series.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Third Largest Energy Consumer by 2030:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India will <strong>make up the biggest share of energy demand growth at 25%</strong> over the next two decades, as it <strong>overtakes the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union</a> as the world's third-biggest energy consumer by 2030.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Presently, <strong>India is the fourth-largest</strong> global energy consumer <strong>behind China,</strong> the <strong>United States</strong> and the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>European Union</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India's <strong>energy consumption is expected to nearly double</strong> as the nation's <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/base-year-for-gdp-calculations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gross Domestic Product (GDP)</strong></a> expands to an estimated USD 8.6 trillion by 2040 under its current national policy scenario.</li>
<li><strong>Prior</strong> to the global <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pandemic</strong></a>, India&rsquo;s energy demand was <strong>projected to increase</strong> by almost <strong>50% between 2019 and 2030,</strong> but growth over this period is <strong>now closer to 35%.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Industrialisation is a Major Driving Force:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Over the last three decades, India accounted for about <strong>10% of World Growth </strong>in<strong> Industrial Value-added</strong> [in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-purchasing-power-parities-icp-2017" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)</strong> </a>terms].</li>
<li><strong>By 2040,</strong> India is set to account for almost <strong>20% of Global Growth </strong>in<strong> Industrial value-added,</strong> and to lead global growth in industrial final energy consumption, especially in steelmaking.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reliance on Imports:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India's growing energy needs will make it<strong> more reliant on fossil fuel imports</strong> as its <strong>domestic oil and gas production has been stagnant</strong> for years despite government policies to promote petroleum exploration and production and renewable energy.</li>
<li>Rising oil demand <strong>could double India's oil import bill</strong> to about USD 181 billion by 2030 and nearly treble it to USD 255 billion by 2040 compared with 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Oil Demand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India&rsquo;s <strong>oil demand</strong> is seen<strong> rising by 74% to 8.7 million</strong> barrels per day <strong>by 2040</strong> under the existing policies scenario.</li>
<li>A <strong>five-fold increase in per capita car ownership</strong> will result in India leading the oil demand growth in the world.</li>
<li>Its <strong>net dependence on oil imports -</strong> taking into account both the import of crude oil and the export of oil products - <strong>increases to more than 90% by 2040 from the current 75%</strong> as domestic consumption rises much more than production.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Gas Demand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India will become the <strong>fastest-growing market for Natural gas,</strong> with demand <strong>more than tripling by 2040.</strong></li>
<li>Natural gas<strong> import dependency</strong> increased from<strong> 20% in 2010</strong> to almost<strong> 50% in 2019</strong> and is set to grow further to <strong>more than 60% in 2040.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Coal Demand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Coal currently dominates India's electricity sector,</strong> accounting for over 70% of overall generation.</li>
<li><strong>Coal demand</strong> is seen <strong>rising to 772 million tonnes </strong>in<strong> 2040</strong> from the <strong>current 590.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Renewables Energy Resources Demand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India's share in the<strong> growth</strong> in <strong>renewable energy</strong> is the <strong>second-largest</strong> in the world, <strong>after China.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Energy Agency</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The International Energy Agency is an <strong>autonomous Intergovernmental Organisation</strong> established in 1974 in Paris, France.</li>
<li>IEA mainly focuses on its energy policies which include <strong>economic development, energy security and environmental protection.</strong> These policies are also known as the 3 E&rsquo;s of IEA.</li>
<li>India became an<strong> Associate member of IEA in March 2017</strong> but it was in engagement with IEA long before its association with the organization.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently, India has<strong> inked a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/agreement-with-iea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Strategic Partnership Agreement with the IEA</a></strong> to strengthen cooperation in global energy security, stability and sustainability.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The World Energy Outlook Report</strong> is released by the IEA annually.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pollution-from-coal-burning-ieaccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>IEA Clean Coal Centre</strong></a> is dedicated to providing independent information and analysis on how coal can become a cleaner source of energy, compatible with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>As the world seeks ways to accelerate the pace of transformation in the energy sector, <strong>India is in a unique position to pioneer a new model for low-carbon, inclusive growth.</strong> If this can be done, it will show the way for a whole group of energy-hungry developing economies, by demonstrating that <strong>robust economic expansion is fully compatible with an increasing pace of emissions reductions</strong> and the achievement of other development goals.</li>
<li>India is already a global leader in solar power, and <strong>solar combined with batteries will play a massive part in India&rsquo;s energy future.</strong> But India will need a whole host of technologies and policies to chart this new path.</li>
<li>As new industrial sectors emerge and clean energy jobs grow, India will also need to ensure that <strong>no one is left behind, including in those regions that are heavily dependent on coal today.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/business/commodities/india-to-overtake-eu-as-worlds-third-largest-energy-consumer-by-2030-iea-7181433/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 16 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7631,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Unified Portal of Gobardhan',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a <strong>Unified Portal of Gobardhan</strong> has been launched to<strong> ensure smooth implementation</strong> of Biogas schemes/initiatives and their real time tracking.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ensure close coordination with various Departments/Ministries for smooth implementation of Biogas schemes/initiatives and its real time tracking.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Coordinated by:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/Swachh%20Bharat%20Mission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Swachh Bharat Mission &ndash; Grameen (SBMG)</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Economy:</strong> Strengthen the rural economy through a convergent approach for various Biogas projects/models and initiatives.</li>
<li><strong>ODF Plus Goals:</strong> The <strong>ODF Plus goals (solid waste management in villages, along with the collection and transportation of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste)</strong> outlined in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/swachh-bharat-mission-grameen-phase-ii-approved" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Phase 2 of SBMG</strong></a> will depend on the performance of Gobardhan scheme to a great extent.</li>
<li><strong>Synchronisation with other Schemes:</strong> The portal will further help in achieving objectives of <a href="/daily-news-analysis/satat-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SATAT (Sustainable Alternative towards Affordable Transportation)</strong></a> aimed at setting up of Compressed Biogas (CBG) production plants and ensuring market linkage for use of biofuel in automotive fuels.</li>
<li><strong>Better Environment &amp; Public Health:</strong> Rural India generates enormous quantities of bio-waste which can be efficiently utilized and lead to better environment and public health.</li>
<li><strong>Employment Generation &amp; Savings:</strong> Bio-waste processing especially cattle dung into Biogas &amp; organic manure leads to generation of opportunities for employment and household savings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>GOBAR-DHAN Scheme</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Launched By:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The ministry of Jal Shakti has launched the <strong>GOBAR (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources) - DHAN scheme. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implementation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The scheme is being implemented as part of the <strong>Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Components:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) comprises <strong>two main components</strong> for creating clean villages &ndash;<strong> creating open defecation free (ODF)</strong> villages and <strong>managing solid and liquid waste in villages.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Aim:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Keeping villages clean, increasing the income of rural households, and generation of energy from cattle waste.</li>
<li>The scheme also aims at creating new rural livelihood opportunities and enhancing income for farmers and other rural people.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1694825" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7495,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Rooftop Solar Scheme',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)</strong> has released an advisory on the <strong>rooftop solar scheme.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Objective:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To generate solar power by installing <strong>solar panels</strong> on the roof of the houses, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is implementing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/phase-ii-of-grid-connected-rooftop-solar-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Grid-connected Rooftop Solar Scheme (Phase II)</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Grid-Connected Rooftop Solar Scheme (Phase II):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It aims to achieve a cumulative capacity of <strong>40,000 MW from Rooftop Solar Projects by the year 2022.</strong></li>
<li>In a grid-connected rooftop or small Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) system wherein <strong>the DC power generated from the SPV panel is converted to AC power</strong> using the power conditioning unit and is fed to the grid.</li>
<li>The<strong> major objective</strong> of the programme includes:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To promote the <strong>grid-connected SPV rooftop</strong> and small SPV power generating plants among the residential, community, institutional, industrial and commercial establishments.</li>
<li>To<strong> mitigate</strong> the <strong>dependence on fossil fuel based electricity generation</strong> and encourage environment-friendly Solar electricity generation.</li>
<li>To create an <strong>enabling environment for investment in the solar energy</strong> sector by the private sector, state government and the individuals.</li>
<li>To create an enabling environment for the <strong>supply of solar power from rooftop and small plants to the grid.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This scheme is being implemented in the state by <strong>distribution companies (DISCOMs).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under this scheme the Ministry is providing a <strong>40%</strong> subsidy for the first 3 kW and <strong>20%</strong> subsidy beyond <strong>3 kW</strong> and upto <strong>10 kW</strong> of solar panel capacity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>residential consumer has to pay the cost of rooftop solar plant by reducing the subsidy amount</strong> given by the Ministry as per the prescribed rate to the vendor.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Schemes for Promoting Solar Energy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/pm-kusum#:~:text=PM%2DKUSUM%20consists%20of%20three,standalone%20solar%2Dpowered%20agriculture%20pumps." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan</strong></a> <strong>(PM-KUSUM):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The scheme covers grid-connected Renewable Energy power plants (0.5 &ndash; 2 MW)/Solar water pumps/grid connected agriculture pumps.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Scheme for Development of Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Parks:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is a scheme to develop Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Parks (UMREPPs) under the existing Solar Park Scheme.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The main objective of the National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy, 2018 is to provide a framework for <strong>promotion of large grid connected wind-solar PV hybrid systems</strong> for optimal and efficient utilization of wind and solar resources, transmission infrastructure and land.</li>
<li>The wind - solar PV hybrid systems will help in reducing the variability in renewable power generation and achieving better grid stability.</li>
<li>The policy also aims to encourage new technologies, methods and way-outs involving combined operation of wind and solar PV plants.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Atal Jyoti Yojana</strong> (AJAY):<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The AJAY scheme was launched in September 2016 for the installation of<strong> solar street lighting</strong> (SSL) systems in states with less than <strong>50%</strong> households covered with <strong>grid power</strong> (as per Census 2011).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/second-assembly-of-isa#:~:text=The%20second%20assembly%20of%20the,financial%20and%20programme%20related%20issues." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Solar Alliance</strong></a>: The ISA, is an Indian initiative that was launched by the Prime Minister of India and the President of France on 30th November 2015 in Paris, France on the side-lines of the Conference of the Parties (COP-21), with 121 solar resource rich countries lying fully or partially between the tropic of Cancer and tropic of Capricorn as prospective members.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/one-sun-one-world-one-grid-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>One Sun, One World, One Grid</strong></a> (OSOWOG): It focuses on a framework for facilitating global cooperation, building a global ecosystem of interconnected renewable energy resources (mainly solar energy) that can be seamlessly shared.</li>
<li><strong><a href="/mind-map/gs-paper2/national-action-plan-on-climate-change-mind-map" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Solar Mission</a> (a part of National Action Plan on Climate Change)</strong></li>
<li><strong>Suryamitra Skill Development Programme:</strong> To provide skill training to rural youth in handling solar installations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1688826#:~:text=To%20generate%20solar%20power%20by,kW%20and%20upto%2010%20kW." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7435,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Single Window Clearance for Coal',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Union government has announced a new <strong>online single window clearance portal for the </strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/investment-in-coal-mining" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>coal</strong></a><strong> sector.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The coal sector can be the<strong> biggest contributor</strong> towards the target of<a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-editorials/19-07-2019#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20economic%20survey,economy%20in%20the%20near%20future." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> India becoming a USD 5 trillion economy by 2025.</strong></a></li>
<li>Despite having the <strong>world's fourth-largest coal reserves,</strong> India is<strong> importing coal.</strong></li>
<li>The next tranche of commercial mining auction would be<strong> launched in January 2021.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Aim :</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is aimed at<strong> allowing faster clearances,</strong> including<strong> environmental and forest clearances,</strong> from a<strong> single portal</strong> with progress monitoring, instead of having to go to multiple authorities.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Presently, about <strong>19 major approvals, or clearances are required before starting the coal mine</strong> in the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The portal will allow successful bidders to <strong>operationalise coal mines more quickly.</strong></li>
<li>It is in the spirit of <strong>minimum government and maximum governance.</strong></li>
<li>It will further<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/steps-to-boost-ease-of-doing-business" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> ease of doing business</strong> </a>in the country's coal sector.</li>
<li>It will help in bringing <strong>huge investment and creating employment.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Future Plan:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-1st-january-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PARIVESH</a> Mechanism</strong> for forest and environment related clearances would likely be <strong>merged into this single window clearance mechanism</strong> which is expected to<strong> help with the operationalisation of the coals blocks</strong> that are set to be auctioned in the upcoming auctions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>PARIVESH</strong> is a <strong>web-based application</strong> which has been developed for online submission and monitoring of the proposals submitted by the proponents for <strong>seeking Environment, Forest, Wildlife and Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ) Clearances from Central, State and district level authorities.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recent Initiatives in Coal Sector:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>As a part of Atmanirbhar Abhiyaan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/coal-sector-reforms#:~:text=Announced%20Reforms%20In%20Coal%20Sector,offered%20to%20the%20private%20sector.&amp;text=Coal%20blocks%20to%20be%20offered,through%20rebate%20in%20revenue%20share." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Commercial mining</strong></a> of coal allowed, with 50 blocks to be offered to the private sector.</li>
<li><strong>Entry norms will be liberalised</strong> as it has done away with the regulation requiring power plants to use &ldquo;washed&rdquo; coal.</li>
<li><strong>Coal blocks to be offered to private companies on revenue sharing basis</strong> in place of fixed cost.</li>
<li><strong>Coal gasification/liquefaction</strong> to be incentivised through rebate in revenue share.</li>
<li><strong>Coal bed methane (CBM)</strong> extraction rights to be auctioned from Coal India&rsquo;s coal mines.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>UTTAM (Unlocking Transparency by Third Party Assessment of Mined Coal):</strong> In April 2018, the Ministry of Coal launched <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/coal-sector-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UTTAM Application</strong></a> for coal quality monitoring.</li>
<li><strong>Scheme for Harnessing and Allocating Koyala (Coal) Transparently in India (SHAKTI):</strong> Launched in May 2017, for allocation of future coal linkages in a transparent manner for the power sector.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-the-new-single-window-clearance-for-coal-how-will-it-help-7142233/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 19 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7434,
		'category_id' => (int) 15,
		'title' => 'The Big Picture : One Nation, One Gas Grid',
		'description' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wvy_6E2YisY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Prime Minister of India has recently inaugurated the 450-km natural gas pipeline between Kochi in Kerala to Mangalore in Karnataka.</li>
<li>The government has set the energy roadmap, envisaging more than double the share of cleaner natural gas in the consumption basket, diversifying sources of energy, connecting the nation with one gas pipeline grid and bringing affordable fuel to people and industry.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A gas-based economy is crucial for an Atmanirbhar Bharat and work is being done in the direction of <strong>'One Nation, One Gas Grid'.</strong></li>
<li>The pipeline grid is expected to not only help improve clean energy access, but also aid in the development of city gas projects.</li>
<li>The government is also considering the proposal of bringing natural gas under the ambit of <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/goods-and-services-tax-gst-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Good and Services Tax.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>One Nation, One Gas Grid</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Indian Power system for planning and operational purposes is divided into five regional grids.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>One Nation, One Gas Grid refers to the integration of these regional grids thus establishing a National Grid for providing energy produced by natural gas to various stakeholders like the central government, the state governments, the public and the private sectors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1610439260_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1610439260_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Objective and Need of One Nation &amp; One Gas Grid</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Meeting the targets:</strong> The initiative of the Indian government will help meet its target of reaching 15% natural gas in its energy basket mix by 2030 which is currently at 6.2-6.5% whereas the global average is 23-24%.</li>
<li><strong>Connecting the nation:</strong> With one nation and one gas grid, the energy produced from natural gas will be supplied to the whole country via a single source.</li>
<li><strong>Improving regional imbalance:</strong> It will help in improving the regional imbalance of gas availability as currently the natural gas is only in limited pockets of the country.</li>
<li><strong>India as a gas based economy:</strong> One nation, one gas grid which will help emerge India as a gas based economy.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will not only lead to robust development in the economy but also encourage a clean environment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cleaner environment:</strong> In times when conventionalsSources are depleting and mining is being extended to a greater depth and area, natural gas can prove to be a boon by preventing deforestation and desertification.</li>
<li><strong>Reduce import dependency:</strong> The import dependency of natural gas in India has reached to 53%. In order to reduce this high percentage, the government is taking measures to diversify the energy mix of India.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>India&rsquo;s Targets</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To increase the share of natural gas, the government has announced the expansion of the natural gas grid from the previous 17,500 kilometers to 34,500 kilometers. To which, 450 kms have already been added making it approx 18000.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The next 16000 kms is expected to be achieved in the next 4-6 years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Primarily, as a grid, the north and west part of India were already connected via LNG terminal.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the last 4 years, efforts have also been made to connect eastern India with North via the Jagdishpur-Haldia-Bokaro-Dhamra Pipeline which is a <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-gas-grid-fuel-for-all" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>PM Urja Ganga Project</strong></a> which is in its final stages and will also add around 3000 kms to the grid.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The southern part of India is also being looked upon and is expected to add about 1500 kms to the grid.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Encouraging investments:</strong> Investing in natural gas should be more encouraged. The share can be divided as : 20% for smaller manufacturing brands whereas for the government and bigger companies it should be 80%.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is important because investing in natural gas means investing in:
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Cleaner environment</li>
<li>Better health for our people</li>
<li>Creating more jobs and a better economy for our people.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Educating about natural gas:</strong> One area where we all should work is in educating people about the natural gas economy because at present the lack of knowledge about natural gas based economy is widely persistent.</li>
<li><strong>Empowering the vehicles:</strong> Empowered vehicles are needed to reach the destination of One Nation, One Gas Grid. Vehicles such as GAIL, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-natural-gas-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ONGC</strong></a> etc need to be strengthened and empowered to eradicate natural gas energy poverty.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is important to give more importance to companies like ONGC when it comes to upstream for gas and GAIL India when it comes to midstream production and gas distribution, and to companies like Oil India when it comes to oil distribution.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>We need more LNG terminals for more upstream production of gas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Marketing and pricing reforms:</strong> To increase domestic exploration, investment and production of natural gas, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/natural-gas-marketing-reforms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Marketing and Pricing Reforms</strong></a> are the one step that the Government of India has taken in a couple of months.</li>
<li><strong>Natural gas democracy:</strong> Like no citizen of a country should be kept out of democracy, similarly no one should be left out of the benefits of natural gas, it should reach each and every household.</li>
<li><strong>Collaborative effort:</strong> It is not enough that only the central government takes initiatives in the direction, various state govts should also come on board or even a public sector is also as important when it comes to contributing their share in the notion of One Nation, One Gas Grid.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Tremendous efforts are on the way to achieve clean affordable and sustainable energy but going forward there will be infrastructure related and many other possible challenges that must be tackled in order to end energy poverty in the times to come, ensuring energy security for the citizens as well.</p>',
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		'metakeyword' => 'Mineral & Energy Resources',
		'metadescription' => 'Mineral & Energy Resources',
		'addedby' => (int) 9,
		'updatedby' => (int) 9,
		'added' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'modified' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'[new]' => false,
		'[accessible]' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		],
		'[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[repository]' => 'tags'
	
	}
]
$title = 'Article Tags'
$lastyear = (int) 2018
$year = '2021'
$i = (int) 2017
$selected = ''
$m = (int) 13
$month = 'December'

include - ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Element/rightsection.ctp, line 115
Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::_renderElement() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1554
Cake\View\View::element() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 668
include - ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Element/articlebox.ctp, line 5
Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::_renderElement() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1554
Cake\View\View::element() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 668
include - ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Articles/tags.ctp, line 61
Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 765
Cake\Controller\Controller::render() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 623
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 125
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 93

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