करेण्ट अफेयर्स मई 2013

1) 120 से भी अधिक साल बाद नीदरलैण्ड को अपना पहला सम्राट 30 अप्रैल 2013 को तब मिला जब साम्राज्ञी बेट्रिक्स (Queen Beatrix) ने अपने पुत्र को देश का नया सम्राट बनाने के लिए एक राजपाट छोड़ने वाला एक दस्तावेज हस्ताक्षरित किया। नीदरलैण्ड का नया सम्राट कौन है, जिसे साम्राज्ञी बेट्रिक्स से सत्ता प्राप्त हुई है? –सम्राट विलेम-एलेक्ज़ेंण्डर – King Willem-Alexander (इसी के साथ साम्राज्ञी बेट्रिक्स का 33 वर्ष लम्बा कार्यकाल समाप्त हो गया। 1890 में दिवंगत हुए विलेम-तृतीय नीदरलैण्ड के अंतिम सम्राट थे और इसके बाद देश का राजपाट महिलाओं के हाथों में ही रहा है)

2) 30 अप्रैल 2013 को अपने पद से इस्तीफा देने वाले अतिरिक्त सालिसिटर-जनरल का क्या नाम है? – हरिन पी. रावल (उल्लेखनीय है कि मार्च 2013 में कोयला घोटाले से सम्बन्धित स्टेट्स रिपोर्ट में उन्होंने यह स्वीकार किया था कि इस कि इस रिपोर्ट को केन्द्र सरकार को नहीं दिखाया गया था लेकिन बाद में सीबीआई निदेशक रंजीत सिन्हा ने एक हलफनामे में यह स्पष्ट किया कि इस रिपोर्ट को केन्द्रीय कानून मंत्री, एक संयुक्त सचिव और प्रधानमंत्री कार्यालय के एक अधिकारी को दिखाया गया था। इसके बाद रावल ने 30 अप्रैल 2013 को भारत के एटार्नी-जनरल गुलाम वाहनवति को अपना इस्तीफा सौंप दिया और कहा कि उन्हें इस मामले में बलि का बकरा बनाया गया है)

3) सार्वजनिक क्षेत्र की पेट्रोलियम कम्पनियों ने 30 अप्रैल 2013 की अर्द्धरात्रि से पेट्रोल के मूल्य में 3 रुपए प्रति लीटर की कमी करने की घोषणा कर दी। कच्चे तेल के अंतर्राष्ट्रीय मूल्यों में गिरावट और रुपए तथा अमेरिकी डालर की विनिमय दर में सुधार के चलते यह कमी की गई, जो लगभग 5 सालों की सबसे बड़ी कमी है। इससे पहले पेट्रोल के मूल्य में इससे भी बड़ी गिरावट कब हुई थी? – दिसम्बर 2008 में जब पेट्रोल का मूल्य 5 रुपए प्रति लीटर कम कर दिया गया था

4) दिग्गज उपभोक्ता उत्पाद निर्माता कम्पनी यूनीलीवर पीएलसी. (Unilever Plc.) ने अपनी भारतीय इकाई हिन्दुस्तान यूनीलीवर (Hindustan Unilever) में अपनी भागीदारी को बढ़ाकर 75% करने की घोषणा की है, जिसके लिए वह लगभग 5.4 अरब डालर खर्च करेगी। यूनीलीवर पीएलसी की हिन्दुस्तान यूनीलीवर में वर्तमान भागीदारी कितनी है? – 52.48% (उल्लेखनीय है कि एंग्लो-डच कम्पनी यूनीलीवर पीएलसी इस समय दुनिया की दूसरी सबसे बड़ी उपभोक्ता उत्पाद कम्पनी है और भारत उसके लिए बहुत महत्वपूर्ण तथा विशाल बाजार है। भारतीय कानून के अनुसार सूचीबद्ध कम्पनी में न्यूनतम भारतीय भागीदारी 25% अवश्य होनी चाहिए और 75% हिस्सेदारी पर नियंत्रण करने के बाद यूनीलीवर पीएलसी. की हिस्सेदारी अधिकतम स्तर को छू लेगी)

5) भारत की पिद्दी (बहुत छोटी), छोटी और मझली व्यावसायिक इकाइयों (MSME – Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) के निर्यात को बढ़ाने के लिए सुझाव देने के उद्देश्य से एक 6-सदस्यीय अंतर-मंत्रालयी समिति का गठन हाल ही में किया गया है। इस समिति का अध्यक्ष किसे बनाया गया है? – आर. एस. गुजराल, वित्त सचिव (उल्लेखनीय है कि अभी कुछ समय तक MSME भारत के कुल निर्यात में लगभग 40% तक योगदान दे रहीं थीं जबकि देश के सकल घरेलू उत्पाद में उनका योगदान 8% तक था। लेकिन अब निर्यात में इनकी हिस्सेदारी 36% ही रह गई है तथा इनका निर्यात भी कम होता जा रहा है)

6) बांग्लादेश के संसदीय इतिहास में संसद (जातिया सम्सद) की पहली महिला स्पीकर कौन बनी हैं, जिन्हें 30 अप्रैल 2013 को चुना गया? – डा. शिरीन शर्मिन चौधुरी (वे स्पीकर पद के लिए खड़ी होने वाली एकमात्र उम्मीदवार थी और उन्हें उनकी पार्टी आवामी लीग ने नामित किया था। उन्होंने हाल ही में राष्ट्रपति बनने वाले अब्दुल हमीद का स्थान लिया)

7) हाल ही में जारी इकोनामिस्ट पत्रिका के डेमोक्रेसी सूचकांक 2012 (Index of Democracy 2012) में भारत को कुल 165 देशों में क्या स्थान दिया गया है? –38वाँ (इस सूचकांक में भारत का कुल स्कोर 7.42 रहा। इस सूची में सबसे ऊपर तीन स्थानों पर क्रमश: नार्वे (9.93 अंक), स्वीडन (9.73 अंक) और आइसलैण्ड (9.65) रहे जबकि 8.11 अंक के साथ अमेरिका को 21वाँ स्थान दिया गया)

8) नासा के खगोलविदों ने हाल ही में दो नए ब्राह्य-ग्रहों (exoplanets) की खोज की है, इन्हें क्या नाम दिए गए हैं? – KOI-200b और KOI-889b (उल्लेखनीय है कि ब्राह्य ग्रह उन ग्रहों को कहा जाता है जो हमारे सौर-मण्डल के बाहर विद्यमान हैं। अब तक 850 से अधिक ब्राह्य ग्रहों की खोज हो चुकी है)

करेण्ट अफेयर्स अप्रैल 2013

1) 1 अप्रैल 2013 को किसने भारत के सबसे बड़े स्टाक एक्सचेंज – NSE (नेशनल स्टाक एक्सचेंज) के मुख्य कार्यकारी अधिकारी (CEO) का पद संभाला? – चित्रा रामकृष्णा (उन्होंने रवि नारायण का स्थान लिया। चित्रा इस पद पर नियुक्त होने वाली पहली महिला हैं)

2) भारतीय जनता पार्टी के अध्यक्ष राजनाथ सिंह ने 31 मार्च 2013 को पार्टी के 76-सदस्यीय संसदीय बोर्ड की घोषणा की। इसमें अन्य लोगों के अलावा गुजरात के मुख्यमंत्री को भी स्थान दिया गया। इनको बोर्ड में शामिल किए जाने की क्या प्रमुख विशेषता रही? –मोदी भाजपा के संसदीय बोर्ड में शामिल किए जाने वाले पहले व एकमात्र मुख्यमंत्री हैं। इससे नरेन्द्र मोदी के केन्द्रीय राजनीति में प्रवेश के लगाए जा रहे कयास भी सही साबित हो गए)

3) समाजसेवी अन्ना हजारे द्वारा 31 मार्च 2013 को अमृतसर से शुरू की गई यात्रा का क्या नाम नाम है? – जनतंत्र यात्रा (इस यात्रा के तहत रैलियों की एक वृहद श्रृंखला का आयोजन किया जायेगा, जिसके अंतर्गत हजारे के तैयार 25-सूत्रीय कार्यक्रम की चर्चा की जायेगी। अन्ना हजारे ने कुछ समय पहले अपने पूर्व संगठन इण्डिया एगेंस्ट करप्शन (IAC) के स्थान पर जनतंत्र मोर्चा का गठन किया था)

4) हाल ही में भारत में तमाम इंटरनेट सेवा प्रदत्ता कम्पनियों (ISPs) की इंटरनेट सेवा धीमी पड़ गई जब इंटरनेट सेवाओं के लिए समुद्र के नीचे जाने वालीं कई महत्वपूर्ण केबल्स कट गईं। इन केबल्स के कटने की घटना कहाँ घटित हुई? – मिस्र के एलेक्ज़ेण्ड्रिया के पास(कई केबल्स के कटने के चलते टाटा कम्यूनिकेशन्स, भारती एयरटेल, BSNL और MTNL की इंटरनेट सेवाएं मुख्यत: प्रभावित हुईं)

5) 31 मार्च 2013 को किसे इंटरनेशनल चैम्बर्स ऑफ कामर्स (ICC) के भारतीय चैप्टर का अध्यक्ष नियुक्त किया गया? – राजन भारती मित्तल, भारती इंटरप्राइजेज के उपाध्यक्ष और प्रबंध निदेशक(ICC विश्व का प्रमुख अंतर्राष्ट्रीय व्यापार संगठन है, जिसका मुख्यालय पेरिस में है)

6) NTPC ने अपनी पहले ग्रीनफील्ड रिन्यूएबल सोलर फोटो वाल्टेक परियोजना की शुरुआत 30 मार्च 2013 कहाँ की? – पोर्ट ब्लेयर (अण्डमान-निकोबार द्वीपसमूह)

7) भारत के सार्वजनिक क्षेत्र के बैंकों ने हाल ही में डिफाल्टर लोगों और संस्थाओं से अपने दिए गए ऋणों की वसूली के लिए सम्पत्तियों की बिक्री/नीलामी की प्रक्रिया को पारदर्शी बनाए रखने के लिए किस किस प्रक्रिया को अपनाना शुरू कर दिया है? – इ-ऑक्शन e-auction (उल्लेखनीय है कि सार्वजनिक क्षेत्र के बैंकों की इस सम्बन्ध में दिसम्बर 2012 को हुई बैठक में निर्णय लिया गया था कि सारफेसी कानून 2002 (“Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act, 2002) के तहत आने वाली अचल सम्पत्तियों को बेचने के लिए e-auction प्रक्रिया का पालन किया जायेगा। अब बैंक इसी निर्णय का पालन कर रहे हैं)

8) भारत के श्रम ब्यूरो के हाल ही में जारी अर्द्ध-वार्षिक सर्वे के अनुसार वर्ष 2012 की दूसरी छमाही (जुलाई-दिसम्बर 2012) के दौरान देश की अर्थव्यवस्था के आठ प्रमुख मैन्यूफैक्चरिंग व सेवा क्षेत्रों ने कितने नए रोजगार का सृजन किया? – 1.68 लाख (यह वर्ष 2012 की पहली छमाही (जनवरी-जून 2012) के दौरान सृजित नए रोजगार से लगभग 9% अधिक है, जब 1.58 लाख नए रोजगार अवसर सृजित हुए थे)

How Much We Still Don’t Know About The Ocean

The Earth is literally covered in water: It makes up over 70% of our surface, and without it our planet would be inhospitable. When it comes to our Earth’s oceans, the vast majority of their expanse remains unchartered and unexplored. In fact, we have more comprehensive maps of the moon’s surface than of the bottom of our ocean floors. While the ocean floor seems distant and irrelevant at times, the fact of the matter is that our ocean floors are home to a whole host of mysteries. not to mention thousands of volcanoes and shifting tectonic plates. By learning about the bottom of the ocean, scientists may one day be able to understand and adequately prepare for earthquakes and tsunamis that are caused by movement along the oceanic floor.

Despite covering 72 percent of Earth and supplying more than 70 percent of the world’s oxygen, there’s still a lot we don’t know about our planet’s life support system.

Here’s a brief guide to our exploration of the ocean:

e-Waste: Fastest Growing Sector Within The Global Waste Industry

“Electronic waste” may be defined as discarded computers, office electronic equipment, entertainment device electronics, mobile phones, television sets and refrigerators. This definition includes used electronics which are destined for reuse, resale, salvage, recycling, or disposal.”- Wikipedia

e-Waste Composition

Electronic appliances are composed of hundreds of different materials that can be both toxic but also of high value. While bulk materials such as iron, aluminium, plastics and glass account for over 80 weight %, valuable and toxic materials are found in smaller quantities but are still of high importance. The material composition of different appliances is often similar, but the percentage of different components can vary a lot.

Gold, silver, copper, platinum etc. are valuable substances which turn recycling of e-waste into a lucrative business opportunity. On the other hand, the recycling of hazardous substances, e.g. carcinogens such as lead and arsenic is critical and poses serious health risks and environment dangers of not properly handled.

e-Waste Market

E-waste represents one of the fastest-growing sectors by volume within the global waste industry. According to a new analysis by Frost & Sullivan titled “Global Opportunities in the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Recycling Services Market”,  the global WEEE recycling services market was estimated at $1,424.6 million in 2011. This is further expected to grow to $1,869.3 million in 2017 with a strong CAGR of 4 percent.

The global economic slowdown affected the WEEE recycling market in as much as the prices of steel and plastics, for example, went on a steady decline, as did tonnages of e-waste in the market, states an analysis by Frost & Sullivan.

Here’s an insightful infographic to help you understand e-Waste:

Parkinson’s Disease: Infographic

Parkinson’s disease  is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. It is is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder and the most common movement disorder. It is characterized by progressive loss of muscle control, which leads to trembling of the limbs and head while at rest, stiffness, slowness, and impaired balance. As symptoms worsen, it may become difficult to walk, talk, and complete simple tasks.

What causes Parkinson’s disease?

A substance called dopamine acts as a messenger between two brain areas – the substantia nigra and the corpus striatum – to produce smooth, controlled movements. Most of the movement-related symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are caused by a lack of dopamine due to the loss of dopamine-producing cells in the substantia nigra. When the amount of dopamine is too low, communication between the substantia nigra and corpus striatum becomes ineffective, and movement becomes impaired; the greater the loss of dopamine, the worse the movement-related symptoms. Other cells in the brain also degenerate to some degree and may contribute to non-movement related symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

Have a look at the infographic:

Millennium Development Report, 2013

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have been the most successful global anti-poverty push in history. This year’s report looks at the areas where action is needed most. For example, one in eight people worldwide remain hungry. Too many women die in childbirth when we have the means to save them. More than 2.5 billion people lack improved sanitation facilities, of which one billion continue to practice open defecation, a major health and environmental hazard. Our resource base is in serious decline, with continuing losses of forests, species and fish stocks, in a world already experiencing the impacts of climate change.
This report also shows that the achievement of the MDGs has been uneven among and within countries. Children from poor and rural households are much more likely to be out of school than their rich and urban counterparts. Wide gaps remain in basic knowledge about HIV and its prevention among young men and women in sub-Saharan Africa, which has been hardest hit by the epidemic.

Highlights

• The proportion of people living in extreme poverty has been halved at the global level
• Over 2 billion people gained access to improved sources of drinking water
• Remarkable gains have been made in the fight against malaria and tuberculosis
• The hunger target is within reach
• Remarkable gains have been made in the fight against malaria and tuberculosis
• The proportion of slum dwellers in the cities and metropolises of the developing world is declining
• A low debt burden and an improved climate for trade are levelling the playing field for developing countries
• Environmental sustainability is under severe threat, demanding a new level of global cooperation
• Most maternal deaths are preventable, and progress in this area is falling short
• Access to antiretroviral therapy and knowledge about HIV prevention must expand
• Too many children are still denied primary education
• There is less aid money overall, with the poorest countries most adversely affected
• Gains in sanitation are impressive—but not good enough
• Gender-based inequalities in decision-making power persist

Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty And Hunger

Target 1.A: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than $1 a day

• The MDG target has been met, but 1.2 billion people still live in extreme poverty

Target 1.B:Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people

• The slowing of economic growth spells continued job losses, with young people bearing the brunt of the crisis
• Though working poverty has declined, over 60 per cent of workers in the developing world still live on less than $4 a day

Target 1.C: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger

• The hunger reduction target is within reach if recent slowdowns in progress can be reversed
• More than 100 million children under age five are still undernourished and underweight
• Despite steady gains, one in four children around the world show signs of stunted growth
• The number of people uprooted by conflict or persecution is at its highest level in 18 years

Quick Facts

• Poverty rates have been halved, and about 700 million fewer people lived in conditions of extreme poverty in 2010 than in 1990
• The economic and financial crisis has widened the global jobs gap by 67 million people
• One in eight people still go to bed hungry, despite major progress
• Globally, nearly one in six children under age five are underweight; one in four are stunted
• An estimated 7 per cent of children under age five worldwide are now overweight, another aspect of malnutrition; one quarter of these children live in sub-Saharan Africa

Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education

Target 2.A: Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling

• If current trends continue, the world will not meet the goal of universal primary education by 2015
• Poverty is a key factor keeping children out of school, but gender and place of residence also matter
• One in four children who enter primary school will probably leave before reaching the last grade
• Literacy rates among adults and youth are on the rise, and gender gaps are narrowing

 Quick Facts

• In 2011, 57 million children of primary school age were out of school, down from 102 million in 2000
• More than half of these out-of-school children live in sub-Saharan Africa
• Globally, 123 million youth (aged 15 to 24) lack basic reading and writing skills; 61 per cent of them are young women

 

Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women

Target 3.A: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015

• Steady progress has been made towards equal access of girls and boys to education, but more targeted action is needed in many regions
• Gender disparities become more marked at higher levels of education, with girls not always at a disadvantage
• Women are gaining ground in the labour market, though not in all regions and not in all areas of work
• In every developing region, women tend to hold less secure jobs than men, with fewer social benefits
• Women are assuming more power in the world’s parliaments, boosted by quota systems
• Women’s decision-making power at home leaves lots of room for improvement

Quick facts

• Gender parity is closest to being achieved at the primary level; however, only 2 out of 130 countries have achieved that target at all levels of education
• Globally, 40 out of 100 wage-earning jobs in the non-agricultural sector are held by women
• As of 31 January 2013, the average share of women members in parliaments worldwide was just over 20 per cent

Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality

Target 4.A: Reduce by two thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate

• Big gains have been made in child survival, but efforts must be redoubled to meet the global target
• Increasingly, child deaths are concentrated in the poorest regions
• Newborns in their first month of life now account for a growing share of child deaths
• Meeting the target by 2015 will require greater focus and a renewed commitment to reaching the most vulnerable children
• Since 2000, measles vaccines have averted over 10 million deaths, but continued progress is uncertain

Quick Facts:

• Since 1990, the child mortality rate has dropped by 41 per cent; 14,000 fewer children are dying each day
• Still, 6.9 million children under age five died in 2011—mostly from preventable diseases
• In sub-Saharan Africa, one in nine children die before age five, more than 16 times the average for developed regions

Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health

Target 5.A: Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio

• Maternal mortality has declined by nearly half since 1990, but falls far short of the MDG target
• Nearly 50 million babies worldwide are delivered without skilled care

Target 5.B: Achieve, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health

• Health care during pregnancy can save lives, but only half of women in developing regions receive the recommended amount of care
• Over half of married women in most developing regions are using some form of family planning
• African countries show wide disparities in maternal and reproductive health, emphasizing the need to expand effective interventions
• The need for family planning is slowly being met for more women, but demand is increasing at a rapid pace
• Adolescent childbearing is risky for both mother and child, and remains at very high levels in many developing regions

Quick Facts

• In Eastern Asia, Northern Africa and Southern Asia, maternal mortality has declined by around two thirds
• Only half of pregnant women in developing regions receive the recommended minimum of four antenatal care visits
• Some 140 million women worldwide who are married or in union say they would like to delay or avoid pregnancy, but are not using contraception

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria And Other Diseases

Target 6.A: Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS

• The incidence of HIV is declining steadily in most regions; still, 2.5 million people are newly infected each year
• As treatment is scaled up, fewer people are dying of AIDS and more people are living with HIV than ever before
• Knowledge about HIV among young people falls far short of the global target
• More orphaned children are now in school due to expanded efforts to mitigate the impact of AIDS

Target 6.B: Achieve, by 2010, universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it

• Universal access to antiretroviral therapy is within reach, but will require sustained political support

Target 6.C: Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases

• More than 1 million deaths from malaria were averted over the last decade, but renewed commitment is needed to sustain gains
• The world is on its way to halting the spread and reversing the incidence of tuberculosis
• Successful treatment of tuberculosis is exceeding global targets, but more work lies ahead

Quick Facts

• In 2011, 230,000 fewer children under age 15 were infected with HIV than in 2001
• Eight million people were receiving antiretroviral therapy for HIV at the end of 2011
• In the decade since 2000, 1.1 million deaths from malaria were averted
• Treatment for tuberculosis has saved some 20 million lives between 1995 and 2011

Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

Target 7.A: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources

• Forests are a safety net for the poor, but they continue to disappear at an alarming rate
• Global greenhouse gas emissions resume their upward path, confirming an ominous trend and calling for bold action
• Overexploitation of marine fish stocks is resulting in diminished yields

Target 7.B: Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss

More of the earth’s land and marine areas are under protection

• Birds, mammals and other species are heading for extinction

Target 7.C: Halve by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation

• More than 2.1 billion people have gained access to improved drinking water sources since 1990, exceeding the MDG target
• Access to drinking water for the rural poor, along with water quality and safety,remain serious concerns
• Over 240,000 people a day gained access to improved sanitation facilities from 1990 to 2011—impressive but not enough
• Stopping open defecation and instituting the right policies are key to continued progress in sanitation

Target 7.D: By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers

• Though the MDG target has been met,urbanization continues to outpace improvements in slum conditions
• Lessons from countries that have tackled the multifaceted problems of urban slums may benefit other countries

Quick Facts

• Global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) have increased by more than 46 per cent since 1990
• Nearly one third of marine fish stocks have been overexploited
• Many species are at risk of extinction, despite an increase in protected areas
• More than 2.1 billion people and almost 1.9 billon people, respectively, have gained access to improved water sources and sanitation facilities since 1990
• An estimated 863 million people reside in slums in the developing world

Goal 8: Develop A Global Partnership For Development

Target 8.A: Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system

• The trade climate continues to improve for developing and least developed countries in terms of duty-free access
• Average tariffs levied by developed countries continued to decline slightly for developing and least developed countries alike

Target 8.B and 8.c:Address the special needs of the least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States

• Aid money is declining overall, and moving away from the poorest countries

Target 8.D: Deal comprehensively with developing countries’ debt

• Debt service ratios are one quarter of their 2000 level, lightening the financial burden on developing countries
• Reductions in export earnings have caused debt service ratios of some regions to rise

Target 8.F: In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications

• Mobile-cellular subscriptions are moving towards saturation levels, and almost 40 per cent of the world’s population are online
• Broadband is becoming more widely available and affordable, but is still out of reach of many in developing countries

Quick Facts

• Official development assistance stood at $126 billion in 2012
• Eighty-three per cent of least developed country exports enter developed countries duty free
• The debt service of developing countries consumes only 3 per cent of their export revenues
• In the developing world, 31 per cent of the population use the Internet, compared to 77 per cent of the developed world

Solar Energy In India

According to a report, India needs 3,128 Trillionwatt hour per year (TWH) of electrical energy in the future. This annual need could be met through renewable energy sources alone in the form of solar power, wind and hydroelectric power. But is this change in energy mix really feasible? How significant would it be if India could meet its energy needs using renewable sources?

Presently, India is confronting the triple challenge of climate change, energy security and economic development. At present, coal accounts for about 42 per cent of India’s energy consumption. Being the largest raw material contributing to electricity generation, the domestic shortage of coal has slowed down the production of electricity and, as a consequence, its imports have gone up.

Also, significant coal reserves and mines have not been opened fully due to disputes over environmental concerns and land permits. Hence, in order to become self sufficient in its energy needs India needs to exploit the renewable energy sector in a big way.

According to the latest report of the WorldWatch Institute, India is among the fastest growing nations, after China, Brazil and the US, in the renewable energy sector with investments rising to 62 per cent—the highest growth rate for any single country over 2010 totals.

After seeing success in the wind energy sector in 2001, the Indian government initiated a nationwide programme to provide clean, off-grid and mostly solar-generated power in remote areas of the country.

The solar power programme, now a part of the National Action Plan for Climate Change, started as an off-grid clean energy source to bring self sufficiency and reduce the consumption of kerosene, particularly in the rural areas.

While it was initially promoted as a means to achieve energy security, it now helps in mitigating the impact of climate change. To meet this, the Remote Village Electrification Programme (RVEP) was started in 2001 by the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources (MNES), later renamed the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in 2006.

The programme offered one or two compact fluorescent lamps CFLs, a solar panel, a battery and a solar charge regulator. Unfortunately, RVEP could cover only 9,000 villages against a target of 18,000. A number of reasons identified for this:

• manufacturing defects due to poor manufacturing of batteries and CFLs;
• poor after-sales issues; and
• corruption in the system of distribution, both top-down and bottom-up.

Government Programmes

In 2010, the Government launched the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission in the Eleventh Five Year Plan (FYP), which was an off-grid clean energy mission. The Mission set the following target:

1. Enabling policy framework for deployment of 20,000 megawatt (MW) of solar power by 2022.
2. To increase capacity of grid connected solar power to 1,000 MW by 2013 and an additional capacity of 3,000 MW by 2017.
3. To create favourable conditions for developing solar manufacturing capability in the country.
4. To promote deployment of 20 million solar lights by 2025. The mission aim is to make India a global leader in solar energy.

As can be seen from the above table this mission adopted a three phase approach. It started with the last year of the Eleventh FYP (2010-11) and the first year of Twelfth Plan (2012-13).

The Way Ahead

Globally, the solar power industry has grown by 75-80 per cent. The total installed capacity of solar PV systems has reached approximately 40 Gigawatt in 2010, with Germany leading in capacity addition.

In spite of loans given by the US EXIM bank (which was one of the largest financer of renewable projects in India) to the tune of $176 million in 2011 for seven solar transactions in the country, the share of solar energy in grid interactive renewable power accounts to nearly zero per cent in the overall energy mix.

However, the total installed capacity of grid interactive renewable power had increased up to 16,817 MW in 2009-10, as compared to 14,486 MW in 2008-09, indicating a growth of 16.1 per cent during that period.

So the question remains: can solar energy be the next big thing? Major challenges that are impacting the progress of solar energy today are:

• the land needed for installation,
• project development,
• high cost of solar PV technology,
• energy storage, and
• high initial costs.

Is it possible to alter the energy mix by using more of renewable energy, especially solar (both PV and thermal)? The real challenge is the unpredictable nature of solar energy. Thus many technical challenges, not just financial, will have to be resolved if renewable energy sources alone are to meet India’s energy demand.