Daily Current Affairs for 10th Dec 2021

GS PAPER II & III NEWS

Rooftop solar plans

Why in News

• In order to generate solar power by installing solar panels on the roofs of your houses, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India is implementing Grid Connected Home Rooftop Solar Plants (Phase-II) Scheme.

Key point

• Under this scheme the Ministry is providing 40% subsidy (subsidy) for first 3 KW and above 3 KW and up to 10 KW, 20% subsidy.
• The scheme is being implemented by the Local Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOMs – DISCOMs) in the states.
• It has been brought to the notice of this Ministry that some rooftop solar companies/vendors are installing rooftop solar plants by claiming that they are authorized vendors by the ministry.
• It is, therefore, clarified that no vendor has been authorized by the Ministry.
• This scheme is being implemented only by Power Distribution Companies (DISCOMs- DISCOMs) in the state.
• The DISCOMs have shortlisted the vendors through the tender process and also fixed the rates for installing solar plants on the roof of the house.
• Almost all the Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOMS-DISCOMS) have released online process for this purpose.
• Residential consumers desirous of setting up rooftop solar plants under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) scheme can apply online and get rooftop solar plants installed by empaneled vendors.
• For this, they will have to pay the cost of rooftop solar plant by reducing the subsidy amount to be given by the ministry to the vendor(s) as per the prescribed rate and the process in this regard will be done online by the Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOMS). given on the portal.
• Subsidy amount will be provided by the Ministry to the vendors through DISCOMs.
• Domestic consumers are advised that in order to get the benefit of subsidy under the scheme of the Ministry, they should get the rooftop solar plants installed from their empaneled vendors by following the due process of approval by the DISCOMs.
• The solar panels and other equipment to be installed by the empaneled vendors shall be as per the standards and specifications prescribed by the Ministry and shall also include 5 years maintenance of the rooftop solar plant by the vendor.
• It has also been brought to the notice of the Ministry that some sellers are charging domestic consumers a price much higher than the rates fixed by the DISCOMs which is wrong. Therefore, the consumers are advised to pay only as per the rates fixed by the Power Distribution Companies (DISCOMS). Discoms have been directed to identify and penalize such sellers.

GS PAPER I & II

Saryu Canal Project

Why in News

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Rs 9,802 crore Saryu Canal National Project in Balrampur district of Uttar Pradesh on 11 December 2021.
• Key point
  • It is being told that due to the Saryu Canal National Project, more than 14 lakh hectares of land will be irrigated. Nine districts connecting Bahraich to Gorakhpur will benefit from this project. This will irrigate about 14 and a half lakh hectares. According to media reports, this project, which has been stalled for the last 40 years, has been completed in the last about 5 years.

Start of this project

• • State’s Jal Shakti Minister Dr. Mahendra Singh said work on the project had started in 1978 but the previous governments “did not pay much attention” to it. He said that this project has now been completed due to the efforts of Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Saryu Canal Project

• • The Saryu Canal National Project is six thousand 623 km long. Saryu Canal National Project connects five rivers of nine districts of UP. In this Ghaghra to Saryu and Saryu to Rapti have been added. Along with this, Rohin river has been added to Rapti and Banganga to Baan Ganga.
  • Interlinking of rivers will also save people from disasters like floods.
  • With this water can be released in the canal for irrigation. The availability of water has been ensured by connecting five rivers like Ghaghra, Rapti, Saryu, Baan Ganga and Rohini in the Saryu canal.
  • There will be many benefits from the construction of Saryu Canal Project. On one hand, where farmers will get free water facility for irrigation in their fields, on the other hand the tragedy of floods will also be less.
  • Due to diversion of water of rivers into canals, the effect of floods will be reduced. About 29 lakh farmers of more than 6200 villages will be benefited by this project.
• Not only this, 9 districts of Eastern UP – Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Gonda, Siddharthnagar, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Gorakhpur and Maharajganj will be benefitted.
  • The Prime Minister’s Office statement said that the Saryu Canal National Project has been built at a cost of more than Rs 9,800 crore. Out of this, provision of Rs 4600 crore was made in the last 4 years.

GS PAPER II

International solar alliance

Why in News

• • The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has given observer status to the International Solar Alliance.

Key point

• • India’s Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations TS Tirumurti terming it as historic, the International Solar Alliance (ISA) has become an example of positive global climate action through partnerships to benefit global energy growth and development.
  • The Fourth General Assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) was held earlier in October. A total of 108 countries took part in it.
  • These included 74 member countries, 34 observer countries, 23 partner organizations and 33 special invitees.

About the International Solar Alliance

• • The International Solar Alliance is a treaty-based inter-governmental organization.
  • Its primary function is to catalyze solar development by reducing the cost of financing and technology.
  • The ‘International Solar Alliance’ co-founded by India and France during the 2015 Climate Change Conference in Paris is India’s very important effort in the role of global climate leader.
  • ‘International Solar Alliance’ is the nodal agency for implementing ‘One Sun, One World, and One Grid’.
  • Its objective is to transfer the solar energy generated in a specific area to meet the electricity demand of another region.
  • India has allotted 5 acres of land to ‘International Solar Alliance’ in Gurugram campus of ‘National Institute of Solar Energy’ and released an amount of Rs 160 crore.
  • The ‘National Institute of Solar Energy’ is an autonomous body of the Ministry of New and Renewable and is the apex national research and development institute in the field of solar energy.

GS PAPER III

World human rights day

Why in News

• • Human Rights Day is celebrated every year on 10th December.

Key point

• • Human rights mainly include international commitments on economic, social and cultural rights and civil and political rights.
  • The purpose of this day is to make people aware of human rights and prevent human rights abuses.
  • This day has an important role to stop the atrocities against humanity in the world. ‘Taking steps for the rights of others’ has been included as a special purpose on this day.
  • The main objective of this day is to make people all over the world aware of the importance of human rights and to give a message to be aware of its observance.

What are human rights?

• • The right of any human being to life, liberty, equality and respect is a human right. The Indian Constitution not only guarantees this right, but the court punishes those who violate it.
  • The theme of Human Rights Day 2021 is reducing inequalities and advancing human rights. This year’s theme is related to ‘equality’ and Article 1 of the UDHR which states that ‘all human beings are free and equal in dignity and rights’.

Human Rights Law in India: At a Glance

• • Human Rights Act came into force in India from 28 September 1993. The Government of India constituted the National Human Rights Commission on 12 October 1993.
  • Along with civil and political, economic, social and cultural rights also come under the purview of the commission.
• Importance
  • The United Nations believes that December 10 is an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of human rights in rebuilding the world we want to live in, the need for global solidarity as well as our mutuality and shared humanity.

History of Human Rights Day

• • This day is being celebrated since the day the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.
  • For the first time 48 countries celebrated this day along with the United Nations General Assembly.
  • In 1950, resolution 423 (v) was passed by the General Assembly, urging all countries and institutions to adopt it.
• UNGA announced in December 1993 to celebrate it annually.