GS PAPER: II

Surge in renewable energy investments

Why in the news?

• According to Power Ministry estimates India will witness a more than 83% increase in investments in renewable energy (RE) projects to about $16.5 billion in 2024 as the country focuses on energy transition to reduce carbon emissions.

India’s ambitious target

• This is in line with India’s ambitious target of having 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030 and its resolve to reduce overall power generation capacity from fossil fuels to less than 50 per cent.
• India has committed a net zero emission target by 2070.
• However, according to Union Power and New & Renewable Energy Ministry 65 per cent power generation capacity would be from non-fossil fuels by 2030 and that would be higher than the set target of 50 per cent.
• India is likely to witness 25 GW of renewable energy capacity addition entailing an investment of Rs 1,37,500 crore (about USD 16.5 billion) in 2024 calendar year, which would be higher than 13.5 GW with an investment of Rs 74,250 crore (nearly USD 9 billion) seen in 2023.

Steps to reduce dependence on Fossil fuel

• Apart from solar and wind energy, India has increased its focus on green hydrogen in a big way to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, mainly diesel, which is required for long haul vehicles.
• India is a diesel-based economy in a way that most of the commercial vehicles for passenger and freight services are using diesel as the fuel.
• The Union Cabinet approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission with an outlay of Rs 19,744 crore.
• Later on the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) called bids for providing incentives for the production of 4,50,000 tonnes of green hydrogen and 1.5 GW of electrolyser manufacturing facilities annually.
• As many 21 firms bid for incentives for electrolyser manufacturing of 3.4 GW and 14 companies for green hydrogen production of 5, 53,730 tonnes under the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) Scheme (Mode-1-Tranche-I).

National Green Hydrogen Mission and SIGHT scheme

• The National Green Hydrogen Mission is aimed at making India a global hub for manufacturing this clean source of energy and is expected to lead to the development of 5 million metric tonnes per annum of green hydrogen production capacity by 2030.
• The mission provides for setting up of two green hydrogen hubs in the initial phase.
• The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has identified three major ports — Deendayal, Paradip, and V O Chidambaranar (Tuticorin) Ports — to be developed as hydrogen hubs.
• India has 7.8 million tonnes of green hydrogen capacity at different stages.

The Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) scheme, backed by Rs 17,490 crore, will help catalyse the production of green hydrogen and electrolysers, develop the green hydrogen ecosystem and enable industrial decarbonisation.

GS PAPER – III

Kudankulam nuclear power plant

Why in the news?

• India and Russia recently signed some “very important” agreements related to the construction of the future power-generating units of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant.

About Kudankulam nuclear power plant 

• The Kudankulam nuclear power plant is being built in Tamil Nadu with the technical assistance of Russia. The construction began in March 2002. Since February 2016, the first power unit of the Kudankulam NPP has been steadily operating at its design capacity of 1,000 MW. The plant is expected to start operating at full capacity in 2027

India’s plan

• The government has initiated steps to triple its nuclear power capacity from the current 7,480 megawatts (MW) to 22,480 MW by 2031-32.
• The annual electricity generation from nuclear power plants has increased from 35, 334 million units in 2013-14 to 46,982 million units in 2022-23. Furthermore, installed nuclear capacity has also risen from 4,780 MW in 2013-14 to 7,480 MW presently.
• For the current fiscal year 2023-24, nuclear power generation in India is around 32,017 million units, against an aspirational target of 52,340 million units.
• India currently operates 23 nuclear power reactors, which have generated approximately 411 billion units of electricity over the past ten years, preventing the release of about 353 million tons of CO2 equivalent.
  

GS PAPER – II

New criminal laws and its implementation concerns

Why in news?

• Three new criminal laws that seek to repeal and replace the criminal laws that were in use since colonial period has got presidential assent and notified in the Gazette.
• There was confusion at police stations and courts regarding implementation.

Major changes:

• The Indian penal code 1860 is replaced by Bhartiya Nyaya (second) sanhita bill.
• Code of criminal procedure, 1898 is replaced by Bhartiya Nagrik suraksha (second) sanhita bill.
• Indian evidence act is replaced by Bhartiya saksshya (second) bill.
• The criminal law reforms bring terrorism offences into a general crime.
• Sedition has been repealed.
• Punishment for mob lynching is punishable by death.
• It has amended the law which excluded doctors from criminal prosecution for death due to medical negligence.
• Hit and run cases have been punishable by ten years.

What will be the adaptation procedure?

• Union Home minister Amit shah said that the framework to implement the laws in all the union territories would be ready by December 2024.
• By December 2024 the work of infrastructure software, training of human resources and complete computerisation of courts.
• Meeting in all the union territories would be held before January 31 to fully prepare to implement the laws by December 22, 2024.
• The implementation in both state and union territories should be considered simultaneously.

Current FIR software and problems related to new laws?

• Currently 95% police station across the country register FIR through common application software under the crime and criminal tracking network and systems (CCTNS) a project started in 2009.
• Out of 17,379 sanctioned police stations, as many as 16,733 police stations are linked to CCTNS which is under the ambit of the National crime records Bureau.
• The format for FIR, integrated investigation form among others will have to be changed under CCTNS.
• In some states, the FIR is registered in local language, that link will have to be established since the name of acts is in Hindi.
• Other confusion is regarding the supplementary charge sheets for cases filed under the IPC after the sanhita is implemented.

GS PAPER – III

Fiscal deficit is likely to breach the government target

Why in news?

• India’s fiscal deficit is likely to breach the government target of 5.9 % in FY24 owning to higher revenue expenditure and lower than budgeted nominal GDP.

Why it will happen?

• Higher than budget revenue expenditure triggered through the first and likely second supplementary demand for grants in combination with lower than budgeted nominal GDP will push the fiscal deficit to 6 %.
• The government recently brought in one supplementary demand for grant of RS 58,380 crore to cover higher spending on fertiliser spending.
• Through the first supplementary demand the union government will spend more on prioritised areas/sectors such as food, fertilizers and LPG subsidy and MGNREGA.
• Fertiliser subsidy will take 57,360 crore, which is more than 44,000 crore budgeted earlier.

What is Fiscal deficit?

• Fiscal deficit is the difference between the government’s total expenditure and its total revenue.
• It is an indicator of the extent to which the government must borrow in order to finance its operations and is expressed as a percentage of the country’s GDP.

GS PAPER – III

COVID 19: Detection of new variant JN.1 and positivity rate

Why in news?

• The new variant of COVID by the name of JN.1 is detected in Kerala a week back.
• India logged a single day rise of 628 new covid-19 cases clocking the total number of active cases to 4,054.
• Also 63 of the reported cases were found to have the newly discovered JN.1 variant.
• Delhi has the positivity rate around 1%.

What is COVID -19?

• COVID -19 is the disease caused by SARS- CoV -2, the corona virus that emerged in December 2019. COVID -19 can be severe, and has caused millions of deaths around the world as well as lasting health problems in some who survived the illness.

What is JN.1 variant?

• The WHO has classified JN.1 as variant of interest following its rapid global spread.
• JN.1 is reported in multiple countries and its prevalence has been rapidly increasing globally
• It is currently evaluated as low at the global level.
• This variant may cause an increase in number of covid-19 cases amid surge of other viral and bacterial infections especially in the countries entering the winter season.

History of COVID -19 in India

• On January 20, the first case of corona virus was registered in Kerala.
• On March 12, the first death from corona virus was registered in the country.
• On March 25, lockdown announced in all over the country which kept on extending till July 2020.Afterwards cases starts declining.
• During March 2021 it began again to and this time more disastrous than before.
• During January 2021 the vaccination of Covid-19 started.

Current situation:

• The increase in number of the cases isn’t equal with the number of hospitalisations as majority of those infected are opting for home based treatment indicating a mild illness.
• The national capital is seeing three to four covid cases on average every day.

GS PAPER – III

Narrowing trade deficit

Why in news?

• India’s current account deficit (CAD) declined to 8.3 billion, which is 1 % of the country’s GDP in the second quarter of FY 24.
• It is known as “narrowing of merchandise trade deficit”.
• Q2 deficit is lower than $9.2 billion in Q1 and 30.9 billion a year ago.

How it followed?

• Service export grew by 4.2 % on a year on year basis on the back of rising exports of software, business and travel services.
• Net services receipts increased both sequentially and year on year basis.
• Net outgo on the primary income account, mainly reflecting payments of investments income, increased to 12.2 billion up from $11.8 billion a year ago.
• Private transfer receipts, mainly remittances by Indians employed overseas amounted to $28.1 billion and increase of 26 % from their levels during the corresponding period of the year.
• FDI witnessed higher growth than earlier year and foreign portfolio investment had lower than earlier year.

What is CAD?

• The current account deficit is a measurement of a country’s trade where the value of the goods and services it imports exceeds the value of the products it exports. The current account represents a country’s foreign transactions and, like the capital account, is a component of a country’s balance of payments (BOP).

What does CAD include?

• CAD includes a nation’s net trade-in products and services, its net earnings on cross-border investments including interest and dividends, and its net transfer payments such as remittances and foreign aid. A current account deficit (CAD) means the value of goods and services imported exceeds the value of exports.