PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana
- Context: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) aims to install rooftop solar systems in 1 crore households under the PM Surya Ghar initiative by March 2027.
- This is part of India’s broader push toward clean energy adoption and reduced electricity costs for households.
ULA Model
- The government is promoting a “Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA)” model.
Under this model
- State electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs) take the lead.
- They fund and install rooftop solar systems for households.
About PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana
- The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana was introduced in 2024 with the objective of enabling households across India to access free electricity through solar power.
- The scheme supports households by offering financial assistance (subsidy) for installing rooftop solar panels.
Subsidy Structure
- A subsidy of 60% of the cost is provided for solar systems with capacity up to 2 kW.
- For systems with capacity between 2 kW and 3 kW, an additional 40% subsidy is given on the extra cost.
- The total subsidy benefit is limited to systems of up to 3 kW capacity.
Additional Components
- The scheme also includes the creation of a Model Solar Village in every district to promote solar energy adoption at the grassroots level.
Under the Incentives to Local Bodies component
- Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs) are awarded ₹1,000 per rooftop solar installation within their jurisdiction.
- This aims to encourage local governance institutions to actively promote rooftop solar systems.
Implementation Mechanism
- At the national level, the scheme is overseen by a National Programme Implementation Agency (NPIA).
- At the state level, execution is handled by State Implementation Agencies (SIAs).
Women’s Reservation Act Amendment
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- Context: The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister, has approved a draft amendment Bill.
- The aim is to implement women’s reservation by the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Law Being Amended
- The amendment relates to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which was originally passed in 2023 to provide reservation for women in legislatures.
Increase in Lok Sabha Strength
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- The proposal includes expanding the Lok Sabha’s strength from 543 seats to 816 seats
- This increase will follow a fresh delimitation exercise.
Reservation for Women
- Out of 816 seats: 273 seats (≈ one-third) will be reserved for women.
- Reservation will be applied vertically, means Women will also get quotas within Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) categories.
106th Constitutional Amendment Act
- Article 239AA (Delhi Assembly) – Provides one-third reservation for women in the Delhi Legislative Assembly.
- Article 330A (Lok Sabha) – Reserves one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha.Includes quota within SC/ST reserved seats.
- Article 332A (State Assemblies) – Ensures one-third reservation for women in State Legislative Assemblies.Also applies within SC/ST categories.
- Article 334A (Implementation Framework) – Reservation will be implemented after delimitation.Includes a 15-year sunset clause (can be extended).Provides for rotation of reserved constituencies.
Concerns Regarding the 106th Amendment
- Critics argue that reservation may conflict with merit-based competition and the constitutional principle of equality.
- Reserving constituencies may restrict voters’ freedom to choose candidates from a wider pool.
Lack of Homogeneity among Women
- Women are a diverse group, unlike caste categories.
- A uniform quota may not address varied socio-economic challenges.
Proxy Representation Risk
- There is concern that some women representatives may act as symbolic figures, with actual power exercised by male relatives
- Similar patterns observed in the “Sarpanch Pati” phenomenon at the local level.
Uneven Impact Across States
- Rotation of seats and differing state dynamics may lead to inconsistent political outcomes.
Exclusion of Upper Houses
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- No reservation is provided in Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Councils
- This limits women’s representation to only directly elected lower houses.
Mohra Power Project
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- Context: The Jammu & Kashmir government has decided to revive the historic Mohra Power Project.
- The move comes amid efforts to boost power generation after the Indus Waters Treaty was kept in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack.
- The Mohra hydroelectric plant was constructed after the major floods of 1903 to support dredging operations in the Jhelum.
Location & Historical Background
- Located on the Jhelum River in Boniyar (Uri sector), Baramulla district.
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- Commissioned in 1905, making it one of the oldest hydroelectric plants in India.
- Originally built as a run-of-the-river project.
Unique Engineering Feature
- Known for its 10 km-long wooden water channel (flume) that carried water through mountainous terrain.
- Considered an innovative, low-impact engineering design for its time.
Capacity & Decline
- Initial capacity: ~5 MW
- Later expanded to 10.5 MW (planned revival capacity)
- Damaged by 1992 floods, reducing output to ~3 MW before becoming non-operational.
Biological Resource Repositories
- Context: The National Biodiversity Authority, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has facilitated the official recognition of two institutions as repositories under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
- These repositories support the conservation and documentation of biological materials, particularly voucher specimens.
- Section 39 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, empowers the Central Government to designate repositories for various biological resources.
- To date, 18 institutions have been designated as national repositories under Section 39 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
- Proposals were received from the Pavasagara Centre of the Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE) in Kochi, and from the Agharkar Research Institute in Pune, for their respective microbial collections and the National Fungal Culture Collection.
National Biodiversity Authority
- It is a statutory body established under India’s Biological Diversity Act (2002).
- Headquartered in Chennai, it became operational in 2003.
- It performs regulatory and advisory functions for the Government of India regarding matters related to the conservation of biological resources, their sustainable utilization, and the equitable sharing of benefits arising from them.
