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<ul><li>Dr. <keyword id="3698622" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="kotnis" source="Orion">Kotnis</keyword>, revered in China and India alike, passed away in China at the young age of 32 on December 9, 1942 .</li><li>The tributes will be in memory of Dr. Kotnis' services to the Chinese people as part of the Indian Medical Mission there in 1938.</li><li>Kotnis was born in Solapur on October 10, 1910 and acquired his medical degree from the University of Bombay.</li></ul> The Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis Memorial Committee and the Consulate General of China in Mumbai will commemorate and pay homage to the legendary medico Dr. Dwarkanath Shantaram Kotnis on the occasion of his 80th death anniversary, an official said here on Friday. Dr. Kotnis, revered in China and India alike, passed away in China at the young age of 32 on December 9, 1942 and the memorial event shall be held on Saturday, said Consul General <keyword id="15565159" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="kong-xianhua" source="Orion">Kong Xianhua</keyword>. The tributes will be in memory of Dr. Kotnis' services to the Chinese people as part of the Indian Medical Mission there in 1938, and the focus of tomorrow's event would be aInheriting the Spirit of Dr. Kotnis &amp; Working together for a bright future, said Xianhua. "We honour his heroic deeds to renew his spirit in the new era. Chairman <keyword id="54762" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="mao" source="Orion">Mao</keyword> wrote in the elegy that the Chinese people will never forget Dr. Kotnis' spirit of internationalisma He arrived in Chian at the most dificult time of the country's anti-Fascist war, rescued the wounded in the front-line, and devoted himself to the liberation of the Chinese people," he said. The diplomat added his countrymen will forever remember how Kotnis devoted his precious life to the cause of China under very tough conditions, and the Chinese people admire and cherish his memory even today. There are many commemoration events lined up in China on Friday and also during the annual Qingming Festival to pay homage to martyrs like Kotnis. Kotnis was born in Solapur on October 10, 1910 and acquired his medical degree from the University of Bombay through the Seth GS Medical College &amp; KEM Hospital here. After Japan invaded China, the Communist General <keyword id="15742091" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="zhu-de" source="Orion">Zhu De</keyword> had requested Congress leader <keyword id="161184" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="pandit-jawaharlal-nehru" source="Orion">Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru</keyword> to send a medical team, and the then Indian National Congress President Subhash Chandra Bose made the necessary arrangements and organised the funds for the voluntary mission. When Dr. Kotnis was barely 28 and preparing his Master's, he took his family's permission and joined the humanitarian Indian Medical Mission Team to China. The mission -- with Dr. M. Atal from Allahabad, Dr. M. Cholkar from Nagpur, Dr. B.K. Basu and Dr. D. Mukerjee from Kolkata, besides Kotnis from Solapur -- first went to Hankou Port in Wuhan in September 1938. Later it was sent to <keyword id="16964" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="yan" source="Orion">Yan</keyword>'an where they met top Chinese leaders like <keyword id="51142" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="mao-zedong" source="Orion">Mao Zedong</keyword>, Gen. Zhu De and others. During the IMMT sojourn there, Dr. Kotnis worked under trying conditions to treat and operate upon wounded soldiers in mobile clinics virtually non-stop for days for nearly five years. In 1940, Dr. Kotnis, who had learnt Chinese, met a local nurse Guo Qinglan and they married in December 1941, and the couple had a son Yinhua in August 1942. Barely three months later, owing to the immense stress of his medical duties on the warfronts, Dr. Kotnis suffered major health issues and passed away on December 9, 1942. Shocked by his demise, subsequently, China honoured him with a statue, a memorial, tomb and other honours, besides a memorial in his hometown of Solapur. India released a special postage stamp (1993) in his honour, the renowned filmmaker V. Shantaram made a biopic "Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahania (1946) and a Chinese film "<keyword id="15742093" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ke-di-hua-dai-fu" source="Orion">Ke Di Hua Dai Fu</keyword>" (1982). Successive Indian Presidents and Prime Ministers as well as top Chinese leaders have remembered Dr. Kotnis and his family in Maharashtra, and his selfless services to the Chinese people in their time of need. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/idbi-bank-disinvestment-govt-may-extend-dateline-for-submitting-eois/articleshow/96109355.cms">IDBI Bank disinvestment: Govt. may extend dateline for submitting EoIs</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/adani-enterprises-mindtree-lt-infotech-among-10-most-consistent-wealth-creators-in-2017-2022-motilal-oswal/slidelist/96107557.cms">Adani Enterprises, Mindtree, L&amp;T Infotech among 10 most consistent wealth creators in 2017-2022: Motilal Oswal</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/saline-groundwater-in-sundarbans-makes-people-buy-drinking-water-quit-farming/articleshow/96107581.cms">Saline groundwater in Sundarbans makes people buy drinking water, quit farming</a>

Mumbai: China mission to commemorate Dr. Kotnis' 80th death anniversary

In a broadside against the culture of <keyword id="6358062" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="nepotism" source="Orion">nepotism</keyword>, <keyword id="19898052" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prime-Minister-Narendra-Modi" source="keywords">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</keyword> during his <keyword id="22794326" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Independence-Day-speech" source="keywords">Independence Day speech</keyword> spoke of a "political landscape free of dynastic rule" as he gave a call to induct those with no political legacy in their families into the country's political system. While addressing the nation from the ramparts of the <keyword id="20283480" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Red-Fort" source="keywords">Red Fort</keyword> on Thursday, the Prime Minister spoke about inducting one lakh youth who have no political legacy into the political system stating that the mission was aimed at fighting the "evils of nepotism and casteism" and inducting fresh blood into India's polity. "India's democracy is being undermined by the ills of 'Parivarvad' and 'Jaativad'. It's essential to free our political landscape from the grip of dynastic rule! Our mission is to empower a new generation of leaders - one lakh young individuals who don't have any political legacy in their families," the PM said. "We want to see young people without any family connections in politics step forward, lead, and represent the people," PM Modi said. The Prime Minister also made an indirect attack on the opposition and said that though the country is moving forward with a single resolution some people cannot "tolerate" the progress. "We are moving forward with the same resolution but there are some people who cannot tolerate progress or think of India's progress unless it benefits them. They want anarchy. The country needs to protect itself from this handful of pessimistic people," PM Modi said. He also highlighted the reforms undertaken by the central government in the past 10 years and said that this has increased self-confidence in the youth and their desire to take giant leaps. "People waited for reforms, we got an opportunity and we implemented major reforms. Our commitment to reform is not restricted to editorials, our reforms are not for small praise it is for making the country strong. There are now many avenues open for our youngsters. The youth now does not want to walk slowly they want to jump to achieve new things, and they want to take giant leaps. This is a golden era for India," PM Modi said. "We should not let this opportunity go. We will then achieve the goals of Viksit Bharat by 2047," he said. The Prime Minister also urged the country to work towards a developed nation to be achieved by 2047. He said that 40 crore Indians showed strength and courage to drive away the British decades ago. PM Modi said that while the country is faced with challenges both external and internal. more such challenges are bound to come. "I want to say to such forces that India's development will not pose a threat to anyone. The world should not worry seeing India's development," PM Modi said. The Prime Minister emphasised that the country's progress should never come at the expense of others. "War is not our road. We are the country of Buddha. Despite all the challenges, we must move ahead. Can anyone imagine people condoning corruption openly? Those who are trying to condone corruption are a concern," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also pushed for major reforms in the farm sector and emphasised on efforts to make the lives of farmers better. The Prime Minister commended the farmers for choosing organic farming and added that India can become the organic food basket of the world as it moves towards Viksit Bharat. "We need to reform the farm sector. Today we are giving easy loans, tech, and valuation of produce. We are grateful to farmers for choosing organic farming. This time in the budget we have made a huge provision with huge schemes to promote natural farming. Today, if any food basket of organic food can be created for the world, then it can be my country, which can be made by our farmers. We can become the organic food basket of the world. We must strive to make lives of farmers better," he said. The Prime Minister also highlighted the reforms undertaken by the central government in the past 10 years and said that this has increased self-confidence in the youth and their desire to take giant leaps. He said that after independence, there was an atmosphere of status quo in the country that needed to be broken. "People waited for reforms, we got an opportunity and we implemented major reforms. Our commitment to reform is not restricted to editorials, our reforms are not for small praise it is for making the country strong. This has resulted in a rise in self-confidence. There are now many avenues open for our youngsters. The youth now does not want to walk slowly they want to jump to achieve new things, and they want to take giant leaps," the Prime Minister said. "This is a golden era for India," PM Modi said. "We should not let this opportunity go. We will then achieve the goals of Viksit Bharat by 2047," he said. The Prime Minister also urged the country to work towards the goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. He said that decades ago, 40 crore Indians showed strength and courage to drive away the British. "Before Independence, 40 crore Indians showed courage, dedication and bravery and moved with one motto, and broke the shackles of colonial rule despite all adversaries. Their only goal was freedom. If 40 crore Indians could do this, then 140 crore Indians of my family can do wonders if they take one pledge then despite all challenges we can make a Viksit Bharat by 2047," PM Modi said. "Now is the time to live for <keyword id="20812979" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Viksit-Bharat-2047" source="keywords">Viksit Bharat 2047</keyword> and Indians are determined. We have to become Atmabirbhar in every field. It is the determination of the Indians that is driving my resolve. India can become a developed nation by 2047. There was a time when people had a do-or-die attitude and we got freedom and now we must have the strength to live for the nation that can make a strong India," the Prime Minister said. PM Modi was warmly welcomed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other dignitaries as he arrived earlier for the celebrations at Red Fort. The Prime Minister was dressed in a white kurta and blue vest and sported a traditional multicolour safa. This year's celebration marks the 11th time PM Modi addressed the nation from the Red Fort on Independence Day, making him the third Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi to achieve this milestone. The theme for this year's Independence Day is 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047,' aiming to drive the Government's efforts to transform India into a developed nation by 2047.

PM Modi seeks youth from non-political families to join politics, fight nepotism

The ‘one step forward, two steps back’ ballad that the Indian solar industry is enduring since the time the industry first crawled out of the well, continues unabated. While the investigation by the <keyword id="6365809" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Commerce-ministry">Commerce Ministry</keyword>’s anti-dumping watchdog into the anti-dumping case launched by the <keyword id="1642339" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Indian-Solar-Manufacturers-Association">Indian Solar Manufacturers Association</keyword> (ISMA) against solar developers buying cheap solar cells and modules continues, the Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) clause has forced the delay of the 2nd phase of the <keyword id="93638" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Jawaharlal-Nehru-National-Solar-Mission">Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission</keyword> (JNNSM) since DC requires <keyword id="70990" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Solar-power">solar power</keyword> developers to buy a substantial percentage of their equipment from Indian equipment and component manufacturers. 
 Now, the government is trying to give us a consolation pill by launching the <keyword id="1853234" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="National-Institute-of-Solar-Energy">National Institute of Solar Energy</keyword> (NISE) to replace the faceless <keyword id="326830" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Solar-Energy-Centre">Solar Energy Centre</keyword> in Gurgaon, Haryana. 
 The aim of this institute, as per a Press release from the Ministry of New and <keyword id="34553" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="renewable-energy">Renewable Energy</keyword> (MNRE), is to “accelerate the process to support induction of the latest technologies to ensure maximum cost benefit and lead to early commercialisation.” That’s pretty vague, to say the least, and any attempt to predict the institute’s success in this decade might bounce way off the shifting goalposts of India’s <keyword id="6357019" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="solar-energy">solar energy</keyword> landscape. While the long-term output has looked bright for years, the short and medium-term is hazy at best. 
 <keyword id="6362476" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="investments">Investments</keyword> in the solar power sector (both equipment manufacturing and power production) nosedived 67% to $1.7 billion in 2012, from the all-time high of $5.2 billion, touched a year earlier. However, 2012 was perhaps just a bad day in the office, not only in India but all over the world. Last year, total investments in the clean and renewable energy sector saw a 12% decrease to $244 billion globally while investments in India fell 45% to $6.5 billion from the $12.9 billion registered in 2011. 
 Data for the year 2013 are yet to come in, but it has definitely been a better year in terms of scale project size. For instance, a consortium led by <keyword id="85847" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Bharat-Heavy-Electricals">Bharat Heavy Electricals</keyword> and Power Grid (both of them public sector heavyweights) announced the launch of the world’s biggest solar power plant near Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan, with a total capacity of 4,000 MW. It is one of the world’s top locations in terms of highest solar energy incident on the earth’s surface during a year. The project will cost around Rs 30,000 crore ($4.5 billion). 
 Soon after, Welspun Energy announced another significant project – the 2nd biggest solar power plant in the country with a total capacity of 151 MW, to be commissioned in <keyword id="6355554" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Madhya-Pradesh">Madhya Pradesh</keyword> by 2017. Moreover, <keyword id="6360089" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Reliance-Power">Reliance Power</keyword> will be commissioning 100 MW capacity in Rajasthan by March 2014, currently the largest solar power project in Asia. Therefore, big-ticket investments are just beginning to shape the dynamics of India’s solar sector. However, public sector R&amp;D and adequate financial support will be crucial for long term to unleash the real potential of this industry, which could grow much bigger than thermal power during the second half of this century. 
 Globally, public sector and university R&amp;D in solar has flourished in collaboration with the industry, backed by huge government subsidies. NISE can only be successful if efficient product patenting, technology transfer and royalty pricing mechanisms are in place. But sadly, India has always been a laggard in this respect. Secondly, if we put the entire R&amp;D in the hands of one institute, it will require massive <keyword id="6357455" type="EVENT" weightage="40" keywordseo="Funding">funding</keyword> since the current shallow pockets of the industry can’t allow private players to fund cutting-edge R&amp;D projects. Thirdly, proven mechanisms such as priority sector/subordinated lending and take-out financing are not allowed for solar developers although other priority sectors like roads, ports, thermal power and steel plants enjoy that privilege. 
 
The initial goal of the institute is to establish a national review-cum-strategy board to study and evaluate different models across the globe for a future roadmap. But the commercialisation of any new technology developed from the scratch could take at least a decade and by that time, JNNSM’s deadline of facilitating a capacity of 20 GW of solar power would have long passed. There’s just one bright spot in the entire exercise. If the institute works along the lines of a few state-of-the-art institutions like IISc, ISRO and TIFR, it might ensure some future technologies being disseminated at relatively cheaper cost to the industry in the 2020-2029 decade. 
 
The immediate requirement is to allow private sector R&amp;D through massive subsidies and tax credits in excess of 200% for all R&amp;D expenses incurred by any private player in India. Also, solar energy purchase should be made mandatory for industries and state governments who can buy a certain percentage out of their total power purchases. Currently, only a few state governments follow such purchase obligations, but that’s hardly enough to ensure feasibility. Issues like take-out financing and priority sector lending must be immediately implemented as similar incentives are already available for the solar energy sector in countries like China, the US and Germany – the Big Three of the global solar power industry. 
 
The National Institute of Solar Energy could be a step in the right direction although a bit too late. But it must work in tandem with industry developments and set up stringent annual targets for project completion and knowledge dissemination. That’s the only way to add real power to the fledgling sector. 
 
Image: ThinkStock

Will The Newly Launched Research
Institute Boost Solar Power In India?

During his election rallies, Prime Minister Modi had promised people that everyone would have a house to live in, under the project “Housing for All” which was targeted to be completed by 2022. Soon enough, his government moved in to fulfil the promise, but the 2.45 lakh constructed houses that are lying vacant all over India stand mocking both the PM and his promise. 
 
Out of the top 5 states that house constructed but vacant low-cost houses, we have Modi's home state Gujarat, along with BJP-ruled Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, as well as Delhi and Andhra Pradesh. 
 These low-cost houses were constructed under different urban housing schemes and were sanctioned under <keyword id="6412957" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Jawaharlal-Nehru-National-Urban-Renewal-Mission">Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission</keyword> (<keyword id="6455794" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="JNNURM">JNNURM</keyword>) and <keyword id="119473" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rajiv-Awas-Yojana">Rajiv Awas Yojana</keyword> (RAY). As per the latest statistics of the ministry of housing and urban poverty alleviation, 14 lakh low-cost houses were sanctioned under these two major schemes, out of which only 8 lakh were built. Of this 8 lakh houses, 2.45 lakh houses are still to find residents. 
 Both the housing schemes were merged to launch the <keyword id="2910604" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Pradhan-Mantri-Awas-Yojana">Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana</keyword> under which, the government aims to build 2 crore low-cost houses, including 14 lakh for slum redevelopment dwellings. 
 
<a href="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/0*_yeGeCFgG79vwsBM.jpg">Image source</a>

What housing boom? 2.45 lakh houses lying vacant in India

PM Narendra Modi released the <keyword id="123247" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="commemorative-coins">commemorative coins</keyword> of Rs 150 denomination to celebrate Mahatma Gandhiji’s 150th birthday. The event took place in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on October 2, 2019 when the Prime Minister reached the Sabarmati Riverfront to participate in the proceedings of the Swacch Bharat Divas program. The event at Ahmedabad Dropping in at the Sabarmati Ashram, the holy seat from where the father of the nation launched most of his freedom fight related activities, Narendra Modi wrote in the visitor’s book, "I'm satisfied that on the occasion of #GandhiAt150, we're witnessing the fulfillment of his dream of 'Swachh Bharat'. I feel lucky that on this occasion when India has successfully stopped open defecation." During the occasion, Narendra Modi addressed 10,000 sarpanchs. He declared India ‘open defecation free’. The event also saw announcements about the war against plastic and the success of the Swach Bharat Mission. 
 
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 What are commemorative coins? Commemorative coins are released to mark some special events. These coins sport a distinct design to talk about the occasion on which they are issued. Most of the commemorative coins are treated as collectibles and they are in fact a bountiful treasure for the coin collectors. Some countries issue commemorative coins for regular circulation too. Some other commemorative coins by the Modi government The release of the new commemorative coin falls in line with two other commemorative coins released under the BJP government. In January 2019, Modi released a commemorative coin of Rs 350 denomination marking the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, one of the most prominent leaders of the Sikh community. In yet another important event that took place last year, PM Modi launched a commemorative coin of Rs 100 in honor of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the former prime minister. Honoring the Mahatma A few days before the 150th birth anniversary of the Mahatma, the UN (United Nations) released a postal stamp to mark the event. The Indian government conveyed its respect to Gandhiji by releasing the commemorative stamps and coins in Ahmedabad. In a joint venture, India Embassy and LaPoste of France launched a postage stamp with the image of Mahatma Gandhi marking the 150th birthday of India’s legendary leader. 
 
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 Types of commemorative coins There are three different kinds of commemorative coins. The regular issue coins are meant for day to day commercial use and they are issued in the same design for many years. Circulating commemorative coins are also meant for day to day commerce use, but their design will be used only for a limited time. Usually the purpose of these coins is to draw the attention of the world to a particular person or event. Non-circulating legal tender (NCLT) are commemorative coins that are still legal tender and can be used to buy goods and services. However, they are not intended for this regular use. They are actually viewed as souvenirs. Often these coins are made in silver or gold. Commemorative coins are not legal tenders unless notified As per the general understanding, the lower denomination coins are used in general circulation. The higher denomination coins are meant for collection purposes and they usually contain some silver in them. Usually they are found with some coin dealers with marked up prices. As per the law, commemorative coins are not legal tenders unless notified. India’s first commemorative coin The first commemorative coin in India was issued in 1964 with the image of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India to commemorate his birth anniversary. See Also: <a data-type="tilCustomLink">Life Changing Quotes by Mahatama Gandhi</a>

Know everything about Commemorative Coin that PM Modi released on Mahatama Gandhi's 150 birth anniversary

Former <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword> <keyword id="6359397" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Manmohan-Singh">Manmohan Singh</keyword> has always been known to be the ‘silent PM’. All throughout his 10-year tenure at the helm of affairs as the Prime Minister of India, from 2004 to 2014, the Prime Minister was accused of not interacting more with either the media or the citizens of the country. Infact, things became too hot to handle once the scams started coming out into the open. First the <keyword id="6446767" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="2G-scam">2G scam</keyword> in 2010, followed by the CWG scam and then the coal scam, severely marred the <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> party’s reputation and did irreversible damage to even Singh’s reputation, who was till then hailed as the ‘cleanest politician’ and was extended wide acclaim for having brought around the very first round of economic liberalisation to India in 1991 as the <keyword id="6355261" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Finance-minister">Finance Minister</keyword> (under the aegis of Narasimha Rao). 
 Today, just a day after fresh allegations were levelled against him by former Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Chairman, Pradeep Baijal, Singh told a gathering of young, budding politicians of NSUI that most of the claims being made by the <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> and the <keyword id="14666" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="BJP">BJP</keyword> government were all false. 
 
Here, we list down for you the top 5 digs the former Prime Minister leveled at all the allegations that have been made against him, his leadership and his family, in an extremely candid address. 
 
1) Manmohan Singh said, “The UPA has always fought against corruption. We will continue to do so,” and went on to say, “I have never used the office to enrich the coffers of my family, or that of my friends or that of my political party.” 
 2) On the claims that the BJP government has been making about the reforms the NDA government has brought to the economy within a year of its coming to power, Singh said, “We have a duty to our citizens of telling the truth. All of us have an obligation to give out the correct information to our people. You can’t make false talk about the <keyword id="26374" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="UPA-government">UPA government</keyword>.” 
 3) He also claimed that most of the ‘achievements’ that the BJP government was laying claim to was in fact, revamped versions of schemes that were launched by the UPA regime, a claim that many an expert has in the past reiterated. He said, “Be it the <keyword id="6383794" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="national-Rural-Health-Mission">National Rural Health Mission</keyword> or the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission. These were schemes that were launched during the UPA regimen and that have been subsequently revamped and relaunched by the BJP government.” 
 
4) Singh went on to say, “All the talk about improvement in the economy that the BJP is talking about. Just go around and see for yourself and look at the data. Investment is not increasing. Farming sector has seen no increase. 65% of our country is represented by the rural population and they are in distress. When over 65% of a country’s population is in distress, how can you claim that the country is progressing?” 
 5) Singh also took a dig at Modi’s pet project, The Make in India. He said, “What is this Make in India? This is nothing but a revamped version of the UPA’s new National Manufacturing Policy, under which we had promised to increase the share of manufacturing to <keyword id="35050" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="gdp">GDP</keyword> to 25% by 2025. The BJP’s claims are no different.”

5 uncharacteristically strong digs that Former
PM Manmohan Singh took at Narendra Modi and the BJP Govt

India as a civilisation has revered nature for its life-giving properties and has been powered by renewable sources since ancient times. Modern India generates almost a third of its power using renewables sources – water, wind and a small part from the sun (&lt;1%) while the rest comes largely from fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas). These fuels have been the mainstays of power generation for the past few decades and would have continued to do so but for their escalating prices. Also, an ongoing lack of consistent fuel supply to meet even the current demand, along with the clamour against global warming, has put the energy industry under increased pressure and the focus is now on renewable sources of power like the sun, water, geothermal, biomass and wind. 
 
Large hydro projects, comprising almost a third of the current power generation sources, have hit numerous roadblocks due to people displacement, global warming, habitat destruction and land submergence. Biomass initially started off well but due to unplanned supply chain issues, has resulted in almost 75% of the 2 GW installed capacity coming to a standstill. Tidal and geothermal are almost non-existent in India while wind has played a significant role in increasing the acceptability of renewables, but hasn’t really contributed to a scalable solution. Biomass has been an abject failure due to fuel price rise, with 75% of the installed 2 GW capacity currently without adequate biomass supply. Wind turbines generate unscheduled power for just a few months, making them unsuitable for mainstream power generation, especially in the Indian context, and were only successful due to huge corporate tax benefits. 
 That just leaves us with the sun which delivers more than enough <keyword id="6357019" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="solar-energy">solar energy</keyword> every hour to our planet to power the entire world’s energy needs for a year. However, the major drawback is its periodic nature and capturing this energy for round-the-clock delivery at cost-effective pricing is the next paradigm of energy that is now receiving attention and interest. 
 Clean and <keyword id="60895" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Green-energy">green energy</keyword> is a basic theory of modern life although the governmental focus is more on grid power, which is a polluting, inefficient and unreliable source of power. AT&amp;C losses account for close to 40% of the total power generation, amounting to a total of Rs 75 thousand crore and more every year that could wipe out energy poverty across the country. Smart grids and infrastructure updates are the need of the hour. But the government is still focused on spending Rs 2 lakh crore to bail out bankrupt Discoms whereas that amount could have been used to deliver distributed energy and reduce dependence on Discoms for a large part of the country. 
 The <keyword id="44734" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Indian-Government">Indian government</keyword> recognised this potential and the MNRE (Ministry of New and <keyword id="34553" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="renewable-energy">Renewable Energy</keyword>) launched an ambitious programme in 2010 called JNNSM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission) to deploy 22,000 MW of grid-connected <keyword id="70990" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Solar-power">solar power</keyword> by 2020. The programme has seen limited success with phase I meeting its PV targets and phase 2 on the way in the form of 750 MW via the Viability Gap <keyword id="6357455" type="EVENT" weightage="40" keywordseo="Funding">Funding</keyword> (VGF) programme. 
 
In the initial programme, CSP (Concentrated Solar Power), aka GemaSolar, but without storage, was touted as a replacement to thermal plants and received majority of the allocation but failed to take off significantly, with deadline extensions and penalty waivers being the norm. There are talks to revive this programme and its success will decide whether solar power can be considered as a base load alternative. 
 
Thermal-concentrated sources of energy are optimal for urban and semi-urban areas. However, towns need to reduce dependence on the grid and adopt the German model, which enables local, as well as distributed power, using net-metering. 
 
The MNRE programmes have barely managed to dent the potential of distributed RE, requiring focused attention and financial muscle to enable the nation on its path towards renewable energy. But MNRE has not paid out a large part of the residential subsidies of 30% of capital costs over the past year due to lack of funds, a serious damper, especially for solar on rooftops. The current VGF programme is scheduled to cost the MNRE Rs 2,500 crore and push solar procurement costs down to below Rs 5.5 per KWh, enabling it to compete with conventional energy. 
 
The essence of solar success lies in empowering the distributed 400 million poor who are currently consuming fossil fuel not touched by the power grid and thus reduce India’s CAD (current account deficit), environmental pollution and health concerns. But there lies the irony. The rural/tribal populace pays nearly twice or thrice the rate of power than those living in cities, but has received minimal attention although the impact is the highest to those using fossil fuel and government subsidies in daily life. 
 
Every unit of power generated has the ability to multiply economic growth, especially in rural areas that suffer from energy paucity due to unreliable connections or load shedding. State governments of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and a few other states have already initiated proactive steps by increasing the state subsidies, in addition to subsidies from the central government, and are also looking at replacing grid-connected agricultural equipment with solar-enabled ones. 
 
Solar has the potential to reduce the current energy peak deficit significantly and improve delivery due to its distributed nature, provided it can get the appropriate financial support from the Centre, as well as all the states. The central government continues to think that grid power, with its huge losses, is the solution. But in reality, distributed energy, delivered to every home and the excess pumped into the grid, would result into least amount of losses while reducing energy generation needs. 
 
Over the next few years, solar power will come into its own, both from financial viability and availability perspectives, with exponential growth in distributed solar, coupled with storage, transforming the entire energy spectrum in India. The future of Indian energy segment is here and it is the Sun that will continue to power our economic and energy growth into the next millennium. 
 
About the author: Ritesh Pothan manages two India-focused renewable energy groups on LinkedIn. He is also a founding member of <keyword id="2036013" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Natural-Group">Natural Group</keyword>, a solar and renewable energy-focused advisory/consulting organisation, and helps drive significant value into renewable energy projects.

Solar Is The Future Of Renewable Energy In India

When God decided to create days and nights, and blessed the earth with sunlight, he must have assumed that humans could easily figure out how to use that light to meet all their energy needs. Although the Homo sapiens claim to be the most intelligent ‘species’ on Planet Earth, it seems their intelligence has evolved more slowly than most. Look around and be humbled as plants and shrubs have already sorted it. They thrive on <keyword id="6357019" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="solar-energy">solar energy</keyword> and less water, harness both and grow without a murmur! As for humans, they have simply taken thousands of years to realise that solar energy could be their ultimate answer to energy needs. 
 
But jokes apart, India is among those countries which have caught the fancy of the world. With its futuristic use of technology (like wind turbines that power Tirupati Complex and low cost mission to Mars), this tropical country, blessed with ample sunlight, is capable to fend for itself and its ever-growing population. 
 
Due to its rapid economic expansion and futuristic policies, a traditional country like India has to meet its energy requirements by leveraging fossil fuels such as coal. Nearly 70% of the energy consumed is generated from coal, followed by crude oil (24%) and natural gas (accounting for a mere 6%). It is, therefore, not difficult to comprehend that India is largely dependent on fossil fuel imports – so much as that by 2030, more than half the country’s energy needs will have to be met with large energy imports. Our own limited fossil reserves have long threatened the country’s stability as far as energy needs are concerned. 
 With a vast population of 1.1 billion and the urban areas housing the majority of industries and labour forces, India is moving dangerously close to the greenhouse effects with every passing year. While carbon emissions are getting high, the agricultural land is also getting increasingly barren and arid due to the indiscriminate use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers. The effects of <keyword id="6366055" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="global-warming">global warming</keyword> in this highly populated country are for everyone to see. From Tsunami in the past to the Uttarakhand floods in the recent years, from progressively botched up summers to extreme winters, the calamities are too many and India is bound to emerge as one of the foremost nations being affected by global warming. 
 
India’s energy experts have been warning against the high use of exhaustible energy resources bought from other countries, which is causing a serious dent in the country’s exchequer. 
 
Almost 400 million Indians (nearly a third of the country’s population) have no access to electricity. And this power deficit compels more than 100,000 villages to live in the dark ages, quite literally. Lack of energy sources has also left India in a rather vulnerable condition as far as growing basic infrastructure is concerned. Its per capita energy consumption stands at just 639 KWh (Kilo Watt per hour), which is among the lowest. 
 This apart, what compounds India’s energy problem is the fact that three quarters of the electricity is produced by burning coal and natural gas. India may well boast a steadily growing <keyword id="35050" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="gdp">GDP</keyword>, but what has also been dangerously steady, and progressively high, is its carbon emissions. During the last decade, India turned out to be one of the biggest carbon-emitting countries, touching 1.6 million kilotonnes in 2007 alone. 
 Plagued by crippling energy crises that cannot be dealt with if the same pattern of energy generation, import and consumption continues in the near future, India has started experimenting with <keyword id="188239" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="alternative-energy">alternative energy</keyword> sources. Being blessed with a tropical climate and intense summers, the country is naturally predisposed to receiving abundant <keyword id="70990" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Solar-power">solar power</keyword> for the major part of the year. 
 
The country has already entered a solar partnership programme with the US, under the US-India Energy Partnership Programme called SERIIUS. This initiative will also enable India to take the fullest advantage of its deserts and arid lands, and reap energy benefits without harming Mother Nature. India can even supply this energy to other countries, thus encouraging bilateral trades and adding to the country’s robust economic growth. However, India will require at least $13 billion in the next three years to fund this second phase of the solar energy generation unit. 
 
Solar projects are already generating a lot of energy for some states in India. Most of these plants are located in Gujarat, with some spread across Orissa, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, among others. While Gujarat has been the bellwether in the solar projects space in India, Rajasthan will be home to the world’s largest solar plant very soon. That solar photovoltaic power plant will have an estimated life of 25 years and is expected to generate 6.4 billion kilowatt-hours per year, as per official figures. 
 
Gujarat has been clocking about 823.9 MW, with its biggest success being the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. What has boosted the power scenario here is the state’s pro-solar policies and its subsequent access to a consistent flow of clean energy. Encouraged by the positive growth, Gujarat has also launched about 75 solar projects over two years. Moreover, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi has always been a believer in entrepreneurship. Therefore, harnessing the solar power is the most sensible thing the Modi government has done for the state, which is high on industrial production. 
 
India currently does not have an over-reaching energy strategy, but what it has in place could be called disparate policies. With the country being blessed with 5,000 TWh (Terra Watt per hour) of solar insolation annually, India stands to gain a lot as far as clean energy production goes. It can also set up independent energy generation units to make its villages and cities self-sustainable. 
 
Image: Thinkstock

Let’s
Harness The Sun's Energy For Better India

During his recent visit to <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>, <keyword id="14566" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chinese-President">Chinese President</keyword> <keyword id="191809" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Xi-Jinping">Xi Jinping</keyword> made a statement that he will support India for a permanent membership in the UN Security Council (<keyword id="45167" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="UNSC">UNSC</keyword>). The statement means more to those who are closely watching Sino-Indian relation have hailed than the trade and investment deals which are expected to lead to inflow of billions of dollars to India. 
 While the statement seems to reflect the seemingly improved relationship between the two Asian giants which is said to have precipitated Jinping’s visit and the string of trade pacts he signed, critics warn that it should be taken with a pinch of salt, for this is not the first time <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="China">China</keyword> has pronounced something like this. Each time, it has turned out to be a propagandist assertion of its traditional position on India’s quest for a permanent membership in UNSC—that it is in favour of India playing a greater role in UNSC—which is nothing but typical diplomatic PR punchline that lacks clarity, purposefulness and earnestness. 
 
While India was among the founding members of United Nations, the permanent membership in UNSC always remained elusive. In fact, India’s endeavour for permanent membership in UNSC began in 1955 when the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru reportedly turned down the coveted status offered to India which was then grabbed by China. While the reason for Nehru’s inadvertent gesture—which he repeatedly denied—still remains a mystery (there are those who believe that he trusted China a bit too much), it proved to be costlier for India. 
 
Why India deserves a permanent place in UNSC? 
 The reasons are aplenty. First, with a population of a tad more than 1.2 billion, India will soon overtake China as the most populous country of the world. So no one can deny its ubiquitous physical presence in the world stage and the resultant need for adequate representation in a strategic forum like UNSC. Second, barring nagging problems including inequality, illiteracy, poverty and corruption, India is the largest democracy in the world. Excluding the 21-month interlude of ‘emergency’ during 1975-77 under Indira Gandhi, it religiously adhered to the norms of democracy since gaining independence from the British In 1947. Third, it is the 10th largest economy in the world and its army is the third-largest globally. Fourth, India has been a member of the UNSC for six terms totaling 12 years besides being a member of G-77 and G-4; therefore, a permanent membership in UNSC seems a logical extension. Fifth, it is the third-largest contributor of troops (close to 160,000 soldiers) to more than 40 UN peacekeeping efforts including those in Korea, Egypt, the Congo, Somalia, Angola, Haiti, Liberia, Lebanon, Rwanda and South Sudan and more than 150 Indian soldiers lost their lives while serving in UN missions. 
 
Prerequisites that will lead to India’s permanent membership of the UNSC First, for the UNSC should be enlarged to 25 members from 15 currently, possibly ensuring geographic representation (for instance, Africa and South America are excluded from permanent membership). Considering UNSC’s slow, conservative demeanour, this seems unlikely in the near future. Second, all the five permanent members—the US, the UK, France, Russia and China which enjoy veto power—should endorse India’s candidature. US President Barack Obama and UK Prime Minister David Cameron recently said they would support India’s case for permanent <keyword id="487341" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="UNSC-membership">UNSC membership</keyword>. France and Russia too are not averse to supporting India. This means than India’s bigger Asian counterpart China is the real stumbling block in its quest for permanent UNSC membership. 
 
But why China is vehemently opposed to India’s permanent entry in the august body? Well, for one, it doesn’t want to lose its coveted status as the only Asian country in UNSC permanently. Second, China opposes Japan's bid for permanent UNSC membership while India supports Japan and China is not likely to support India as long as India supports Japan. India’s is unlikely to withdraw support for Japan as being part of the G4 nations—Brazil and Germany besides India and Japan—it is committed to support each other’s bids for permanent seats in UNSC. 
Given this labyrinthine situation, it is to be seen how the Narendra Modi government coerce China to convert Jinping’s recent diplomatic rhetoric to concrete action supporting India’s decade-long quest for a permanent UNSC seat.

India's Quest For Permanent UN Security Council Seat: The Ball Is In China’s Court

The recent <keyword id="203626" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Bank-Report">World Bank report</keyword> ‘Ease of Doing Business’ placed <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> at the 134th position in a list of 189 economies. The report, which evaluated countries on various parameters relating to business and regulatory environment, amply reflected how the country is perceived across the globe when it comes to regulatory and infrastructural ambience for setting up companies and doing business. 
 
While Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand, the US and Denmark bagged the top five positions, India even lagged countries that have hitherto been considered ‘less civilised’ for enabling business environment due to autocratic and repressive regimes, debilitating internal strife and haunting hunger and famines like Uganda, Ethiopia, Honduras, Mongolia and Nepal. Despite tall claims of being a counterforce to a resurgent China and one among the world’s top economies, being ranked behind some of the most impoverished African nations in terms of business ambience is a tag that will mar the country’s image among global peers for years to come. 
 Why India is perceived so unfriendly when it comes to facilitating business and attracting companies? The country inherited a huge colonial baggage of red-tapism that got entrenched in its social fabric during the socialist era under Jawaharlal Nehru. Over the years, a litany of harsh regulations, niggling rules and serpentine reporting structure meant that doing <keyword id="1190222" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="business-in-India">business in India</keyword> is a humongous challenge. Consider these: companies need to get dozens of clearances to operate; complying with labour law requires employers to maintain 16 separate types of worker registries; starting a business requires an entrepreneur to follow 12 procedures which would take at least 30 days. This is in addition to the need for lavishly greasing the palms of politicians and bureaucrats to get things done in a system that is neck deep in corruption. The existing land law that makes acquiring land for industrial purposes virtually impossible adds to the can of worms. The unsurpassable clout of labour unions that can any time throw a spanner in companies’ operations is another thorny hurdle that entrepreneurs have to live with. 
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of cutting the red tape assumes importance against this backdrop. His recent visit to Japan is remembered—among other things like the $33 billion investment he managed to elicit—for the clarion call ‘come make in India’ he made to Japanese companies and investors. It was an extension of his Independence Day speech when he exhorted global firms to come and manufacture anything from electronic items to chemicals, satellites and submarines in India. 
 
The ‘make in India’ campaign, which is expected to do for investment sentiment what the ‘Incredible India’ campaign has done for tourism, is aimed at reviving the manufacturing sector and taking the economy on a sustainable high growth path. As part of the campaign, which is expected to lift manufacturing growth to 10 per cent over the long term, thousands of global companies from across the globe including the US, the UK, Japan, Korea, Sweden, Poland, Australia, China, Italy, Germany and France, are expected to be invited to explore investment possibilities in India and set up manufacturing units in the country to supply to the rest of the world. An eight-member panel under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion will help redress grievances and handle queries of global and domestic investors within 24 hours. In addition to interacting with investors, the panel is also given a mandate to coordinate with central and states departments to resolve infrastructural bottlenecks and issues related to policy. Indian embassies around the world too are expected to join the campaign, which is reminiscent of Modi's ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ summits each of which resulted in investments worth billions of dollars in Modi’s home state. 
 
The campaign is seen as the first step to reform the bureaucratic and policy-related machinery to revive the job-generating manufacturing sector by attracting huge investments. But to extend it to a fruitful level, the government has to tackle a host of issues including reforming land laws, revamping infrastructure including constructing bigger ports and better roads, ensuring uninterrupted power for industrial activities and doing away with an uncertain tax regime. 
 
Going by the way ISRO scientists succeeded in putting the fully home-grown Mangalyaan into Mars' orbit, making India the first country to be successful on its maiden Mars mission, the Modi government is on the right path to transform ‘the world’s back office’ to ‘the world’s factory’ too.

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