Solar Mission sparks dissent on funding

Even as the Prime Minister announced on Independence Day that Indias Solar Mission,the most finalised of the eight...

Even as the Prime Minister announced on Independence Day that Indias Solar Mission,the most finalised of the eight National Missions under the National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC),will be ready by November 14,the mission itself is facing hard scrutiny. Some members of the Prime Ministers Advisory Council on Climate Change are differing on a fundamental point: the financing of the mission,with suggestions that expensive solar energy under the mission should be paid for by the developed world as part of common but differentiated responsibility on climate change.

Now,a sub-group has been formed from the Council to review the financial outlay of the mission,meeting for the first time this week.

The Solar Mission,which aims to produce 20,000 MW of solar energy by 2020,was given an in-principle nod in a meeting chaired by the PM on August 3. But since then,members have failed to reach a consensus on how expensive solar energy will be brought to scale: the draft mission proposes a Rs 70,000 crore subsidy for generation-based incentive for solar energy.

Story continues below this ad

Meanwhile,there is pressure on India for getting its NAPCC in shape before the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meet in Copenhagen in December. While the NAPCC was announced two years ago,none of the missions is ready,and this years Budget had no allocations for climate change. Apart from the Solar Mission,the others are Enhanced Energy Efficiency,Water,Sustaining the Himalayan Eco-system,Green India,Sustainable Agriculture,Strategic Knowledge and Sustainable Habitat.

The PM on Monday gave in-principle nod to the energy efficiency mission.

It is,however,likely that only the Solar Mission will be ready by December for the summit and is set to be Indias showpiece there. Till then,the financial roadmap needs to be worked out.

Bahraich faces new ‘wolf attacks’: 4 children mauled, 16 injured this month

Cities2 hr ago

As many as four children have been killed and 16 injured in wild animal attacks, suspected to be wolves, in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district this month — a chilling reminder of similar incidents that haunted the region last year. The body of one of the children is still missing. All those injured are adults, except for one child.

View all shorts

Live Blog

PHOTOS