Assam's relationship with flooding is not new, but the vocabulary of its flood policy is changing. For decades, the state's response to the Brahmaputra and its tributaries was almost entirely structural: embankments, spurs, and dredging works administered by engineering agencies.
The rapid growth of solar photovoltaic (SPV) technology has become a key driver of the global shift towards low-carbon energy systems. Declining module costs, technological advancements, and stronger climate commitments have accelerated solar adoption worldwide. In recent years, floating solar photovoltaic (FSPV) has emerged as an innovative approach involving the installation of solar panels on reservoirs, lakes, and other water bodies. It provides a sustainable alternative to conventional ground-mounted solar projects by enabling renewable energy expansion while addressing land availability challenges.
The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is characterized by a unique and complex topography, ranging from the high-altitude Himalayan valleys to the Pir Panjal range. While geographically distinct, this position makes the region exceptionally vulnerable to diverse natural and human-induced hazards. The territory is classified primarily under Seismic Zones IV and V, signifying a very high risk of high-intensity earthquakes. Historically, J&K has been scarred by devastating events, including the 2005 Waltengu Nad snowstorm that claimed over 175 lives, the October 2005 earthquake that killed approximately 1,350 people in the UT, and the September 2014 floods, which resulted in nearly 460 deaths and billions of dollars in infrastructure damage (NOAA).
Policy UpdateAmrutha Lahari Kolluru Introduction A decade in, the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) has significantly changed the landscape of water supply, sewage and septage treatment, storm water drainage and green parks and spaces in India. The…
For over a decade, India's principal industrial energy-efficiency instrument was the Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme, a rolling, cycle-based mechanism administered by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Ministry of Power. PAT set legally binding specific energy consumption (SEC) reduction targets for Designated Consumers under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001, and functioned as a market-based compliance mechanism: overachievers earned tradable Energy Saving Certificates (ESCerts), traded on the Indian Energy Exchange at market-determined prices (roughly ₹200–1,200 per certificate in PAT Cycle I) (Sarangi, 2021) while underachievers were required to purchase ESCerts to cover their shortfall or face financial penalties under the Act.
The Accelerated e-Mobility Revolution for India’s Transportation (e-AMRIT) initiative was launched on 10 November 2021 by NITI Aayog in collaboration with the Government of the United Kingdom during the COP26 Summit in Glasgow. The initiative was developed under the UK-India Joint Roadmap 2030 and was conceived as a comprehensive digital platform to support India's transition towards electric mobility.
India's push toward chemical-free agriculture did not begin with this mission. It builds on the Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP), a sub-scheme that had been running under the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana from 2020-21 to 2022-23, and on an earlier natural farming corridor promoted along a stretch of the Ganga under the Namami Gange programme. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) on 25 November 2024, upgrading these earlier, smaller efforts into a standalone Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare.