03 Feb 2022: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. New methods to transform phenol into key essential ingredients
2. Incentives for adoption of renewable energy
3. Punaura Dham
4. Heli Borne Survey Technology
5. Chandrayaan 3
6. National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change

1. New methods to transform phenol into key essential ingredients

Syllabus: GS III, Achievements of Indians in science and technology

Prelims: About electrochemical transformation of phenols

Mains: India’s progress in the manufacturing of essential chemicals

Context: Indian researchers from the Centre for nano and soft matter sciences and CSIR – National Chemical Laboratory have regarded electrolysis as an effective way for the oxidative transformation of phenol. 

The electrochemical organic transformation:

• The study involves the electrochemical organic transformation of phenol to 1,4 hydroquinone and other oxidised products which have several industrial applications.
• The oxidative products of phenols like 1,4 hydroquinone, catechol or resorcinol play an important role in the synthesis of medicinal and industrial organic compounds.
• 1,4 hydroquinone is used as an intermediate in the manufacturing of food preservatives, pharmaceuticals and polymers. 
• This method provides economic and environmental advantages compared to conventional chemical methods. 
• The phenolic transformation takes place by the method of electrolysis wherein electric current is passed through an aqueous solution of phenol.
• The conventional metal-based electrodes cannot be used for this transformation as they start losing their activity over time due to the adsorption of oxidised products on their surface. They can also lead to contamination of the products.
• After a detailed study, researchers found that the issue with the metal-based electrodes can be overcome by using graphene-like structures with the desired number of oxygen-bearing surface functional groups. 
• This surface modification of electrodes can be done by electrochemical treatment in an acidic environment. 
• The optimum conditions for surface modifications have been determined using Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Significance of the study:

• India spends a huge cost to import 1,4 hydroquinone. 
• This research can be industrially adopted to reduce the dependence of India on other countries for oxidised phenol compounds. 
• Moreover, the electrochemical method does not involve the release of environmentally hazardous agents and it is more efficient than the chemical methods. 

Image source : PIB

2. Incentives for adoption of renewable energy

Syllabus: GS III, Environment, environmental pollution and degradation

Prelims: Renewable energy, FDI

Mains: Interventions by government to promote the usage of renewable energy

Context: The government has decided to promote the adoption of renewable energy for a sustainable future for the country. 

The incentives offered by the government:

• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to 100% under the automatic route has been permitted.
• The Inter State Transmission System (ISTS) charges have been waived  for inter-state sale of solar and wind power for projects to be commissioned by 30th June 2025. 
• Declaration of trajectory for Renewable Purchase Obligation up to 2022 which mandates all the electricity distribution licensees to purchase and produce some proportion of their requirements from renewable sources. 
• The ultra mega renewable energy parks will be set up to provide land and transmission to the developers of renewable energy on a plug and play basis. 
• The scope of the schemes like PM KUSUM, solar rooftop phase II scheme, Green energy corridor scheme will be extended for the evacuation of renewable power. 
• The Project Development Cell will be set up for attracting and facilitating investments. 
• Standard bidding guidelines will be framed for tariff-based competitive bidding processes facilitating procurement of power from grid-connected solar PV and wind projects. 
• The government has also issued orders that power shall be dispatched against a letter of credit (LC) or advance payment to ensure timely payment of distribution licensees to renewable generators.  
• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will be supporting a scheme called the Renewable Energy Research and Technology Development Programme to promote research and development on renewable energy. 
• The scheme will encourage research proposals of renewable energy to collaborate with industries with 100% funding from the government/non-profit research organisations along with 50-70% financial aid to industry, start-ups, private institutes, entrepreneurs and manufacturing units. 

Image Source: Deccan Herald

3. Punaura Dham

Syllabus: GS I, Indian Heritage and Culture

Prelims: Punaura Dham, PRASAD scheme

Mains: Advancements made by several schemes to boost the tourism sector

Context: Punaura Dham has been included under the PRASAD scheme of the Ministry of Tourism.

Punaura Dham: 

• It is situated in the Sitamarhi district of the Mithila region in Bihar and has been included in the Ramayana circuit of the Swadesh Darshan scheme. 
• The Punaura Dham is considered to be the birthplace of goddess Sita and is located in the Punaura village. 
• The shrine consists of a Ram Janki temple, a pond called Sita Kund and a hall. 
• The Sita Kund is popular for housing hot springs. 
• This initiative will create a beautiful combination of tourism and the revival of age-old culture, traditions along with spiritualism. 

Read more about the PRASAD scheme in the linked article.

4. Heli Borne Survey Technology

Syllabus: GS I, Distribution of key natural resources

Prelims: Heli borne Survey

Mains: Significance of groundwater management

Context: The Central Ground Water Board carried out a heli bourne survey to gather aquifer related information in the arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana under the Groundwater management and regulation scheme.

About the Heli-borne survey:

• It is a geophysical mapping technique that provides high-resolution 3D images for subsurface up to a depth of 500 metres below the ground level.
• This survey can help in the potential mapping of groundwater in arid areas. 
• This was developed by the collaboration of CSIR and the National Geophysical Research Institute. 
• This will bolster the water management programmes of the government like ‘Har Ghar Nal se Jal’ and missions such as the Jal Jeevan Mission. 

Image Source: http://cccr.tropmet.res.in/

5. Chandrayaan 3

Syllabus: GS III, Awareness in the field of space

Prelims: ISRO, Chandrayaan lunar exploration 

Mains: Contributions of ISRO towards the progress of India’s space missions

Context: Chandrayaan 3 is scheduled to be launched in August 2022 by ISRO.

To know more about Chandrayaan-3 follow the linked article.

5. National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change

Syllabus : GS III, Conservation 

Prelims: National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change

Mains: Climate Finance in India

Context: The effectiveness of the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change in important project implementation has been discussed in Rajya Sabha. 

About the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change(NAFCC):

• The projects under the NAFCC operate under NABARD, which is the National Implementing Entity for the adaptation fund. 
• It is a central sector scheme. The Central Sector Schemes are 100% funded by the central government and formulated on the subjects in the union list. 
• The adaptive capacity of the states and the union territories that are vulnerable to climate change has been aimed to increase under this funding system.
• It encourages climate resilience in various projects related to agriculture, horticulture, agroforestry, water, coastal and low lying systems, disaster management, human health, marine system, tourism and other rural livelihood sectors.

Image Source : Adaptation-fund.org

Important Projects under NAFCC:

• The NAFCC projects implemented in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh include the following: 
• Promotion of integrated farming in the coastal wetlands of north Kerala
• Management and rehabilitation of coastal habitats and biodiversity for climate change adaptation and sustainable livelihood in the Gulf of Mannar region in Tamil Nadu.
• Climate resilient interventions in the dairy sector in coastal and arid areas of Andhra Pradesh.

Image Source: Adaptation-fund.org

Read previous PIB here.

February 3rd, 2022, PIB:- Download PDF Here