Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur's 400th Birth Anniversary

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will chair a meeting of the High-Level Committee to approve policies, plans and programs related to the commemoration of the 400th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji.

Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621–1675)

• Guru Tegh Bahadur was the ninth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion. He was born at Amritsar in 1621 and was the youngest son of Guru Hargobind.
• His term as Guru ran from 1665 to 1675. One hundred and fifteen of his hymns are in Guru Granth Sahib.
• There are several accounts explaining the motive behind the assassination of Guru Tegh Bahadur on Aurangzeb’s orders.
• He stood up for the rights of Kashmiri Pandits who approached him against religious persecution by Aurangzeb.
• He was publicly killed in 1675 on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi for himself refusing Mughal rulers and defying them.
• Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib and Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi mark the places of execution and cremation of his body.

Impact of his martyrdom

• The execution hardened the resolve of Sikhs against religious oppression and persecution.
• His martyrdom helped all Sikh Panths consolidate to make the protection of human rights central to its Sikh identity.
• Inspired by him, his nine-year-old son, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, eventually organized the Sikh group into a distinct, formal, symbol-patterned community came to be known as Khalsa (Martial) identity.

Sikh Gurus

• The era of the ten gurus of Sikhism spans from the birth of Nanak Dev in 1469, through the life of Guru Gobind Singh.
• At the time of Guru Gobind Singh’s death in 1708, he passed the title of Guru to the Sikh scripture, Guru Granth.

1. Guru Nanak Dev - Guru from 1469 to 1539

• Guru Nanak Dev, first of the 10 gurus, founded the Sikh faith, introducing the concept of one God.
• He started the institution of Guru Ka Langar. Langar is the term in the Sikh religion refers to the common kitchen where food is served to everyone without any discrimination.
• He emphasized the equality of women and rejected the path of renunciation and he rejected the authority of the Vedas.
• He was the contemporary of the Mughal emperor - Babur.

2.  Guru Angad Dev - Guru from 1539 to 1552

• Guru Angad Dev, the second of the 10 gurus, invented and introduced the Gurmukhi (written form of Punjabi) script.
• He compiled the writings of Nanak Dev in Guru Granth Sahib in Gurmukhi Script.
• Popularized and expanded the institution of Guru ka Langar which was started by Guru Nanak Dev.

3. Guru Amardas Sahib - Guru from 1552 to 1574

• Guru Amardas introduced the Anand Karaj marriage ceremony for the Sikhs, replacing the Hindu form.
• He established the Manji & Piri system of religious missions for men and women respectively.
• He strengthened the tradition of Guru Ka Langar.
• He also completely abolished amongst the Sikhs, the custom of Sati and purdah system.
• He was the contemporary of the Mughal emperor - Akbar.

4.  Guru Ram Das - Guru from 1574 to 1581

• Guru Ram Das, the fourth of the 10 gurus, founded the city of Amritsar.
• He started the construction of the famous Golden Temple at Amritsar, the holy city of the Sikhs.
• He requested the Muslim Sufi, Mian Mir to lay the cornerstone of the Harmandir Sahib.

5. Guru Arjan Dev - Guru from 1581 to 1606

• He compiled the Adi Granth, the scriptures of the Sikhs.
• He completed the construction of Sri Darbar Sahib also known as the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
• He founded the town of Tarn Taran Sahib near Goindwal Sahib.
• He became the first great martyr in Sikh history when Emperor Jahangir ordered his execution. Thus, he was hailed as Shaheedan-de-Sartaj (The crown of martyrs).

6. Guru Har Gobind Sahib - Guru from 1606 to 1644

• He was the son of Guru Arjan Dev and was known as a "soldier saint”.
• He organised a small army and became the first Guru to take up arms to defend the faith.
• He waged wars against Mughal rulers Jahangir and Shah Jahan.

7. Guru Har Rai Sahib - Guru from 1644 to 1661

• Though he was a man of peace, he never disbanded the armed Sikh warriors who were earlier maintained by Guru Har Gobind.
• He gave shelter to Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of Mughal Ruler Shah Jahan, who was later persecuted by Aurangazeb.
• He cautiously avoided conflict with Emperor Aurangzeb and devoted his efforts to missionary work.

8. Guru Har Krishan Sahib - Guru from 1661 to 1664

• Guru Har Krishan was the youngest of the Gurus. He was installed as Guru at the age of five.
• He was a contemporary of Aurangazeb and summoned to Delhi by him under framed charges of anti-Islamic blasphemy.

9. Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib - Guru from 1665 to 1675

• He established the town of Anandpur.
• He opposed the forced conversion of the Hindu Kashmiri Pandits by Mughal ruler Aurangazeb and he was consequently persecuted for this.

10. Guru Gobind Singh Sahib - Guru from 1675 to 1708

• He became Guru after the martyrdom of his father Guru Tegh Bahadur.
• He created the Khalsa in 1699, changing the Sikhs into a saint-soldier order for protecting themselves.
• Last Sikh Guru in human form and he passed the Guruship of the Sikhs to the Guru Granth Sahib.

Guru Granth Sahib

• Guru Granth Sahib (also known as the Adi Granth) is the scripture of the Sikhs.
• The Granth was written in Gurmukhi script and it contains the actual words and verses as uttered by the Sikh Gurus.
• It is considered the Supreme Spiritual Authority and Head of the Sikh religion, rather than any living person.

Kazakhstan and India- Defence Minister Bilateral Talks

The Defence Minister of Kazakhstan visited India recently with a focus on boosting bilateral defence cooperation. Both countries share common interests of actively combating the threat of global terrorism and maintaining peace. 

The meet will enable greater military to military contact and cooperation between Kazakhstan and India.

India – Kazakhstan Relations:

Relations between India and Kazakhstan are ancient and historical going back to more than 2000 years.

• There has been a constant and regular flow of trade in goods and, more importantly, exchange of ideas and cultural influences.
• The flow of Buddhism from India to Central Asia and Sufi ideas from Central Asia to India are two such examples.

Political Relations

• India was one of the first countries to recognize the independence of Kazakhstan.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the 17th SCO Summit in Astana in 2017. India was admitted as a full member of the SCO during the Summit.
• India and Kazakhstan actively cooperate under the aegis of Multilateral Fora including CICA, SCO and the UN organizations.
• India has been a consistent supporter of Kazakhstan’s initiative on the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and is actively participating in the process.
• Kazakhstan supports India’s permanent membership in an expanded UNSC and has extended its support for India’s non-permanent membership in 2021-22.
• India supported Kazakhstan’s successful candidature for non-permanent membership of UNSC in 2017-18.

Defence cooperation

• India and Kazakhstan have developed close collaboration in fighting religious terrorism and extremism, as well as in promoting regional security.
• A joint memorandum signed in December 2002 enabled joint projects such as training military officers, developing joint military-industrial projects and establishing a partnership between the defence industries of India and Kazakhstan.
• The Indo-Kazakh Defense Cooperation is carried out under the framework of an agreement on ‘Defense and Military Technical Cooperation signed in July 2015.
• India has also provided support and emerged as a partner in Kazakhstan’s bid to develop a naval fleet in the Caspian Sea, despite opposition from Kazakhstan’s northern neighbour, Russia.
• The two countries held the Prabal Dostyk joint military exercises in Kazakhstan in 2016 and the Himachal Pradesh region in 2017.

Trade And Economy Cooperation

• Several Joint Working Groups have been established in the areas of Counter Terrorism, Trade & Economic Cooperation, Defense & Military-Technical Cooperation, Information Technology, Hydrocarbons, Textiles, Tea Debt and Space Cooperation, and Health and Transport, Connectivity & Logistics to take forward bilateral relations in the respective spheres.
• The India-Kazakhstan Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) established in 1993 is the apex bilateral institutional mechanism for developing trade, economic, scientific, technological, industrial and cultural cooperation between the two countries.
• Kazakhstan is India’s largest trade and investment partner in Central Asia.

Space Cooperation

• Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched “Al-Farabi-1”, a 1.7 kg Technology Demonstrator Nano Satellite.

Civil Nuclear Cooperation

• Kazakhstan supported India in obtaining an India-specific exemption to allow civil nuclear cooperation with Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) countries in 2008.

Significance of Kazakhstan to India

• There are three factors which make Kazakhstan important for India.
  • First, its geostrategic location;
  • Second, its economic potential, especially in terms of energy resources; and
  • Third, its multi-ethnic and secular structure.
• Kazakhstan’s geopolitical existence between Russia and Asia, along with long borders with China, makes it a country of great strategic importance.
• Kazakhstan can also help India achieve a geostrategic rebalancing with China. 
• India’s foremost objective is countering the rapid economic inroads China is making in the region through the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative.
• Kazakhstan has become one of the key activists in the field of global nuclear security and has achieved a number of results in peacekeeping policies and the resolution of conflicts around Nagorno-Karabakh, Iran, Ukraine and Syria. 

Chenab Bridge- Final Arch Closure Completed

Recently, Indian Railways completed the arch closure of the iconic Chenab Bridge in Jammu & Kashmir.

Key Highlights

• • It is the world's highest railway bridge and is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project (USBRL).
    • The Project was declared as a Project of National Importance in March 2002.
  • This bridge is 1,315-metre long and is the highest railway bridge in the world being 359 metres above the river bed level.
  • The completion of the steel arch is a major leap towards the completion of the 111 km long winding stretch from Katra to Banihal.
    • It is arguably the biggest civil-engineering challenge faced by any railway project in India in recent history.

• Unique Features of this Bridge:
  • Bridge designed to withstand high wind speed up to 266 Km/Hour.
  • Bridge designed to bear earthquake forces of highest intensity zone-V in India.
  • First time on Indian Railways, National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accredited lab established at site for weld testing.
  • Extensive health monitoring and warning systems planned through state of art instrumentation.

Chenab River

• It rises in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh state.
  • The river is formed by the confluence of two rivers, Chandra and Bhaga, at Tandi, 8 km southwest of Keylong, in the Lahaul and Spiti district.
  • The Bhaga river originates from Surya taal lake, which is situated a few kilometers west of the Bara-lacha la pass in Himachal Pradesh.
  • The Chandra river originates from glaciers east of the same pass (near Chandra Taal).
• It flows through the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir into the plains of Punjab, Pakistan, before flowing into the Indus River.
• Important projects/dams on Chenab:
  • Ratle Hydro Electric Project
  • Salal Dam- hydroelectric power project near Reasi
  • Dul Hasti Hydroelectric Plant- power project in Kishtwar District
  • Pakal Dul Dam (under construction)- on a tributary Marusadar River in Kishtwar District.

India Energy Outlook Report, 2021

GS-Paper-3 Energy security – Infrastructure development- Prelims & UPSC Interview

Context: The International Energy Agency (IEA) has recently released the India Energy Outlook 2021 report. The report is highly important for UPSC examination topic ENERGY SECURITY.

(1) Energy consumption

• India at present is the fourth-largest global energy consumer behind China, the United States and the European Union.
• It will overtake the European Union as the world’s third-largest energy consumer by 2030.
• It will account for the biggest share of energy demand growth over the next two decades.

(2) Energy demand

• India accounts for nearly one-quarter of global energy demand growth from 2019-40 — the largest for any country.
• Its share in the growth in renewable energy is the second-largest in the world, after China.
• A five-fold increase in per capita car ownership will result in India leading the oil demand growth in the world.
• Also, it will become the fastest-growing market for natural gas, with demand more than tripling by 2040.

(3) Industrial consumption

• By 2040, India is set to account for almost 20 per cent of global growth in industrial value-added, and to lead global growth in industrial final energy consumption, especially in steelmaking.
• The nation accounts for nearly one-third of global industrial energy demand growth to 2040.

(4) Dependence on fossil fuels

• To meet its energy needs, India will be more reliant on fossil fuel imports as its domestic oil and gas production stagnates.
• India’s oil demand is seen rising by rising by 74 per cent to 8.7 million barrels per day by 2040 under the existing policies scenario.
• The natural gas requirement is projected to more than triple to 201 billion cubic meters and coal demand is seen rising to 772 million tonnes in 2040 from the current 590.

(5) Coal trade

• India currently accounts for 16 per cent of the global coal trade.
• Many global coal suppliers were counting on growth in India to underpin planned export-oriented mining investments.

(6) Per-capita emission

• On a per-capita basis, India’s energy use and emissions are less than half the world average, as are other key indicators such as vehicle ownership, steel and cement output.
• India will soon become the world’s most populous country, adding the equivalent of a city the size of Los Angeles to its urban population each year.

About International Energy Agency

• The IEA is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organization established in the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 1974 in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis.
• It was initially dedicated to responding to physical disruptions in the supply of oil, as well as serving as an information source on statistics about the international oil market and other energy sectors.
• At the end of July 2009, IEA member countries held a combined stockpile of almost 4.3 billion barrels of oil.
• They are required to maintain total oil stock levels equivalent to at least 90 days of the previous year’s net imports.
• The IEA acts as a policy adviser to its member states but also works with non-member countries, especially China, India, and Russia.
• The Agency’s mandate has broadened to focus on the “3Es” of effectual energy policy: energy security, economic development, and environmental protection.

Solar Power Park in India- UPSC FACTS

GS-Paper-3 Renewable Energy – Infrastructure development- Prelims & UPSC Interview

Context: Renewable energy mainly solar energy is the most important topic of discussion in 21^st Century, when the World has faced the problem of Climate change and energy security. This topic is highly important for UPSC mains examination under Paper-3 Infrastructure and Energy security.

India lying in a tropical belt has the advantage of receiving peak solar radiation for 300 days, amounting to 2300-3,000 hours of sunshine equivalent to above 5,000 trillion kWh.

• India’s current installed solar power capacity, according to the Central electricity authority, is 26025.97 MW which is 34% of total renewable energy sources i.e, 75055.92 MW till February 2019.
• With its pollution-free nature, virtually inexhaustible supply and global distribution, solar energy is a very attractive energy resource.
• India's Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC’s) commitment includes 100 GW of solar power out of 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022.

There are more than 40 Major Solar power plants in India, which generate at least 10 MW of power. 

Below-table gives the list of 10 major solar power parks in India 

Major Solar Power Plants in India – Brief Details

Bhadla Solar Park

1. Bhadla Solar Park is the world’s largest solar park located in India which is spread over a total area of 14,000 acres in Bhadla, Phalodi tehsil, Jodhpur district, Rajasthan, India.
2. The region has been described as “almost unlivable” due its climate. Average temperatures in Bhadla hover between 46 and 48 degrees Celsius. Hot winds and sand storms occur frequently. Bhadla is a sandy, dry and arid region with an area of about 45 km2.
3. The Solar park has a total capacity of 2,245 MW.
4. When its full capacity is operational, the park will become the world’s largest fully commissioned PV project, with investment rising to Rs 10,000 crore (US$1.3 billion).

Pavagada Solar Park

1. Pavagada Solar Park is a solar park covering an area of 53 square kilometres (13,000 acres) in Pavagada taluk, Tumkur district, Karnataka.
2. The Solar Power park has a capacity of 2,050 MW and is the World’s second largest photovoltaic solar park after the 2245 MW Bhadla Solar Park in Rajasthan.
3. It was completed in 2019.

Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park

1. Kurnool Ultra Mega Solar Park is a solar park spread over a total area of 5,932.32 acres in Panyam Mandal of Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, with a capacity of 1,000 MW.
2. The park was built at an investment of around? 7,000 crores (US$980 million) by solar power developers and the Central and State governments.
3. It was commissioned on 29 March 2017 and is owned by Andhra Pradesh Solar Power Corporation Private Limited (APSPCL).

NP Kunta Ultra Mega Solar Park

1. The NP Kunta Ultra Mega Solar Park, also known as Ananthapuram Ultra Mega Solar Park, is a solar park spread over a total area of 7,924.76 acres in Nambulapulakunta Mandal in the Ananthapur district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
2. It was commissioned in May 2016 and is owned by Andhra Pradesh Solar Power Corporation Private Limited (APSPCL).

Rewa Ultra Mega Solar

1. Rewa Ultra Mega Solar is the first solar project in the country to break the grid parity barrier. It is one of the largest solar power plants in India and Asia’s Largest Single site solar plant.
2. Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited (RUMSL), the implementing agency of the project, is a joint venture between the Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikash Nigam Limited (MPUVNL) and the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).
3. Rewa is the first project in India to be supplying power to an inter-state open access customer, viz., Delhi Metro. This is also the first project in India where solar power would be used for railway traction.
4. The project got the World Bank Group’s President’s Award for excellence for its transaction structure.

Charanka Solar Park

1. Gujarat Solar Park-1 (also called Charanka Solar Park) is currently in the process of development on a 2,000-hectare (4,900-acre) plot of land near Charanka village in Patan district, northern Gujarat. 

Kamuthi Solar Power Project

1. Kamuthi Solar Power Project is a photovoltaic power station spread over an area of 2,500 acres in Kamuthi, Ramanathapuram district, 90 km from Madurai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.

Kadapa Ultra Mega Solar Park

1. Kadapa Ultra Mega Solar Park is a solar park spread over a total area of 5,927.76 acres in the Mylavaram Mandal of Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh. The project is being implemented by the Andhra Pradesh Solar Power Corporation Private Limited (APSPCL), a joint venture of Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation and the New & Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Ltd.

Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects

1. Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects, also known as Ultra Mega Solar Parks, are a series of solar power projects planned by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of the Union Government of India.
2. In December 2014, the Government of India introduced a scheme to establish at least 25 solar parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects, adding over 20 GW of installed solar power capacity. The Central Government provides financial support for the construction of these solar projects.

Technology

• Solar Photovoltaic: Solar photovoltaic (SPV) cells convert solar radiation (sunlight) into electricity. A solar cell is a semi-conducting device made of silicon and/or other materials, which, when exposed to sunlight, generates electricity.
• Solar thermal: Solar Thermal Power systems, also known as Concentrating Solar Power systems, use concentrated solar radiation as a high-temperature energy source to produce electricity using the thermal route.

Advantages

• Low running costs & grid tie-up capital returns-Net Metering.
• Unlike conventional thermal power generation from coal, they do not cause pollution and generate clean power.
• The abundance of free solar energy in almost all parts of the country.
• No overhead wires- no transmission loss
• Solar Energy is available throughout the day which is the peak load demand time.
• Solar energy conversion equipment has a longer life and needs lesser maintenance and hence provides higher energy infrastructure security.

Government initiatives

• The Ministry of new and renewable energy is the nodal agency to tackle India's renewable energy issues.
• National Solar Mission is a major initiative of the Government of India and State Governments to promote ecologically sustainable growth while addressing India's energy security challenge.
• The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) is a Non-Banking Financial Institution under the administrative control of this Ministry for providing term loans for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.
• The national institute of solar energy is created as an autonomous institution under MoNRE is apex body for R&D.
• Establishment of solar parks and ultra major solar power projects and enhancing grid connectivity infrastructure.
• Promotion of canal bank and canal tank solar infrastructure.
• Sustainable rooftop implementation of Solar transfiguration of India (SRISTI) scheme to promote rooftop solar power projects in India.
• Suryamitra programme to prepare a qualified workforce.
• Renewable purchase obligation for large energy consumer customers.
• National green energy programme and green energy corridor.