Rajasthan State PCS

• 30 Sep 2021

'PM Kusum Component-A' Scheme

Why in News

• On September 29, 2021, the Chairman and Managing Director of Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation, Dr. Subodh Agrawal informed that solar energy production has been started from the eighth power plant in Bagher village of Khanpur tehsil (Jhalawar district) under the 'PM Kusum Component-A' scheme operated by Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation in the state.

Key Points

• Dr. Subodh Agrawal told about the project that a power purchase agreement has been signed between Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam and local farmer Ram Hetar Nagar for a period of 25 years for the establishment of the project.
• With this, an estimated 9 lakh units of electricity will be produced annually, which will be purchased by Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam at the rate of Rs 3.14 per unit for 25 years, due to which the concerned farmer will get revenue of about 28 lakhs per annum.
• The project has been constructed on about 1 hectare of land and the construction cost of this 0.5 MW project is about Rs 2 crore.
• He was informed that this is the first solar power plant in Kota division and Jhalawar district under PM Kusum Component-A scheme.
• In the budget announcement 2019-20, a target was set for setting up solar power plants of 2600 MW capacity in the state under this scheme, out of which letters of award have been issued for 722 MW capacity projects.
• It is worth mentioning that Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha and Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM Kusum Yojana) is an ambitious scheme of the Government of India, whose component-A is being implemented in the state by Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation.
• In the first phase of this scheme, 623 solar power producers have been selected for setting up projects of a total 722 MW capacity. Under this scheme, a maximum capacity of 9.5 MW in the country and a maximum 8 projects have been established in Rajasthan.

Prof. Shyam Sundar Jyani Honored with UN Award

Why in News

• On September 28, 2021, Prof. Shyam Sundar Jyani was awarded the World's highest award for land conservation - 'Land for Life Award'.
  
  • He was given this award for family forestry, under the international category, at the online global ceremony held in Boon, China.

Key Points

• Prof Jyani was declared the winner for his outstanding contribution to land conservation at the global event of World Desertification Day in Costa Rica on June 17, 2021.
• In May 2022, at the Global Conference of Member States in the African country of Ivory Coast, Prof. Jyani will be invited for a special address and will be presented with this trophy.
• It is noteworthy that this award is given every two years by UNCCD, the unit on land conservation of the United Nations, to a person or organization from all over the world for their outstanding contribution to land conservation.
• The United Nations rewards organizations and individuals on the international stage for innovation in land restoration and conservation methods that promote well-being of the environment and communities and improve relationships with them.
  
  • The Saihanba Forest of China was given the award under the national category.
• Prof Shyamsunder Jyani hails from village 12 TK in Raisingh Nagar tehsil of Sriganganagar district and is currently Associate Professor of Sociology at Government Dungar College, Bikaner.
• Professor Jyani has been doing excellent work for the last 20 years by going from village to village and explaining people, school students and teachers about trees and environment and planting lakhs of trees in the desert land of western Rajasthan with his salary.