State PCS - Haryana (HCS)

• 16 Apr 2025

Mauritius Signs ISA’s Country Partnership Framework

Why in News? 

The Republic of Mauritius and the intergovernmental organisation International Solar Alliance (ISA) signed a Country Partnership Framework (CPF) to strengthen solar cooperation and accelerate the clean energy transition. 

 International Solar Alliance (ISA) 

• About: 
  • The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies. 
    • Its basic motive is to facilitate energy access, ensure energy security, and drive energy transition in its member countries. 
  • The ISA was conceived as a joint effort by India and France to mobilize efforts against climate change through deployment of solar energy solutions. 
• Vision: 
  • Let us together make the sun brighter. 
• Mission: 
  • Every home, no matter how far away, will have a light at home. 
• Headquarters: 
  • The Headquarters is in India with its Interim Secretariat being set up in Gurugram. 

 Key Points 

• The Country Partnership Framework (CPF): 
  • The CPF outlines a structured, strategic approach for collaboration on solar projects and policy support. 
  • Mauritius is the first African country and the fourth globally (after Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Cuba) to sign this framework. 
    • The CPF is valid for three years, with a provision for renewal based on mutual agreement. 
• Country Partnership Strategy (CPS): 
  • Following the CPF, ISA and Mauritius will co-develop a Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) aligned with Mauritius's national energy goals. 
  • The CPS will be country-driven and needs-based, focusing on enabling conditions for solar deployment. 
  • Key Focus:  
    • Strategic Planning & Regulation: 
      • Formulation or revision of solar energy roadmaps. 
      • Development of regulatory frameworks to facilitate solar applications. 
    • Technology & Capacity Building: 
      • Establishment of a Solar Technology Application Resource Centre (STAR-C). 
      • Training and upskilling in technical, regulatory, and financial domains. 
    • Deployment of Solar Applications: 
      • Promotion of solar rooftops, floating solar, agrivoltaics, and solar water pumping. 
      • Support for solar-driven green hydrogen initiatives. 
    • Exploration of solar ferries and other innovations tailored to island ecosystems. 
• ISA’s Ongoing Role in Mauritius: 
  • Mauritius, a founding member of ISA, has actively partnered in ISA-led initiatives. 
  • Notable among them is the solarisation of the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, implemented under the ISA CARES Initiative, which aims to solarise healthcare facilities in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). 
    • The hospital, originally established in 1984 with Indian support, was solarised in June 2024. 

 Small Island Developing States (SIDS)  

• Small Island Developing States (SIDS) refer to a group of small island nations and territories that face shared challenges in sustainable development, alongside significant social, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities.   
  • Some of SIDS include the Maldives, Seychelles, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Guyana, and Singapore.  
• SIDS are primarily located in three major geographical regions: the Caribbean, the Pacific, and the Atlantic, Indian Ocean & South China Sea (AIS) regions.  
• At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development 1992, SIDS were formally recognized as a special case due to their unique environmental and developmental challenges. 

Development Projects Inaugurated in Haryana

Why in News? 

The Prime Minister of India launched development and infrastructure projects worth Rs 10,000 crore in Haryana. 

 Key Points 

• Major Infrastructure and Energy Projects: 
  • Thermal Power Expansion in Yamunanagar: 
    • The PM laid the foundation stone for the third 800 MW unit of the Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant in Yamunanagar, worth Rs 8,469 crore. 
    • The unit will be built on 233 acres, with commercial operations expected by March 2029. 
    • Once operational, Haryana’s in-house power generation capacity will rise to 3,382 MW. 
  • GOBARdhan Plant for Waste-to-Energy in Yamunanagar: 
    • The PM also laid the foundation for a Rs 90 crore GOBARdhan plant in Mukarampur, Yamunanagar. 
    • It is a collaboration between the Municipal Corporation Yamunanagar-Jagadhri and BPCL. 
    • Scheduled for completion by May 2027, the plant will process: 
      • 45,000 metric tonnes of solid waste, 
      • 36,000 metric tonnes of cattle dung annually. 
    • It will produce: 
      • 2,600 metric tonnes of Compressed Biogas (CBG) per year (equivalent to CNG), 
      • 10,000 metric tonnes of bio-fertilizer. 
      • The project will cut CO₂ emissions by 7,700 metric tonnes/year, prevent landfill fires, and reduce air pollution. 
  • Rewari Bypass Inaugurated to Ease Traffic: 
    • He also inaugurated the Rewari Bypass, built under the Bharatmala scheme in Hybrid Annuity Mode, at a cost of Rs 1,069 crore. 
    • The 14.4 km, four-lane bypass connects NH-352 to NH-11, improving access to Narnaul and bypassing Rewari city. 
  • New Airport Terminal for Hisar: 
    • He laid the foundation stone for the new terminal building of Maharaja Agrasen Airport in Hisar, worth over Rs 410 crore. 
    • The PM announced upcoming flights connecting Haryana to Ayodhya Dham. 

 Compressed Biogas (CBG) 

• CBG is a renewable energy source produced from organic waste, including agricultural residues, cattle dung, municipal solid waste, and sewage sludge.  
• It helps in replacing fossil fuels, managing agricultural and animal waste, and reducing open burning. 

 GOBARdhan Scheme 

• The Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBARdhan) initiative focuses on converting waste into wealth to promote a circular economy.   
• It aims to establish a strong ecosystem for Biogas/Compressed Biogas (CBG)/Bio-CNG plants to foster sustainable growth.   
• The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, serves as the nodal department. 

 Bharatmala Project 

• It was started in 2015 by the Union government. It is an umbrella project under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. 
• Under the plan the government intends to develop 83,677 km of highways and roads at an investment of around Rs 7 lakh crore. 
• In the first phase, the plan is to construct 34,800 km of highways at a cost of Rs 5.35 lakh crore. 
• It focuses on the new initiatives like development of Border and International connectivity roads, Coastal & port connectivity roads, improving efficiency of National Corridors, Economic corridors and others.