Generation of Electricity from Solid Waste

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is implementing programmes on energy from urban, industrial and agricultural wastes/residues including setting up of five pilot projects for power generation from municipal solid waste. This was stated by Sh. Piyush Goyal, Minister of state for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy (Independent Charge) in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today. The programme provides Central Financial Assistance of Rs.2.00 crore/MW limited to Rs.10 Crore per project. In addition, excise duty exemption and concessional custom duty are also being provided to such projects. The Minister further stated that only one project of 16 MW capacity is operational at Okhla, New Delhi and four more projects [at Delhi (2 Nos.), Hyderabad (A.P.), Pune (Maharashtra)] have been commenced, the Minister added. Programmes/Schemes for the Upliftment of Scheduled Tribes             The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is running following programmes/schemes for the upliftment of Scheduled Tribes over all India: (i) Scheme of Construction of Hostels for ST Girls and Boys (ii) Scheme of Establishment of Ashram School in Tribal Sub-Plan Areas (iii) Post-Matric Scholarship for ST students (iv) Upgradation of Merit (v) Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students studying in classes IX & X. (vi) Vocational Training in Tribal Areas(State’s component) (vii) Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for STs (viii) Scheme of National Overseas Scholarship for STs (ix) Top Class Education for ST students (x) Grants in aid to Voluntary Organisations working for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes (xi) Coaching for Scheduled Tribes (xii) Strengthening Education among Scheduled Tribe Girls in Low Literacy Districts (xiii) Vocational Training in Tribal Areas (xiv) Development of Particularly Vulnerable  Tribal Groups (PVTGs) (xv) Grants-in-Aid to STDCCs for MFP Operations (xvi) Mechanism for Marketing of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) through Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Development of Value Chain for MFP’ as a measure of social safety for MFP gatherers.            (xvii) Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution of India (xviii) Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub Plan (SCA to TSP) (xix) Development of Tribal Products/Produce (Grants in aid to Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) (xx) A new Scheme called ‘Van Bandhu Kalyan Yojana’ has been proposed by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Rs.100.00 crore (Rupees Hundred Crore) have been allocated under the scheme for the year 2014-15. Dam on Brahmaputra Government of India is aware of construction activity on Yarlung Tsangpo/Brahmaputra river at Zangmu on the Chinese side which is a Run of the River (RoR) hydroelectric project. Recently released ‘Outline of the 12th Five Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People’s Republic of China’ indicates that three more hydropower projects on the main stream of the Yarlung Tsangpo/Brahmaputra River in Tibet Autonomous Region have been approved for implementation by the Chinese Authorities. As these four projects are considered to be Run of the River (RoR) hydro-electric projects, any significant change on flow of water in the North-East of India is not expected. Government of India monitors developments on the Brahmaputra River. As a lower riparian state with considerable established user rights to the waters of the River, India has conveyed its views and concerns to the Chinese authorities, including at the highest levels of the Government of the People’s Republic of China. India has urged China to ensure that the interests of downstream States are not harmed by any activities in upstream areas.