Save Country from Market Overlords

  Mr. Harish Khare, Media Adviser to Prime Minister of India, delivering a lecture on "Making the State Work" at University of Hyderabad on 14 th November, observed that the country's political apparatus has to be saved from the interference of Private parties and Market overlords, who dictate terms on public policy.

He said that the country will be able to function properly only if its citizens reciprocate the concerns of the State. This is possible only if the policies of the State cater to a broader section of citizens.

He further said that there is a growing influence of Private parties and Market leaders in political policy making which has to change. He added that the nexus between the State and the Market Overlords should be broken, referring to the recent developments in States like Karnataka. 

He observed that the Nehruvian model of a 'Caring State' which is capable of protecting the interests of all its people should be revived. He said that Nehru had an idea of an activist, caring and autonomous State, which is not Vulnerable and does not get affected by external vested interests of the market. To revive the idea of the Nehruvian nation state, we should take a fresh look at political culture and the role of the State as a provider and evolve a new political culture.  

"God forbid that India should ever take to industrialism after the manner of the West… it would strip the world bare like locusts. Unless the capitalists of India help to avert that tragedy by becoming trustees of the welfare of the masses, and by devoting their talents not to amassing wealth for themselves but to the service of the masses in an altruistic spirit, they will end either by destroying the masses or being destroyed by them."
                                                                                                       - Mahatma Gandhi

 

 

 

Share of Solar Power in India

The National Solar Mission of India projects the Solar Power generation capacity of 20,000 MW by the year 2020, to be increased to 100,000 MW by the year 2030, and further to 200,000 MW by the year 2050.

Taking into consideration the good sunshine in most parts of India for about 300 days in a year, about 5/6 Kwh energy can be generated per day by 1KW Solar PV. To generate 6.7 MU over 300 days (Equivalent of 1 MW Fossil Thermal-Coal), the daily generation will have to be 6,700,000/300=22,400 say 23,000 Units per day. Therefore 4 MW of Solar PV capacity (4000KW or 4 MW x 6Hrs),is required to generate the energy (KWH), equivalent of 1MW Fossil Thermal(FT- Coal).

The projection of 20,000 MW Solar power (equivalent of 5,000 MW FT) by 2020 may appear to be huge, but in absolute terms, it may work out to be hardly 2.5% of the expected total installed capacity of 200,000 MW by 2020 The projection of 100,000 MW Solar Power(equivalent of 25,000 MW FT) by 2030 may work out to be just about 3% of expected total installed capacity of 800,000 MW by 2030.

To increase the percentage of Solar Power in the total power mix, the priority needs to be given to "Solar Thermal", instead of focusing on Solar PV only in the initial period of the Solar Mission Plan and even Space Based Solar Farm at a latter stage.