Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Will launch scheme to generate 1-3 KW solar energy: Puducherry CM

Chief minister V Narayanasamy, who holds the portfolio of finance, presented a tax-free budget of Rs 8,425 crore for the financial year 2019-20 for the Union territory of Puducherry in the legislative assembly on Wednesday. He said the territory must mobilize 65 per cent (Rs 5,435 crore) of the budget from its own resources while it will receive 22 per cent (Rs 1,890 crore) as central assistance including centrally-sponsored schemes. The remaining 13 per cent (Rs 1,100 core) will be met from open market borrowings and loans from central financial institutions. He pointed out that a major... Read more..

Govt has decided to achieve 100 per cent electrification of railway in 10 years: Goyal

The government has decided to move towards achieving 100 per cent electrification of railways, as part of efforts to curb carbon footprints, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday. The railways minister also said he has a mission that in next 10 years, Indian Railways will be running on renewable energy. "We have decided to move towards 100 per cent electrified railway. We will be the world's first large railways...nearly 1,20,000 km of track, which will be 100 per cent electrified. Imagine how much carbon we will reduce from the entire atmosphere," Goyal said here. He was speaking... Read more..

IOC to invest Rs 2 trn in 5-7 yrs, develop a new energy storage technology

State-run Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) will invest Rs 2 trillion over the next five to seven years, the company’s chairman told shareholders on Wednesday. The company is also at an advanced stage of developing a new energy storage technology. “Indian Oil has planned a Rs 2 lakh crore (trillion) investment in the next five to seven years, to evolve into a future-ready corporate that provides comprehensive energy solutions,” Chairman Sanjiv Singh told shareholders at the company’s annual general meeting. These investments will be made across refinery expansions, petrochemical capacities, and... Read more..

Walmart Foundation announces two new grants for $4.8mn for smallholder farmers in India

Deepening its commitment to improving farmer livelihoods in India, the Walmart Foundation on Tuesday announced $4.8 million (approximately Rs. 34 crore) in grants to Digital Green and TechnoServe to enable programs that help smallholder farmers have access to agriculture technology, training on sustainable farmer methods, enhanced access to formal markets, and skill and capacity building for farmer producer organisations (FPOs). These grants are a part of the Walmart Foundation’s commitment made in September 2018 to contribute $25 million (approximately Rs. 180 crore) over the next five... Read more..

The sustainable energy sector holds opportunities for collaboration

The founder of Africa GreenCo how shared expertise between Africa, India and the UK can lead to noteworthy developments in emerging markets. Over the last 10 years, sub-Saharan African trade and economic diplomacy have slowly trended away from developed countries and toward emerging economies. Since 2006, the region’s exports to the United States has declined by 66 per cent, whilst exports to India have more than doubled. Exports to the UK are not yet as significant but could become so with the right impetus. Many African countries are today seeking trading partners based on equal... Read more..

EV sector is a challenge and an opportunity: ARAI director

Rashmi Urdhwareshe, Director of Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) said that when it comes to electric mobility one has to be mindful of the consumer readiness and reliability must be ensured in terms of electric vehicles. If all these (factors) including cost are thought of, then there are definitely a lot of opportunities in this sector, she said. She was speaking in a seminar organised by MCCIA on ‘Emerging trends in electric mobility’. “Electric mobility is definitely an opportunity and presently it is very relevant. We all are suffering from air pollution. Also, there is... Read more..

PM’s message on plastic waste calls for a collective action from govts, corporates, civil society

India CSR, the largest network on corporate social responsibility and sustainability on Tuesday (27 Aug) organised a dialogue on responsible plastic uses and waste mitigation in New Delhi. The Plastic Waste Dialogue is hosted in collaboration with Go Native, United Way India Plog Run and knowledge partner We Care, led by Dr. Atul Sud, Director, Perfetti Van Melle India. “When our hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi acknowledged about the problem from the ramparts of the Red Fort during his Independence... Read more..

Mission Paani launch event today: News18's awareness campaign could be key in preventing a nationwide water crisis

The water crisis in Chennai, and droughts witnessed in Maharashtra and several other states this year, are likely to heighten if India fails take efforts to conserve water and replenish the low groundwater level as soon as possible. In fact, by 2030, India will need 1,498 BCM, more than twice the 744 BCM water supply it is estimated to have around that time, creating a severe water crisis in the country. It was in order to drive people's attention to this issue (and the crisis that India faces ahead) that... Read more..

KEL in talks with Toshiba to make Li-Ion batteries for EVs

Kerala Electrical & Allied Engineering Co. Limited (KEL) is in discussion with Toshiba to manufacture fast-charging Lithium ion (Li-Ion) batteries for electrical vehicles.The Toshiba team from Japan visited the Mamala unit of KEL. The five-member team from Toshiba headed by Yoshiki Ishizuka, Head of Battery Division and Tomohiko Okada, MD, Toshiba India Pvt. Ltd., had discussion with KEL team headed by Chairman Varkala B Ravikumar and Managing Director Shaji Varghese on possibilities of business association between the two companies.

“We are keen to collaborate with Toshiba to... Read more..

Revised plan to fight air pollution hits other deadlines

After failing to get its earlier 44-point action plan for Bengaluru approved, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has submitted a revised plan. However, those who have compared the two plans say while few changes have been made, some other deadlines have been extended. The KSPCB had to bring out the plan following a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order to make action plans for four ‘non-attainment cities’ — urban areas with air quality worse than prescribed standards, which were Bengaluru,... Read more..

Bhopal to deploy 400 EV charging points by year-end

India’s Bhopal will deploy 400 smart poles to enable charging points for electric vehicles (EV) by year end, according to the top official. “150 smart poles have already been installed while another 250 are expected to be completed by year-end and will have Wi-Fi hotspots, charging points for electrical vehicles, weather sensors street lights and signage,” Tarun Pithode, Bhopal’s District Collector and Smart City Chairman told ETTelecom. Pithode, a 2009-batch Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer from... Read more..

PM addresses G7 Summit’s session on Climate, Biodiversity and Oceans

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the session on ‘Biodiversity, Oceans, Climate.’ He highlighted India’s large scale efforts towards eliminating single use plastic, conserving water, harnessing solar energy and, protecting flora and fauna for a sustainable future. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday highlighted India’s large scale efforts towards eliminating single use plastic, conserving water, harnessing solar energy and, protecting flora and fauna for a sustainable future in his address to a G7... Read more..