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TAJ MAHAL

The Taj Mahal is not merely an architectural marvel. Moreover, it also portrays an emperor’s heartfelt passion for the memories of his beloved, embodied in living stone. The grand mausoleum was built between 1631 and 1648 under the orders of the great Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. This architectural wonder, one of UNESCO’S World Heritage Sites, is situated on the right bank of the Yamuna River in the Agra District of Uttar Pradesh. It is surrounded by expansive Mughal gardens, and occupies an area of almost 17 hectares of land. The Taj Mahal is perhaps the finest example of Indo-Islamic Architecture, and is world renowned for its aesthetic appeal and architectonic beauty. The structure of the Taj Mahal comprises a complex complementary interplay of domes and arches, concave and convex surfaces, solids and voids, and light and shadow. Externally, the lush green gardens, brick red pathway, and the azure canopy garland the pristinely shimmering whiteness of the Taj Mahal, augmenting its halo to a divine level.

HISTORY

About 20,000 workers, including architects, masons, horticulture planners, artists, and carvers, each excelling in their respective fields of work, were employed by the Emperor Shah Jahan in building the Taj Mahal. The cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, lie side by side. The cenotaphs are richly decorated with inlay work and a marble lattice framework, which exhibit the expert workmanship and skill of the craftsmen who put their best into this historical monument. The cenotaphs are primarily for ornamental purposes, as the real graves lie in the crypt at a level lower than them. Decorations with inlaid semiprecious stones, the life-like bas reliefs, calligraphical representations of Koranic verses on the walls, the arch and dome profile of the marble building, and the perfect architectural symmetry of the entire monument are all listed among the features that make the Taj Mahal one of the most unique examples of architectural genius in the history of mankind. The Taj Mahal truly has earned its position among the greatest man-made wonders of our world.

Uniqueness

The Taj Mahal is located in the heart of the busy and densely populated historical city of Agra. Agra lies at one corner of the famous Golden Triangle of tourist destinations in India, which includes Jaipur and Delhi as its other two points. Besides the Taj, Agra has a lot more to offer to its visitors. The city also hosts two other UNESCO World Heritage Sites, namely the breathtaking Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri, as well a number of other historical sites. Visitors to the Taj Mahal can enjoy an enriching and unique experience when they visit this destination, both historically and culturally. Shopping is a popular activity among the tourists to Taj Mahal, as the streets leading to this picturesque monument are dotted with souvenir shops selling vibrant and unique north Indian handicrafts, jewelry, sarees, and other items. One must also not forget to try out the delectable local cuisine of the area, especially the Mughlai dishes and north indian sweets

THREATS

Taj Mahal, being one of India’s greatest prides, is afforded great precaution. Especially stringent protective measures were taken during World War II and the India-Pakistan wars in 1965 and 1971 by enclosing the building in scaffolding to protect it against the potential attacks of rival forces. Currently, however, even greater threats to this picturesque monument arise from environmental pollution. The effects of acid rain, caused by emissions from nearby factories, threaten to damage the marble of the building, yellowing it in the process. Recently, the Indian government set up the Taj Trapezium Zone to limit air pollution in the area in and around the Taj Mahal. The decline in the water levels of the Yamuna River also spells bad news for this historical monument, as the lack of moisture has led to the development of cracks and crevices in many parts of the building. The danger persists to this date, and protective measures are continuously being undertaken to improve the structural integrity of this marvellous building. Tourist footfall to the Taj Mahal has also declined in the recent years due to a rise in criminal activities in the area, and the constant hassles faced by the tourists at the hands of touts and hawkers in the streets are real concerns as well. It is thus important that tourists to the Taj Mahal remain cautious and aware of their surroundings, and avoid falling into local sellers’ traps of any kind.

TOURISM

The Taj Mahal has attracted millions of tourists for many years, due to its enchanting beauty and intriguing historical significance. According to recent statistics, about 6.9 million tourists visited this World Heritage Site in 2014 alone. The Taj Mahal is easily accessible via a variety of conveyance services, such as buses, trains, and cars. Air service to nearby Agra is limited, but tourists usually arrive at the Delhi airport in India and then travel to Agra by road or rail. Most travel itineraries of northern India include Taj Mahal on their listed agenda items, and numerous tour operators offer visitors attractive packages to this historical monument. The best time to visit the Taj Mahal is during the months stretching from October through March.

Infrastructure Development in India

By – Supriya

India is one of the fastest growing economies of the world and is witnessing growth , particularly in manufacturing and service sector. Therefore, to realise the full potential of the growth impulses surging in the economy , the provision of quality and efficient infrastructure services is essential. India ‘ s infrastructure includes performance and connectivity of basic systems and services such as roadways, railways , ports, airports and telecom. Over years, India’s soft infrastructure has grown much faster than the hard infrastructure. Today, the Indian telecommunication industry is the world’s fastest growing industry with 826.93 million mobile phone subscribers , as of April 2011. The market’s first operator was the state – owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) , but liberalisation led to the entry of private players such as Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications, Tata Teleservices , Idea Cellular and Aircel. A large population , low telephony penetration levels , and a rise in consumer spending power have helped make India the fastest – growing telecom market in the world, and rural India is further expected to increase the growth in mobile phone services in the next four years. In comparison, performance of physical infrastructure in Indian economy has been mixed and uneven. Presently, India maintains one of the world ‘ s largest rail systems , with 18 million daily passengers, a staff of 1.4 million employees and 17,000 trains operating on 64000 kilometres of track. The railways traverse the length and breadth of the country and carry over 30 million passengers and 2.8 million tons of freight daily. India also has a far – reaching road network of over 3.314 million kilometres ,yet in comparison to telecom, performances of these sectors have been inadequate , especially when counted in terms of the country ‘ s surface area or population . While the world’s telecom market grew at a faster pace, the growth in country’s physical infrastructure like roads and railways has been comparatively slower.
For faster development of infrastructure in the country, in 2010-11 General Budget , infrastructure sector has received much priority . Special emphasis has been laid on the development of rural infrastructure development that has been allotted ₹61000 crore, while urban infrastructure development has been allocated ₹5400 crore. Allocation for road infrastructure has also been ₹ 19894 crore and a total of ₹ 48000 crore has been kept aside for Bharat Nirman. To fulfill the significant deficit in the availability of physical infrastructure across different sectors which are hindering economic development, the government is encouraging private participation in the expansion of critical infrastructure and public – private partnership to improve the viability of infrastructure projects. Since infrastructure financing have to fall back on long – term contractual savings, the government has decided to put into effect the financing of infrastructure projects through the India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL) . To support this, the World Bank has lent a record $ 9.2 billion to India in 2010 , to help finance public – private partnership in infrastructure , especially in the roads , power and ports sector. A critical problem facing India’s economy is the sharp and growing regional variations and poor infrastructure in low- income states such as Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh. The Bank has also financed rural credit cooperatives to fund the development of infrastructure in the backwards regions of the country.

THANKYOU !

India has achieved its NDC target with total non-fossil based installed energy capacity of 157.32 GW which is 40.1% of the total installed electricity capacity

 At COP 21, as part of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), India had committed to achieving 40% of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil energy sources by 2030. The country has achieved this target in November 2021 itself. The country’s installed Renewable Energy (RE) capacity stands at 150.54 GW (solar: 48.55 GW, wind: 40.03 GW, Small hydro Power: 4.83, Bio-power: 10.62, Large Hydro: 46.51 GW) as on 30.11.2021 while its nuclear energy based installed electricity capacity stands at 6.78 GW. This brings the total non-fossil based installed energy capacity to 157.32 GW which is 40.1% of the total installed electricity capacity of 392.01 GW. In line with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s announcement at the recently concluded CoP26, the Government is committed to achieving 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by the year 2030.

During the last 7.5 years, India has witnessed the fastest rate of growth in renewable energy capacity addition among all large economies, with renewable energy capacity (including large hydro) growing 1.97 times and solar energy expanding over 18 times.

 

  1. Investment in Renewables
  • India’s renewable energy programme is driven by private sector investment. As per REN21 Renewables 2020 Global status Report , during the period 2014 -2019 renewable energy programmes and projects in India attracted an investment of US$ 64.4 billion. In the year 2019 alone, US$ 11.2 billion were invested. New opportunities have emerged, and altogether new business space has been created. Indian companies have begun to explore foreign stock exchanges as a source of funds. India is progressively becoming a favored destination for investment in renewables.
  • As per Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) data Cell, DPIIT, the Indian ‘Non-Conventional Energy’ sector received approximately US$ 7.27 billion as FDI from the year 2014-15 upto June 2021. Of this, FDI of US$ 797.21 million was attracted during 2020-21. Liberal foreign investment policy allows the foreign investors to enter into joint ventures with an Indian partner for financial and/or technical collaboration and for setting up of renewable energy-based power generation projects. Upto 100 per cent foreign investment as equity qualifies for automatic approval, under the extant FDI policy of the Government.
  1. Major Programmes and Schemes:
  • Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM): To provide energy and water security, de-dieselise the farm sector and also generate additional income for farmers by producing solar power, Government launched PM-KUSUM Scheme for farmers. The Scheme consists of three components:
  • Component A: Installation of 10,000 MW of Decentralized Grid Connected Solar Power Plants each of capacity up to 2 MW
  • Component B: Setting up of 20 lakh standalone Solar Powered Agriculture Pumps
  • Component C: Solarisation of 15 Lakh existing Grid-connected Agriculture Pumps

The Scheme aims to add 30.8 GW of solar capacity with central financial support of over Rs. 34,000 Crore. Based on the learning during first year, business models for feeder level solarisation was included as new variant under Component-C. Convergence of Scheme with PM-KSY and Agriculture Infrastructure Fund also accomplished. For ease of availability of finance the Reserve Bank of India  has included the three components of the Scheme under Priority Sector Lending Guidelines. Cumulatively, about 5000 MW capacity of small solar power plants under component-A, 3.6 lakh standalone solar pumps under component-B and solarisation of over 10 lakh grid connected pumps under the two variants of component-C have been allocated in various States. After restrictions on COVID-19 pandemic were relaxed, installation has picked up and as on 30.11.2021, over 75000 stand-alone solar pumps have been installed under the Component-B, total 20 MW capacity solar power plants installed under Component-A and over 1000 pumps reported solarised under individual pump solarisation variant of Component-C. Implementation of feeder level solarization variant under Component-C, which was introduced in December, 2020 has also started in a number of States.

  • Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme: On 28.04.2021, the Government introduced, Production Linked Incentive Scheme “National Programme on High Efficiency Solar PV Modules” with an outlay of Rs. 4500 crores to support and promote manufacturing of high efficiency solar PV modules, including the upstage vertical components like cells, wafers, ingots and polysilicon in India and thus reduce the import dependence in Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) sector. In pursuance of the decision, a tender for invitation of bids for manufacture of high efficiency solar PV modules was issued. The tender received very encouraging response wherein 18 bids were received which could add another around 55 GW of solar PV module manufacturing to present solar PV module manufacturing capacity of around 11 GW. Letter of Awards have been issued by IREDA on 11.11.2021/02.12.2021 to three successful bidders for setting up 8737 MW capacity of fully integrated solar PV manufacturing units.
  • Solar Parks Scheme: To facilitate large scale grid connected solar power projects, a scheme for “Development of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects” is under implementation with a target capacity of 40 GW capacity by March 2022. Solar parks provide solar power developers with a plug and play model, by facilitating necessary infrastructure like land, power evacuation facilities, road connectivity, water facility etc. along with all statutory clearances. As on 30.11.2021, 52 solar parks have been sanctioned with a cumulative capacity of 37.92 GW in 14 states. Solar power projects of an aggregate capacity of around 9.2 GW have already been commissioned in these parks.
  • Roof Top Solar programme Phase-II: Roof Top Solar programme Phase-II for accelerated deployment of solar roof top systems with a target of 40 GW installed capacity by the year 2021-22, is also under implementation. The scheme provides for financial assistance of upto 4 GW of solar roof top capacity to residential sector and there is a provision to incentivise the distribution companies for incremental achievement over the previous year. For residential sector use of domestically manufactured solar cells and modules have been mandated. This scheme is expected to act as catalyst for adding solar cell and module manufacturing capacity in India. As on 30.11.2021, a cumulative 5.7 GW solar roof top projects have been set up in the country. Against the target of 4GW for Residential sector under Rooftop Solar programme Phase-II, allocation of 3.4 GW already made to various states/ UTs and 1.07 GW already installed.
  • Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) Scheme: A scheme for setting up 12 GW Grid- Connected Solar PV Power Projects by Central Public Sector Undertakings with domestic cells and modules is under implementation. Viability Gap Funding support is provided under this scheme. Apart from adding solar capacity, the scheme will also create demand for domestically manufactured solar cells/modules, and thus help domestic manufacturing. Under this scheme, Government has sanctioned around 8.2 GW of projects, as on 30.11.2021.
  • Wind Power

India’s wind power potential at hub height of 120 meters is 695 GW. The wind power installed capacity has grown 1.9 times during past 7.5 years to about 40 GW and 9.67 GW of projects are at various stages of commissioning (as on 30.11 2021). India has the 4th largest wind power capacity in the world.

The wind energy sector is led by the indigenous wind power industry with a strong project ecosystem, operation capabilities and a manufacturing base of about 12 GW per annum. All the major global players of Wind Turbine Manufacturing field have their presence in the country and over 35 different models of wind turbines are being manufactured by more than 15 different companies, through joint ventures under licensed production, subsidiaries of foreign companies, and Indian companies with their own technology. The unit size of wind turbine in India has gone up to 3.6 MW.

Government of India has notified the offshore Wind Energy Policy to harness the potential of offshore wind energy along India’s coastline. Ministry is developing strategy and roadmap for installation of offshore wind projects off the coast of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.

The Ministry has notified the wind solar hybrid policy, providing a framework for promotion of large grid connected wind-solar PV hybrid projects for optimal and efficient utilization of transmission infrastructure and land, reducing the variability in renewable power generation and achieving better grid stability. As on 30.11.2021, capacity of 3.75 GW of wind-solar hybrid projects have been awarded, out of which 0.2 GW capacity is already commissioned. In addition, capacity of 1.7 GW wind-solar hybrid projects are at various stages of bidding.

  • Off-Grid Solar PV Applications Programme Phase III: Phase-III of the Off-Grid Solar PV Applications Programme for Solar Street Lights, Solar Study Lamps and Solar Power Packs was available as on 31.03.2021. As on 30.11.2021 over 1.45 lakh solar street lights installed, 9.03 lakh solar study lamps distributed and 2.5 MW solar power packs have been set-up as reported by State Nodal agencies (SNAs).
  • Atal Jyoti Yojana (AJAY) Phase-II: The AJAY Ph-II Scheme for installation of solar street lights with 25% fund contribution from MPLAD Funds was discontinued from 1 April 2020 as the Government decided to suspend the MPLAD Funds for next two years i.e. 2020-21 and 2021-22. However, installation of 1.5 lakh solar street lights sanctioned under the scheme till March 2020 was under progress and as on 30.11.2021 around 1.21 lakh solar street lights have reportedly been installed and balance are targeted to be completed by December 2021.
  • Green Energy Corridor

In order to facilitate renewable power evacuation and reshaping the grid for future requirements, the Green Energy Corridor (GEC) projects have been initiated. The first component of the scheme, Inter-state GEC with target capacity of 3200 circuit kilometer (ckm) transmission lines and 17,000 MVA capacity sub-stations, was completed in March 2020. The second component – Intra-state GEC with a target capacity of 9700 ckm transmission lines and 22,600 MVA capacity sub-stations is expected to be completed by June 2022. As on 30.11.2021, 8434 ckm of intra-state transmission lines have been constructed and 15268 MVA intra-state substations have been charged.

  • Other renewables for power generation

The following Bio-energy schemes were under implementation by the Ministry:

  • Programme on Energy from Urban, Industrial and Agricultural Wastes/ Residues
  • Scheme to support Promotion of Biomass based cogeneration in sugar mills and other industries
  • Biogas Power (Off-Grid) Generation and Thermal application Programme (BPGTP)
  • New National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme (NNBOMP)

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has been implementing above-mentioned schemes 2020-21. The programmes which were valid till 31.03.2021, has been recommended for continuation by EFC for the period FY 2021-22 to 2025-26 only for meeting the already created liabilities. Thus, no new projects after 31.03.2021 are to be sanctioned.

As on 31.11.2021, installed capacity of biomass power and cogeneration projects stood at about 9.4 GW(Bagasse) and 0.77 GWeq (Non-Bagasse) , waste to energy projects capacity was 199.14 MW(grid connected) and 234.97 MWeq (off grid), and about 4.83 GW small hydro power capacity from 1146 small hydro power projects which were operational.

  1. Policies and Initiatives:
  • Waiver of Inter State Transmission System (ISTS) charges for inter-state sale of solar and wind power for projects to be commissioned by 30.06.2025,
  • Keeping in view India’s long-term goals of decarbonising the electricity systems, and achieving energy security, and in keeping with our international commitments, in July 2016, long term Renewable Purchase Obligation growth trajectory, uniformly applicable to all States/UTs up to the year 2021-22, was notified. Further, the Ministry of Power on 29.01.2021 included Hydropower Purchase Obligation (HPO) within Non-Solar Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) and notified the long term updated RPO trajectory from 2019-20 to 2021-22 including HPO till 2029-30.
  • Competitive Bidding guidelines for procurement of solar and wind power have been notified under section 63 of Electricity Act, 2003. These Guidelines provide for standardization and uniformity of the procurement process and a risk-sharing framework between various stakeholders, thereby encouraging investments, enhancing bankability and improving profitability for projects. The Guidelines also facilitate transparency and fairness in the procurement processes which have resulted in the drastic fall in solar and wind power prices over the past few years. Solar PV power tariff had dropped to an all-time low of Rs. 1.99 per unit in an auction of projects of 500 MW capacity by Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (GUVNL) in December 2020.
  • To build investor trust by ensuring payment security and tackle the risks related to delays in payments to independent power producers, DISCOMs have been mandated to issue and maintain letters of credit (LCs);
  • Efforts have been undertaken to strengthen and expand the domestic manufacturing eco-system. Schemes namely PM-KUSUM, Solar Rooftop and CPSU have a precondition of Domestic Content Requirement, directly creating a domestic demand of more than 36 GW solar PV (cells & modules). In order to curb proliferation of imported solar PV cells and modules, a Safeguard Duty was imposed w.e.f. 30.07.2018 for two years. It has been extended for one more year at the rates of 14.90 per cent for imports during 30.07.2020 to 29.01.2021; and 14.50 percent for imports during 30.01.2021 to 29.07.2021. Government has decided to impose Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on import of solar PV modules @40% and on import of solar PV cells @25% with effect from 01.04.2022.
  1. Hydrogen Mission

In the Independence Day speech on 15.08.2021, Prime Minister announced the launch of National Hydrogen Mission and stated the goal to make India a global hub for Green Hydrogen production and export. The draft National Green Hydrogen Mission document is under inter-ministerial consultations.

The Mission proposes a framework for inter alia creating demand for Green Hydrogen in sectors such as petroleum refining and fertilizer production; support for indigenous manufacturing of critical technologies; Research & Development activities; and an enabling policy and regulatory framework. The proposed steps will lead to the development of additional renewable energy capacity for Green Hydrogen production.

  1.        One Sun – One World – One Grid (OSOWOG)

A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the World Bank on 08.09.2020 for a study on the OSOWOG initiative. Currently, the implementation plan, road map and institutional framework is being developed by a consultant appointed for this purpose. The inception report has already been submitted by the consultant in September’2021. The complete study is expected to be completed by mid of 2022.

  1. International Solar Alliance

International Solar Alliance (ISA) was launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, and the President of France on 30.11.2015 at Paris, France. With the signing and ratification of the ISA Framework Agreement by 15 countries, on 06.12.2017, ISA became the first international intergovernmental organization to be headquartered in India.

On 15.07.2020, this amendment came into force, which enables all member States of the UN, including those beyond the tropics, to join the ISA. As on 30.11.2021, 101 countries have signed the Framework Agreement of the ISA. Of these, 80 countries have also ratified the same.

  1. Issues/Challenges ahead
  • Mobilization of the necessary finance and investment on competitive terms: Gearing up the banking sector for arranging finances for larger deployment goals, exploring low-interest rate, long-term international funding, and developing a suitable mechanism for risk mitigation or sharing by addressing both technical and financial bottlenecks are major challenges. Need for mobilization of funds on attractive terms has further increased with launch of PM-KUSUM, which provides farmers an opportunity to become entrepreneurs and participate in India’s growth story. The ongoing efforts for mitigating investment risks, and easing approval processes would also need to be strengthened.
  • Land acquisition: Land acquisition is one of the major challenges in renewable power development. Identification of land with RE potential, its conversion (if needed), clearance from land ceiling Act, decision on land lease rent, clearance from revenue department, and other such clearances take time. State governments have to play a major role in acquisition of land for RE projects.
  • Creating an innovation and manufacturing eco-system in the country;
  • Integrating larger share of renewables with the grid;
  • Enabling supply of firm and dispatchable power from renewables;
  • Enabling penetration of renewables in the so called hard to decarbonize sectors.
  1. Some Steps by MNRE for facilitating RE Sector amid COVID-19 Pandemic:
  • Ensuring uninterrupted operation of Renewable Energy (RE) Plants in lockdown:

MNRE had requested States/UTs for facilitating ensuring uninterrupted essential operation of Renewable Energy Generating Stations (REGS) (solar power plants, wind power plants, solar-wind hybrid power plants, small hydro power plants, biomass / biogas based power plants, etc.) and provide facilitation /permission for material movement needed by them during the nation-wide lockdown for COVID-19 outbreak.

  • Time-Extension of around 7.5 months on account of lock-down and disruption due to COVID-19:

MNRE had issued orders regarding treating lockdown due to COVID-19, as Force Majeure and granting of time-extension of around 7.5 months for renewable energy projects on account of lockdown and disruptions on account of COVID-19.

  • Facilitating Invoicing: by non –insistence on signed hard copy.

MNRE had issued directions regarding accepting invoices over email without insisting on submission of signed hard copy and in cases where Joint Meter Reading (JMR) cannot be signed due to lockdown, acceptance of Invoices generated by RE Developers on basis on photograph of meter reading/ downloaded meter data.

  • Insisting on Must-Run, Timely Payments & no Curtailments:

MNRE had issued clarifications that Renewable Energy (RE) Generating Stations have been granted ‘Must-Run’ status and this status of ‘Must-Run’ remains unchanged during the period of lockdown, and further directing DISCOMs that since RE Generating Stations comprise only a minor portion of the total electricity generation in the country, the payments to RE generators be done on regular basis as was being done prior to lockdown as per established procedure. MNRE further issued directions reiterating that Renewable Energy remains ‘Must-Run’ and any curtailment but for grid safety reason would amount to deemed generation.

Let It Snow: A Book Review

A contented sigh. That’s it. That is what this beautifully woven book is. And so so much more at the same time. A warm, cozy, funny, bright, and snug tale, Let It Snow by Maureen Johnson, John Green, and Lauren Myracle will spread the Christmas magic whenever you’re reading it. And I am NOT kidding about the warmness, it’s extreme. I mean, I couldn’t hide a smile away from my face while reading this beautiful tale, or tales may I add (there are 3, each by one author)

Set in the frosty ground of Gracetown, This story is about not just one but many interesting persons. Though the fun begins when we discover that these stories are interrelated, deeply. After all, what is it but a small tiny town, lumped with snow, and ice streams?

The first story, The Jubilee Express by Maureen Johnson is impeccably warm and sets the tone for the book ahead. It is a story about a girl named Jubilee. Yeah. Let that sink in. So, Jubilee is, like her name, unique, quirky, and fun. For the most part at least. As Christmas approaches, she faces a series of chronicles and perils that completely change her life. Mind it, in just one day. It is super adventurous and crazy. You would love it as soon as you read it. Also, the thing about Johnson is that she writes with relativity to her readers, so that they feel connected to the character and grow more interested in the book as the story goes. I have to say, she has done a significant job at that. I could totally relate to her, the sarcasm, the unique interpretations of things we see in everyday life(like where you can read about wherever the cat sits, we’ll build a house(understood only when the book is read)).

The next story is A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle by John Green. It lets us in Tobin’s life. A simple guy with a clever mind and succint but explanatory way of speech. He has two friends, the duke(who is actually a girl) and a Korean mate who is obsessed with the word “asshat” , JP. There monotonous life watching james bond movies gets a turning point with a call, It’s Kuen, another of the only 2 Korean guys in Gracetown. Who also works at the nearby waffle house. There is some engrossing news which makes them scurry into a frenzy. And then, as any other mushy, happy and warm holiday book, there life changes. John Green, as always, puts his charm into the book, with his use of everyday lingo, he makes the story light, fun and merry, just like a Christmas should be.

The last one is The Patron Saint Of Pigs by Lauren Myracle. In this story, we witness the life of Addie, a girl with serious emotional problems, but still cheery and fun. A barista, Her aura is full of drama and chaos, but she gets through it sailing. Though we see her a lot on the verge of emotional and mental breakdowns, her friends, Tegan and Dorrie are always by her side. Not throwing any major spoilers, I can’t resist to say that this story is touching, hilarious and absolutely breathtaking. Lauren Myracle has moulded a marvellous creation by writing this.

Christmas is a state of mind.

-Mayzie

Harnessing the Youth Power

By – Supriya

The greatest wealth and strength of any nation is its youth. The future of a nation lies in the hands of its posterity . The quality of its youth determines the kind of future the nation will have . Therefore, if we want to ensure a bright future for our country, we first need to strengthen and empower our youth. The youth of any nation and society are its potential energy. They are the powerhouse and storehouse of infinite energy. They are the ones who are the pride of the nation. It is the youth which bring laurels to their country . These are only a few examples of all the sung and unsung heroes and heroines who have left their imprints on the sands of time and have led our country forward. In fact, we owe our present to the youth of the previous generation who forsook their everything , even their lives for the freedom of their motherhood. Who can forget the great sacrifices of Rajguru, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Mangal Pandey etc who surrendered everything for their country.
Youth make up about 34% of the total population of the country. This 34% constitutes the country’s future. If we can harness this powerhouse of the nation in the right direction, then the country can reach untold heights. All we need is to direct the energy of our youth in constructive channels that lead to development and progress. The creative potential of the younger generation coupled with their zeal, enthusiasm , energy and versatility can work wonders for the country. We need to empower our youth so that they can make a better tomorrow. The best and the first and foremost way to strengthen our youth is to provide them education. Not just any kind of education , but the right kind of education which makes them scientific , logical , open – minded , self respecting, responsible , honest and pathetic . Without these virtues being developed, our youth cannot walk in the desired way and they will remain in a deep slumber of complacency. Unless harnessed and tapped in the right way, this very energy of the youth can tip over the other side and become destructive and dangerous for the society; crime is on high and violence is increasing in today’s time. If we look at the data, we realise that our youth is losing touch with a sense of right and wrong or good and bad.
This is because , as a nation , we have failed in our duty to capture their energy and mould it in the right direction. Due to increasing unemployment , we have been unable to keep our youth busy in constructive works. We fail to help them realise their dreams and hence they get lost and go in the wrong direction , as the saying goes ” An empty mind is the devil’ s workshop”. We have failed to give them the right kind of opportunities . Look at our own youth settled overseas – they are working wonders there. Why can’t they do it here, in their own country? The answer lies in the lack of opportunities , which they find in plenty in other countries. The loss is completely ours. An entire nation will, in a few years be empty of its posterity due to this increasing tendency to go abroad and get settled – called the Brain Drain of the country. It is high time we prevent our youth from leaving the country or giving into violence and terrorism by providing them better options ,by strengthening and empowering them. Let us focus on constructively using the power of the youth for the betterment of the nation. Let us frame such policies which aim at empowering our youth so that we can be assured of a better future and a brighter tomorrow.

THANKYOU !

Reservation Issue

By – Supriya

The concept of reservation was enshrined in the Constitution to allow the so – called deprived classes to come at par with the so – called privileged ones. The Constitution of India allows this kind of positive discrimination in order to bring about equality of opportunity and status to the underprivileged in the society. The founding fathers had never intended Reservation to be a temporary phenomenon. Reservations to the underprivileged were to be extended until they were uplifted socially and stabilized economically . Reservations, with the view of helping the deprived classes to gain a better footing and avail equal benefits of an independent and free nation, was introduced in the system. Yet, the various governments till now have failed to truly uplift the backward sections of the society and failed to provide them with equal opportunities even after 64 years of independence. Freedom and application of a reservation policy, has changed nothing. In reality, reservation has failed at all fronts. Not only has it failed to achieve the desired aim of bringing the non – privileged classes into mainstream , it has marginalized them all the more and deepened the caste system even more. Moreover, reservations is now used not as an effective means of eliminating discrimination but as a vile instruments for increasing vote – bank. The 93 Rd amendment and the recent declaration of the government for reservation in institutions of higher education has once again stirred the anger of the youth in general all over the country. The moral ground in favour of reservations still holds good. What is needed is to formulate a well – balanced policy of reservation, which opens equal doors of opportunity to all . Development of one section of the society should not be at the cost of the other section. Development of the society can be possible only if all the sections of the society are given equal opportunities. Opportunity for development should be judiciously distributed among all the sections of society. Development should not be an exclusive commodity of a privileged section of the society. Opportunity in education , jobs and other fields of life should be equally distributed.
If one takes a look at the issue objectively one will realise that the intention behind reservations is not faulty at all but it is the implementation and the application of it that has proved ineffective . The way reservation has been implemented all these years has deepened and aggravated the caste distinctions in the society, marginalized the poor and the needy and has benefited only the topmost layer of the so – called Backward Classes. The benefit of reservation has failed to trickle down to the lowest section of the society. Moreover, it has killed the spirit of brotherhood and healthy competition , the desire to surge forward and to work hard. Reservations based on the narrow concept of caste is, thus, fundamentally wrong and hence has proved to be a failure. Thus, it is time to introspect ,by keeping aside the greed of political mileage , and thinking objectively about where things have gone wrong. It seems that nobody really cares about the welfare of the underdog but wants to gain a bit of the large chunk of political boost for the next elections. Reservation should not be forsaken because, in fact , every one wants that society should develop as a whole and everyone should reap the benefits of development . But reservations instead of being caste – based to meet the political needs of our power hungry politicians , should be based on a more acceptable criteria through which every section of the society is benefited. For instance, it can be based on economic status or anything else that can work truly for our society and state. We should take a lesson from the United States in this regard . It is the most market – oriented country in the world and has a policy of affirmative action. US universities and the government give preference to Black and Hispanic applicants in admission as well as jobs. Yet the US economy remains among the most competitive in the world. The trick lies in undertaking affirmative action by providing incentives rather than quota – based restrictions.We need to identify the ones who are really needy, downtrodden and underprivileged . Then ,we need to provide them with proper incentives such as education, opportunities and financial backing. After that real talent and hardwork should be awarded and accepted instead of blindly guaranteeing anyone a secure future merely on the basis of caste even though he/she is least deserving . Merit should be the criteria because the country needs the best of its people in order to develop and not those who are harnessing the unmerited and undeserved benefits just because they belong to a section of society which has been luckily marked in the Constitution as underdeveloped. It is so disheartening to see a well – deserving candidate with a promising future to lose out to another less deserving candidate because he happens to be from a reserved section of the society. Why should a deserving individual suffer only because he happens to be a part of the so – called privileged class of society – unfortunately or merely because of the faulty policy of the state? Instead of encouraging this kind of lethargy, the policy should be formulated in such a way as to harness the real cream of every section of the society regardless of their caste or commodity for the betterment of the society. In view of the present scenario, it is needed to keep aside the narrow vote bank politics and think truly of the betterment of the underprivileged and honestly pursue policies and programmes for their upliftment.

THANKYOU !

HUMAN RIGHTS IN INDIA

Human rights day celebrated in 10th December.The National Human Rights Commission of India defines human rights as provided under the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA), 1993, as Rights Relating To Life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed by the constitution or embodied in the international covenants and enforceable by courts in India.Human Rights Day is observed on December 10 every year, since it was on this very day in 1948 that the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a milestone document that enshrines the rights and freedoms of all human beings.The international document also commits nations to recognise all humans as being “born free and equal in dignity and rights” regardless of “nationality, place of residence, gender, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status

7 human rights in India:-

* Origins.


* Significance and characteristics.


* Right to equality.


* Right to freedom.


* Right against exploitation.


* Right to freedom of religion.


* Right to life.


* Cultural and educational rights.

An Act to provide for the constitution of a National Human Rights Commission, State Human Rights Commissions in States and Human Rights Courts for better protection of human rights and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs. Department: Department of States.Protection of human rights is essential for the development of the people of the country, which ultimately leads to development of the national as a whole. The Constitution of India guarantees basic human rights to each and every citizen of the country.The Constitution of India guarantees to all Indian women equality (Article 14), no discrimination by the State (Article 15(1)), equality of opportunity (Article 16), equal pay for equal work (Article 39(d)) and Article 42.

Human rights are important because no one should be abused or discriminated against, and because everyone should have the chance to develop their talents. Unfortunately, many people around the world don’t have these basic rights and freedoms.It is constitutional mandate of judiciary to protect human rights of the citizens. Supreme Court and High Courts are empowered to take action to enforce these rights. Machinery for redress is provided under Articles 32 and 226 of the constitution.

The most significant human rights issues included police and security force abuses, such as extrajudicial killings, disappearances, torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, rape, harsh and life-threatening prison conditions, and lengthy pretrial detention.

In India, a child has the right to be protected from neglect, exploitation, and abuse at home and elsewhere. Children have the right to be protected from the incidence of abuse, exploitation, violence, neglect, commercial sexual exploitation, trafficking, child labour, and harmful traditional practices.

Liberalism

Introduction
The most keenly debated issue in international relations has been the pessimistic view of realism and the optimistic view of liberalism. Realism is regarded as the dominant theory of international relations, while liberalism has a strong claim to being the historic alternative. Comparing the two to the main political parties in a democracy, Timothy Dunne wrote, ‘Rather like political parties, realism is the natural party of the government, and the liberalism is the leader of the opposition.’

The liberal tradition in international relations in its is closely connected with the emergence of the modern liberal state. The focus of liberalism has been on freedom, cooperation, peace and progress. It has often been identified with individualism, as it insists on freedom of the individual, his rights and property. It is also closely associated, mainly by its critics, with capitalism. Liberalism is sometimes associated with the views of Mo Ti, who was a contemporary of realist Chinese scholar Sun Tzu. Both gave their opposing views more than 2,000 years ago.

Basic Assumptions Of Liberalism
Liberalism assumes instead portraying lust of power as the international conflict liberalism fights for the basic rights of the people. It insists on pursuing the political reforms establish democracies. It emphasizes on the value of the free trade on the basis that it will help in preventing the conflicts between nations as it reduces the national selfishness and enhances the communication.

Liberalism advocated the formation of the global institutions such as the United Nations which sees any threat to any individual nation as a threat to everyone. The institutions help in resolving the conflicts by mediating the conflicts in the event of any misunderstanding.

Basically liberals assume that states will act in a rational manner and they are a unitary actor.

The liberalists fell into three different groups as classified by the realists: The first group advocated league of the nations was formed with the objective to consider the attack on the nation as an attack on all. The second group formed the Permanent Court of International Justice that would lead to formation of judicial body capable of issuing justices to the disputes. The third group sort to avoid war by advocating “Disarmament“ in order to reduce the international tension.

Neoliberalism
Neoliberalism is a policy model that encompasses both politics and economics and seeks to transfer the control of economic factors from the public sector to the private sector. Many neoliberalism policies enhance the workings of free market capitalism and attempt to place limits on government spending, government regulation, and public ownership.https://a6c140989941be06481216af16f29a9b.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

Neoliberalism is often associated with the leadership of Margaret Thatcher–the prime minister of the U.K. from 1979 to 1990 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990–and Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the U.S. (from 1981 to 1989). More recently, neoliberalism has been associated with policies of austerity and attempts to cut government spending on social programs.

Liberalism VS Neoliberalism
At its core, liberalism is a broad political philosophy; it holds liberty to a high standard and defines all social, economic, and political aspects of society, including–but not limited to–the role of government. The policies of neoliberalism, on the other hand, are more narrowly focused. They are primarily concerned with markets and the policies and measures that influence the economy.

How was your 2021?


Since we all are dealing with the pandemic since 2020, it has been almost two years that most of us are not that social. There has not been much communication with most of the people that we used to before the pandemic. Follow these tips to spread happiness among those who put efforts to make your 2021 a year:

  1. Greet: Make a greeting card for one of your friends, or family members. you can also make a colllage of your pictures that represents the best moments together. If you are not much good at making cards then you can do these online as there are some websites that provide customized greeting cards.
  2. Show Gratefulness: Be grateful to those who always have put effort into your relationship. It can be anyone your parents, siblings or friends. Thank them for being always there for you.
  3. Surprise: you can plan gifts for anyone. It can be the people who have been always happy to help you like watchmen, milkmen, vegetable sellers etc.
  4. Plan a trip: It would have been a lot many days that you went out with one of your family members or friends so plan a trip or a nightout or a party at home to recollect all the memories together.
    Likewise you can enjoy the last days of the year and refresh yourself before your the new year starts and be ready for the new challenges to face!!

What is SWAYAM

SWAYAM is a programme initiated by Government of India and designed to achieve the three cardinal principles of Education Policy viz., access, equity and quality. The objective of this effort is to take the best teaching learning resources to all, including the most disadvantaged. SWAYAM seeks to bridge the digital divide for students who have hitherto remained untouched by the digital revolution and have not been able to join the mainstream of the knowledge economy.

This is done through a platform that facilitates hosting of all the courses, taught in classrooms from Class 9 till post-graduation to be accessed by anyone, anywhere at any time. All the courses are interactive, prepared by the best teachers in the country and are available, free of cost to any learner. More than 1,000 specially chosen faculty and teachers from across the country have participated in preparing these courses.
The courses hosted on SWAYAM are in 4 quadrants – (1) video lecture, (2) specially prepared reading material that can be downloaded/printed (3) self-assessment tests through tests and quizzes and (4) an online discussion forum for clearing the doubts. Steps have been taken to enrich the learning experience by using audio-video and multi-media and state of the art pedagogy / technology.
In order to ensure that best quality content is produced and delivered, nine National Coordinators have been appointed. They are:
AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) for self-paced and international courses
NPTEL (National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning) for Engineering
UGC (University Grants Commission) for non technical post-graduation education
CEC (Consortium for Educational Communication) for under-graduate education
NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) for school education
NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling) for school education
IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University) for out-of-school students
IIMB (Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore) for management studies
NITTTR (National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research) for Teacher Training programme
Courses delivered through SWAYAM are available free of cost to the learners, however learners wanting a SWAYAM certificate should register for the final proctored exams that come at a fee and attend in-person at designated centres on specified dates. Eligibility for the certificate will be announced on the course page and learners will get certificates only if this criteria is matched. Universities/colleges approving credit transfer for these courses can use the marks/certificate obtained in these courses for the same.
School
Education
NIOS
NCERT
Out-of-School
Education
IGNOU
NITTTR
Under-Graduate
Education
NPTEL
AICTE
CEC
IIMB
Post-Graduate
Education
NPTEL
AICTE
IIMB
UGC
Credit Transfer
UGC has already issued the UGC (Credit Framework for online learning courses through SWAYAM) Regulation 2016 advising the Universities to identify courses where credits can be transferred on to the academic record of the students for courses done on SWAYAM. AICTE has also put out gazette notification in 2016 and subsequently for adoption of these courses for credit transfer.
The current SWAYAM platform is developed by Ministry of Education and NPTEL, IIT Madras with the help of Google Inc. and Persistent Systems Ltd.
Guideline for Developing Online
Courses for SWAYAM
University Grants Commission Gazette: Credit Framework
for Online Learning Courses
through SWAYAM
All India Council for
Technical Education Gazette:
Credit Framework for Online Learning Courses
through SWAYAM

Scope of Teacher Education in India

Teacher Education is one of the important components to determine the quality of a teacher. Untrained teachers remains deprived of becoming aware realising many good qualities of a teacher. Teaching is a profession which requires the development of typical the feelings and skills of harnessing the good qualities in a learner. To ensure that all untrained teachers acquire the requisite qualifications, SSA provides for 60 days of training for teachers who have not received any training before their recruitment. But this training cannot be deemed to be equivalent to requisite training qualification as prescribed by the NCTE. However, after the notification of the ” Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 effective from 1st April 2010, it is imperative that all teachers teaching at the elementary level, if not trained, shall have to acquire training qualification within a period of five years. 

The number of untrained teachers is so large that it may not be possible to train all of them through face to face formal system. Alternative strategies like Open & Distance Learning system is considered to be an effective strategy to complete this gigantic task. With this backdrop, it has been decided to develop and implement an elementary teacher training programme through Open & Distance Learning mode for untrained teachers teaching in elementary schools. The entire training strategies for in-service untrained teachers need to be based on the basic principles enumerated below:
i. Promotion of child friendly and barrier free education for all children,
ii. Promotion of child centred pedagogical processes leading to more of activities for experiential learning, exploration, inquiry, discovery, etc.
iii. Based on NCF 2005 and to guide all our plans for facilitating teaching-learning processes in different subject areas. It centers around five key guiding principles:
· Connecting knowledge to life outside the school;
· Ensuring that learning shifts from rote methods;
· Enriching the curriculum so that it goes beyond textbooks;
· Making examinations more flexible and integrating them with classroom life;
· Nurturing an overriding identity informed by caring concerns within the democratic polity of the country.
iv. Promoting a non-threatening assessment system with in-built process for a continuous assessment system. Teacher preparation needs to look at CCE as an important area of learning for the teachers.
v. RTE Act 2009 bans corporal punishment and private tuitions by teachers. Accordingly the teacher preparation plan also will provide ways and means of making the classrooms more child friendly for children so that every child learns well as desired under the Act.
The objectives of the Programme are to :
· enable teachers to understand and address diversity in their context;
· empower them to improve quality of classroom processes/transaction;
· develop capacity in them to promote child friendly, child cantered processes in school;
· familiarize them with appropriate teaching learning processes;
· facilitate them to develop leadership & problem-solving skills among children;
· sensitize them to contribute towards safeguarding child rights

ONLINE EDUCATION

WHAT IS ONLINE EDUCATION:-

A classroom is method of using cell phones and computers to make teacher and student in connection.This method of education is popularized during the corona.

ONLINE EDUCATION IS EFFECTIVE:-

In my perception online education is not that much effective when compare to the offline classes.Because we started schooling in offline class,Immediate change in method is not acceptable.In offline class we can ask doubts.But in online classes some not get good network.

ADVANTAGES OF ONLINE EDUCATION:-

* It reduce financial costs for students in transportation,meals.

* we can feel more comfortable than offline class.

* Another advantage of online education is that it allows students to attend classes from any location of their choice.

* online lectures can be recorded, archived, and shared for future reference.


DISADVANTAGES OF ONLINE EDUCATION:-

* Little or no face-to-face interaction.

* In online education we have to see screen more time cause headache,damage eyes.

* Another disadvantage is some have network issues unable to ask questions.

* Online courses require more time than on-campus classes.

* Online courses may create a sense of isolation.


HOW WE CAN MAKE ONLINE EDUCATION EFFECTIVE:-

* By Creating shorter content.

* Assign group and pair work.

* Take care in setting up your home environment.

* By giving break or reducing time of class.

* By creating individual learning plans.