Saturday, April 19, 2014

Highlights of Census 2011

Click here - http://www.halfmantr.com/display-ecomonic-issue/1592-highlights-of-census-2011

Friday, April 11, 2014

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

An open letter to the people of India on the Kashmir issue

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/an-open-letter-to-the-people-of-india-on-the-kashmir-issue/article5885007.ece

Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)

A significant capability: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/a-significant-capability/article5888072.ece

Unhealthy defiance

Unhealthy defiance: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/unhealthy-defiance/article5888071.ece

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Solar capacity in India crosses 2,500 MW

The total grid-connected solar capacity, commissioned under the National Solar Mission, crossed the 2,500-MW mark and stood at 2,632 MW as on March 31, 2014. Of the total, a little over a third of capacity was commissioned in Gujarat.

A total capacity of 947 MW was commissioned during fiscal 2013-14 and Madhya Pradesh added highest capacity of 310 MW during the year, according to a document of Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

Of the commissioned, higher contribution came from state-policy driven projects at 1,322 MW, followed by MNRE projects at 688 MW, REC Scheme at 491 MW and the rest came from RPO (renewable purchase obligation), private sector rooftop and central government organisations.

Gujarat (916 MW) topped the cumulative capacity table, followed by Rajasthan (730 MW), Madhya Pradesh (347 MW) and Maharashtra (249 MW), among others.

“The solar market potential remains as large as ever, even in a slower-growing economy. As power shortfalls continue, peak shortage is a critical problem that has stifled industrial growth, and back-up generation is becoming increasingly expensive. The diesel price hike of 50 paise a month since January 2013 has resulted in about 15 per cent increase in diesel prices over the last 13 months, making solar a very attractive option,” Raj Prabhu, CEO and Co-Founder of Mercom Capital Group, said.

While the total new capacity addition in renewable sector for 2013-14 is awaited, January 2014 saw two milestones — the total grid-interactive renewable energy capacity in the country crossed 30,000 MW and the total installed capacity of wind segment crossed 20,000 MW.

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Three repeat offenders get death penalty in Shakti Mills rape case

Principal sessions judge Shalini Phansalkar Joshi sentenced to death Vijay Jadhav, Qasim Sheikh alias Bengali and Salim Ansari.

A sessions court here awarded the death penalty, under a new IPC section, to three repeat offenders — Vijay Jadhav, Qasim Sheikh, alias Bengali, and Salim Ansari — who gang-raped a photojournalist on the Shakti Mills compound in 2013.

They were earlier convicted of the gang rape of a telephone operator on the same premises.

Siraj Sheikh, convicted only in the photojournalist case, was sentenced to prison for the rest of his natural life.

Section 376 E of the Indian Penal Code, providing for the death penalty for repeat offenders, was introduced under the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act following the December 2012 Delhi gang rape. “No one will dare commit such a crime after this verdict. The death penalty is necessary to deter such criminal acts,” said Maharashtra Home Minister R.R. Patil.

Delivering the judgment, Principal Sessions Judge Shalini Phansalkar Joshi termed it the “rarest of the rare” cases. “If not in this case, then in which case can death be awarded? The accused showed no mercy towards the victim [photojournalist]. They were cruel in their conduct and had no remorse for the crime they committed,” she said.

“This is a crime not only against the girl but also a crime against society. The common man will lose faith in the system if leniency is shown. There should be zero tolerance of such crimes.”

Referring to the plea by the convicts, who appeared in court and pleaded for mercy, claiming they were the breadwinners of their families, the judge said, “Their economic status is irrelevant. This was a diabolical act.”

The court lauded the courage of the photojournalist in lodging the complaint. “The court has witnessed her trauma and pain. She had fainted during her deposition. This shows the extent of her suffering.”

Earlier, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, seeking the death penalty for the convicts, said: “Rape leaves a deep and permanent scar on the victim. The accused committed multiple rapes on defenceless women. They did not repent their earlier crime. They deserve no mercy.”