E-waste is a term used to cover all items of electrical and electronic equipment and its parts that
have been discarded by its owner as waste without the intent of re-use, also known as WEEE
(Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment).
The 'Global E-Waste Monitor 2014', compiled by UN's think tank United Nations University (UNU),
said at 32 per cent, the US and China produced the most e-waste overall in 2014. India came in fifth,
behind the US, China, Japan and Germany, the report said.
Most e-waste in the world in 2014 was generated in Asia at 16 Mt or 3.7 kg per inhabitant. The top
three Asian nations with the highest e-waste generation in absolute quantities are China (6.0 Mt),
Japan (2.2 Mt) and India (1.7 Mt).
The top per capita producers by far are the wealthy nations of northern and western Europe, the top
five being Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Denmark, and the UK. The lowest amount of e-waste per
inhabitant was generated in Africa (1.7 kg/inhabitant).
In 2014, people worldwide discarded all but a small fraction of an estimated 41.8 Mt of electrical and
electronic equipment -- mostly end-of-life kitchen, laundry and bathroom equipment like microwave
ovens, washing machines and dishwashers.
The volume of e-waste is expected to rise by 21% to 50 Mt in 2018, said the report, which details the
location and composition of the world's fast-growing e-waste problem.
While only 7% of e-waste last year was made up of mobile phones, calculators, personal computers,
printers, and small information technology equipment, almost 60% was a mix of large and small
equipment used in homes and businesses, such as vacuum cleaners, toasters, electric shavers,
video cameras, washing machines, electric stoves, mobile phones, calculators, personal computers,
and lamps.
The 41.8 Mt weight of last year's e-waste is comparable to the distance from New York to Tokyo and
back. The global quantity of e-waste in 2014 is comprised of 1.0 Mt lamps, 3.0 Mt of Small IT, 6.3 Mt
of screens and monitors, 7.0 Mt of temperature exchange equipment (cooling and freezing
equipment), 11.8 Mt large equipment, and 12.8 Mt of small equipment. The amount of e-waste is
expected to grow to 49.8 Mt in 2018, with an annual growth rate of 4 to 5 per cent.
The e-waste generated in 2014 contained an estimated 16,500 kilotons of iron, 1,900 kilotons of
copper, 300 tons of gold (equal to 11 per cent of the world's total 2013 gold production), as well as
silver, aluminum, palladium plastic and other resources with a combined estimated value of USD 52
billion.
Toxins in that e-waste include 2.2 Mt of lead glass, 0.3 Mt of batteries, as well as mercury, cadmium,
chromium and 4,400 tones of ozone-depleting substances (CFCs). Health problems associated with
such toxins include impaired mental development, cancer, and damage to livers and kidneys, the
report added.
However, they are likely to be the gap between the e-waste generated, officially collected and the ewaste in the waste bin. Official data for the trans boundary movement of e-waste (mostly from
developed to developing countries) are unknown.
"The monitor provides a baseline for national policymakers, producers and the recycling industry, to
plan take-back systems. It can also facilitate cooperation around controlling illegal trade, supporting
necessary technology development and transfer, and assisting international organizations,
governments and research institutes in their efforts as they develop appropriate countermeasures.
"This will eventually lead to improved resource efficiency while reducing the environmental and
health impacts of e-waste."
Recyclable Materials in e-waste are valuable, secondary resources, and this "Urban Mine" needs to
be explored by efficient and environmental system. In the mean time, toxic material in e-Waste are
harmful to the environment, and this "toxic mine" need to be taken care of by proper handling system
as well.
The technology for solar power is still expensive and the cost of power comes out to be minimum Rs
7 compared to thermal power which costs Rs 3-4 per unit. Indian lower and middle class may not
agree to pay high rates. The solar power will be available during the day while peak demands in
India is during the night. The technology for storing electricity is expensive and may add to the cost.
The Grid in India is very unstable and weak and might not be able to absorb the solar power
generated.
The problems listed above mainly have to do with expensive technology and infrastructure
weakness. These problems are complex but solvable. India can use funding from Green Climate
Fund and loans from World Bank and newly opened New Development Bank and Asian
Infrastructure Investment Bank to strengthen the power grid and remove other infrastructural
bottlenecks. Platforms like UNFCCC can be used to get solar technologies from developing
countries at lower costs under the principles of CBDR which will lead to lower cost of solar power.
The development of solar energy is imperative for India. It can be used to partly solve the problem of
climate change which affects all but most severely the poor and vulnerable. If the government
adopts the right plan and executes it well utilizing the global partnership for action against climate
change, India will definitely reach its goal of 100000 MW of solar power by 2022 and the sun of solar
energy will shine brightly in India.
prevailing over every other priority. All should maintain friendliness, cooperation, peaceful
movements and competition for development in a bona fide way. Great leaders have always spoken
that humanity is greater than religion and it should encapsulate all.
interested in the topic, giving evidence of peer effects in socialization. Dominance of social media as
the preferred mode of acquisition of political information by young people is indisputable and their
political knowledge is positively influenced by it. Time and again it has been proved that
parliamentary knowledge and political interest of the youth is interlinked and this is the reason why in
recent times we are seeing substantial number of young people across racial and ethnic divide
engaging in participatory politics. Rise of several younger politicians are perfect examples to
prove the above stated point. As leaders they have interacted and connected with the youth and
have emerged as major forces in the world of Indian politics, mainly predominated by elderly age
group.
In an era when publics time and attention is increasingly directed towards social media platforms it
is important to realize how young people especially youth of the color are using new media to
amplify their voices in the political realm that need not be only elections or governance but also
various other matters that may affect a larger society. This new trend has turned feeble voices into a
roar and has caused individuals to act, taking our country by a storm.
earn
which is
interest
proposed
in
to
be
either
initially
cash
introduced
or
only
gold
in select
units.
cities.
"The new scheme will allow the depositors of gold to earn interest in their metal accounts and the
jewelers to obtain loans in their metal account. Banks/other dealers would also be able to monetize
this
gold."
The proposed scheme is aimed at monetizing idle gold held by households and institutions provide a
fillip to the gems and jewellery sector and reduce reliance on import of the metal over time to meet
the
domestic
demand.
"The amount of interest rate to be given is proposed to be left to the banks to decide. Both principal
and interest to be paid to the depositors of gold will be valued in gold.
It added, as an example, that if a customer deposits 100 gms of gold and gets 1 per cent interest,
then,
on
maturity
he
has
a
credit
of
101
gms.
With regard to redemption, the guidelines said that customers will have the option of getting it back
either in cash or in gold which will have to be exercised at the time of making deposit.
The tenure of the scheme has been proposed at a minimum 1 year and with a roll out option in
multiples of one year, it said, adding that it would be like a fixed deposit, breaking of lock-in period
will
be
allowed.
"To incentivize banks, it is proposed that they may be permitted to deposit the mobilized gold as part
of their CRR/SLR requirements with RBI. This aspect is still under examination," it said.
Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) are mandatory requirement which
banks have to follow as per RBI directive.
Elaborating other benefits of the scheme, the guidelines said, banks may sell the gold to generate
foreign currency. The foreign currency thus generated can then be used for onward lending to
exporters
or
importers.
Bank may convert mobilized gold into coins for onward sale to their customers and can be used for
lending
to
jewelers,
it
said.
The government is also planning to commence work on developing an Indian Gold Coin, which will
carry
the
Ashok
Chakra
on
its
face.
While there is a mention about "mobilize the gold held by households and institutions in the country",
the real impact and benefit of this measure in terms of providing a major boost to the Indian
economy by release of the idle funds locked in these gold assets and its Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) multiplier effect has not been highlighted. Further, with India presently importing over 850
950 tons, mobilization under this Scheme will also enable in bringing down gold imports significantly
over a period of time, which will also provide a major relief to the Current Account Deficit being faced
in
the
balance
of
payments
in
foreign
exchange
by
the
Country.
The present draft of the Scheme does not bring out this objective and intent clearly and forcefully
and as such unless this is redrafted and re-positioned in a proper manner, the Scheme s objectives
and
ultimately
the
Scheme
itself
may
get
diluted.
Ultimately, scheme of gold is to boost the Indian economy using rest of the gold of India and getting
the foreign currencies.
jubilant era had commenced apparently. Moody changed its outlook on India from stable to positive.
India was hailed as 'bright spot' in Asia by none other than IMF chief Christian Laggarde. Bushels of
foreign investment over flowing in.The the World Bank pegged India's estimated growth at 7.5
percent. To cut a long story short, party was on for India until the MAT issue caught fire. The issue
got rekindled when finance minister exempted FII income from MAT after apple 1 2015 on the
budget day. But what about the FII income before April 1, 2015?
The tax department issued demand notices to the tune of Rupees 6500- 7000 crores for payment of
MAT on capital gains much lower than $ 6-7 billion as claimed by overseas investors to pressurize
government. During January to April investments by FPIs totaled Rupees 94,241 crores but the bad
news is that investors have pulled out nearly Rs. 17,000 crore from Indian capital markets in the first
week of May amid taxation worries.
Though statements have been issued to allay foreign investors that MAT won't be levied in countries
with whom India has double taxation agreements.Arun Jaitley issued statements to justify Income
tax department's actions to quell tensions between foreign investors and tax department. Legal
stance on the issue is vague as a result of which two schools of thought have emerged corroborating
and criticizing the tax department's actions.
Indian markets are on tenterhooks waiting for the final decision to come on the issue. However, apart
from the legal position, we need to look at broader logical and coherent perspective. India is now
more of a liberalized economy intertwined with global nerves. Hence retractmemt of funds from
Indian stock markets will destabilize the economy and the sweet period will soon come to an end.
Rupee which was enjoying stability till now will become volatile. India will lose its competitive edge
when the the position is so much favourable for India as India's growth rate is predicted to be higher
than China by international agencies. Moreover, the money will move to Chinese markets especially
when India is facing the dreaded fear of China a shares being enlisted in MSCI emerging market
index .Some will argue that relieving foreign investors of the tax will imply India ceding to foreign
pressure. Well for those remember that - "Taking one step back sometimes means preparing for a
big jump "to reassess the things for a better and clear perspective.
Anti-poaching initiatives
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
Deciding inviolate spaces and relocation of villages from crucial tiger habitats within a
timeframe by providing a better relocation package, apart from supporting States for
settlement of rights of such people
vii.
viii.
ix.
Supporting States for staff development and capacity building in tiger reserves.
x.
Mainstreaming wildlife concerns in tiger bearing forests outside tiger reserves, and fostering
corridor conservation in such areas through restorative strategy involving local people to
arrest fragmentation of habitats.
xi.
Providing safeguards / retrofitting measures in and around tiger reserves and tiger bearing
forests for wildlife conservation.
xii.
xiii.
xiv.
xv.
xvi.
Providing residential amenities to facilitate basic education to children of frontline field staff
posted in tiger reserves.
xvii.
NTCA
accomplished
Key
Milestones
and
Major
achievements:
From nine tiger reserves in 1973, it expanded to 39 tiger reserves in 2010. In the early eighties, it
undertook path breaking radio-telemetry study. The recent All India Tiger Estimation, using a peer
reviewed internationally recognized scientific methodology, highlights the achievement of Project
Tiger by showing that viable tiger population exists only in Project Tiger areas, while outside
populations are highly depleted. Over the years, the Project envisioned a core-buffer-corridor
strategy. While the core area of a tiger reserve is managed for wildlife conservation, the buffer is
treated
as
a
multiple
use
zone.
Project Tiger has saved the endangered tiger from extinction, and has put the species on an assured
path to recovery by improving the protection and status of its habitat. The core buffer strategy of
Project Tiger has provided scope for eliciting local public support through site specific ecodevelopment in the buffer/fringe areas. The Project has contributed towards several intangible
environmental benefits to society, such as absorption of carbon dioxide, improvement of micro
climate, rainfall and river flow. The Project has generated considerable wages for the benefit of
fringe dwelling communities, who are deployed as local work force for protection. While conserving
the flagship species, the Project has saved several other species of plants and animals from
extinction. The local communities are benefiting from eco-tourism apart from eco developmental
inputs in fringe areas. The Project has served as a role model for wildlife management planning,
habitat restoration, protection and eco-development. States have been provided funding support for
enhancing protection through deployment of local work force, ex-army personnel. The field staff have
been provided allowance as an incentive for working in difficult conditions. Independent monitoring
of tiger reserves has been undertaken by a panel of experts, based on the framework of the World
Commission of Protected Areas of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural
Resources (IUCN). The All India Estimation of tiger, co-predators and prey animals has been refined
by Project Tiger in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India, with a peer review mechanism
comprising independent experts, both national and international (IUCN).