Cabinet Approvals on January 4, 2023

On January 4, 2023, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi approved the following proposals,

• The Central Sector “Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development (BIND)” Scheme with an outlay of Rs. 2,539.61 crore upto 2025-26
• The National Green Hydrogen Mission, with an estimated value of Rs 19,744 crore
• Naming of Greenfield International Airport in Mopa, Goa as “Manohar International Airport, Mopa, Goa”
• The Sunni Dam hydropower project in Himachal Pradesh (HP) with an investment of Rs. 2,614 crore

CCEA Approves Central Sector BIND Scheme with an Outlay of Rs. 2,539.61 Crore Up to 2025-26

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) proposal for the Central Sector Scheme “Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development” (BIND) at a cost of Rs. 2,539.61 crores for the infrastructure development of Prasar Bharati (Akashvani), i.e., All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD).

Prasar Bharati (Akashvani)

i.Prasar Bharati is India’s public broadcaster and the most vital source of information, education, entertainment, and engagement for the people, particularly in rural India.

• It provides information through its two divisions, DD and AIR, its radio vertical.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, it excelled at communicating public health messages and raising public awareness.

ii.DD currently operates 36 TV channels, including 28 regional channels, while AIR operates over 500 broadcasting stations.

BIND Scheme: A Major Boost for Public Service Broadcasting  

i.The BIND scheme will provide financial assistance to Prasar Bharati for the development of its content, civil works, and broadcasting infrastructure.

• It will also help in areas like health, education, and entertainment.

ii.The scheme will enhance the geographical and population coverage of AIR frequency modulation (FM) transmitters in India from 59% and 68%, respectively, to 66% and 80%, respectively.

iii.The scheme includes free distribution of more than 8 lakh DD Free Dish Set Top Boxes (STBs) to residents of remote, tribal, Left Wing Extremism (LWE), and border areas.

Cabinet approves National Green Hydrogen Mission worth Rs. 19,744 crore

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, has approved the Rs. 19,744 crore National Green Hydrogen Mission, with the objective of making India a major exporter in the sector and a global hub for the production, use, and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives.

• PM Narendra Modi announced the launch of the National Hydrogen Mission during his Independence Day speech on August 15, 2021.
• Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) will be responsible for the overall coordination and implementation of the Mission while all the concerned Ministries, Departments, agencies and institutions of the Central and State Governments will work towards the achievement of the Mission objectives.

National Green Hydrogen Mission

i.In accordance with the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition Programme (SIGHT), the Mission will offer 2 distinct financial incentive mechanisms that are aimed at domestic manufacturing of electrolyser and production of green hydrogen.

ii.Out of the initial allocation for the mission of Rs. 19,744 crore, the Government of India (GoI) has allotted Rs. 17,490 crore for the SIGHT programme, Rs. 1,466 crore for upcoming pilot projects, Rs. 400 crore for research and development (R&D), and Rs. 388 crore for other mission components.

iii.The scheme guidelines for implementation of the respective components will be developed by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

• To facilitate the creation of a green hydrogen ecosystem, an enabling policy framework will be established.
• The mission will also support the creation of a Strategic Hydrogen Innovation Partnership (SHIP), a public-private partnership (PPP) framework for R&D.
• A coordinated skill development programme will also be undertaken under the Mission.

Probable Mission Outcomes by 2030

i.The primary objective of the GoI is to create a green hydrogen capacity in India of at least 5 MMT (million metric tonnes) annually, along with an additional 125 GW (gigawatts) of renewable energy capacity.

ii.By 2030, it will reduce fossil fuel imports by more than Rs. 1 lakh crore and reduce annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by nearly 50 MMT, which are in accordance with India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) commitments.

iii.It envisions an investment of over Rs. 8 lakh crore and the generation of over 6 lakh jobs by 2030.

iv.India has recently started producing green hydrogen with the goal of increasing non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030.

v.India, one of the top emitters of GHG globally, will benefit from the advancement and be able to attain net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.

Note: Oil India Limited (OIL) has commissioned India’s first 99.99% pure green hydrogen facility at Jorhat, eastern Assam, in June 2022.

Cabinet Approves Naming of Greenfield International Airport Mopa, Goa as ‘Manohar International Airport – Mopa, Goa’

The Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, has accorded ex-post facto approval for the naming of Greenfield International Airport in Mopa, Goa, as “Manohar International Airport – Mopa, Goa.”  

• The airport has been named after the late Dr. Manohar Parrikar, a four-time Chief Minister of Goa and former Defence Minister of India, in commemoration of his contribution to the development of modern Goa.

It is Goa’s second international airport, besides the existing airport at Dabolim, Goa.

Manohar International Airport – Mopa, Goa

i.PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for this greenfield airport in Mopa, Goa, in November 2016, and inaugurated it in December 2022.

ii.It was built on the theme of sustainable infrastructure at a cost of around Rs. 2,870 crore.

iii.The airport’s first phase will initially serve close to 4.4 million passengers per annum (MPPA), and can eventually be expanded to a saturation capacity of 33 MPPA.

CCEA Approves Rs. 2,614.51 Crores for Sunni Dam Hydro Power Project in HP

The CCEA, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, has approved the investment for the 382 MW Sunni Dam Hydroelectric Project (HEP) in Himachal Pradesh (HP) by state-owned SJVN Limited (previously Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd).

• The project is estimated to cost Rs. 2614.51 crore, which includes budgetary support from the GoI of Rs. 13.80 crore for the cost of enabling infrastructure.

Project Cost

• The project cost of Rs. 2614.51 crore includes Rs 2,246.40 crore in hard costs, Rs 358.96 crore in Interest During Construction (IDC), and Rs 9.15 crore in Finance Charges (FC).
• Ex-post approval is granted for cumulative expenditures of Rs. 246 crore up to January 2022.

Sunni Dam Hydro Electric Project (HEP)

i.It is a run-of-river project on the Satluj in the districts of Shimla and Mandi in HP, with a 71-meter-high concrete gravity dam and 6 generating units in its surface power plant.

ii.It is being financed on a debt-to-equity ratio of 70:30, and upon completion, the SJVN will earn a 16.50% return on equity.

iii.The project will add 1,382 million units (MU) of green energy to the grid annually while reducing CO2 emissions by 1.1 million metric tonnes per year.

Recent Related News:

i.In November 2022, the CCEA chaired by the PM Narendra Modi approved the Mechanism for procurement of ethanol by Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) under Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Program.

ii.It has revised the ethanol price under the EBP programme for supply to Public Sector OMCs for Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2022-23 from 1st December 2022 to 31st October, 2023.

About SJVN Limited (formerly known as Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd):

It is a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the administrative control of the Ministry of Power, GoI. It is a joint venture of the GoI and the Government of Himachal Pradesh (GOHP).

Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) – Nand Lal Sharma
Incorporated –1988
Headquarters – Shimla, Himachal Pradesh