BSES Yamuna Power (BYP) has, for the first time, introduced Renewal Energy Assisted Pump (REAP) in the Indian capital. It can become a powerful energy and water solution for many users in power starved South Asia including Nepal. The solar energy based water pump will help meet needs of both rural and urban water users who want off-grid water supply for irrigation and other purposes.

The legacy of the "imperfect deal" — as it was called by all participants — at the Copenhagen climate conference two years back continued in the Durban summit last December. People's need had lost out to political manoeuvring. The reason for Durban's failure to come up with a perfect deal, however, was different — and perhaps more fundamental — from Copenhagen. In Copenhagen, the "imperfectness" was linked with the process. The chairman of the conference had bulldozed a consensus with the help of a few countries.

Shimla records -4°C, Srinagar -2°C; cold spell to continue for some time. With mercury plummeting to sub-zero level in Narnaul, the region today reeled under intense cold wave. The icy winds blowing in the region are expected to continue in the next few days, weatherman has predicted. Cold wave conditions intensified and Shimla recorded a stinging - 4 degree C, while Srinagar reeled under -2 degrees C. Mercury slid to -1 degree C at Narnaul and hit the sub-zero level at Amritsar.

While biotech and pharma are referred to as sunrise sectors, a new study reveals only an insignificant amount of innovative, patentable work has been carried out so far as part of the outsourcing process to Indian pharma-biotech firms. The study titled “work outsourced to Indian biotech and pharma companies is not yet significantly innovative,” focuses on projects outsourced and has been published in the latest edition of Current Science.

Multigrain noodles that claim to be healthier than the regular variety, digestive biscuits that help weight loss and drinks that make champions out of little children — cracking down on such advertisements, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has sent notices to the manufacturers asking them to justify the claims with appropriate evidence or face action for violating the advertising code for food items and supplements.

Even as the Centre prepares to implement its proposed national Food Security Act, States have expressed their unhappiness about the contours of the Bill, particularly the cap on the number of beneficiaries which will automatically reduce their allocation of subsidised foodgrains.

New Delhi: Power distribution companies purchasing solar power in excess of their obligations might get due entitlement for renewable energy certificates (RECs). The ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) is expected to approach the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) soon for the formulation of regulations in this regard. If the CERC formulates supporting regulations, it will benefit states like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Maharashtra and Karnataka, where solar power generation potential is comparatively high.

New Delhi: The government’s ambitious national urban development plan will ease up on the reform agenda for state and municipal governments. This is a major departure from the take-it-or-leave-it set of reforms that stymied them from dipping into the R60,000-crore corpus of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). The revised mission due to be rolled out before the end of March after a five-year experience with the first one will instead offer two options for reforms to states. The first is a base-level reforms agenda that states will find easier to qualify for.