India's forest cover increases 0.6%; Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala lead - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

India's forest cover increases 0.6%; Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala lead.

• The total forest cover of India is now estimated at 7,12,249 sqkm.
• The report shows an increase of 3,976 sq km (0.56%) forest cover at the national level as compared to 2017.

India’s total forest cover has increased 0.56% over the last two years, according to the latest India State of the Forest Report 2019. India is among the few countries in the world where both forest and tree cover has shown a consistent increase.
The report, released by Union Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar, here on Monday, shows an increase of 3,976 sq km (0.56%) forest cover at the national level as compared to 2017. The total forest cover of India is now estimated at 7,12,249 sqkm which is 21.67% of the geographic area of the country.
The tree cover, which refers to small patches of less than 1 hectare outside forests, is estimated at 95,027 sq km which is 2.89% of the geographical area.
Karanataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala have recorded the highest increase in the forest cover, much of which has been attributed to the conservation activities both within and outside the recorded forest areas. These states are followed by Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
The Forest Survey of India, which also mapped the mangrove cover in the coastal areas spread across 12 states and Union Territories, found an increase of 54 sq km or 1.1% in such cover from the previous assessment.
As a matter of concern, the report also showed that nearly 22% of the forest in the country are highly prone to forest fires. This was estimated using forest fire detection data compiled by the FSI over the last 13 years.
The survey is carried out using remote sensing technique followed by field survey resulting in a forest cover map of India on 1:50,00,000 scale. At present, Madhya Pradesh has the largest area under forest cover followed by Arunachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. (Source: Livemint)


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India's forest cover increases 0.6%; Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala lead

Tamil Nadu overtakes Karnataka to become No 1 in renewable energy - Pragnya IAS Academy - News Analysis.

Tamil Nadu overtakes Karnataka to become No 1 in renewable energy.

Of the total renewable power generation in the country, nearly 17.2 per cent was from Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu has overtaken Karnataka to become India's top renewable power generating state in FY20 (till October).
Of the total renewable power generation in the country, nearly 17.2 per cent was from Tamil Nadu. According to Central Electricity Authority (CEA) data in 2019-20 (upto October) 85,774.92 million units (MU) of power was generated through renewable energy, of which 14,771.69 MU was generated by Tamil Nadu followed by Karnataka (14,730.08 MU), Gujarat (10,505.54), Andhra Pradesh (9,638.70), Maharashtra (8,942.55) and Telangana (3794.99 ).

Wind was the major source of renewable energy in the state. Of the total generation, 11,614.85 MU came from wind, followed by 2,733.37 MU from solar and rest are from other sources.
Tamil Nadu's wind energy capacity is 8,480 MW, which is 24 per cent of the country’s total wind generation capacity.
State is aiming to achieve 9,000 megawatt (MW) of solar power by 2023, as part of which a new Solar Policy had come into effect in 2019. At present, the total solar capacity is above 3,000 MW.
The policies and incentives offered by the government — bundling of wind power projects, accelerated depreciation, a Technology Upgradation Fund etc — have driven the state’s power-intensive industries to invest in captive wind power plants, says industry representatives.
Wind generation peaks during the southwest and northeast monsoon months, followed by below average generation for the remaining months. The state introduced banking of energy, which allows the cooperatives to supply to the grid when there is excess generation, in exchange for free supply during low generation periods. (Source: The Business Standard)


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Tamil Nadu overtakes Karnataka to become No 1 in renewable energy.