New Delhi, Dec 10: The total installed renewable energy (RE) capacity in India reached 250.64 GW (as on October 31), with solar energy constituting a major chunk, the Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

The solar energy capacity increased from 2.82 GW in March 2014 to 129.92 GW, wind energy capacity increased from 21.04 GW in March 2014 to 53.60 GW, and biomass power capacity has increased from 8.18 GW in March 2014 to 11.61 GW within the given period, Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy, Shripad Yesso Naik, said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

India is a key driver of this explosive global surge in renewable energy. In the last 11 years, the country’s solar capacity has grown from 2.8 GW to nearly 130 GW, a rise of more than 4,500 per cent. Between 2022 and 2024 alone, India contributed 46 GW to global solar additions, becoming the third-largest contributor.

The country recorded its highest-ever addition of non-fossil capacity in the current financial year at 31.25 GW, including 24.28 GW of solar.

According to reports, the share of India’s electricity generation from renewable energy (RE) capacity, including large hydro, is expected to cross 35 per cent by FY30 from 22.1 per cent in FY25, with expected incremental capacity addition of around 200 GW between FY25 and FY30.

This, in turn, also hinges on the extent of implementation of the ongoing project pipeline, where the projects are bid out and the PPAs are signed, the development of adequate transmission connectivity infrastructure as well as timely bidding for new RE projects, along with the power purchase agreements (PPAs) signing by Central nodal agencies, states the report by rating agency ICRA.

With global mechanisms now shaping industrial competitiveness, India’s shift towards renewable energy has become even more urgent and strategically important.

Nagpur, Dec 10: Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Minister Narahari Zirwal on Wednesday informed the state Assembly that his department is aggressively undertaking the detection of spurious (fake) medicines and cough syrups in the state.

In a written reply to a question by BJP legislator Amit Satam and others, the minister said a special campaign was launched by the Food and Drug Administration, and the cough syrup and samples were sent to the State Government Hospital and the drug testing laboratory for testing and analysis, and the report has been received.

About 176 retailers and 39 wholesalers were cancelled. Further, 136 retailers and 93 wholesalers were inspected. Show-cause notices were issued, and licenses were cancelled for selling substandard cough syrups.

During an FDA campaign, fake cough syrup was found in drug stores and companies in October 2024.

Doctors, clinical establishments, and pharmacists were instructed not to prescribe or sell Propranolol-containing medicines.

About 36 samples were tested at 10 locations across Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Aurangabad, and Nagpur divisions. Out of these, 34 samples were found to be of substandard quality, said Minister Zirwal.

They included medicines for high blood pressure, Diabetes, Tuberculosis, heart disease and blood purification. Six samples of a specific brand of pediatric cough syrup in Maharashtra were found to be substandard, said the minister.

According to the minister, some components were allegedly altered or combined, and the new medicine was sold in the market under a new name (“Pankreatine/Pancreatin”). Furthermore, some fake/substandard medicines were allegedly supplied to government hospitals by unauthorised companies.

“Due to 176 posts (19.4 per cent) of Drug Inspectors being vacant, the work of regular drug testing and control in many districts has been hampered. Maharashtra has three testing laboratories in Mumbai, Nagpur, and Pune. The government has acknowledged the need for inquiry and strict action. About 109 posts of Drug Inspectors are to be filled through the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). Substandard/fake drugs are taken for analysis, and legal action is initiated in court against unauthorised /spurious drugs,” he said.

However, the minister clarified that regular drug testing and control are being implemented through the human resources available with the Food and Drug Administration.

Work is underway to upgrade the laboratory in Nashik and Pune. Drugs are taken for analysis from time to time as per the instructions of the Drug Inspectors, and action is initiated in the court against unauthorised/fake drugs.

Lucknow, Dec 10: A CBI Court in Lucknow has convicted and sentenced Vijay Kumar Dwivedi, a former Office Assistant at the University Institute of Engineering & Technology (UIET) under Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar University (BBAU), to four years’ rigorous imprisonment in a bribery case.

The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 on him, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said in an official statement issued on Wednesday.

The conviction was pronounced on December 9, the statement said.

According to the CBI, the case originated from a complaint filed by a contractual assistant professor of UIET, who alleged that Dwivedi had demanded an undue advantage of Rs 50,000 in exchange for facilitating the extension of the contractual appointment of the assistant professor.

The accused claimed that the extension would be processed through the Director of UIET and demanded a bribe to ensure the renewal.

Acting on the complaint, the CBI registered the case on June 2, 2017, and laid a trap. During the trap, Dwivedi was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe amount from the complainant assistant professor. The agency subsequently arrested him.

Following the completion of the investigation, the CBI filed a charge sheet against Dwivedi on August 1, 2017. The prosecution presented evidence, including witness testimonies, trap proceedings, and recovered money, to establish the guilt of the accused.

After a detailed trial, the CBI Court found Dwivedi guilty of demanding and accepting illegal gratification and sentenced him to four years’ imprisonment.

The court also ordered him to pay a fine of Rs 30,000. The judgment, the agency said, reinforces the CBI’s commitment to combating corruption in public institutions.

The CBI actively investigates bribery cases, leading to convictions of public servants and private individuals for demanding or accepting bribes, with punishments including imprisonment and hefty fines.