
Electricity Act to cover N-energy? SC to examine
A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and R Mahadevan agreed to examine this question and attempt a harmonised interpretation of the two laws governing the generation and distribution of electricity from conventional sources and the nuclear fission process.
The conflicting views of Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) and Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) in a dispute between Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam (GUVNL) and NPCIL led to the Nigam approaching the SC for adjudication of the question as to who had jurisdiction over regulating power generated by NPCIL.
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The Hindu
13 hours ago
- The Hindu
Parliament's Monsoon session from July 21 to August 21
The government on Wednesday (July 2, 2025) said the Monsoon session of Parliament will begin on July 21 and continue till August 21, a week longer than planned earlier, signalling a heavy legislative agenda. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said President Droupadi Murmu has approved the government's proposal to convene the Session from July 21 to August 21. The Hon'ble President of India has approved the proposal of the Government to convene the Monsoon Session of Parliament from 21st July to 21st August, 2025. In view of the Independence Day celebrations, there will be no sittings on the 13th and 14th of August. — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) July 2, 2025 "In view of Independence Day celebrations, there will be no sittings on the 13th and 14th of August," Mr. Rijiju said in a post on X. Earlier, the session was to conclude on August 12, but now it has been extended by a week. The longer duration of the session comes amid the government's plans to bring in key legislations, including one to facilitate the entry of the private sector in the atomic energy domain. Also Read | Congress claims that Centre plans to convene special session of Parliament to mark 50th anniversary of the Emergency The government is planning to amend the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act and the Atomic Energy Act to implement the announcement in the Union Budget to open up the nuclear sector for private players. The opposition has been demanding a debate on Operation Sindoor — the strike on terror sites in Pakistan by the Indian armed forces in response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The opposition parties have also been demanding answers from the government on US President Donald Trump's claims of mediation in the India-Pakistan conflict to avert a nuclear war. The government has rejected Mr. Trump's claims with Prime Minister Narendra Modi telling him, during a phone call last month, that India has never accepted mediation and would not ever accept it in future. PM Modi also told Mr. Trump that the decision to end military action came after Pakistan — facing heavy damage to nine of its key air bases— requested a ceasefire through existing military communication channels.


The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
Trade unions to join general strike on July 9, plan picketing at eight spots
Opposition trade unions will join the nation-wide general strike on July 9 to press for repealing of the anti-worker amendments to 29 labour laws and four newly-introduced labour codes. Buses and autos will not operate on the day. The trade unions have urged the government to declare a holiday for schools and colleges on the day of the general strike to avoid inconvenience to students. Addressing a press conference K. Sethuselvam, AITUC general secretary and other leaders, said mass demonstrations and picketing would be held at various places, including the New Bus Stand, Sedarapet, Madagadipat, Thirukkanur, Villianur, Ariyankuppam, Bahour and Karaikal. Cinemas, markets and shops would remain closed on July 9. Factories and government-affiliated companies have been duly given strike notices, Mr. Sethuselvam said. G. Seenu Vasan, CITU Secretary, P. Gnanasekaran, INTUC General Secretary, S. Purushothaman, AICCTU General Secretary and others participated. The alliance of trade unions is also pressing for a 21-point charter of demands that include implementing the national minimum wage of ₹26,000, a rollback of privatisation of State assets, reining in inflation and abolition of GST on essential items, such as food, medicines and agri inputs. They also demand reduction of central excise duty on petroleum products and LPG, ensuring food security, expanding the Public Distribution System and restoration of the old pension scheme. The demands at the State-level include the immediate release of pay arrears of workers and employees working in public sector and government-owned enterprises and cooperatives, pay equalisation for contract workers and withdrawal of amendments to the Electricity Act and the revival of shuttered cooperatives. Another important issue pertains to the earmarking of funds to operationalise the Welfare Board for unorganised workers.
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Business Standard
Hindustan Zinc eyes rare earth minerals, but production may take 5 years
Vedanta subsidiary Hindustan Zinc has set its sights on rare earths as India looks to reduce its dependence on China for critical minerals. The company, hailed the world's second largest zinc producer, has said that while it plans to mine rare earth minerals, it could take up to five years before production begins. In an interview with Nikkei Asia, CEO Arun Misra said Hindustan Zinc plans to mine and process neodymium, a key rare earth element used in permanent magnets for electric vehicles (EVs), wind turbines, and electronics. The company recently won India's first private-sector bid for a monazite mining block in Uttar Pradesh. Monazite is a mineral rich in neodymium. But production timelines remain lengthy, as exploration alone could take three to four years. 'This is of strategic interest to India,' Misra told Nikkei Asia. 'But first we have to evaluate the reserves.' India moves to reduce reliance from China The mining of rare earth minerals has become urgent in recent months as China cracked down on its exports of terbium and dysprosium, critical to neodymium-based magnets. China's scrutiny follows US President Donald Trump's changes to the US trade policy, which threatened tariffs, specifically targeting Beijing. China has also been receiving pushback from key trade partners, including the European Union, over its exports. China's action, in turn, severely disrupted global supply, especially impacting auto manufacturers and semiconductor producers. Between 2019–20 and 2023–24, India imported a total of 9,728 tonnes of rare earth elements (REE), averaging approximately 1,946 tonnes per year, government data shows. The majority of these imports came from China, followed by Japan, Russia, South Korea, the United States, Austria, France, Hong Kong, and other countries. Despite ongoing efforts, India continues to depend heavily on imports, particularly from China, to meet its REE requirements. India's monazite reserves locked behind regulation As of March 2021, India holds an estimated 12.73 million metric tons of monazite, mostly along beach sands in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha, according to the Indian Mineral Yearbook (2023). But these reserves remain off-limits to private players due to the mineral's high thorium content, which is regulated under the Atomic Energy Act and reserved for public-sector mining. Misra argues that opening up these resources to companies like Hindustan Zinc could drastically cut development timelines. 'If monazite is decontrolled and private participation allowed, it will help India make magnets,' he said. China, by contrast, processes neodymium from bastnaesite, a mineral with far less thorium. That keeps extraction costs low and helps explain why China accounts for 68.8 per cent of global rare earth output, according to a report by EY. India, despite holding 6.27 per cent of the world's reserves, contributes less than 1 per cent to global production. The difference is more than technical. It's economic. 'There's a huge difference in operational costs,' Misra noted. Hindustan Zinc's diversification into critical minerals Hindustan Zinc has begun diversifying its mineral portfolio, acquiring potash and tungsten blocks, and aims to derive 30 per cent of revenue from critical minerals within five years. 'We like to work in sectors that are difficult—and not attractive to other big players,' Misra said.