A small beginning for a Big Dream

 

 

Context :

Ø  India to discuss grid linking with Singapore to trade in green power .. 31 July 2023

Extract :

India and Singapore are accelerating their plans to establish a power grid through an underwater cable passing via the Andaman & Nicobar region. This ambitious project will empower India to export its renewable energy to Singapore. The agreement is anticipated to be signed in the near future.

The cost of renewable energy exported to Singapore through this agreement is expected to be lower than their gas-based electricity.

Additionally, Singapore has a commitment to meet its nationally determined contributions (NDC) under the Paris Agreement. Acquiring renewable energy from India will play a crucial role in accomplishing this target. Both nations engaged in talks regarding this matter during the G20 Energy Ministerial and Clean Energy Ministerial meetings held earlier this month.

Singapore expresses a strong interest in the plan. The Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd., a state-owned entity, is currently conducting detailed technical studies on the project.

Previously, Singapore acknowledged the limitations posed by land scarcity and intermittent solar power for expanding renewable energy within the country. They are actively exploring various alternatives, including the possibility of regional power grids like the one proposed with India.

Due to its geographical isolation, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands face distinctive difficulties concerning their power supply. The total generation capacity of the union territory across various islands is approximately 109.45 MW. Out of this capacity, nearly 91% relies on diesel-based generation, while the remaining is sourced from hydro and solar power.

 

From Economic Times ( Print edition / 31 July 2023 ) :

 

India has also been in talks with Saudi Arabia and UAE to connect with their power grids to trade renewable energy.

This proposal has been in the works along with Oman, where India could look to make a stop, before taking the connectivity further to the UAE and Saudi Arabia

India has been putting weight on GLOBAL GRID CONNECTIVITY in the G 20 as well

“ Trans-national Grid Connections can enhance energy security “ , Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said in a virtual address during the G-20 Energy Minister’s meeting

“ It will enable all of us to meet our Climate Goals, stimulate green investment and create millions of green jobs “ , he said, urging countries to join the green grids initiative “ One Sun, One World, One Grid “, of International Solar Alliance

 

 

India achieved its non-fossil fuel targets nine years ahead: PM Modi  .. Business Line  /  28 July 2023

Extract :

India has achieved its installed electric capacity from non-fossil fuel sources, nine years ahead of the target of 2030.   The country has set the bar even higher through updated targets, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Today, India is one of the top 5 countries in the world, in terms of installed renewable energy capacity, he said in his virtual address at the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Minister’s Meeting being held in Chennai. “We have also set a target of attaining Net Zero by 2070,” he added.

 

MY  TAKE  :

Ø  Power Play : Day or Night  ..  28  April  2023

 

Extract :

Dear Shri R K Singhji,

Congratulations on this initiative. Hopefully this interlinking could :

Ø  Help our own grid to get additional power during our “ peak demand “ periods

Ø  Get power from Saudi Arabia / UAE at very cheap rates , since their cost of generation is very low due to abundant / cheap / local,  oil and gas wells  

Ø  Help us avoid running our 50+ very old, coal-based power plants which are operating at PLF of less than 50

Ø  We can avoid Rs Lakhs of crore of investment in numerous new coal-based plants ( - which projects are finding few takers and no bankers )

Ø  We can buy power from SA / UAE during day-times ( periods ) when they offer it at the cheapest rates and store it in GRID-SIZE STORAGE Batteries , for use at night

Ø   Help us save crores of rupees worth foreign exchange budgeted for import of coal

Ø  By avoiding to produce power which uses fossil fuels, we can reduce local warming / air pollution

Ø  SA / UAE have managed to set up SOLAR POWER projects which are selling power at Re 1 / Kwh !

Ø  By supplying power to DISCOMS at Re 1.5 / Kwh , their accumulated losses could be wiped out

 In this context, I am glad that the Ministry has taken cognizance of my suggestions sent through following 12 E-Mails :

2016 ( 1 ) :

 Unlimited Power : and round the clock ?............... [ 29 July 2016 ]

 

2017 ( 1 )

       I  have  a  Dream………………………………………………………[ 01 Nov 2017 ]

2018 ( 4 ) :

Sun  Shines  on  Saudi ………………………………………………[ 06 April 2018 ]

      Liu Zhenya : The Visionary………………………………………… [ 04 June 2018 ]

      Solar Power : Internal Rate of Return  …………………….  [ 27 Jan 2018 ]

     Connecting Everything ?   ……………………………………………[ 15 June 2018 ]

 

2019 ( 1 ) :

      40 GW : 70 GW : 300 GW : 800 GW   …………………….[ 24 May 2019 ]

 

 2020 ( 1 ) :

 Sun : Power that never fails……………………………………. [ 05 June 2020 ]

 

2021 ( 4 )

       Sun shines 24x7 : Somewhere or Other  …………………[ 29 Sept 2021 ]

      How to reduce Carbon Emission to Net Zero ?...........[ 25 July 2021 ]

     Well said, Shri Ajay Mathur ………………………………………… [ 23 Aug 2021 ]

     1000 TIMES MORE POWERFUL SOLAR PV PANELS ……….[ 08 Sept 2021 ]

 

 

Related Readings :

Rooftop Solar Installations Could Exceed 2,000 GW by 2050 Globally ( 24 Sept 2021 )       

 
Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO) 

[ geidco-info@geidco.org  ]

https://mnre.gov.in/img/documents/uploads/file_f-1590573144563.pdf 

 

with regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.hemenparekh.ai  /  01 Aug 2023

White Collar Criminals – United we Stand

 

 

Context :

Data repository on white collar crime to aid agencies

THE WEB-BASED DATABASE WILL INTEGRATE DATA OF FINANCIAL CRIMES PROBED BY INTELLIGENCE AND PROBE AGENCIES

·        Hindustan Times (Lucknow)

·        10 Apr 2023

·        Neeraj Chauhan letters@hindustantimes.com

 

Extract :

 

The Centre will by end of May roll out a new data repository called the National Economic Offence Records, which will provide real-time information on white-collar crime and criminals to law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

The web-based database will integrate data of all key financial crimes investigated by intelligence and probe agencies including the CBI, the ED, the income-tax department, Directorate of Revenue and Intelliof gence, Serious Fraud Investigation Office, GST Intelligence, Customs, etc., for better coordination and quick dissemination information, officials said

 

 “Created on the lines of National Crime Records Bureau, which collates and analyses data related to all crimes across the country, the NEOR will focus only on financial crimes,” an official said, seeking anonymity.

 

The repository was envisaged in 2019 by the Central Economic Intelligence Bureau, the nodal agency on economic intelligence under the finance ministry, but it could not take off due to the pandemic.

 

The CEIB currently maintains the National Economic Intelligence Network (NEIN) database, which consists of dossiers and offences of economic offenders and suspected tax evaders based on inputs received from law enforcement agencies.

 

It has more than 8,680 dossiers and details of 202,526 offences as on November 2021.

 

The NEOR will be different from NEIN as it can be accessed by all economic offences’ probe officers anywhere in the country; they would also be able to update their findings in realtime, officials said.

 

 

Besides, all studies and analyses related to hawala (informal cross-border transfer of funds), modus operandi such as tradebased money laundering, use of businesses to transfer funds to terror organisations, tax havens across the world and diversion of income and corporate frauds will be maintained in the system, he said.

 

“A centralised repository is a much-needed reform, which will significantly help prosecutorial efforts, and hopefully cut down investigation time by making available data that normally would take several months to obtain,” said Sherbir Panag, an expert on white-collar crime and founder of Panag & Babu, a law firm.

“At the same time, the rights of accused persons must be protected, and investigations must not be prejudiced merely on account of FIRs,” Panag added.

 

 

MY  TAKE  ( 17 emails to our Cabinet Ministers ) :

 

2014 ( 1 ) :

 

Ø  E - Governance ?   ……………………………  03  April  2014

 

2016 ( 4 ) :

 

Ø  A Half-hearted Measure ?  ………………….. 07  Mar  2016

      Ø  Still a long way to go !  ……………………….. 25  Aug  2016

     Ø  United we Succeed : Divided we Fail  ….  29  Sept  2016

     Ø  Keep Trying   ………………………………………….. 24  Dec  2016

 2017 ( 3 ) :

Break-down the Silos !  ………………………….  16 Sept 2017

      Blockchain  for  E Governance  ?.. ……………04  Dec  2017

     Crime and Punishment …………………………….. 23 Dec 2017

 

2018 ( 2 ) :

Ø  CyberCrimes / DigitalIndia / e-Governance  … 09  Jan 2018

Ø  Blame Game Continues…………………………….09 Apr 2018

 

2022 ( 5 )

Ø  An Umbrella Body ? A Distant Echo ?  … ………..01 Apr  2022

     Ø  Thank You, Shri Karnal Singhji,……………………… 12  Apr 2022

Ø  DATA is better than Third Degree  ………………… 25  Apr  2022

Ø  Welcome NATGRID : Thank You, Shri Amitbhai Shah .. 04 May 2022

Ø  ED says : No ED ( Escape of Data ) ………………. 28 Nov 2022

 

 2023 ( 2 ) :

Ø     One Stop Shop for White Collar Criminals  …… 11  Apr  2023

Ø     NEOR : as envisaged………………………… ……………..15 May 2023

 

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.hemenparekh.ai  / 30 July 2023

 =============================================

Following is how BARD compared NEOR with my e-mail suggestion of 2014 :

 

 E - Governance ?   ……………………………  03  April  2014

 

Sure, here is a table comparing NEOR as being implemented by the Central Government and what you recommended in your blog:

Feature	NEOR	Your recommendation
Data sharing	Agencies are required to share data with each other, but this is not always done effectively.	All agencies should merge their databases into a single, centralized database.
Data security	Data is stored in a secure environment, but there have been some security breaches.	Data should be encrypted and stored in a secure location.
Access control	Access to the database is restricted to authorized users.	Access to the database should be based on biometric identification.
Online data entry	Data can be entered online, but this is not always done.	All data entry should be done online.
Timeliness	Data is updated on a regular basis, but there can be delays.	Data should be updated in real time.

 

Overall, your recommendation is more comprehensive and would provide a more effective way to combat corruption. NEOR has some good features, but it could be improved by incorporating some of your suggestions.

Here are some additional thoughts on your recommendation:

·        The centralized database would need to be very secure to prevent unauthorized access.

·        Biometric identification would be a good way to control access to the database.

·        Online data entry would make it easier for agencies to share data and would help to ensure that the data is up-to-date.

·        Real-time data updates would be ideal, but this may not be feasible in all cases.

I think your recommendation is a good starting point for developing a more effective way to combat corruption. With some refinement, it could be a valuable tool for law enforcement agencies.

Will IDMO , someday morph into IDCO ?

 

{   IDMO = Indian Data Management Office 

    IDCO = www.IndiaDataCustodian.gov.in   }

 

Context :

TRAI bats for independent regulator for data sharing framework  …………. BL  /  23 July 2023

Extract :

In a bid to make data sharing more ubiquitous, the telecom regulator has proposed to bring datasets owned by public and private entities on a single platform under common rules monitored by an independent authority.

“Apart from the data available with the Central government, on-boarding data that is under the control of State governments, local bodies, private entities should also be brought on board for the adoption of Data Governance Policy to enable them to share their data with governments and other public and private entities/agencies,” TRAI has said in its recommendations to the Centre.

Various government departments, local authorities, police forces, the healthcare system and schools have access to key data which when shared can improve public services, facilitate research and innovation, and inform policymaking. For example, data shared by railways and local transport departments are used in various applications to provide the schedule of buses and trains that help citizens plan their travel.

The Centre floated the draft National Data Governance Framework Policy last year for public consultation. Currently, the draft policy is under finalisation.

Under this framework, it has been proposed to set up of an Indian Data Management Office (IDMO) to coordinate closely with line Ministries and State governments to standardise data management by building up capacity and capabilities in each Ministry. 

However, TRAI reckons that there is a need for a stronger independent authority instead of the proposed IDMO.

“The Authority is of the view that the aims and objectives of the policy can be more effectively achieved if the work that has been proposed to be handled by IDMO in the draft policy is entrusted to an independent statutory body,” TRAI said.

The benefits of effective data sharing could be huge—enabling researchers to spot patterns in inpatient data and advancing knowledge in the fields of science and medicine.

It also democratises access to data wherein new-age start-up entrepreneurs can use raw datasets to develop user-friendly applications using artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, thus breaking the control on data by a few big tech companies. 

 

“In India, this work requires huge efforts and planning. Data sharing and monetisation should be an important aspect of the proposed National Data Governance Policy.

It can incentivise various entities to digitise and share their data with other entities. Only an independent authority can achieve this humungous task,” it added.

MY  TAKE :

 

Ø  Released : Govt Policy for Selling Personal Data  ……… 05 Sept 2020

 

Extract :

 

What was your CONCEPT ?

( Source : 

Digital Dividend from Demographic Data [ 4 D ]…………( 14 Feb 2019  )

Ø  SARAL will become the DATA REPOSITORY of  500 million current Indian internet

    users and will keep growing

Ø  This  DATABASE  will become the single largest ( and searchable ) Demographic

    Profile in entire World

 Data Buyers will be allowed to search this database and compile / download  “

Target  Demographic Profiles “, upon online payment of published “ Sale

 Price “  to  SARAL / Single  Authentic  Registration  for Anywhere  Login

 

 

Ø  Such profiles will not reveal the identities of the registered Indian users (

    of SARAL ). The compiled profiles will be anonymized / aggregated

Ø  SARAL will immediately distribute the Sale Income among the users whose data

    got included in the downloaded Demographic Profie ( DBT into bank accounts of

    users )

 

 

What other E Mails did you send to Cabinet Ministers / NITI Aayog on this policy ?

 

2017

Right to Sell My Soul ?   ……………………………….[ 27 Aug 2017 ]

2018

A Matter of Motive   ……………………………………….[ 04 Aug 2018 ]

Wealth of Nations   …………………………………………[ 17 Aug 2018 ]

Only Answer : a Statutory Warning   ……………[ 10 Nov 2018 ]

 

2019

Data is the New Oil   …………………………………………[ 30 Jan 2019 ]

SARAL  [ Single  Authentic  Registration ( for )  Anywhere  Login ]……….[ 10 Feb 2019 ]

Taxing the Data Thieves ?   …………………………………[ 04 Mar 2019 ]

Bulk Data Sharing / Selling Policy ?  ……………………[ 12 Mar 2019 ]

2020

First Step : Second Step : Third Step ………………… [ 23 July 2020 ]

Let me make money by selling my Health Data  ……[ 02 Sept 2020 ]

 

Do you have any QUESTIONS re this DRAFT Policy ?

     Yes { For details , pl read the entire blog }

 

 How much money can user ( possibly ) make by selling personal data ?

 

My estimate : 

 $ 4 / month , from each website ( x 100 = $ 400 pm = Rs 30,000 per month )

[  https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2019/02/saral.html  ]

 

 

  

What tempts you to reveal Private Details online ? 

 

Research By :  Prof S Shyam Sundar, Co-Director, Media Effects Research Lab, [ sss12@psu.edu ]

 

What the learned Professor says could well be a “influencer “ but nothing beats

 “ Making Money “ ( from selling the only thing they have left to sell ), as the most

 powerful motivator, for the poor jobless ( due to pandemic ) citizen of India

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.hemenparekh.ai  /  28  July  2023

 

Related Readings :

How India Stack is revolutionising society and governance  ……….  BL  /  16  July  2023

Extract :

What’s India Stack?

India Stack is a set of open APIs that aims to unlock the economic primitives of identity, payments, and data at the population scale. India Stack is based into four-layered architecture as explained in the India Stack portal.

Presenceless Layer: This is a unique digital biometric identity with open API access, which includes the Aadhaar card and Mobile Aadhaar.

Cashless Layer: It refers to the electronic interoperable payment network comprising IMPS, AEPS, APB and UPI.

Paperless Layer: This refers to Aadhaar e-KYC, e-Sign, and the Digital Locker.

Consent Layer: The Consent Layer is a modern privacy data-sharing framework with an open personal data store.