The PM SHRI (Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India) Scheme is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched by the Government of India under the Ministry of Education. Recently, the Union Ministry of Education signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the West Bengal Government for the implementation of PM SHRI Schools in the state.

The scheme aims to transform school education by developing more than 14,500 model schools across the country that embody the vision and principles of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. These schools are envisioned as centres of excellence that will demonstrate innovative teaching methods, modern infrastructure, and holistic learning practices.

Objectives of the PM SHRI Scheme

The primary objective of the scheme is to create high-quality model schools that provide students with an inclusive, equitable, and joyful learning environment. These schools are expected to serve as mentor institutions for neighbouring schools and showcase best practices in education.

The scheme seeks to nurture students who are creative, critical thinkers, skilled, and socially responsible citizens, in line with the goals of NEP 2020.

Key Features of PM SHRI Schools

Modern and Improved Infrastructure

PM SHRI Schools are equipped with advanced educational facilities such as science laboratories, computer labs, libraries, sports facilities, art rooms, and skill development centres. The focus is on creating a safe, inclusive, and student-friendly learning environment.

Technology-Integrated Learning

The scheme emphasizes the use of smart classrooms, digital learning tools, online educational resources, and modern teaching technologies. This helps improve learning outcomes and prepares students for the digital age.

Holistic and Experiential Learning

PM SHRI Schools promote a holistic approach to education, focusing not only on academic excellence but also on sports, arts, vocational education, life skills, environmental awareness, and character development. Early childhood education follows play-based and activity-based learning methods.

Quality Assurance through SQAF

A School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) has been introduced to regularly monitor and evaluate the performance of PM SHRI Schools. This ensures that high standards of teaching, infrastructure, governance, and student outcomes are maintained.

Demonstration Schools for NEP 2020

These schools act as model institutions showcasing the successful implementation of the National Education Policy 2020, including competency-based learning, multidisciplinary education, and skill-oriented curricula.

Implementation and Management

The PM SHRI Schools are managed by various educational authorities, including:

• Central Government

• State Governments

• Union Territory Governments

• Local Bodies

• Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS)

• Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS)

This collaborative approach ensures widespread adoption of best educational practices across different regions of the country.

Duration of the Scheme

The PM SHRI Scheme is being implemented for a period of five years, from 2022-23 to 2026-27.

Funding Pattern

The funding arrangement under the scheme varies according to the category of states and union territories.

General States and Union Territories with Legislature

The expenditure is shared in a 60:40 ratio, with 60% funding provided by the Central Government and 40% by the State Government or Union Territory.

Northeastern and Himalayan States (including Jammu & Kashmir)

These states receive financial assistance in a 90:10 ratio, with the Central Government contributing 90% of the total cost and the respective state contributing 10%.

Union Territories without Legislature

The scheme is fully funded (100%) by the Central Government.

Significance of the Scheme

The PM SHRI Scheme is a major step toward strengthening India's school education system. By creating high-quality model schools, it seeks to improve learning outcomes, digital literacy, skill development, environmental awareness, and overall educational standards. The initiative also supports the broader objective of achieving the goals of NEP 2020 and building a future-ready generation of learners.

Conclusion

The PM SHRI Scheme represents a transformative initiative aimed at modernizing India's school education landscape. Through improved infrastructure, technology-driven learning, holistic education, and adherence to the principles of NEP 2020, PM SHRI Schools are expected to emerge as benchmarks of educational excellence and catalysts for nationwide educational reform.

India has made remarkable progress in expanding access to safe drinking water through the Jal Jeevan Mission, which has provided tap water connections to nearly 80% of rural households. While urban areas generally have access to municipal water supply, even if intermittent, a large segment of the population living in peri-urban areas continues to face severe challenges related to water availability, sanitation, and governance.

Understanding Peri-Urban Areas

Peri-urban areas are transitional spaces where rural settlements gradually transform into urban or industrial zones. They are neither fully rural nor completely urban and often fall outside the effective jurisdiction of both rural and urban governance institutions.

As India's urbanization accelerates, these regions are growing rapidly. The number of Census Towns increased dramatically from 1,362 to 3,784 over the past two decades. Although these settlements exhibit urban characteristics such as population density, economic activity, and infrastructure demand, they continue to be governed under outdated rural administrative systems or poorly integrated urban frameworks.

This governance ambiguity has created a significant service delivery gap, particularly in the areas of water supply and sanitation.

Growth of Peri-Urban India and Governance Challenges

The Governance Vacuum

One of the most critical problems confronting peri-urban India is the absence of clear institutional responsibility. These areas often fall into a governance vacuum where neither Panchayati Raj institutions nor urban local bodies adequately address residents' needs.

In Gurugram, for example, several peri-urban villages were brought under municipal administration after rural governance structures were dissolved. However, civic infrastructure failed to keep pace with rapid urban expansion. As a result, many residents continue to experience inadequate water supply, poor sanitation, and weak waste management systems.

Similarly, residents of Rawta village near Delhi receive water only on alternate days and often during late-night hours. Families are forced to stay awake at night to collect water, disrupting daily life and increasing their dependence on expensive private water suppliers.

Environmental Consequences of Poor Water Governance

Groundwater Contamination

Rapid urban growth without proper environmental safeguards has resulted in widespread groundwater pollution in peri-urban regions.

In the outskirts of Hyderabad, toxic leachate generated from waste dumping sites has seeped into groundwater aquifers. Since many peri-urban communities rely heavily on groundwater for drinking and domestic use, contamination poses serious health risks and threatens long-term water security.

The absence of effective waste disposal systems has further aggravated environmental degradation in these regions.

Unequal Distribution of Water Resources

Urban expansion often leads to the diversion of water resources away from rural and peri-urban populations.

A prominent example is the Bisalpur Dam in Rajasthan. Initially constructed to support irrigation in Tonk and Sawai Madhopur districts, an increasing share of its water is now diverted to meet the growing needs of Jaipur city. Consequently, downstream farmers face reduced access to irrigation water, negatively affecting agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods.

This trend highlights the growing competition between urban consumption and rural water requirements.

Public Health Implications

The lack of proper sanitation infrastructure has emerged as another major challenge in peri-urban India.

Although significant progress has been achieved under the Swachh Bharat Mission, nearly 40 million urban households continue to depend on septic tanks and other on-site sanitation systems.

In many peri-urban areas, septic tanks are not desludged regularly. Untreated faecal sludge is often dumped illegally into rivers, lakes, agricultural fields, or open lands. This practice contaminates water sources, spreads disease-causing pathogens, and undermines public health gains achieved through sanitation programmes.

Thus, inadequate water governance is increasingly becoming a public health issue as much as an environmental one.

Future Challenges

Expanding Urban Demand

India's urban population is expected to grow rapidly in the coming decades. By 2047, the country may require nearly 230 million additional housing units and approximately 500 new cities.

Many of today's peri-urban settlements will evolve into tomorrow's urban centres. If current governance failures continue, these areas may become hotspots of water scarcity, environmental degradation, and social inequality.

Threat to National Water Security

Peri-urban regions sit at the intersection of agricultural, industrial, and urban water demands. Without effective planning, rising urbanization could place enormous pressure on already stressed water resources.

Therefore, the future of India's water security is closely linked to how effectively it manages these rapidly transforming regions.

Policy Solutions and the Way Forward

Strengthening Governance Structures

The first and most important reform is addressing the administrative vacuum through the creation of Nagar Panchayats, as envisioned under the 74th Constitutional Amendment.

Formal recognition of peri-urban settlements must be accompanied by stronger institutions, better accountability mechanisms, and improved service delivery capacity.

Successful examples already exist. In Sultanpur village, collaborative platforms involving government officials, engineers, and local residents have demonstrated how participatory governance can improve water management and public services.

Protecting Water Sources

Long-term sustainability requires the protection of rivers, lakes, groundwater aquifers, and drinking water sources from pollution and encroachment.

Community participation can play an important role in this effort. Community-based sanitary inspections, which have shown positive results in Maharashtra, can strengthen local ownership of water resources and improve monitoring mechanisms.

Towards Swachh Bharat Mission 3.0

Experts have proposed a specialized Swachh Bharat Mission 3.0 focused specifically on peri-urban sanitation challenges.

The programme should prioritize:

• Scientific faecal sludge management.

• Establishment of treatment plants in underserved regions.

• GPS-enabled monitoring of desludging vehicles.

• Deployment of mini-cesspool vehicles suitable for narrow settlements.

A small sanitation levy integrated into monthly water bills could also provide a sustainable source of financing for sanitation infrastructure.

Promoting Decentralized Wastewater Treatment

Decentralized wastewater treatment systems offer a promising solution for peri-urban areas where centralized sewerage networks are often absent.

Innovative Indian companies such as Indra Water and Tigreen have developed technologies capable of recycling more than 95% of wastewater while requiring minimal land and energy.

With stronger policy support, financial incentives, and government procurement mechanisms, these technologies could significantly improve water reuse and reduce environmental pollution.

Innovative Financing Models

Peri-urban water infrastructure should be treated as a strategic national investment.

Blended financing models that combine government funding, private investment, and concessional international loans can help bridge infrastructure gaps.

A successful example is Uttarakhand's partnership-based financing approach, which combines state support with international funding to strengthen water and sanitation systems.

Such models can provide the long-term financial sustainability necessary for large-scale infrastructure development.

Importance for Sustainable Development

Peri-urban India occupies a crucial position in the country's developmental trajectory. These regions serve as economic corridors, industrial hubs, residential extensions, and agricultural support zones simultaneously.

Their future will significantly influence:

• Water Security

• Public Health

• Urban Sustainability

• Environmental Conservation

• Inclusive Economic Growth

Ignoring these regions could undermine the gains achieved through initiatives such as Jal Jeevan Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, and Smart Cities Mission.

Conclusion

Peri-urban India represents the "missing middle" in the country's development story. Despite its growing demographic and economic significance, it continues to suffer from weak governance structures, inadequate infrastructure, groundwater contamination, irregular water supply, and poor sanitation services.

The recently released National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-6 (2023-24) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) highlights significant progress in child nutrition, maternal healthcare, and immunisation coverage in India. At the same time, it draws attention to persistent challenges such as child undernutrition, poor infant feeding practices, inadequate dietary diversity, maternal workload, and gaps in local-level implementation of nutrition programmes.

About the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) is India's most comprehensive survey on population, health, and nutrition indicators. It was launched in 1992-93 with the objective of creating a reliable database for evidence-based policymaking in health and family welfare.

Since then, India has completed NFHS-2 (1998-99), NFHS-3 (2005-06), NFHS-4 (2015-16), NFHS-5 (2019-21), and NFHS-6 (2023-24).

The survey is conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), with the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, serving as the nodal agency.

NFHS collects data on maternal and child health, fertility, family planning, nutrition, immunisation, infant mortality, women's empowerment, sanitation, drinking water, and household living conditions.

Positive Trends Highlighted in NFHS-6

Improvement in Child Nutrition

The survey reveals a significant decline in stunting, which is a major indicator of chronic malnutrition. The proportion of children under five years who are stunted has fallen from 35.5% to 29.3%, indicating gradual improvement in nutritional outcomes.

This decline reflects the impact of initiatives such as POSHAN Abhiyaan, better healthcare services, and improved awareness regarding child nutrition.

Better Maternal and Child Healthcare

India has achieved notable success in institutional healthcare delivery.

More than 90% of births now take place in health facilities, while nearly 58% of deliveries occur in public health institutions. Furthermore, about 91% of deliveries are assisted by skilled healthcare professionals, contributing to reduced maternal and infant mortality.

These improvements reflect the success of schemes such as Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY).

Expansion of Immunisation Coverage

NFHS-6 reports that nearly 87% of children aged 12–23 months are fully immunised.

This achievement strengthens India's efforts toward universal immunisation under Mission Indradhanush, protecting children against preventable diseases and improving overall child health outcomes.

Major Challenges Highlighted by NFHS-6

Persistent Child Undernutrition

Despite improvements, child malnutrition remains a serious concern.

Nearly 29.3% of children below five years remain stunted, indicating long-term nutritional deprivation.

Similarly, wasting, which reflects acute malnutrition, has shown only marginal improvement. High levels of wasting continue to indicate inadequate nutrition and repeated infections among children.

The pace of improvement is insufficient to achieve the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the National Nutrition Mission.

Poor Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices (IYCF)

The survey highlights serious deficiencies in feeding practices during early childhood.

Only about half of newborns are breastfed within one hour of birth, despite the well-established health benefits of early breastfeeding.

Among children aged 6–8 months, only around 60% receive complementary foods on time.

Even more concerning is that merely 15% of children aged 6–23 months receive an adequate and balanced diet, indicating widespread nutritional inadequacy during a critical stage of growth and development.

Poor Dietary Diversity

NFHS-6 reveals that the diets of many Indian children and families lack nutritional diversity.

Consumption of pulses, fruits, vegetables, nuts, milk products, and animal-source foods remains inadequate in many households.

At the same time, there is a growing consumption of processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, which provide calories but lack essential nutrients.

The survey also points out that healthy diets remain economically unaffordable for many families, particularly among poorer households.

Maternal Time Poverty

A major concern identified by NFHS-6 is the increasing burden on women.

Many women simultaneously perform agricultural work, livestock management, domestic responsibilities, childcare, and unpaid labour, leaving limited time for childcare and nutritional care.

This phenomenon, often referred to as "maternal time poverty," directly affects child feeding practices and child development outcomes.

Weak Focus on the First 1,000 Days

The period from pregnancy until a child's second birthday—commonly known as the first 1,000 days—is crucial for physical growth, brain development, and long-term health.

NFHS-6 highlights several concerns in this regard:

• Insufficient data collection specifically focused on children aged 0–2 years.

• Growth faltering often begins before it is detected.

• Nutrition programmes continue to focus more on treatment rather than prevention.

As a result, many nutritional deficiencies are identified only after significant damage has already occurred.

Regional and Institutional Gaps

The survey also identifies several structural challenges, including:

• Significant regional and socioeconomic disparities in nutrition outcomes.

• Limited use of nutrition data for planning and intervention.

• Inadequate training and capacity of frontline workers such as ASHAs, Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs).

• Weak coordination among departments responsible for health, nutrition, sanitation, and water supply.

• Insufficient childcare facilities for working mothers.

Government Initiatives to Improve Nutrition

POSHAN Abhiyaan (National Nutrition Mission)

Launched in 2018, POSHAN Abhiyaan aims to reduce stunting, wasting, underweight prevalence, and anaemia among children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.

The programme promotes:

• Real-time growth monitoring.

• Community participation through Jan Andolan.

• Behavioural change communication.

• Convergence among multiple departments.

Mission Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0

This integrated programme combines:

• Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP)

• POSHAN Abhiyaan

• Anganwadi Services

The scheme targets children below six years, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls, while also focusing on upgrading Anganwadi infrastructure and promoting Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE).

Other Important Schemes

Several complementary schemes support child and maternal nutrition, including:

• PM POSHAN Scheme (Mid-Day Meal Programme)

• Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB)

• Mission Indradhanush

• Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)

• Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)

• National Crèche Scheme (Palna)

Way Forward

NFHS-6 recommends a comprehensive strategy to improve child nutrition and maternal health.

Nutrition-specific interventions should focus on promoting breastfeeding within one hour of birth, ensuring timely complementary feeding after six months, improving dietary diversity through locally available foods, and expanding nutrition counselling services.

Institutionally, there is a need to recruit district-level nutritionists and data analysts, strengthen the quality of anthropometric measurements, and use digital tools for growth monitoring.

At the governance level, child nutrition should become a regular agenda item in Gram Sabhas and Panchayats, while coordination among Health, ICDS, Jal Jeevan Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin, and Rural Development Departments must be strengthened.

Gender-sensitive measures should reduce women's unpaid care burden by promoting shared caregiving responsibilities, expanding community crèches, and improving childcare support systems.

Food system reforms should ensure affordable access to pulses, millets, fruits, vegetables, and protein-rich foods, while regulating the marketing and consumption of ultra-processed foods.

Conclusion

The findings of NFHS-6 indicate that India has made significant progress in reducing stunting, expanding institutional deliveries, and improving immunisation coverage. However, challenges such as persistent undernutrition, poor feeding practices, inadequate dietary diversity, maternal time poverty, and weak local implementation mechanisms continue to hinder progress.

India has successfully achieved its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target of sourcing 50% of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources well before the 2030 deadline. This achievement reflects the country's rapid progress in renewable energy deployment. However, recent developments such as the curtailment of 2.3 TWh of solar power and the existence of 44 GW of awarded capacity without signed Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) indicate that India’s renewable energy transition is no longer primarily a capacity challenge. Instead, it has become a system-level challenge involving transmission infrastructure, grid management, storage, and financial sustainability.

India’s Current Solar Energy Status

India has emerged as one of the world's leading renewable energy producers. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) 2025, India ranks third globally in solar energy capacity and fourth in overall renewable energy capacity.

In 2025 alone, the country added a record 38 GW of solar capacity, taking the total installed solar capacity to approximately 136 GW. India has already surpassed its interim renewable energy milestones and remains on track to achieve its target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.

Looking further ahead, NITI Aayog projects that India's solar capacity could reach 1,500 GW by 2050 under existing policy frameworks and potentially 2,400 GW under a Net-Zero pathway.

While solar generation capacity has expanded rapidly, the supporting infrastructure and governance mechanisms have not kept pace. As a result, the focus is shifting from adding generation capacity to ensuring efficient integration of renewable energy into the power system.

The Core Challenge: A Grid Not Designed for Large-Scale Solar Integration

The most significant issue facing India's solar sector today is the mismatch between generation growth and grid readiness.

Between May and December 2025, India curtailed approximately 2.3 TWh of solar electricity, forcing compensation payments ranging from ₹575 crore to ₹690 crore to solar generators. This lost generation could have displaced coal-based power and prevented nearly 2.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

States such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu, which host large solar installations, experienced solar curtailment levels ranging between 10% and 30% during peak sunlight hours. The primary reason was the inability of transmission infrastructure to evacuate and transport power to consumption centres.

This highlights a fundamental reality: India's electricity grid was originally designed around conventional thermal power plants and is struggling to accommodate rapidly expanding renewable energy sources.

Unsigned PPAs: A Major Investment Bottleneck

One of the most serious obstacles facing the sector is the growing backlog of unsigned Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).

As of September 2025, approximately 44 GW of awarded renewable energy capacity remained stranded because PPAs had not been signed. This situation has emerged due to several factors, including:

• Financial concerns of DISCOMs.

• Changing preferences among power purchasers.

• Delays in transmission infrastructure development.

Without a signed PPA, developers cannot achieve financial closure, secure loans, or begin project construction. Consequently, significant investment remains frozen despite projects being awarded.

This issue represents a major governance challenge rather than a technological limitation.

Transmission Infrastructure Lagging Behind

India's solar resources are concentrated in states such as Rajasthan and Gujarat, while major electricity demand centres are located in Delhi, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and southern metropolitan regions.

The transmission network required to transport renewable power across long distances has not expanded at the same pace as generation capacity.

As a result, even when solar power is available, inadequate transmission corridors often prevent its delivery to consumers, leading to curtailment and underutilisation of renewable assets.

The problem demonstrates that renewable energy growth requires simultaneous investment in both generation and transmission infrastructure.

Financial Stress in DISCOMs

The financial health of Distribution Companies (DISCOMs) continues to be a major concern.

Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses remain around 16%, while tariff under-recovery persists across several states.

Financially weak DISCOMs often:

• Delay signing PPAs.

• Avoid long-term procurement commitments.

• Postpone payments to power generators.

This creates uncertainty for investors and discourages fresh investment in both renewable generation and grid infrastructure.

Unless DISCOM finances improve, the renewable energy transition will continue to face structural obstacles.

Coal Fleet Rigidity and Limited Solar Absorption

Despite rapid renewable growth, coal still contributes nearly 75% of India's electricity generation.

Most coal power plants operate with a Minimum Technical Load (MTL) of around 55%, meaning they cannot easily reduce generation below this threshold.

As solar generation peaks during midday, coal plants continue producing significant power, limiting the available space for solar energy within the grid.

Without improving coal plant flexibility or expanding storage infrastructure, solar curtailment is likely to increase as renewable capacity grows further.

Supply Chain Constraints

The renewable energy sector is also facing supply-chain bottlenecks.

Lead times for critical transmission equipment, particularly 220 kV and 400 kV transformers, increased to nearly 20 months in 2025.

Such delays directly affect transmission projects and slow the evacuation of power from renewable energy parks.

Therefore, strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities for grid infrastructure has become increasingly important.

Challenges in Rooftop Solar Expansion

India's rooftop solar programme, especially under PM Surya Ghar, has not achieved expected momentum.

Several operational issues have emerged, including:

• Shortages of Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) compliant solar modules.

• Duplicate serial number errors on online portals.

• State-level restrictions on net metering.

These challenges have slowed the expansion of decentralised solar generation despite strong consumer interest.

Government Initiatives Supporting Renewable Integration

Recognising these challenges, the government has launched several initiatives.

Green Energy Corridor Programme

The Green Energy Corridor (GEC) Phase I and II projects aim to build dedicated transmission infrastructure for renewable energy integration and are expected to facilitate evacuation of approximately 20 GW of renewable capacity.

National Smart Grid Mission

The National Smart Grid Mission seeks to modernise electricity distribution through:

• Smart meters.

• Grid automation.

• Demand response systems.

These measures enhance grid flexibility and improve renewable integration.

Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS)

The RDSS focuses on reducing AT&C losses, strengthening distribution infrastructure, and improving DISCOM performance through outcome-based financial support.

PM-KUSUM Scheme

The PM-KUSUM programme promotes decentralised solar power generation in the agricultural sector, reducing pressure on both DISCOMs and transmission networks.

Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme

The PLI Scheme for Solar PV Manufacturing encourages domestic production of solar cells and modules, reducing import dependence and enhancing energy security.

Similarly, the Battery Energy Storage PLI Scheme aims to support domestic manufacturing of storage technologies necessary for renewable integration.

Way Forward

Enhancing Coal Plant Flexibility

India must reduce the Minimum Technical Load (MTL) of coal power plants below the current 55% threshold through technical upgrades and operational reforms.

This would create greater space for solar generation during daylight hours and reduce curtailment.

Time-Bound PPA Signing

A central regulatory framework under the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) should mandate signing of PPAs within 90 days of project allocation.

Such a measure would eliminate the current 44 GW backlog and restore investor confidence.

Expansion of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)

Large-scale deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in renewable-rich states such as Rajasthan and Gujarat is essential.

India should target at least 10 GW of storage capacity by 2027 to absorb excess solar generation during the day and supply electricity during evening peak demand.

Reforming DISCOM Finances

States with persistently high AT&C losses should adopt professional management reforms, public-private partnership models, or selective privatisation to improve financial viability.

Financially healthy DISCOMs are critical for long-term renewable energy investment.

Transition to Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED)

India should move from fragmented state-level dispatch systems toward a national Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) framework.

This would enable least-cost electricity dispatch across state boundaries and minimise renewable curtailment arising from contractual rather than physical constraints.

Demand-Side Management

Scaling up smart meters to approximately 250 million households by 2028 and introducing Time-of-Day (ToD) tariffs can shift electricity consumption toward periods of high solar generation.

Such measures transform consumers into active participants in grid balancing.

Conclusion

India's solar energy journey has entered a new phase. The challenge is no longer merely installing more renewable capacity but ensuring that generated power can be effectively transmitted, stored, and consumed.

Issues such as solar curtailment, transmission bottlenecks, unsigned PPAs, financially stressed DISCOMs, and inadequate storage infrastructure reveal that the country's renewable transition is fundamentally a systems integration challenge.

India accounts for more than 70% of global jaggery production, making it the world's largest producer and consumer of this traditional natural sweetener. Recently, jaggery has gained renewed attention due to growing consumer preference for natural and minimally processed food products.

What is Jaggery?

Jaggery, commonly known as Gur, is a traditional, unrefined natural sweetener obtained by concentrating sugarcane juice without the use of chemical refining processes.

Unlike refined sugar, jaggery retains many of the natural nutrients and minerals present in sugarcane juice. Because it undergoes minimal processing, it is often considered a healthier alternative to refined sugar.

Jaggery is widely consumed across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, where it is used in traditional foods, beverages, and medicinal preparations.

Nutritional Composition of Jaggery

One of the most important characteristics of jaggery is its rich nutritional profile.

During the sugar refining process, most minerals and micronutrients are removed. However, jaggery retains several essential minerals, including:

• Calcium

• Magnesium

• Potassium

• Phosphorus

• Sodium

• Iron

• Zinc

• Copper

• Manganese

It also contains small amounts of vitamins such as:

• Folic Acid

• B-Complex Vitamins

• Vitamin A

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin D

• Vitamin E

Although these nutrients are present in relatively small quantities, they make jaggery nutritionally superior to refined sugar.

Jaggery Production in India

India is the largest producer of jaggery in the world, contributing more than 70% of global production.

The production of jaggery is concentrated mainly in sugarcane-growing states.

Major Producing States

Uttar Pradesh is the leading producer, contributing approximately 48.5% of India's total jaggery production.

It is followed by:

• Maharashtra – 24.1%

• Karnataka – 10.5%

The widespread cultivation of sugarcane and traditional processing methods have enabled these states to become major centres of jaggery production.

Benefits of Jaggery

Source of Sustained Energy

Jaggery provides a steady release of energy because it contains natural sugars along with minerals and micronutrients. Unlike refined sugar, which causes rapid spikes in blood glucose levels, jaggery releases energy more gradually.

Helps Combat Anaemia

The presence of iron makes jaggery beneficial in addressing iron deficiency and anaemia, particularly among women and children.

Supports Immunity and Overall Health

The minerals and micronutrients present in jaggery contribute to improved immunity and overall well-being. Traditional Indian medicine also considers jaggery useful for digestion and detoxification.

Geographical Indication (GI) Tagged Jaggery Varieties in India

Several regional varieties of jaggery have received Geographical Indication (GI) status due to their unique characteristics and traditional production methods.

Kolhapur Jaggery (Maharashtra)

Kolhapur Jaggery is famous for its golden colour, superior quality, and high sucrose content. It is one of the most popular jaggery varieties in India.

Muzaffarnagar Gur (Uttar Pradesh)

Muzaffarnagar Gur is known for being produced from high-quality sugarcane and has significant export potential.

Marayoor Jaggery (Kerala)

Marayoor Jaggery is renowned for its purity, traditional production techniques, and medicinal value.

Central Travancore Jaggery (Kerala)

Central Travancore Jaggery is valued for its regional distinctiveness and traditional processing methods.

Importance of Jaggery for India

Jaggery plays an important role in India's rural economy, supporting millions of sugarcane farmers and small-scale processing units. It also contributes to food security by providing a natural and affordable source of energy and nutrition.

With growing awareness about healthy diets and natural sweeteners, jaggery is increasingly being promoted as an alternative to refined sugar, creating new opportunities for exports and value-added agricultural products.

Conclusion

Jaggery (Gur) is a traditional, unrefined sweetener that combines nutritional value with cultural significance. As the world's largest producer, India holds a dominant position in the global jaggery market. Rich in minerals, beneficial for health, and supported by several GI-tagged regional varieties, jaggery continues to be an important agricultural and nutritional product while offering opportunities for rural livelihoods, exports, and sustainable food systems.