Current Affairs: Passage of the Day - 24 August 2024 | Current Affairs & General Knowledge - CLAT PDF Download

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
In a significant step towards enhancing bilateral cooperation in the energy sector, Union Minister for Power Shri Manohar Lal, accompanied by MoS Power and New & by Renewable Energy Shri Shripad Naik and senior officials from the Ministry of Power, held a productive discussion with the US delegation led by H.E. Mr. John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy.
During the discussions, Shri Manohar Lal emphasized the longstanding bilateral partnership between India and the United States, highlighting the shared commitment to a ‘clean’ energy future that fosters economic growth and development. The union minister further states that the Ministry of Power are committed to strengthening this partnership.
Union Minister also said that India and US engagements under the ‘Power & Energy Efficiency Pillar’, which is led by Ministry of Power under the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP), are important to realize our goals to achieve energy transition.
H.E. Mr. John Podesta, in his remarks said that India is a valuable partner and both the countries support each other in building resilient supply chains and investment led partnership strategy. He also remarked that India and US can collaborate on areas like clean energy, energy storage systems and energy efficiency. He further said that US can support India in enhancing its manufacturing capacity.
Key areas of focus during the discussions included:

1. Grid and Transmission Modernization: Both sides explored the possibility of technical exchanges on efforts to upgrade grid transmission to handle future load growth. Discussions also covered policy consultations and potential financial support to advance these modernization efforts.
2. Enhancing Manufacturing Capacity: Opportunities to build out India’s manufacturing capacity in critical areas like large transformers were a key topic, aiming to bolster domestic production and reduce dependency on imports.
3. Energy Storage Systems: The talks delved into the possibilities of state-to-state partnerships on long-duration energy storage studies, with further collaboration on grid-scale battery storage solutions.
4. High-Efficiency Cooling Systems: The discussions highlighted the importance of stimulating manufacturing projects and policies to increase India’s capacity to build, deploy, and export high-efficiency air conditioning systems and fans.

The meeting underscored the importance of the India-US partnership in driving the global clean energy transition, with both sides expressing their commitment to deepening cooperation in these critical areas.
[Excerpt from PIB "India-US Discuss Energy Cooperation in High-Level Meeting" Dated 24/08/24]

Q1: What was the main focus of the meeting between Union Power Minister Manohar Lal and John Podesta?
(a) Trade relations between India and the US
(b) Strengthening cooperation in the energy sector, focusing on clean energy projects
(c) Military cooperation between India and the US
(d) Improving tourism between India and the US

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Q2: Which of the following was discussed as a key area for improving India’s energy infrastructure?
(a) Building new coal plants
(b) Modernizing India's electricity grid and transmission systems
(c) Expanding nuclear energy facilities
(d) Developing oil refineries

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Q3: Why is increasing India’s manufacturing capacity important, according to the meeting?
(a) To reduce energy consumption
(b) To decrease the reliance on nuclear power
(c) To become more self-sufficient in clean energy technology
(d) To produce more coal for energy

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Q4: What type of advanced systems did the meeting explore for partnerships between Indian states and the US?
(a) Fossil fuel extraction systems
(b) Traditional power plants
(c) Advanced energy storage solutions
(d) Hydroelectric dams

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Q5: Which of the following areas was highlighted as part of improving energy efficiency?
(a) Expanding coal mining operations
(b) Increasing the use of traditional light bulbs
(c) High-efficiency cooling systems
(d) Developing new oil pipelines

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