Karnataka generated an estimated 12,140 tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) per day in 2023, with Bengaluru alone accounting for nearly half of this total. Much of this waste remains unsegregated, unprocessed, and left to decompose in landfills. However, this waste holds the potential to solve a major challenge in Karnataka’s cement industry.

India’s total primary energy demand stood at 39 exajoules in 2022–23, with coal contributing 55 percent, crude oil 28 percent, natural gas 5.7 percent, and the remaining coming from renewable energy sources, hydroelectric power, and nuclear energy. To meet this demand, India has relied significantly on imports, including 17 percent coal, 85 percent crude oil, 44 percent natural gas, and 95 percent methanol.

With sabka vikas as its theme, the Union Budget 2025-26 aims at stimulating balanced growth of all regions. Accelerating economic growth and securing inclusive development are, indeed, appropriate goals for a developing country like India.
 

However, in an era marked by climate change and environmental degradation, they may not be sufficient. The global climate emergency mandates that climate change mitigation and adaptation be made central to India’s economic and social policy frameworks – and in this aspect, the Budget is found wanting.

While lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) dominate the current landscape of battery energy storage systems (BESSs), they have significant safety issues, as evident from the increasing number of LIB-related fire incidents in countries across the world, including India. Further, critical minerals used in LIB electrodes are geographically concentrated, leading to supply chain vulnerabilities.