Hindi English Translation || Editorial || ​Intent and outcome: On India’s climate budget for 2026-27

​Intent and outcome: On India’s climate budget for 2026-27

India must match its climate ambitions with higher allocations (आवंटन)

Union Budgets began reflecting (दर्शाना, प्रतिबिंबित करना) greater climate concerns from 2021, in the thick of (के बीचों-बीच, गहन दौर में) the COVID-19 pandemic (महामारी), with a modest ₹4,500 crore to localise solar photovoltaic production and to reduce India’s dependence on Chinese imports. But there has been a cautious, disjointed (unconnected, disconnected, separated, fragmented) approach to the scale (magnitude, size, extent, sxope) and allocations. While five broad sectors (cement, steel, aluminium and fertilizers; decentralised solar power; greening irrigation (सिंचाई) pump sets; green hydrogen (it is hydrogen fuel that is created using renewable energy instead of fossil fuels); and nuclear energy) received attention (ध्यान) in Budget 2026-27, the most prominent announcement was the proposed five-year outlay (परिव्यय, व्यय) of ₹20,000 crore for Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) (It aims to reduce carbon emission by either storing or reusing it so that captured carbon dioxide does not enter the atmosphere). This is a modest (मामूली, साधारण) provision (प्रावधान) for a suite (a set of; a group of) of costly and complex technologies. The allocation signals that India is entering a pilot (test, trial, experimental) and demonstration phase, rather than embarking on immediate industrial deployment (the act of employing something (resources, forces) into effective action). While operational examples exist in Norway, Canada and the U.S., scaling CCUS has proven expensive and uneven (irregular, inconsistent, unequal). The technology is primarily (mainly, chiefly, largely) relevant to sectors where emissions (Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere; Carbon dioxide is also a greenhouse gas produced as a byproduct of human activities. Burning fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas—is the number one source of global CO2 emissions) are embedded (incorporate, include; insert/fix) in the production process. The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will impose carbon costs (IT is defined as a method to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by assigning a cost to their release, typically through mechanisms such as carbon taxes or carbon emission trading. This pricing aims to incentivize polluters to decrease fossil fuel combustion, thereby addressing the negative externality of emissions) on imports of high-emission products, so for India, decarbonising (reduce carbon dioxide emissions through the use of low carbon power sources, achieving a lower output of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere) industrial production is no longer (not anymore, not any more, not any longer) only a climate imperative (necessary condition, precondition, condition, essential requirement). It is now a question of export competitiveness, particularly for steel and aluminium, which form the bulk of India’s CBAM-exposed exports to the EU.

The Budget also substantially (significantly, considerably, appreciably) scales up the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana rooftop solar scheme — ₹22,000 crore in 2026-27 from ₹17,000 crore (RE) for the current year. It is a welcome (pleasing, agreeable, heartening, encouraging, promising, much needed) push towards decentralised (विकेंद्रीकृत) energy systems that reduce land pressure, transmission losses and household (family, house) energy costs. However, implementation challenges remain, including discom (electricity distribution company) cooperation and upfront (in advance, beforehand) finance. Similarly, allocations for PM-KUSUM (solar irrigation pumps), have been sustained (continue, carry on, maintain) at ₹5,000 crore. Revised estimates (Revised Estimates are mid-year review of possible expenditure, taking into account the rest of expenditure, New Services and New instrument of Services etc) suggest stronger-than-anticipated absorption (involvement, interest, engagement). For nuclear energy, the government has extended zero basic customs duty (it refers to the tax imposed on the goods when they are transported across the international borders) on imports of nuclear plant equipment until 2035. While this reduces input costs (the total expenses a business incurs to acquire resources and materials necessary to produce a good or deliver a service), nuclear power remains capital intensive (it describes industries/businesses needing a large amount of capital to start/run), with long construction timelines and financing risks. Recent legal changes permit private participation, but whether private capital will enter a sector entwined (intertwine, interweave, closely connect) with national security, safety and liability (legal/financial obligation, debt, responsibility) concerns remains uncertain (doubtful, indecisive, unpredictable, not sure). Green hydrogen, despite budgetary support, continues to see modest actual spending, highlighting (underline, underscore, emphasize, call attention to) the persistent (continuing, continuous, non-stop, enduring, recurring) gap between policy ambition and execution. Overall, India’s climate budget for 2026-27 repeats a pattern: big on intent, cautious (सावधान, सतर्क) on allocations, and uncertain in its ability to mobilise (organise, assemble, deploy resources) the private capital required to accelerate (increase, rise) decarbonisation (the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions through the use of low carbon power sources, achieving a lower output of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere) across vital (key, important, paramount, critical) sectors.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.intent (noun)

Hindi Meaning - इरादा, उद्देश्य
English Meaning - purpose, aim, goal, intention, objective, target.

2.outcome (noun)

Hindi Meaning - परिणाम, नतीजा
English Meaning - result, end-result, consequence, effect, after-effect.

3.allocation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आवंटन
English Meaning - allotment, granting, distribution, doling out, budgeting, earmarking, setting aside (especially of money, that is given to a particular person or used for a particular purpose).

4.reflect (verb)

Hindi Meaning - दर्शाना, प्रतिबिंबित करना
English Meaning - indicate, show, demonstrate, display, communicate, prove.

5.in the thick of (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - के बीचों-बीच, गहन दौर में
English Meaning - in the most active or central part of a specific (& complex) situation or activity; a central/major role in a situation.

6.pandemic (noun)

Hindi Meaning - महामारी
English Meaning - the worldwide spread of a new disease; the illness spreads around the world and typically affects a large number of people across a wide area.

7.modest (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - मामूली, साधारण
English Meaning - moderate, limited, small.

8.localize (verb)

Hindi Meaning - स्थानीयकरण करना, स्थानीय बनाना
English Meaning - to make (something) locally; produce/manufacture locally.

9.provision (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रावधान
English Meaning - allocation, distribution.

10.cautious (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सावधान, सतर्क
English Meaning - careful, wary, heedful, attentive, circumspect, prudent, mindful.

11.irrigation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सिंचाई
English Meaning - the process of (artificially) supplying water to farmland to grow crops & plants.

12.attention (noun)

Hindi Meaning - ध्यान
English Meaning - notice, recognition.

13.outlay (noun)

Hindi Meaning - परिव्यय, व्यय
English Meaning - expenditure, spending, expenses

14.decentralized (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विकेंद्रीकृत
English Meaning - relating to the transfer of the control of something from a single place to other locations.

15.decentralized solar power (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विकेंद्रीकृत सौर ऊर्जा
English Meaning - it refers to electricity generation from solar PV systems located close to the point of consumption, such as rooftops, microgrids, or local solar farms, rather than at large, distant power plants. This approach minimizes transmission losses, increases energy security, and brings reliable power to remote or rural communities.

16.disjointed (adjective)

English Meaning - unconnected, disconnected, separated, fragmented.

17.scale (noun)

English Meaning - magnitude, size, extent, sxope.

18.green (verb)

English Meaning - change from conventional diesel or grid-powered pump sets to sustainable, energy-efficient, and renewable alternatives like solar-powered pump sets.

19.solar photovoltaic (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the branch of technology used to generate electricity directly from sunlight by an electronic process naturally occurring in semiconductors.

20.green hydrogen (noun)

English Meaning - it is hydrogen fuel that is created using renewable energy instead of fossil fuels.

21.Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) (noun)

English Meaning - It aims to reduce carbon emission by either storing or reusing it so that captured carbon dioxide does not enter the atmosphere.

22.suite (noun)

English Meaning - a set of; a group of.

23.pilot (adjective / noun)

English Meaning - test, trial, experimental.

24.embark on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - start, begin, initiate, commence.

25.deployment (noun)

English Meaning - the act of employing something (resources, forces) into effective action.

26.uneven (adjective)

English Meaning - irregular, inconsistent, unequal.

27.primarily (adverb)

English Meaning - mainly, chiefly, largely.

28.(carbon) emissions (noun)

English Meaning - Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere; Carbon dioxide is also a greenhouse gas produced as a byproduct of human activities. Burning fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas—is the number one source of global CO2 emissions.

29.embed (verb)

English Meaning - incorporate, include; insert/fix.

30.EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) (noun)

English Meaning - It is the EU’s tool to put a fair price on carbon emitted during the production of carbon-intensive goods that are entering the EU, and to encourage cleaner industrial production in non-EU countries.

31.carbon cost (noun)

English Meaning - IT is defined as a method to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by assigning a cost to their release, typically through mechanisms such as carbon taxes or carbon emission trading. This pricing aims to incentivize polluters to decrease fossil fuel combustion, thereby addressing the negative externality of emissions.

32.decarbonise (verb)

English Meaning - reduce carbon dioxide emissions through the use of low carbon power sources, achieving a lower output of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.

33.no longer (phrase)

English Meaning - not anymore, not any more, not any longer.

34.imperative (noun)

English Meaning - necessary condition, precondition, condition, essential requirement.

35.substantially (adverb)

English Meaning - significantly, considerably, appreciably.

36.scale up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - increase, enlarge, intensify.

37.PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (noun)

English Meaning - It is a government scheme that aims to provide free electricity to households in India. The scheme was launched on February 15, 2024. Under the scheme, households will be provided with a subsidy to install solar panels on their roofs. The subsidy will cover up to 40% of the cost of the solar panels. The scheme is expected to benefit 1 crore households across India.

38.Budget Estimates (BE) (noun)

English Meaning - Amount of money allocated in the Budget to any ministry or scheme for the coming financial year.

39.Revised Estimates (RE) (noun)

English Meaning - Revised Estimates are mid-year review of possible expenditure, taking into account the rest of expenditure, New Services and New instrument of Services etc.

40.welcome (adjective)

English Meaning - pleasing, agreeable, heartening, encouraging, promising, much needed.

41.push (noun)

English Meaning - drive, campaign.

42.household (noun)

English Meaning - family, house.

43.discom (noun)

English Meaning - electricity distribution company.

44.upfront (adjective)

English Meaning - in advance, beforehand.

45.PM-KUSUM (solar irrigation pumps) (noun)

English Meaning - This scheme is for de-dieselisation of farm sector and enhancing the income of farmers. Under the Scheme, central government subsidy upto 30% or 50% of the total cost is given for the installation of standalone solar pumps and also for the solarization of existing grid-connected agricultural pumps.

46.sustain (verb)

English Meaning - continue, carry on, maintain.

47.suggest (verb)

English Meaning - indicate, point to, show, demonstrate.

48.anticipated (adjective)

English Meaning - expected, foreseen, predicted.

49.absorption (noun)

English Meaning - involvement, interest, engagement.

50.customs duty (noun)

English Meaning - it refers to the tax imposed on the goods when they are transported across the international borders.

51.input cost (noun)

English Meaning - the total expenses a business incurs to acquire resources and materials necessary to produce a good or deliver a service.

52.capital-intensive (adjective)

English Meaning - it describes industries/businesses needing a large amount of capital to start/run.

53.entwine (verb)

English Meaning - intertwine, interweave, closely connect.

54.liability (noun)

English Meaning - legal/financial obligation, debt, responsibility.

55.uncertain (adjective)

English Meaning - doubtful, indecisive, unpredictable, not sure.

56.highlight (verb)

English Meaning - underline, underscore, emphasize, call attention to.

57.persistent (adjective)

English Meaning - continuing, continuous, non-stop, enduring, recurring.

58.mobilise (verb)

English Meaning - organise, assemble, deploy resources.

59.accelerate (verb)

English Meaning - increase, rise.

60.decarbonisation (noun)

English Meaning - the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions through the use of low carbon power sources, achieving a lower output of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.

61.vital (adjective)

English Meaning - key, important, paramount, critical.