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Predicted Questions with Model Answers
Q1 (5 marks — 50 words)
What is the Bhadla Solar Park and why is it significant for Rajasthan's energy sector?
Model Answer (EN): Bhadla Solar Park in Jodhpur district, with 2,245 MW installed capacity, is the world's largest solar park, spread over 14,000 acres of the Thar Desert. Developed by RRECL with private partners (Adani, Azure, SECI), it supplies power at ₹2.44/kWh PPA and anchors Rajasthan's Integrated Clean Energy Policy 2024 target of 115 GW by 2029-30.
Q2 (5 marks — 50 words)
What is Public-Private Partnership (PPP)? Name two major PPP projects in Rajasthan's infrastructure.
Model Answer (EN): PPP is a contractual arrangement where government and private entities jointly finance, build, and operate infrastructure, sharing risks and returns. Rajasthan has 198 completed PPP projects worth ₹19,611 crore. Key examples: (1) Jaipur Airport T2 — Adani DBFOT concession; (2) Delhi-Mumbai Expressway (Rajasthan section, ~390 km) — NHAI HAM structure.
Q3 (5 marks — 50 words)
Briefly describe the road network of Rajasthan and recent investment in road infrastructure.
Model Answer (EN): Rajasthan's road network spans 3,17,121 km — NH 10,790 km, State Highways 17,376 km, and Village Roads 2,06,318 km — with a road density of 92.66 km per 100 sq. km. Investment over five years exceeds ₹60,000 crore; budget allocation for 2024-25 is ₹11,986 crore. Under PMGSY-III, 8,249 km of rural roads have been upgraded.
Q4 (5 marks — 50 words)
What are Externally Aided Projects (EAPs)? Name the key lending agencies funding projects in Rajasthan.
Model Answer (EN): EAPs are development projects funded by international lending agencies (multilateral/bilateral) under concessional terms, implemented by state governments. Rajasthan has 14 ongoing EAPs with ₹31,940 crore total outlay, spending ₹15,183 crore. Key agencies: World Bank (urban water, education, disaster resilience), ADB (urban infrastructure — RUSDIP, roads), JICA (rural water supply at 0.01–0.5% concessional ODA rates).
Q5 (10 marks — 150 words)
Examine Rajasthan's achievements and challenges in the power sector. How does the state plan to achieve its 115 GW renewable energy target by 2029-30?
Model Answer (EN): Rajasthan's total installed power capacity reached 26,325.19 MW by December 2024, with renewable energy (solar + wind) comprising ~37%. The state ranks first nationally in solar capacity (5,482.66 MW solar; 4,414.12 MW wind). The world's largest solar park — Bhadla, 2,245 MW — exemplifies this achievement.
The Integrated Clean Energy Policy 2024 sets an ambitious 115 GW RE target by 2029-30 and 2,000 KTPA Green Hydrogen production. Key strategies: 30-day single-window clearance, enhanced land lease rates (₹8,500–₹16,500/acre/year), dedicated 765 kV transmission corridor from Barmer, and an International Solar Alliance hub at Jodhpur. Rajasthan's solar potential is 142 GW (MNRE).
Key challenges: grid integration of intermittent RE, transmission infrastructure gaps, land acquisition in desert districts, DISCOM financial stress (cumulative losses), and water availability for solar panel cleaning. Rajasthan has electrified 43,965 villages and 108.09 lakh rural households, achieving near-total rural electrification. The Rising Rajasthan Summit 2024 attracted ₹2+ lakh crore in RE investments, signaling strong private sector confidence in the state's energy transition.
Q6 (10 marks — 150 words)
Discuss the role of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and Externally Aided Projects (EAPs) in accelerating Rajasthan's infrastructure development.
Model Answer (EN): Rajasthan's infrastructure gap is too large for public funding alone. PPP and EAPs bridge this gap by mobilising private capital and concessional international finance.
PPP: 198 completed projects worth ₹19,611 crore span roads (HAM/BOT toll), airports (Adani DBFOT at Jaipur, Jodhpur), urban water supply, and industrial corridors. PPP reduces fiscal burden, transfers operational risk to private partners, and improves service delivery through performance-linked contracts.
EAPs: 14 ongoing EAPs with ₹31,940 crore total outlay and ₹15,183 crore spent address water, education, urban infrastructure, and disaster resilience. World Bank supports RUSDIP (24×7 urban water in 14 towns) and RUIDP. ADB funds RUSDIP urban infrastructure. JICA provides the most concessional ODA loans (0.01–0.5%) for rural water supply.
Complementarity: EAPs fund high-social-impact but low-commercial-return projects (rural water, disaster preparedness), while PPP targets commercially viable sectors (airports, toll roads). Together they accelerate infrastructure, reduce project delays, bring international best practices, and improve public accountability through safeguard compliance. Rajasthan's EAP management unit model is now cited as a best practice by MoF.