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Biotechnology

TERI offers microbe to lick spill of Mumbai
The Pioneer, 16 August 2010
At a time when experts are battling the hazard posed by the massive oil spill off the Mumbai coast, The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI) has offered to clean up the mess with its indigenously-developed cocktail of oil-eating microbes. A similar mechanism was used in BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico recently.

Oilzapper 40% cheaper than other options
The Times of India, 19 July 2010
Using bacteria to clean up an oil slick is called bioremediation and is practised in many parts of the world. But the Indian formulation is unique as it eats up all four layers of crude -- waxy element or saturated hydrocarbons, aromatic component or benzene compounds, NSO (compounds of nitrogen and sulphur) and asphaltene or tar. And unlike other formulations, Oilzapper can work in temperatures ranging from 8-40 degrees Celsius. The formulation was developed by TERI under a central government initiative.

Bt crops can be safer alternative to pesticides
Deccan Herald, 27 April 2010
Scientists had engineered these plants to produce an insecticidal protein originally made by the soil bacteria Bacillus thuringeinsis (Bt). Bt has been used to control crop pests since 1920s. Bt microbial products have more than 40 years history of safe use especially in organic farming. In the case of Bt brinjal, instead of spraying the protein, the plant was genetically modified (GM) to make the protein. The Bt protein is only toxic to specific insects that include the brinjal fruit borer which is killed upon consuming the brinjal, thereby protecting the plant. Bt thus serves as an effective and environmentally friendly substitute to using deadly chemical pesticides.

Australia-India partnership to establish a bionanotechnology research center in New Delhi
Nanowerk, 16 April 2010
A new research centre to study food and water security and health care is to be established by Deakin University in partnership with TERI. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the two institutions recently to establish the new BioNanotechnology Research Centre in New Delhi. Researchers from Deakin University’s Institute for Technology Research and Innovation will bring their expertise to the design of novel nanomaterials while TERI researchers in the Biotechnology and Management of Bioresources Division will contribute their experience in biotech applications in pharmacology, food, agriculture and environmental areas.

OTBL and Oil India Limited collaborate to use TERI developed “Oilzapper Technology” in Assam to treat hazardous oil spill and sludge
Business Wire India; 16 June 2009
TERI with the support from Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, has developed a bacterial product known as ‘Oilzapper’ to clean up oil spills and treats hazardous oily sludge generated unavoidably by Oil Industry. Oil India has taken a lead to clean up the oil spills in Assam and has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ONGC TERI Biotech Limited (OTBL), a joint venture company between ONGC and TERI. The MoU was signed in the presence of Dr. R.K. Pachauri, Director- General TERI, Mr. N.M. Borah, CMD, Oil India Limited along with board members of OTBL, TERI, Oil India Ltd and ONGC.

Biotech surge
The Financial Express; 9 March 2009
Researchers at various government and private institutes in India are conducting extensive field trials on, not only biotech rice but, a host of other biotech crops before they are made available for cultivation on a commercial scale. Specifically to biotech rice, field trials are being conducted at Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, Mahyco, Mumbai, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, Hyderabad and Directorate of Rice Research, Hyderabad.

Economy - General

India 2nd in global competitiveness
Business Standard, 11 July 2010
India has been ranked second, ahead of the United States and South Korea, in terms of manufacturing competence globally, a report by Deloitte has said. China, India and South Korea have been ranked first, second and third, respectively, in the 2010 Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index – collaboration between Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and the US Council on Competitiveness. The rise in the manufacturing competitiveness of three countries in particular — China, India, and South Korea — appears to parallel the rapidly growing and important Asian market, said the 56 page report.

India will grow at 9.5 per cent in 2010, says IMF
Business Standard, 9 July 2010
IMF (International Monetary Fund) revised its growth projection for India in 2010 to 9.5 per cent. It said the Indian growth story during the year would be driven by favourable financing conditions and robust corporate profits. In April, IMF had projected that India would grow at 8.8 per cent to be the second fastest growing economy in the world after China in 2010.

India may attract more capital flows: RBI
The Financial Express, 12 June 2010
India is likely to witness a surge in capital inflows as investors may find the country an attractive bet in the backdrop of an uncertain global environment. Foreign Institutional Investors have, so far, invested around USD 5 billion in the domestic share market against a total investment of USD 17.45 billion in 2009.

Indian economy to grow 9 per cent in 2011: World Bank
The Times of India, 8 June 2010
India's economy is expected to grow 9 per cent in 2011 with South Asia poised to become the second fastest growing region after East Asia & Pacific, says the latest World Bank update. The region as a whole is expected to grow by about 7 per cent in 2010 and nearly 8 per cent in 2011, says the South Asia Economic Update 2010, the World Bank's first yearly assessment of the economies of the region. Contrary to current beliefs, South Asia's particular strengths and forms of global integration–not the lack of it–was a key factor behind its resilience following the financial crisis of 2008, it says. With emerging markets playing an increasing role in driving growth, integration should be a key component of a sustained and inclusive growth strategy going forward, the report says.

Finance Bill passed with some tax relief
Mint, 30 April 2010
The Union Budget for 2010-11 was cleared with Parliament passing the Finance Bill after amendments to provide marginal direct and indirect tax concessions to sectors such as healthcare and construction. Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, replying to the debate on the Bill, turned down demands from the Opposition to roll back indirect tax hikes for crude oil and related products—announced when he presented the Budget on 26 February—saying they were crucial to keep fiscal deficit under check.

Economy will grow 8.5%: FM
Deccan Herald, 29 April 2010
The Centre has projected the economy to grow by 8.5 per cent in the current fiscal 2010/11 and over 9 per cent in 2011/12 but expressed concern over inflation nearing the double digit figure. The outlook is further brightened by the fact that a normal monsoon is predicted this year, said the Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee. The upward shift in the growth trajectory has been anchored strongly in robust growth in consumption, he noted. Turning to broader economic issues he expressed the commitment of the government to continue with the fiscal consolidation programme and gradually reduce the fiscal deficit to 4.5 per cent of the GDP in 2011/12 and 4.1 per cent 2012/13.

PM pitches for cooperation in energy, food sector
The Financial Express, 17 April 2010
Noting that India, Russia, China and Brazil are resource rich, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh pitched for close cooperation among them in the fields of energy and food security besides tapping potential in other sectors like trade and investment, science and technology and infrastructure. Addressing BRIC (the Brazil-Russia-India-China) Summit, he said the four countries can benefit by sharing their experiences in the field of inclusive growth. Contending that the people of the four countries "expect us to work together so as to bring the benefits of inclusive social and economic development to them", he identified energy and food security as two specific areas where they can work together.

Industry grows 16.7% in January
The Times of India, 13 March 2010
Industrial growth is going great guns, showing a strong upturn in the economy. Factory output rose 16.7% in January 2010 from the same period last year. However, this also increased the apprehension that RBI may resort to strong monetary measures like interest rate hike to contain inflation, which is hovering around 8%. Growth in January is slower than 17.6% figure achieved in December 2009. However, industrial production increased marginally by 0.3% in January (month-on-month basis) compared to a growth of 3.2% in December and 3.4% in November.

Infrastructure gets a boost
The Economic Times, 13 March 2010
The government’s proposal to let financial institutions guarantee bonds issued by infrastructure providers is welcome as it would enable them to raise cheaper funds and boost investment in infrastructure projects. It would also encourage long term investors including pension funds and insurance firms to put more money in infrastructure bond offerings, giving a fillip to the corporate bond market. A guarantee by state owned IIFCL (India Infrastructure Finance Company) would, however, add to the contingent liabilities of the Centre. Due diligence is, therefore, a must and the IIFCL should provide guarantees only to bond issuers whose projects are found to be commercially viable. This would call for a rigorous appraisal of the project as is done for a bank loan.

New tariff norms for government ports next financial year
Business Standard, 14 January 2010
The shipping ministry is looking at appointing a consultant by the end of this month to revise the guidelines that determine rates fixed by the Tariff Authority of Major Ports at the 12 government-run ports in the country. The recommendations forwarded by the consultant will be put up for discussions among trade bodies and port authorities. The revised guidelines are expected to be in place by the first quarter of the next financial year (2010-11). The modified guidelines will be effective for a period of five years till 2015-16.

Industrial growth at two-year high on durable stimulus
Business Standard, 13 January 2010
Backed by government stimulus measures and a low base effect, growth in industrial output touched a two-year high in November 2009. The IIP grew 11.7%, primarily due to growth in manufacturing (12.68% in November as against 2.7% last year), fuelling a debate on withdrawal of fiscal and monetary stimulus measures. Overall, IIP grew a meagre 2.5% during the corresponding month in 2008 and 10.35% in October 2009. The cumulative IIP growth rate for April–November 2009 stands at 7.6% as against 4.1% in the corresponding period of 2008/09.

ADB raises India's growth forecast to 7%
The Times of India, 16 December 2009
The Asian Development Bank raised its growth forecasts for developing economies in Asia on Tuesday, but warned against any hasty withdrawal of stimulus packages, saying they were needed to ensure a solid recovery. It also cautioned governments that restricting the capital flooding Asia's emerging economies carried risks, suggesting that allowing more flexible exchange rates was one way to control the investment flows into the region. The report showed that the ADB maintained its growth forecasts for China at 8.2% in 2009 and 8.9% in 2010. It raised the 2009 growth forecast for India to 7% from 6%, but kept 2010 at 7%. The ADB raised its regional forecast to 4.5% on average in 2009 and 6.6% in 2010 from expectations in September of 3.9% and 6.4%, respectively.

Government will step up reforms, says PM
The Hindu Business Line, 31 October 2009
The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has said the country needs to aim at sustained economic growth of 9-10 per cent in the coming years. The prime minister said the Government will push for faster reforms and step up the focus on areas such as infrastructure, agriculture and the social sector. The Government had taken a series of initiatives aimed at investing in rural and urban infrastructure, generating maximum employment and improving productivity of farm economy, Dr Singh said addressing the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit.

EAC sees robust GDP growth on domestic industrial revival
The Financial Express, 22 October 2009
The Prime Minister’s EAC (Economic Advisory Council) projected a more robust GDP growth rate of 6.5% for 2009/10 than either the Planning Commission or RBI estimates. Significantly, it has also pitched for keeping interest rates unchanged. The GDP estimate is, however, a shade lower than 2008/09’s 6.7%. The EAC also projected headline inflation of 6% by March 2010, with food prices posing the biggest challenge. Releasing the Economic Outlook 2009/10, EAC chairman Dr C Rangarajan said the present interest rate regime may continue at the moment, while acknowledging the need going forward to change the highly accommodative monetary policy. He said RBI would take a call on policy rates keeping in mind the growth prospects and inflation.

Government plans education model for rural healthcare
The Financial Express, 19 October 2009
In order to bridge the rural-urban healthcare access divide, the government is planning to create a scheme wherein it could impart medical training to selected candidates from rural areas on the condition that they have to serve a certain prescribed tenure in rural areas. The details of the scheme are being worked out by the Medical Council of India, which has on its agenda-not only mitigating the requirements of rural health manpower, but also ‘capacity building’ for health professionals in the country.

India's hunger rate goes up, China improves: Global Hunger Index
Business Standard, 15 October 2009
India continues to suffer from want of food, as its hunger rate has gone up, says a global index for 2009. According to the 2009 Global Hunger Index released by the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the country has scored 23.9 points on a hunger index, which is marginally less than 23.7 points in the previous year. This is even though India improved its ranking this year from 66 to 65.The index ranks countries on a100-point scale, with zero being the best score having no hunger and 100 being the worst.

Economy to grow by 6.5 pc, says PM’s panel
The Tribune, 15 October 2009
Despite poor foodgrain production, rising crude oil prices and the uncertain economic environment around the world, India is expected to grow by around 6-8 per cent in the current year. Indian economy is likely to grow close to 6.5 per cent in the current financial year, Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council chairman Dr C Rangarajan said. However, concerns remain on the agriculture growth, which is likely to remain slightly uneven given the failure of monsoon this year, added Dr Rangarajan. The Reserve Bank has forecast the economy to grow by 6 per cent with an upward bias.

IMF pares India's 2010 growth forecast to 6.4%
Mint, 3 October 2009
India and China will lead the world out of a deep recession in 2010 but the global recovery could be sluggish, the IMF (International Monetary Fund) said in the latest edition of the World Economic Outlook, its bi-annual report on the world economy. The multilateral lender kept its growth forecast for India in 2009 unchanged at 5.4% while it cut its projection for growth in 2010 by a tenth of a percentage point to 6.4% compared with its July estimate of 6.5%.

New IT policy pitches for Bangalore as R&D innovation hub
Deccan Herald, 2 October 2009
From IT for the common man to pitchfork Bangalore as a hub for R&D, product development and innovation, will be the key focus of the new IT Policy currently being formulated by the Karnataka State government. The new policy will be announced during the IT.Biz in November 2009.

PM favours new strategy to boost demand for investment
Business Standard, 26 September 2009
India has outlined a new strategy of expanding investment demand, with a view to expediting the process of the ongoing global economic recovery. In his remarks at the opening plenary session of the G?20 summit, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said, A strategy of expanding investment demand in developing countries to replace lost export demand will not only help growth in developing countries, it will also contribute to a broader global revival. Dr Singh argued that such a strategy would work because the import content of investment was typically higher than exports, which meant a significant percentage of the initial increase in demand would spill over into the global economy.

ADB, UK to give $14 million in tech assistance
The Financial Express, 2 September 2009
The ADB (Asian Development Bank) and the United Kingdom would provide $14 million in technical assistance to help improve the quality and delivery time of projects in a few states. ADB board of directors approved the grant from the Government of the United Kingdom to increase the capacity of lower income states such as Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Rajasthan to prepare and implement ADB-supported projects. ADB will administer the grant, with the Government of India providing counterpart support of $3.5 million. The assistance will be used to fund project feasibility studies; to conduct due diligence on social and environmental safeguard measures; to support the preparation of bid documents and to assist in the calling for, and evaluation of bids.

Trade policy offers exporters more sops
Business Standard, 28 August 2009
The government has allowed duty-free import of capital goods, extended the duty refund scheme for exporters, and cut transaction costs for them, in a bid to reverse the decline in exports and double outbound sales of goods and services in five years. Announcing the foreign trade policy for 2009–14, Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr Anand Sharma, said
he expected exports to reach $200 billion in the financial year ending March 2011. The new policy shifts focus to 26 new countries to counter the demand slump in traditional markets. About 36% of India's exports in 2008/09 were to Europe, 18% to the US, and 16 % to Japan. The new policy assures stability and continuity of the existing schemes, at least for the next two years. The government's focus will be on export sectors with high employment.

UNIDO to launch industrial clusters
The Hindu, 25 August 2009
The UNIDO has joined hands with the DIPP to launch a series of new industrial projects worth $9 million to benefit industry. Under this ICDP, clusters which received infrastructure interventions under its prestigious industrial infrastructure upgradation scheme were targeted for technological interventions through technical cooperation services of the UNIDO.

Cabinet nod for Asean FTA
The Economic Times, 25 July 2009
The Union Cabinet has cleared the free trade agreement (FTA) between India and Asean, a grouping of 10 southeast Asian nations, despite concerns over its possible impact on the country’s farmers. The approval given by the Cabinet paves the way for signing of the pact by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and leaders of 10 Asean countries at the Asean Summit in Phuket in November. The FTA, which will eliminate tariffs on around 4,000 products, including electronic goods, chemicals, certain capital goods and some categories of textiles, is scheduled to be implemented from the next calendar year

Core growth up 6.5%
The Financial Express, 24 July 2009
Riding double-digit growth in cement and coal output, the index of six core infrastructure industries expanded 6.5 per cent in June, the most in 16 months. Buoyed by this robust performance and given that the Core Six have a 27 per cent weight, economists expect positive news on the index of industrial production, which expanded 2.7 per cent in May. The latest core sector numbers are an improvement over the 5.1 per cent growth seen a year earlier, as well as the dismal 2.8 per cent seen in May 2009.

Cabinet forms team to monitor infra projects
Business Standard; 12 July 2009
In an attempt to get core sector projects off the ground, the government has constituted a 13 member Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, which will be headed by the prime minister. The Committee will deliberate all infrastructure proposals of over Rs 1500 million, specifically those in the energy, railway, road, ports, airport, telecommunication, information technology, irrigation, housing, and urban development sectors.

More focus on rural India: expenditure increased by 45%
Mint; 7 July 2009
In a bid to attack poverty, Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, announced lavish spending to build rural infrastructure, reduce poverty, and raise employment opportunities among the youth. The year’s budget till March 2010 has stepped up outlays for several social sector programmes, such as the NREGS, and allocation under Bharat Nirman, the government’s time bound rural infrastructure initiative, which includes housing, roads, drinking water, and telephony, has been increased by 45%.

Economy is sound, let's push reforms, says Economic Survey
Business Standard; 3 July 2009
Painting a picture of a resilient economy, the pre-Budget Economic Survey 2008-09, tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, said India could grow up to 7.75 per cent in 2009-10, up from 6.7 per cent in 2008-09, provided the global economy, particularly the United States, bottomed out by September and the government was able to push the button on significant economic policy reforms. The economy, according to the survey, can count among its strengths the large services sector which has historically been less affected by cyclical downturns than manufacturing, a strong farm sector, robust savings rate, ambitious infrastructure development programme and upbeat foreign investors

Urban mission to add 28 cities, seeks Rs 1.5 lakh crore funding
The Financial Express; 30 June 2009
The government is working on the expansion of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) by including cities having a population of at least 5 lakh, thus expanding into 28 more cities, and is seeking to raise earmarked funds from Rs 1,00,000 crore to Rs 1,50,000 crore.

At 8%, India to grow fastest in 2010: World Bank
The Economic Times, 23 June 2009
The World Bank has projected an 8% growth for India in 2010, which will make it the fastest-growing economy for the first time, overtaking China’s expected 7.7% growth. The multilateral lender has revised upwards the growth rate for the Indian economy this year to 5.1% from an earlier projection of 4%, according to its Global Development Finance Report released recently. India has consistently outperformed growth forecasts by the World Bank in the past.

Easier bidding norms to boost infra projects
The Financial Express, 21 June 2009
The government has brought about a revamping the way infrastructure projects are bid out to private players. The finance ministry issued revised guidelines for RFQ (request for qualification) of bidders for PPP (public–private partnership) projects. The new RFQ, aimed at removing bottlenecks that have plagued the award of infrastructure projects, has removed many contentious clauses, including the cap on the number of bidders for a project and has also clarified the issue of indirect shareholding.

Green homes: For a sustainable tomorrow
The Economic Times, 4 June 2009
Building 'green' homes has become a necessity, for a sustainable tomorrow and the real estate sector, too, is slowly waking up to the potential of carbon credit trading. Even though there has been a great amount of activity in the commercial sector, opposite is the case, in the residential space. In India, the 'green building' movement has only picked up pace from the year 2007. India has its own LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating, initiated by the Indian Green Building Council, which is part of the Confederation of Indian Industry. Organisations like TERI and CII-IGBC have taken initiatives to create awareness about the benefits of 'green buildings'.

Infrastructure growth kindles revival hopes
The Financial Express; 3 June 2009
Reviving hopes of a recovery in industrial production, which has been sliding since December, the index of infrastructure sectors grew 4.3% in April, against 2.3% a year earlier. The index includes six core sectors—cement, finished steel, coal, electricity, crude oil and refinery products—which account for 26.7% of the country’s total industrial production.

Political stability to positively impact India's rating: S&P
The Financial Express; 22 May 2009
Formation of a stable government at the Centre will have positive implications for India’s sovereign rating, global agency Standard and Poor's today said without indicating when it would review country's rating.

Indo-US ties need to be 'reset'
Mint; 18 may 2009
As the election of 2009 in the world’s biggest democracy creates history by returning the Congress-led coalition to power, it is an opportunity to pause and ponder on what kind of global scenario the Prime Minister will inherit and how he might address it. If the dominant trend in the world had to be summed up in one word, it would be “reset”.

RBI survey of forecasters predicts 5.7% GDP growth
The Hindu Business Line, 15 May 2009
The real gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the current fiscal will be 5.7 per cent, the latest survey of professional forecasters by the RBI says. This is lower than the central bank's 6 per cent projection in its Annual Policy Statement for 2009-10. The survey on major macroeconomic indicators of medium-term economic developments is conducted by the RBI on a quarterly basis. In sync with the lower GDP estimate, the survey has forecast a 16 per cent growth in bank credit in the current financial year, against RBI's projection of 20 per cent growth.

Trade policy to be aligned with GST after April1, 2010
Business Standard; 17 April 2009
The new foreign trade policy, which is being prepared by the commerce ministry, will be aligned with the GST (Goods and Services Tax) only after implementation of this indirect tax mechanism. The new policy is likely to be announced by the next government at the Centre by mid-2009, while the GST is likely to be implemented from 1 April 2010.

Investors pour $794 million in Asia funds; India sees inflows
Business Standard, 14 April 2009
Global investors have poured in over $ 794 million in Asia-dedicated equity funds in the first week of April as India-focussed funds broke their 11-week outflow streak. According to the data complied by international fund tracking firm EPFR Global, all the Asia – excluding Japan – equity funds enjoyed another solid week, driven by investors’ faith in China’s growth story.

Migration to cities will ease poverty: World Bank
The Financial Express, 13 March 2009
Urbanisation can help lift people out of poverty, the World Bank said in its World Development Report 2009: Reshaping Economic Geography, released in India on Thursday. Arguing for greater concentration in cities, the report said the process of migration from villages to cities should be encouraged and welcomed. The governments should establish common institutions that promote this market-led evolution of industrial cities rather than trying to evenly spread the economic activity across geography of a country, the report said.

Now, an economic governance index for districts
The Economic Times, 11 March 2009
A group of researchers at the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR) are trying to come up with a unique index that will help gauge economic governance at the district level. The Economic Governance Index (EGI) will be initially formulated for Tamil Nadu and later extended to other states. Researchers at IFMR’s Centre for Development Finance (CDF), who are computing the index, believe the data will help stakeholders such as the government (in policymaking and prioritization of interventions), investors and business houses (for making investment decisions), donor agencies (project planning) and academicians. The British High Commission is funding the project. The EGI is a measure of the environment provide by local bodies for private enterprises and households. It is a comparative measure of how private enterprises operate in conditions provided by the state. The index will be constructed based on several sub-indices available at the districts, such as physical infrastructure, social infrastructure, business establishment cost, governance and regulatory environment, law & order, cost of doing business and environmental sustainability.

MSMEs: Brand new opportunities
The Economic Times, 6 March 2009
Given the economic distress worldwide, the micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSME) had been hit hard. Large numbers of workers have been laid off because of depressed demand, piled up inventory, pending retrievables and squeezed credit market. A sector which provides maximum employment cannot be left to fend for itself without a major transformation led by the entrepreneurs, policy makers and also other support organizations.

Economy gets another rate cut stimulus
The Economic Times, 5 March 2009
Amid mounting fears that the slowdown could linger, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor is not holding back policy ammunition. After nudging banks to cut rates, the RBI governor brought down the two key benchmark interest rates by 50 basis points each — a move that is intended to signal more rate cuts. The RBI has lowered the reverse repo rate — the rate at which RBI borrows from banks — as well as the repo rate, which is the rate at which RBI lends to banks, to 3.5% and 5%, respectively.

Decks cleared for Delhi SEZs
The Asian Age, 19 February 2009
The Delhi government announced a service sector specific SEZ (special economic zone) policy for the city. The government move has now cleared the ways for setting up SEZs promoted by the leading firms of the country. The government, in its statement, said that the proposed SEZs must be from specific sectors of electronic hardware and software, information technology enabled services, nanotechnology, biotechnology, gems and jewellery, non-conventional energy, including solar energy equipment and cell, handicraft, fashion and garments (without dyeing), higher technical educational institution providing world class manpower. The SEZ policy has been made in way that the industrial set-ups are non-polluting in nature, while catering to the people intensive services sector, which can generate large number of employments.

Finance Minister unveils fiscal stimulus III
Business Standard, 25 February 2009
Finance Minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee announced a stimulus package for the economy, the third this financial year, cutting excise duty and service tax two percentage points each, effective midnight, and extending previous excise cuts beyond 31 March 2009. Service tax has been cut across the board from 12% to 10% and the excise has been reduced by the same margin only for items that currently attract the 10 per cent rate.

CCEA okays proposal to ease FDI norms
The Hindu Business Line, 12 February 2009
The Government streamlined the methodology for calculating the total foreign investment in Indian companies, under which it has excluded indirect investment routed through entities ultimately controlled by Indians from the overall sectoral ceilings. The move, cleared by the CCEA (Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs), is aimed at encouraging more overseas funds inflow and offering greater leeway for foreign firms to increase equity in their ventures in India.

CSO pegs GDP growth rate at 7.1%; Fitch affirms stable rating
The Financial Express, 10 February 2009
The government has pegged the GDP growth for 2008-09 at 7.1%, equal to the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council’s estimate but slightly higher than the Reserve Bank of India’s target growth of 7% or lower. This growth will be the lowest since 2003-04, when GDP grew at 8.2%, and substantially lower than the over 9% rate clocked in the past three years.

Delhi govt plans health regulatory body
The Hindustan Times, 9 February 2009
The Delhi government is planning to set up an independent health regulatory body in the city to keep tabs on the services provided in state hospitals and clinics. With the Commonwealth Games round the corner, the government is keen to push the proposal for ensuring quality treatment in its hospitals and clinics.

Influencing India
Business Standard, 1 January 2009
Wielding power is relatively easy, particularly when you get it through birth or through elections, but influence is something altogether different — it can sometimes flow from power but it can just as easily be divorced from it. Among the list of those who wield enormous influence in their fields, there are those with genuine international reach, like Dr R K Pachauri on global warming, Mr Ratan Tata in the most influential board rooms around the world, and Mr Mukesh Ambani, who is on the governing bodies of the Brookings Institution in Washington and the International Red Cross.

India to emerge as global innovation hub, says study
Business Standard, 16 December 2008
India is all set to emerge as the global hub for innovation, says a study on the research and development ecosystem in the country. Revenues from engineering services, R&D and software products are likely to cross Rs 94 billion by the end of this financial year, up 37.5% from Rs 68 billion registered last year, according to the study titled R&D Ecosystem in India by research and analytics firm Evalueserve. The R&D ecosystem comprises government departments, research organization, funding institutions and industry association

India to give opportunities for business growth: Study
Business Standard, 17 December 2008
As the markets evolve and adjust to new realities, several opportunities are likely to emerge for the entrepreneur to start and grow businesses in India thereby meeting the country’s inclusive growth target, says a joint perception survey. The study, released by research firm KPMG and TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs), at the TiE Entrepreneurial Summit 2008 in Bangalore, says that the Indian entrepreneurial community indicates an average level of conduciveness at 3.31 on a scale of one to five (1 being poor and 5 being excellent) for entrepreneurial ventures in the country.

Industry

Indian SMEs high on optimism: report
The Financial Express, 18 June 2009
Despite the economic downturn, Indian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) showed most optimism regarding economic growth in 2009, over majority of their counterparts in the Asia-Pacific, the UPS Asia Business Monitor survey reveals. As much as 40% of the Indian SMEs were optimistic on the growth trajectory. The survey also reveals that the Indian SMEs see IT as the major driver for growth, followed by building & construction and healthcare & pharmaceuticals sector.

RIL, ONGC, Bharti among 500 top global companies: report
The Financial Express; 1 June 2009
Ten Indian companies, including Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries and telecom major Bharti Airtel, are among the 500 top global companies for 2009 in terms of market capitalisation, according to The Financial Times.

Poverty

Addressing urban poverty
The Hindu, 3 June 2009
India’s inequalities are more glaring in its urban areas. The country’s urban poor, according to Planning Commission estimates, number 80 million and constitute 25.70 per cent of the urban population. The socio-economic dynamics of urban poverty are very different and the problems the urban poor face are different from that faced by their rural counterparts who at 220 million form 28.3 per cent of rural population.

Energy

New emission norms for nine sectors
The Asian Age, 8 July 2010
The Government will introduce new emission limits for mine designed energy intensive industrial sectors, including thermal power, cement, iron and steel, railways and fertilizer by April, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency director general Dr Ajay Mathur said. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency, under the ministry of power, has worked out a mechanism to specify the parameters to enable companies cut their energy consumption and save energy for trading credits.

Boom in construction sector calls for energy efficiency laws
The Times of India, 11 June 2010
Growth in the construction industry necessitates tough energy efficient laws for buildings and incorporating energy efficiency guidelines in building bylaws, said Mr A Ravindra, adviser to the chief minister of Karnataka on urban affairs. Speaking at a seminar on Building regulations for energy efficiency organized by TERI, he said that several buildings are coming up in Bangalore but there are no clear guidelines to monitor how energy efficient these are. In order to attain such efficiency, guidelines framed by TERI should be enforced. A project of development of environmental building guidelines and regulations to achieve energy efficiency in Bangalore, with the support of REEEP (Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership), started in August 2009.

India, Sri Lanka consider energy cooperation
The Hindu, 10 June 2010
The President of Sri Lanka, Mr Mahindra Rajapaksa has proposed discussions on establishing a joint information mechanism on the possibility of oil and gas fields straddling the India Sri Lanka maritime boundary. An agreement on conducting a feasibility study for the interconnection of the Indian and Sri Lankan electricity grids was also signed. The two leaders were confident that the agreement would make a significant contribution to enhancing bilateral cooperation in the energy sector. In a step towards strengthening the security and legal framework of the bilateral relationship, Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Mr Rajapaksa witnessed the signing of the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters and Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners.

Bill on energy conservation tabled in Lok Sabha
The Financial Express, 9 March 2010
Power minister Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha that proposes key amendments (in the existing Energy Conservation Act, 2001 to empower the Bureau of Energy Efficiency BEE) to specify qualifications, criteria and conditions for the accreditation of energy auditors. Besides a proposal for empowering the BEE to appoint its officers and staff to accredit energy auditors, the Bill also seeks to empower the Centre to prescribe, by rules, the procedure for issue of energy saving certificate to designated consumers and the value of metric ton of oil equivalent of energy consumed.

Firm up energy ties with Bangladesh [Srivastava, Leena]
Financial Chronicle, 12 January 2010
Apart from a shared history and culture, Bangladesh is key to India’s ability to access its own resources in the north-eastern states of India as well as those beyond in Myanmar. India and Bangladesh have signed several pacts for enhanced cooperation during the recent visit of prime minister of Bangladesh, Ms Sheikh Hasina. One key memorandum of understanding relates to cooperation in the electricity sector. Bangladesh, as India, is suffering from huge energy shortages. The estimates of the gap between demand and supply vary widely and the shortages could be anywhere between 25 per cent and 50 per cent. One estimate talks about a 1,500 mw shortfall, and the 1,000 mw that India could supply to Bangladesh would go a long way in addressing this shortfall.

Green rating must for government buildings
The Pioneer, 7 January 2010
In a landmark decision, the union government has made it mandatory for all new buildings of the public sector undertakings and the government to seek new green rating norms in an effort to ensure energy efficiency and tackle climate change threats. Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Dr Farooq Abdullah, at the GRIHA's National Conference on Green Buildings, said buildings would have to comply with the requirement of at least 3-star rating under the GRIHA scheme. Efforts would be, however, made for higher rating by such buildings subject to the site condition as western rating systems were not suited for Indian climate. Under the GRIHA scheme, buildings would be rated by technical expertise from TERI.

Amendments to Energy Act cleared
The Hindu, 11 December 2009
The Union Cabinet has approved amendments to the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 to introduce the system of issuing energy saving certificates to be traded in the domestic market. The ‘Perform, Achieve and Trade’ mechanism would assign energy efficiency improvement targets to the country’s most energy-intensive industrial units, with the provision of allowing them to retain any energy efficiency improvements in excess of their target in the form of Energy Saving Certificates. The units will also be allowed to use purchased certificates to meet their greenhouse gases emission targets. The approval for the amendments comes just as the negotiations for a comprehensive climate treaty are under way in Copenhagen. The provision for such a mechanism was made under the National Mission on Enhanced Energy Efficiency. The industries that could benefit from these certificates are steel, cement and aluminium.

ONGC plans N-plants
The Hindustan Times, 3 November 2009
Public sector behemoth Oil and Natural Gas Corporation of India (ONGC) has chalked out plans to enter the nuclear power space, in a diversification from its decades-old specialisation in petroleum exploration to which it has already added gas-based power generation.

NPCIL lines up Rs 330 billion for Maharashtra nuclear plant
The Financial Express, 15 October 2009
Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), which currently operates projects having a total capacity of 4120 mw, has tied up funds of Rs 330 billion for two units of 1,650-mw each at the nuclear power project at Jaitapur in Maharashtra. The project will be set up by French company Areva in association with NPCIL under the Indo-French civil nuclear cooperation. NPCIL is developing a total capacity of 10,000 mw. Of Rs 330 billion, Rs 150 billion will be raised via external credit assistance from five major French banks and the remaining through Indian and French banks and financial institutions.

Coking coal prices may touch $200/tn in 2010/11
Business Standard, 29 September 2009
Driven by surge in imports of coking coal by China, growth in Japanese steel output and signs of recovery in the Indian economy, spot prices of the raw material are expected to firm up in the international market. Global prices of coking coal, which are currently hovering around $160–170 a tonne, are expected to harden further and reach $200 a tonne in 2010/11, says a report by Citi Investment Research and Analysis, a division of Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

Unido to promote energy efficiency in MSMEs
The Financial Express, 30 July 2009
The Unido will also partner GEF (Global Environment Facility), which is contributing $8 million to the project that will be implemented by 2013. The project will focus on developing an environment conducive to energy efficiency and use of renewable energy technologies to ensure lower carbon emission by MSMEs mainly in the ceramics, tiles, hand tools, glass, bakeries and iron forging segments. It will also promote the establishment of national policies concerning MSME development based on energy efficiency and renewable energy. For this, Unido will integrate with the national MSMEs cluster development programme and the regulatory and policy mechanisms under the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).

Cabinet approves energy-saving code for new government buildings
The Indian Express, 28 July 2009
Delhi government buildings are set to lead the green campaign by example. The Delhi Cabinet has approved a proposal for the implementation of the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) the only green building scheme run by the central government - in new government buildings and building complexes. Buildings are among the biggest contributors to green house gas emissions - 40 per cent of a city's total emissions - as a result of the centralised heating and cooling systems. The ECBC, which sets down guidelines on energy efficiency, ventilation, ceilings, windows and use of materials that do not absorb heat, will now be incorporated into building bylaws.

Private entry into nuclear power, coal mining
Business Standard; 3 July 2009
The Economic Survey has made a pitch for greater private participation in the infrastructure sector, including the sensitive sectors of nuclear power generation and coal mining. It has called for allowing up to 49 per cent foreign direct investment in nuclear power and amending the Atomic Energy Act to allow private companies in the sector.

Green buildings may define new status quotient
The Economic Times, 20 June 2009
The ISHRAE (Indian Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers) has undertaken an exhaustive exercise to gauge energy conservation efficiency of over 1000 buildings across the five climatic zones of India. ISHRAE that caters to the HVAC&R (heating, ventilation, air condition and refrigeration) industry in India, has engaged over 70 student chapters for this cause.

Energy efficiency a top priority for India Inc
The Financial Express, 10 June 2009
The Energy Efficiency Indicator (EEI) survey for corporate India , reveals that 47% of the respondents are paying more attention to energy efficiency, compared to last year and 94% of the respondents feel that energy management is extremely important. An increase in capital investments for energy efficiency is needed, say 62%, while 72% of the respondents feel their organisations can achieve more energy efficiency from operating budgets. More than 92% of the respondents say energy efficiency is a priority in new construction as well as in renovation projects. According to the survey conducted by Johnson Controls India, a global leader in sustainable, one-stop life cycle building solutions to ensure comfortable and energy efficient buildings, energy efficiency has never been more important. The EEI survey is a research report targeting professionals responsible for energy management.

Russia offers India role in uranium centre project
The Hindu Business Line, 15 April 2009
Russia has offered India the option of participating in its IUEC (International Uranium Enrichment Centre) at Angarsk, Siberia as a means of securing guaranteed fuel supplies in the future. The offer, made during deliberations between the two sides, includes investment possibilities for India in the IUEC, which is being set up under IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) supervision

India’s energy conundrum- Srivastava, Leena
Financial Chronicle, 10 March 2009
Following the usual pattern of the past several decades, half way into a Plan period the estimates for electricity capacity expansion have been severely downsized from the original level to roughly half of it. The electricity capacity expansion estimates for the Eleventh Plan seem to be suffering the same fate — Kirit Parikh, member (energy), Planning Commission, has recently indicated that against an ambitious target of nearly 80,000 mw, the likely capacity addition in the Eleventh Plan will be about 40,000 mw. This pattern has become so predictable that associated players can almost sit back and relax under the assumption that they would be under no pressure to deliver — a good case in point being the coal industry.

Pakistan to go ahead with IPI sans India
The Asian Age, 11 March 2009
Pakistan has expressed its readiness to go ahead with the USD 7.5 billion gas pipeline with Iran even if India, which has security and other concerns, opts out of the trilateral project.

Govt for PPP in securing overseas energy assets
Business Standard, 10 March 2009
In partnership with Japan, South Korea and Singapore, India must explore options for joint storage of oil reserves and setting up a financial reserve for borrowing and lending to tide over the volatility of oil prices, according to Mr H S Puri, secretary (ER) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The MEA’s energy security division, set up in 2007, would channels India’s efforts to strengthen its energy security in the absence of a dedicated ministry that handles this critical aspect of national security, Mr Puri said at a CII seminar.

India firms offered 25% stake in Satpayev oil deal
The Indian Express, 5 March 2009
In pursuance of the objective of energy security, India is all set to seal the Satpayev Oil Concession deal with the Kazakhstan Government wherein ONGC Mittal Energy Limited will acquire at least 25 per cent stake in the Caspian Sea Oil block.

Kakodkar: India all set to achieve N-power target
The Tribune, 19 February 2009
Despite the current economic recession, India is well on course to surpass the production target of 20,000 MW of nuclear power by 2020, the Atomic Energy Commission chairman Dr Anil Kakodkar said. The NPCIL (Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd) has started work on four 700 MW nuclear power plants for which the Central Government has given approval in principle, Dr Kakodkar said. The plans were also on to set up another four 700 MW nuclear plants and fast breeder reactors. Each megawatt of nuclear power will cost about Rs 60 million.

BEE gets to set fuel efficiency norms
Mint, 30 December 2008
The Union government has finally empowered the BEE (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) to set fuel efficiency standards for the country's automobile industry, putting an end to a turf war between two ministries. If BEE, a statutory body under the ministry of power, sticks to its original plans, consumers could see, within a few months, voluntary labels on vehicles that give mileage details. Mandatory standards are expected to be imposed by 2010. These fuel efficiency norms will be similar to the current pollution norms for vehicles without which they cannot be sold in the market.

Cabinet approves Integrated Energy Policy
The Hindu Business Line, 27 December 2008
The Union Cabinet approved an Integrated Energy Policy for the country. A monitoring committee, to be chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, will be set up to review the progress of the policy’s implementation. At present there are five separate ministries—Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Atomic Energy, Power and Non-Conventional Energy sources – each preoccupied with issues in its own turf.

India to invest in uranium mines in Russia
The Financial Express, 25 December 2008
India will invest in uranium mines in Russia, Kazakhstan and a few other countries to acquire up to 50% ownership to ensure uninterrupted supply of fuel for its safeguarded nuclear power plants, according to a top official. ‘We will invest in uranium mines in Russia, Kazakhstan and a few others to acquire ownership of 40% to 50% as part of the long-term strategy for uninterrupted fuel (uranium) supply for our safeguarded nuclear plants,’ chairman and managing director of NPCIL (Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd) Mr S K Jain said.

India–US agree on developing gas hydrate resources
The Hindu, 18 December 2008
Seeking to expand the relationship in the energy sector, India and the US have agreed to collaborate in developing gas hydrate resources, the ice-like structure that has natural gas trapped between water molecules found in abundance off the East Coast. Both countries signed a MoU (memorandum of understanding) in this regard in Washington. The DGH (Directorate General of Hydrocarbons) and United States Geological Survey signed the MoU for cooperation in exploiting gas hydrates found in Krishna Godavari and Mahanadi basins and Andaman deep sea.

Coal

Coal blocks to private companies via auction
The Times of India, 14 August 2010
Government has moved a bill in Rajya Sabha for amendment of the Mining Act to pave the way for auction of coal blocks for captive use by industries like power, steel and cement. Moving the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2008, mines minister Mr B K Handique said the present system of allocating coal blocks for captive use through a screening committee "is vulnerable to criticism on the ground of lack of transparency and objectivity." The government said state-run companies will be exempted from the competitive bidding mechanism for getting access to coal blocks for captive use under the proposed auction system. At present, an inter-ministerial screening committee, which includes representatives from the concerned state governments, allocates coal blocks for captive use to private firms engaged in generation of power and production of iron and steel, among others. State-owned companies are allocated such coal blocks under the government dispensation scheme.

Rel Power seals Indonesian mines buy
The Economic Times, 10 June 2010
Reliance Power has signed a share sale agreement with Indonesia's Sugico Group to acquire three coal mines in a transaction that will involve a series of production linked milestone payments. Reliance Power's wholly owned subsidiary, Reliance Coal Resources, will make an upfront payment of Rs 5000 million ($106 million) for acquiring the mines. The balance payment will be paid in a staggered fashion depending on the mines meeting certain production targets. If all production linked targets are met, the total value of the deal will be $1.6 billion.

NTPC, CIL tie up for foreign assets
The Financial Express, 29 April 2010
NTPC and CIL (Coal India Ltd) have formed a JV (joint venture) to pursue acquisition of coal assets in India and abroad, raising questions about the future of another JV, ICVL (International Coal Ventures Ltd), that was set up by NTPC along with steel major SAIL (Steel Authority of India Ltd), RINL (Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd), CIL and NMDC two years ago with a similar objective but still remains a non starter. There is speculation that the steel ministry is planning a special arm under SAIL to spearhead acquisition of coking coal assets abroad.

Coal India to seal deals abroad in six months
Business Standard, 26 April 2010
Government owned CIL (Coal India Ltd), the world's largest miner, expects to seal strategic partnership deals with three listed companies abroad within six months, including Peabody Energy of the US. The deal with Peabody, which involves takeover of one of the US company's subsidiaries, will give CIL access to four Australian coal mines, along with other overseas assets in the US and Indonesia. The mines produce both thermal coal and metallurgical coal suitable for steel production. CIL is also expected to hit the capital market in end July or early August with India's biggest public issue. The company's initial public offering of a 10 % stake is expected to raise a minimum of Rs 120 billion. Tenders for bids from banks to handle this have already been issued and banks would be chosen on a combination of both price and technical competence.

Coal India sets up satellite surveillance system
The Hindu Business Line, 8 March 2010
In an effort to accord high priority to environment friendly mining practices, CIL (Coal India Ltd) has introduced satellite surveillance of its open cast mines. The satellite imageries and the related surveillance data to be updated regularly are available on the Web for public scrutiny. The company has also made "environmental mitigation records" the second most important parameter, after production targets, in the annual performance report of its managers.

Essar to pay $600 m for US company Trinity Coal
The Hindu Business Line, 7 March 2010
Essar Group's subsidiary Essar Minerals, Delaware, will buy US based Trinity Coal Partners for $600 million (about Rs 27,600 million). Trinity is among the top 10 US coal producers with operations in the central Appalachian region. Essar has signed a definitive agreement with Denham Capital, energy and commodities focused private equity firm, by which Denham will sell its 100 % ownership of Trinity to Essar.

Government to speed up green nod for coal projects
The Financial Express, 19 June 2009
The government said it will develop model TORs (terms of reference) for coal projects to bring down the time taken in assigning environmental clearances to such projects from 3–5 years. Coalmine developers use the TORs in assessing the impact of mining projects on environment, and standard TORs can enable them to do this assessment in advance. Faster clearance to coal projects will be helpful in increasing the production of the fossil fuel, the chief raw material to generate thermal power. The country wants to double power capacity by adding 78 700 megawatts by March 2012.

Government to speed up green nod for coal projects
The Financial Express, 19 June 2009
The government said it will develop model terms of reference (TORs) for coal projects to bring down the time taken in assigning environmental clearances to such projects from 3-5 years. Coalmine developers use the TORs in assessing the impact of mining projects on environment, and standard TORs can enable

Govt may allow private coal mining
Business Standard, 16 June 2009
In a bid to plug the demand and supply gap of coal in the country, the government is considering a proposal to open coal mining to the private sector. “We are thinking on it. The government is not averse to any proposal, whether it is for privatisation or for any other reform,” said Union Coal Minister Mr Shriprakash Jaiswal. Currently, state-owned companies like Coal India Ltd are allowed to mine the dry fuel in India. Private companies are allowed to mine only for their captive consumption.

NTPC to source 30-40 MT coal from abroad
The Financial Express, 18 February 2009
State-run power producer NTPC is targeting coal reserves in Indonesia, Mozambique and South Africa to source 30-40 MT of the fuel for meeting its requirement. The company had recently said it may bid for coal-based 4000 mw ultra mega power projects in the future. The dry fuel requirement of NTPC stands at about 125 MTPA, out of which it is importing eight MT of coal in the current financial year.

Clean coal tech for the future
The Financial Express; 15 December 2008
Coal is a vital fuel in most parts of the world. Burning coal without adding to global carbon dioxide levels is a major technological challenge. The most promising ‘clean coal’ technology involves using the coal to make hydrogen from water, then burying the resultant carbon dioxide by-product and burning the hydrogen. The greatest challenge is bringing down the cost of this technology for ‘clean coal’ to compete with nuclear power on the basis of near-zero emissions for base-load power.

Oil and Gas

Vedanta to buy up to 60%in Cairn India for $9.6 billion
The Financial Express;, 17 August 2010
Metals baron and industrialist Anil Agarwal has moved a step closer to his ambition of owning a diversified portfolio of natural resources in India. Agarwal’s Vedanta Group said on Monday it was looking to buy a controlling stake of between 51-60% in oil production firm Cairn India for $8.5-9.6 billion. This values Cairn India at roughly $17 billion.

Ports will soon get systems to combat oil spills
The Hindu Business Line, 15 August 2010
The Mumbai and JN Ports would soon be equipped with Tier-I pollution response system to combat oil spills. The decision to set up the system was taken following the collision of two ships at Mumbai harbour, causing an oil spill along the Mumbai coast. Addressing a press conference after assessing environmental damage caused by the oil spill, the Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Mr Jairam Ramesh, said the system will be capable of responding to oil spills up to 700 tonnes. Mr Ramesh also said that another lesson India needs to learn from the oil spill is the need to be a member of international conventions.

New licensing policy for oil companies likely by 2010
The Hindu Business Line, 13 August 2010
OALP (Open Acreage Licensing Policy) regime, which will allow oil exploration companies to choose the blocks they want to take up for their hydrocarbon search, is likely to be introduced by 2012. Introduction of OALP will provide continuous opportunity to bidders for expediting the oil and gas hunt in the country. Under the OALP, DGH (Directorate-General of Hydrocarbons) plans to divide the country into grids, which will be further divided into smaller units for exploration purposes. Meanwhile, to make OALP operational, the DGH is working on developing NDR (National Data Repository) that will archive all exploration and production data under one roof.

RIL to take US lessons for shale E&P in India
The Financial Express, 7 August 2010
RIL (Reliance Industries Ltd), which announced its third shale gas asset acquisition in the US this year for Rs 18,000 million, will leverage the technological acumen gained from operating those assets to aggressively bid for shale gas assets in India, when the government invites bids for shale gas E&P (exploration & production) next year. RIL's huge investments of up to $3.7 billion so far in buying US shale gas assets will pay rich returns in the domestic arena too, with the country expected to possess huge potential in shale gas in Gujarat, the NorthEast and Jharkhand. India has gas reserves of 39.4 trillion cubic feet compared with 244.7 trillion cubic feet in the US at the end of 2009, a Bloomberg report said this June, quoting the BP Statistical Review.

PNGRB to make licensing norms investor-friendly
The Financial Express, 19 July 2010
The Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), the downstream regulator in the energy sector, has proposed to finetune its licensing norms as it cautiously prepares to enter a new regime of authorising trunk and city gas pipeline networks.

Petrol price review every month
Business Standard, 15 July 2010
Government-controlled oil marketing companies (OMCs) have decided to review retail prices of petrol on a monthly basis. However, the date for the next price review and the mechanism to fix the price are yet to be finalized. The three OMCs also agreed to maintain a uniform price of the fuel for the next three months and let market forces determine the prices after that. This means that by mid-October, consumers in India will have the option to choose a retail outlet which offers them the best deal.

IOC, RIL among 8 Indian companies in Fortune 500 list
The Economic Times, 12 July 2010
Eight Indian companies, including oil major Indian Oil Corporation and Mukesh Ambani led Reliance Industries, have made the cut in the list of the world's 500 largest companies compiled by Fortune. The league of 500 elite companies for 2010 is topped by US retailer Wal-Mart Stores, followed by oil giant Royal Dutch Shell and another oil major, Exxon Mobil, in that order. Besides IOC and RIL, the other Indian companies in the list are steel maker Tata Steel, auto company Tata Motors, oil entities BPCL, HPCL and ONGC and public sector bank SBI.

Energy companies queue up for Canada's oil sand assets
The Financial Express, 10 July 2010
Canada's oil sands are calling and India's energy explorers are raring to go. Upstream companies including Essar Oil, OVL (ONGC Videsh) and RIL (Reliance Industries Ltd) are scouting for oil sand assets in northern Alberta, and have lined up investments over $1 billion each. Canada's oil sands received attention in India when RIL was reported to be making a bid for the assets of Alberta based Value Creation. The assets are owned by Canadian Natural Resources, Canadian Oil Sands Trust, Husky Energy, Nexen and Suncor Energy. Alberta's oil sands represent one of the largest sources of potential oil production growth in the world.

India scouts for international LNG deals as prices stay low
The Financial Express, 10 July 2010
India is planning an aggressive foray into the global market for natural gas, as it reckons that the output from Reliance Industries' KG-D6 block would hardly meet the growing demand from key sectors like fertilisers. With the recent fall in prices, long term contracts in the global gas market have shifted in favour of the buyer, a factor which has caught the attention of policymakers. Potential gas suppliers to India include producers in major LNG (liquefied natural gas) exporting countries such as Indonesia, Australia, Qatar, Oman, UAE and Algeria.

Oil India to scout for small oil wells overseas
The Asian Age, 5 July 2010
The oil exploration company OIL (Oil India Ltd) is aggressively looking to expanding its oil properties. The company also plans to spend 46 % of its around Rs 50 billion capital outlay in 2010-11 on mergers and acquisitions. OIL in an analyst presentation, said that it will be looking to acquire small and medium sized oil and gas producing properties in a joint venture with Indian Oil Corporation, which is supported by $2 billion cash. OIL currently has 30 E&P blocks in India. It recently made 15 small to medium size discoveries in oil and gas. Overseas, OIL has 19 oil and gas blocks in Egypt, Gabon, Iran, Libya, Nigeria, Timor Leste, Venezuela and Yemen.

Iran, Pakistan complete pipeline agreement
Mint, 14 June 2010
Iranian and Pakistani officials have signed a final agreement covering Iran's supply of natural gas to its eastern neighbour by 2014. Under the agreement, Iran will provide some 21.5 million cu. m a day of gas to Pakistan for 25 years. The deal can be extended by five years and the volume may be increased to 30 million cubic metres following a request from Pakistan. The $7.4 billion (Rs346.32 billion) link, known as the peace pipeline, has been delayed more than a decade because of political and security concerns as Pakistan fights Taliban militants in the northwest region.

RIL discovers more oil at Cambay Basin
The Economic Times, 12 June 2010
RIL has discovered more oil at an on-land site in Gujarat's Cambay Basin, raising the potential of the exploratory fields it has been drilling. The energy major made its sixth discovery in the 635 sq km block located in the Cambay basin, about 130 km from Ahmedabad, the company said in a release. Reliance holds a 100% participating interest in the block.

Reliance strikes 4th oil find in Cambay
The Financial Express, 29 April 2010
Energy major Reliance Industries has discovered more oil on the country's western coast, raising the potential of the exploratory blocks it has been drilling, the company said. India's biggest conglomerate, whose businesses span petrochemicals, refining, oil and gas exploration and retail, said the current flow is at 300 bpd (barrels of oil per day) at the onland exploratory block in the Cambay basin in Gujarat. The potential commercial interest of the discovery is being evaluated through more data gathering and analysis, it said in a statement. Reliance holds 100% participating interest in the block, and three earlier discoveries had a flow rate of 500 bopd. The company has so far drilled 14 exploratory wells in the block that covers an area of 635 square km. The 635-sq km CB-ONN-2003/1 block is located at a distance of about 130 km from Ahmedabad, in Gujarat.

Cairn starts second oil processing unit in Rajasthan
The Economic Times, 26 April 2010
Cairn India has started a second crude oil processing plant at its giant Mangala oilfield in Thar desserts of Rajasthan, which will help the company ramp up output for the nation's most prolific oilfield. Mangala currently produces about 30,000 barrels of oil per day (1.5 million tons a year) which is processed at Train -1 near Barmer before being sold to refiners. Cairn will stabilize operations at Train-2 for the next few days and after commissioning it will help Mangala field production to ramp up to 80,000 bpd (4 million tons a year). Despite repeated attempts, company spokesperson could not be reached for comments. Peak output from Mangala is envisaged at minimum 1,25,000 bpd, expected in second half of this year. Cairn output would help offset the decline in crude oil production at ONGC that could not meet its targeted output in 2009/10 fiscal. The company can produce up to 2,40,000 barrels per day from Rajasthan fields, equivalent to output from the nation's largest oilfield of Mumbai High.

Oil and gas hunt gets $10.3 billion from private funding, FDI
The Financial Express, 23 April 2010
Oil and gas fields in India have attracted a princely $10.3 billion (about Rs 460 billion) private and FDI till January this year since the beginning of Nelp (the New Exploration and Licensing Policy) a decade ago. Replying to a question in Lok Sabha, petroleum and natural gas minister Mr Murli Deora said natural gas production in India has increased 75% compared to 2008/09 and is expected to double in the near future. The minister also said under Nelp, about 46% India's sedimentary basin area has been awarded for exploration including deepwater exploration. So far, 77 oil and gas discoveries have been made, including major gas discoveries in deepwater. Out of these, 49 discoveries were made by private/foreign companies.

Atlas, Reliance to buy more shale gas acreage
Business Standard, 23 April 2010
Independent oil and gas company Atlas Energy Inc has said it would buy 42,344 acres in the gas rich Marcellus shale along with energy giant Reliance Industries. The companies will buy the acreage in Fayette, Washington, Indiana, Westmoreland, Armstrong and Clarion Counties of Pennsylvania at an average price of $4,532 per acre. Earlier this month, Reliance said it would pay Atlas $1.7 billion, or $14,000 an acre, to buy a 40 % stake in Atlas's operations in the Marcellus shale.

Low-sulphur diesel in Delhi from April 1
The Asian Age, 12 March 2010
Ultra low sulphur diesel is likely to become available in Delhi from April 1. The news, cleaner fuel is expected to improve the air quality in the city. With the introduction of the new fuel, the city will be at par with many cities in Europe where the ultra-low sulphur diesel was introduced a few years ago. The new, cleaner fuel will have only one-seventh sulphur content, as compared to the diesel being sold in the city currently. The new fuel will also make the city one of the 3 mega cities, which are Bharat Stage-IV norms compliant. From April 1, the other 12 cities are also supposed to become Bharat IV complaint, while the rest of the country would become Bharat-III.

Government plans to rationalize natural gas prices
Business Standard, 11 March 2010
The government is planning to rationalize multiple prices of natural gas in the country to make fuel costs uniform for all consumers, Oil Secretary Mr S Sundareshan said. "The challenge before us is to rationalize pricing gas from all sources (so that they) are similarly priced," he said at the International Symposium on Fuels and Lubricants. The Oil Ministry is examining a uniform domestic price for natural gas, which is now sold at anywhere between $1 and $5.73 per million British thermal units, depending on the source. At present, the government fixes the price of gas produced from blocks given on nomination to ONGC and OIL, while for others it is determined in line with production sharing contracts. Gas from fields given to ONGC and OIL on nomination basis was sold at about $1.8 per mmBtu, while in the North-east it was priced at $1-1.2 per mmBtu.

New policy on anvil for gas block auction of oil, gas blocks
Business Standard, 5 March 2010
India will have a new policy to auction hydrocarbon assets for exploring oil and gas reserves – OALP (Open Acreage Licensing Policy) – in 18 months from now. The new policy, an open acreage system, will be beneficial for the industry, as oil and gas blocks will be on offer through the year and not based on rounds, against the existing regime of Nelp the New Exploration and Licensing Policy).In the existing regime, only a limited number of oil and gas blocks are identified and offered for bidding to domestic and global energy companies. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has so far completed eight editions of Nelp. In OALP, a database of all such blocks that the government plans to offer for bidding will be made available in the public domain. Any company that wishes to bid for a particular block can do so anytime during the year.

OVL explores projects in Africa
The Hindu Business Line, 5 March 2010
Sudan, Congo, Nigeria, Libya, Ghana, Angola, Egypt and Uganda are among the African countries that OVL (ONGC Videsh Ltd) is focusing on for acquisitions of oil and gas assets. This information was given by the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Mr Jitin Prasada, to the Lok Sabha. Currently, OVL has 11 projects in Africa. It holds 24.125 % stake in Block 5A in Sudan and 25 % in Sudan's Greater Nile Oil Project. OVL also holds 90 % operating interest in Khartoum Port Sudan Pipeline Project, Sudan.

Oil companies to supply Euro-IV fuel in 13 cities from April 1
Business Standard, 14 January 2010
The country's oil retailers will begin supplying Euro-IV compliant auto fuel in 13 cities from the targeted April 1. The sale of fuel compliant with Euro-III norms in rest of the country will be done in a phased manner between April 1 and October 1. The introduction of cleaner auto fuel is aimed at reducing environmentally harmful emission of pollutants like sulphur and benzene. According to the government's policy, petrol and diesel meeting Euro-IV standards are to be supplied in 13 cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad from April 1. The Euro-III grade of fuel is to be supplied across the rest of the country from the same day.

Dual petroleum tax to boost industry
The Financial Express, 17 December 2009
The proposed dual levy for petroleum products augers well for consumers and industrial users if the excise component is fixed at a level that does not raise the tax burden, say experts. The 13th Finance Commission’s task force on GST proposed a dual tax of GST and excise duty on emission fuels like petrol, diesel, jet fuel and kerosene. The task force recommended a 12% GST at central and state levels together and asked for a ‘revenue neutral’ excise rate to be set.

Cairn India to merge group oil, gas units with itself
The Hindustan Times, 11 December 2009
Cairn India, part of the UK-based Cairn Energy, on Thursday said it will merge oil and gas businesses of some of its subsidiaries with itself, a move that will improve administrative efficiencies. The company’s board, at its meeting held recently, has approved a scheme of arrangement between Cairn India and some of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, oil and gas exploration major said in a statement to the Bombay Stock Exchange. Under the scheme, the company's four subsidiaries - Cairn Energy India, Cairn Energy India West BV, Cairn Energy Cambay BV and Cairn Energy Gujarat BV -- would merge their Indian oil and gas businesses with Cairn India, it said.

OVL, Sistema to jointly explore biz opportunities in Russia, CIS region
The Financial Express, 14 December 2009
ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) and Russian company Sistema have agreed to work together for the acquisition of oil and gas assets in Russia as well as in other countries. A non-exclusive memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed at the Indo-Russian CEOs business council meeting held in Moscow during Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s recent visit to Russia. OVL entered the Russian hydrocarbon sector in 2001 by acquiring participating interest in the Sakhalin-1 project. Earlier this year, OVL bought out Imperial Energy which has hydrocarbon assets in the Tomsk region, Western Siberia.

Panel to assess toxic damage from IOC fire
Business Standard, 3 November 2009
Crude oil worth Rs 500 crore may have already gone up in flames at Jaipur’s Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) depot but the environmental damage caused by the fire could be worse as a variety of toxic gases are polluting the environment
Petroleum exploration deal signed by ONGC
The Financial Express, 30 October 2009
Bihar government and ONGC signed an agreement to carry out exploration of petroleum and natural gas in 2227 sq km area in West Champaran district. the exploration work of the first phase would start this year with 2D seismic survey using latest seismic data recording system and then geochemical survey using advanced technology.

Gas Highway Authority will have regulatory powers
Business Standard, 28 October 2009
The National Gas Highway Development Authority proposed to be set up by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to fast-track the laying of natural gas infrastructure across the country, specially in the under-developed areas, will have significant regulatory powers. It will not only identify the necessary pipelines, it will also set the transportation rate for trunk pipelines to ensure equitable rates for consumers. Both these functions are now vested with the PNGRB (Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board). To facilitate the functioning of the authority ‘suitable modifications’ to the PNGRB Act of 2006 ‘are being processed separately’, says the a draft Cabinet note on the gas highway authority. The ministry’s justification for the new authority is that the board has not authorized a single new trunk pipeline since it came into being two years ago. It also says the pipeline map of India is skewed, with just the western and northern regions having access to this cheaper, cleaner fuel.

Petronas buys 2.3% in Cairn India
The Economic Times, 16 October 2009
Malaysian oil firm Petronas has bought 2.3 per cent stake in Cairn India for USD 240 million (around Rs 1,100 crore) to raise its
holding in the company, which gave the nation its largest oil find in recent times, to near 15 per cent. Petronas International Corp, which held 239.83 million shares, or 12.64 per cent, in Cairn, will buy 43.6 million additional shares from Cairn UK Holdings Ltd - the parent firm of Cairn India, the company said

Cairn India ties up $1.6 billion for Rajasthan project.
Business Standard, 15 October 2009
Cairn India has raised funds worth $1.6 billion from domestic and overseas lenders to repay an existing debt and to accelerate the ongoing Rajasthan Project where crude oil production commenced recently. Cairn had borrowed $750 million in US dollars and Rs 40 billion (about $850 million) in rupees. The international borrowing consists of a fully underwritten portion of $500 million by Standard Chartered Bank, UK and a $250-million loan by International Finance Corp, a member of the World Bank Group. The domestic borrowing has been underwritten by State Bank of India.

RIL plans to raise Jamnagar refining capacity by a quarter
Mint, 15 October 2009
India's largest company by market capitalization, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), plans to bolster the refining capacity of its new Jamnagar facility, already the world's biggest refining hub, by nearly a quarter and raise it to 720,000 barrels a day (bpd). The new Jamnagar plant is currently operating at 650,000 bpd-about 12% above its officially stated capacity. The oil-to-yarn and retail conglomerate was "planning to do some consolidation that will (raise it) up to 700,000 or 720,000 (bpd) in six-eight months.

Essar to ink pact for blocks in Nigeria, Vietnam
The Financial Express, 3 October 2009
Essar Group will sign a contract for exploring offshore blocks in Nigeria and Vietnam. Essar Exploration, which currently has stakes in six overseas oil and gas blocks, would have a 100% stake in OPL 226 area in Nigeria and Block 114 in Vietnam. The firm is also keen on extending its coal-bed methane portfolio in India and overseas.

GSPC builds on LNG trading biz
Business Standard, 29 September 2009
Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Ltd (GSPC) is planning to import one liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo every month as part of its strategy to enter into the LNG trading business. In fact, GSPC imported its second LNG cargo on Monday from Qatargas on a spot basis, making it the first Indian non-terminal owner to have independently purchased such cargoes. Earlier in June, GSPC had purchased its first LNG cargo delivered by Australia’s North West Shelf through a bidding process at a very competitive price.

Mangala oil fields mark beginning of a new era
The Hindu, 30 August 2009
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh dedicated to the nation the Mangala oil field, marking the start of commercial production of oil from the area. Dr Singh, who termed the occasion as the "beginning of a new era" for the desert State, said the success of the joint venture of Cairn Energy and the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) was a signal to the world community to invest in India. Mangala is the largest of 25 discoveries made by Cairn in the Barmer Basin. Discovered in January 2004, it is said to be the largest onshore discovery in the country over two decades.

IOC to provide hydrogen-blended CNG
The Pioneer, 27 August 2009
IOC has taken a step forward by setting up country's first commercial
filling station at Dwarka in Delhi, which will make available hydrogen-
blended CNG for three-wheelers and cars. The fuel, which contains 18% hydrogen and 82% CNG, doesn't entail any change in the engine system of vehicles. Hydrogen is high in energy, yet an engine that burns pure hydrogen produces almost no pollution. Automobile manufacturers like – Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Mahindra & Mahindra, Bajaj Auto and Eicher Motors – are participating in IOC's efforts to test hydrogen fuel as a commercially viable fuel option in the country since 2006.

Cairn’s oil to reduce import bill by 8%
The Hindustan Times, 26 August 2009
India's oil production will get a major boost after Cairn India Ltd begins production of oil at its Barmer oil block in Rajasthan. India produces 680 000 BOPD and spends close to $124 billion (Rs 6000 billion) to import 75% of its crude oil requirement. The Rajasthan oil discovery of Cairn would reduce India's dependence on imported crude by nearly 8% (Rs 480 billion).The Rajasthan block comprises three main fields—MBA . The initial production of oil from the MBA field – estimated to have reserves of 2 billion barrels of oil – will be 30 000 BOPD and would reach 80 000 BOPD by March 2010.Cairn India is the operator of the Rajasthan block (RJ-ON-90/1) and holds 70% interest in it, with the balance being held by ONGC. At peak production, and at an average price of $60 (Rs 2900) a barrel, Cairn India is expected to earn over $1.5 billion (Rs 73 billion) annually. The cost of lifting the crude from the block is estimated at $3.5 (Rs 170) a barrel, said Mr Rahul Dhir, CEO and MD.

OIL eyes acquisition of blocks in India, abroad
The Hindu Business Line, 29 July 2009
Oil India, whose initial public offering is scheduled in September, is planning to put its Rs 67-billion cash surplus to good use by acquiring stakes in onshore oil blocks across the country. The company is also open to buying offshore gas blocks and marginal fields, said sources. On the global front, OIL has sought the Centre's approval for increasing its cap on overseas investment to $300 million from the current $75 million. It is looking at prospective blocks in West Africa, South America, CIS and Australia. The company, along with its consortium partners, is present in eight countries holding 17 blocks with 41,574 square km acreage. Except for the Libyan block, where drilling will begin in October with the Libyan National Oil Company, others are at an exploratory stage.

Deals with W Asia, CIS nations key to energy security plans
The Financial Express, 23 July 2009
India's energy security plans could remain on paper if it does not take steps to clinch deals with the West Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, as well as in the neighbourhood. Government officials pointed out that while India was almost dormant on this score, it could end up passing the opportunities to more aggressive countries, which are also looking for tying up resources in those regions. India needs huge amount of gas to meet its ever growing energy demands. It produces about 90 million standard cubic metre of natural gas per day as against its daily demand of 120 million standard cubic metre that is likely to go further in the coming years. The projected demand of natural gas in India by 2020 stands at a staggering 400 million standard cubic meters a day. Though some of this demand will be met domestically, still a large gap would remain.

Gulf majors may help build oil storage units along coastline
The Economic Times, 13 July 2009
Several Gulf–based oil producers are considering a proposal from the Indian government to invest in creating large crude oil storage facilities along the country coastline. This could culminate in a series of agreements, which will see India emerging as a regional hub for crude oil trade. The country is already a major exporter of refined petroleum products.

RIL’s gas finds to save country $8.3 billion annually, says Morgan
The Financial Express, 11 July 2009
RILs’ eastern offshore KG D-6 gas fields at peak production will help the nation save $8.3 billion annually or 0.7% of the GDP, investment banker Morgan Stanley said. Assuming 80 MCMPD of gas supplies for a year as a whole, India could save $8.3 billion annually, Morgan Stanley said in a research note on RIL for its clients. RIL, which is currently producing 31–32 MMSCMD, is likely to touch 80 MMSCMD in the next six months.

OVL consortium to invest $5 billion in Iranian gas fields
The Hindu, 26 June 2009
Giving thrust to exploration of oil and gas assets abroad, OVL (ONGC Videsh Ltd) in partnership with IOC and OIL (Oil India Ltd) has outlined a plan to invest around $5 billion over the next four years to produce gas from the Farsi block discovered in offshore Iran. Official sources said that a detailed investment and development plan had been submitted to the Iranian authorities for approval. Iran had in September 2008 upheld commercial aspect of the Farsi block.

RIL’s gas field to double supply of cleaner fuel
Mint, 19 June 2009
India’s biggest natural gas field will transform the energy landscape when production begins this month, eventually doubling the nation’s supply of the cleaner-burning fuel and lessening its reliance on oil. Reliance Industries Ltd’s (RIL) $8.8 billion (Rs45,408 crore) project will mean many things to India’s one-billion-plus people: more power supply from idled generators starved of gas; lower carbon emissions than its coal-generator sector; less need for costly naphtha or imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) for fertilizer companies aching for local alternatives.

India's third LNG terminal at Dabhol in October
Business Standard, 15 June 2009
India is all set to get its third LNG import terminal commissioned this October at Dabhol on Maharashtra's west coast. The Rs 30 billion terminal - accounting for around 25 per cent of the overall cost of the much-reported Dabhol power project - was initially meant to feed the adjoining generation plant.

RIL refinery can now sell fuel in local mkt
The Financial Express, 17 April 2009
The EOU (Export Oriented Unit) status of Reliance Industries’ Jamnagar refinery in Gujarat has ended, allowing the company to sell petrol and diesel locally including through its 1,432 now-closed petrol pumps. Reliance will continue to export most of the fuel from J-1 but will also sell petrol and diesel in domestic market.

Oil firms raise ATF Price 6.7%
Business Standard; 16 April 2009
State-run oil companies today raised ATF (aviation turbine fuel) prices for the third time in a month, this time by about 6.7 per cent, in step with international rates, which are firming up. IndianOil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum had on April 1 raised ATF prices by 10 per cent after a marginal Rs 158 per kl increase two weeks prior to that.

RIL, GAIL to lay pipeline for K–G gas
Business Standard, 15 April 2009
RIL and state-run gas marketer GAIL India are gearing up to start the second phase of construction of the pipeline to transport gas from the Krishna–Godavari basin to the southern parts of the country. The project would be complete by 2012 with a total investment of over Rs 113 billion, including an estimated Rs 23 billion from RIL and Rs 90 billion from GAIL India. Both RIL and GAIL India secured authorization from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in 2007 to lay these pipelines.

RIL expected to be top gas producer in 3 years
Business Standard, 11 April 2009
RIL could overtake state-owned ONGC and Oil India to account for over 40% of the country’s natural gas production in the next three years, say analysts. Supply from RIL’s Krishna Godavari basin reserve on the east coast began on 2 April. The initial production will be around 14 MSCMD (million standard cubic metres per day), which would go to the urea units of fertilizer firms. If production steps up as anticipated, the present market share of ONGC and OIL will drop from 65% now to around 30% in the next three years.

NELP -VIII offers all-time high 70 blocks
Business Standard, 10 April 2009
Amid concerns of the economic slowdown, the government today launched the eighth round of NELP-VIII (eighth round of New Exploration Licensing Policy) offering 70 blocks, the highest so far. The government is also offering 10 blocks under the fourth round of coal-bed methane exploration policy for exploration of gas. ‘

Iran hikes gas price for IPI pipeline
The Financial Express, 21 February 2009
Iran has increased the price of natural gas it plans to sell to India through a pipeline passing through Pakistan to $7.2 per mBtu, which makes it the most expensive fuel in the country as of date. Iran, which holds the world's second largest gas reserves, last month informed New Delhi that it will charge about 20% more for the gas it will sell through the long-delayed Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline. The move apparently has been triggered by the drastic fall in international crude oil prices.

3 petrochem regions cleared
The Indian Express, 26 February 2009
With the union cabinet clearing proposals of the West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat governments for setting up PCPIRs (Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Regions) in their territorial domain, a major hurdle has been removed in the way of investment worth more than Rs 4500 billion in PCPIRs, chemicals minister Mr Ram Vilas Paswan said.

Indian refiners may see limited gains, say analysts
Mint; 11 February 2009
Refining margins—a measure of profitability from processing crude oil into fuels—have widened by up to 80% since the start of 2009 on reduced capacity utilization at refineries and cheaper feedstock. But analysts are divided on how much Indian refiners can benefit from the increased margins, given that they expect the spurt to be shortlived.

Power

$1-billion fund to boost Indian power firms in South Asia
The Hindu Business Line, 15 June 2010
The Government is firming up plans for an over $1 billion sovereign-backed fund to boost trade and investment by domestic power utilities in South Asia. The Commerce Ministry has asked the Export-Import Bank of India (Exim) and the Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) to work out the contours of the fund. The fund is aimed at developing a South Asian regional energy grid, with focus on renewable sectors such as hydro, solar and wind. This could step up investments by domestic firms led by renewable players and transmission utilities including Suzlon Energy, Moser Baer, Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam, NHPC Ltd and Power Grid in countries such as Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bangladesh. The competitively-priced fund will be scaled up later. After the details are finalized, the Government will organize workshops to gauge industry's response to the fund.

Power Grid Corporation plans Rs 810 billion investment over eight years
Business Standard, 12 June 2010
Power Grid Corporation, the country's central transmission utility, has firmed up an investment plan of Rs 810 billion over the next eight years to set up transmission networks, including the evacuation of power from upcoming projects in some neighbouring countries. The proposed investment would be funded by internal accruals, debt from Indian banks and financial institutions and also from multilateral institutions, including the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.

Cabinet nod for 3 gas power plants
Deccan Herald, 30 April 2010
The Karnataka State cabinet gave its nod to prepare a detailed project report to set up three gas-based power generation plants with 700 MW capacity each along the proposed Dabhol-Bidadi gas pipeline project route. The state Energy department will prepare the DPR, set up the plants at Athani in Belgaum district, Mundargi in Gadag district and Harappanahalli in Davangere district under public private participation basis. These three plants will be over and above 2000 MW generation plant planned at Bidadi near Bangalore. Each of these plants may require around 300 acre land. The Government is ready to provide water and land to the private partner to implement the project.

Torrent Power to invest Rs 60 billion on Dahej plant
The Hindu Business Line, 30 April 2010
Torrent Power Ltd (TPL), part of the Rs 186-billion Torrent Group, will invest nearly Rs 60 billion on setting up a 1200 MW gas-based power plant at Dahej, Bharuch district, to meet the requirements of the upcoming Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Regions (PCPIR). ONGC Petro-additions Ltd (OPaL), incorporated in 2006 as a joint venture promoted by ONGC (26 per cent) and co-promoted by GAIL (19 per cent) and Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Ltd (5 per cent), is the anchor tenant in setting up the Dahej Special Economic Zone (SEZ) as part of the PCPIR. TPL, the designated co-developer of the Dahej SEZ for power generation and distribution infrastructure, has set up Torrent Energy Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary, for the gas-based combined cycle power project at Dahej. Torrent Energy Ltd has invited bids for engineering, procurement and construction on a turnkey basis for implementing the combined cycle power plant

Expert group to study T&D losses
The Hindu, 29 April 2010
The Planning Commission, perturbed by the continued theft of electricity and massive T&D (transmission and distribution) losses that are expected to touch Rs 680 billion this fiscal, will soon set up an expert group to find out the causes for such losses. According to the 13th Finance Commission report, the T&D losses were about Rs.400 billion in 2009/10 which would swell to Rs 680 billion in the current fiscal if the tariff is not hiked from the 2008 levels.

CERC raises overdrawal charge to Rs 12.25 a unit
The Economic Times, 29 April 2010
To discourage states from overdrawing electricity from the grid, power regulator Central Electricity Regulatory Commission has increased the overdrawing charge to Rs 12.25 per unit. An additional UI (unscheduled interchange) charge of 40% on the normal UI rate of Rs 8.73 per unit will now become applicable, an official statement said. UI (Unscheduled Interchange) charges are imposed on power utilities for overdrawing power from the national grid. This UI charge would be imposed if a state overdraws electricity at grid frequency below 49.5 Hz instead of 49.2 Hz, the statement said. As a further deterrent on overdrawals, the additional UI charge rate will be 100% (on the normal UI rate) on overdrawals when the grid frequency is below 49.2 Hz, it said. CERC notified the new Indian Electricity Grid Code as well as amendments to UI (Unscheduled Interchange) regulations, which will become effective from May 3. While the new grid code will facilitate larger integration of renewable energy sources with the power grid, the amended UI regulations will bring stricter grid discipline. Under the new grid code, all users of the inter state grid, including distribution utilities, will now be directly responsible for grid discipline and load management, in addition to state load despatch centres. In addition, utilities have been told to prepare and implement automatic load management schemes from next year.

NTPC to set up N-plant soon
The Tribune, 18 January 2010
NTPC is setting up a 2000-mw atomic power plant is likely to be formalized in the next 2-3 months. The NTPC and the NPCIL signed a memorandum of understanding to form a joint venture for setting up nuke power projects in the country recently.

Export sops for power parts supply to big plants
The Financial Express, 15 January 2010
In a bid to help power equipment manufacturers like BHEL, the government has relaxed norms for considering domestic supplies to mega power projects as exports, which would entitle them to duty benefits. With regard to mega power projects, the requirement of international competitive bidding would not be mandatory,” a government notification said, adding however, domestic suppliers can avail of export benefits on supplies to mega power projects if these projects have been awarded through tariff-based competitive bidding. The move will allow domestic suppliers to avail of deemed exports benefits.

CERC issues new trading margin regulations
Business Standard, 13 January 2010
Power traders, including PTC India, Adani, NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam, and Tata Power, are expected to be the major beneficiaries of the new regulations issued by the CERC to fix the margin for inter-state trading in electricity. Trading margin would apply to short-term buy and short-term cell contracts for the inter-state trading. These include day ahead, week ahead, and month ahead contracts. According to these regulations, trading margin would not exceed 4 paise per unit if the selling price of electricity is less than or equal to Rs 3 per unit. The ceiling of trading margin shall be 7 paise per unit in case the selling price of electricity exceeds Rs 3 per unit.

Power sector need $250 billion in next 8 years
The Hindu, 3 November 2009
The power sector will need a total investment of about $250 billion [about Rs. 11,75,000 crore at current exchange rates] in the next eight years to achieve planned growth, an A T Kearney study, commissioned by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), said.

GMR to enter power sector in Turkey
The Hindu Business Line, 31 October 2009
The Bangalore-based GMR Group is looking at venturing into power and road projects in Turkey. It has just completed an airport project in that country 12 months ahead of schedule

CERC plans to hike trading margin to 7 paisa
The Financial Express, 15 October 2009
The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has proposed to increase the trading margin from 4 paisa to 7 paisa if the sale rate is more than Rs 3 on a short-term trading market. During 2006, initially CERC proposed 2 paisa trading margin and later on revised it to 4 paisa. As per Electricity Act, 2003, one of the CERC functions is to cap trading margin, but industry sources said putting up 4 paisa trading margin eased trading of electricity as 95% of traders have sold the power at an open rated after including trading margin.

Government to set up panels for power sector growth
The Financial Express, 5 October 2009
Against the backdrop of the Planning Commission’s recent observation that the capacity addition of just 60,000 mw against the target of 78,700 mw could be possible by end of 2011-12 , the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Energy will set up various groups to make recommendations for an overall growth of the power sector.

L&T bags Rs 20 billion power plant order
The Financial Express, 25 September 2009
L&T (Larsen & Toubro) has received a Rs 20 billion order from GMR Energy Limited, a GMR Group company, for setting up a 2x384 mw gas-based power plant at Vemagiri, near Rajamundry in Andhra Pradesh, on a lumpsum turnkey basis. As part of GMR’s new order strategy, L&T-Sargent and Lundy, a subsidiary of L&T, will carry out the plant integration and detailed engineering, using propriety technology of Sargent & Lundy LLC, USA. L&T will design and manufacture critical equipment for the plant.

SEZs to get leeway in power distribution
The Financial Express, 25 August 2009
In a move to ease procedural hassles, the Commerce Ministry is pushing for removal of licensing requirements needed to distribute power to factories, business outsourcing units, software developers, and social infrastructure like hospitals and malls located inside SEZs. The Power and Commerce Ministry are in the advanced stages of inter- departmental talks that would lead to doing away with the requirement for obtaining licences for distributing power inside SEZs. The proposed move will help in cutting down the long-drawn licensing requirements needed for obtaining a licence for distribution of power and will help companies like the Mundra Port, promoted by
Adani group, and SEZ Ltd and scores of other SEZs, which are on their way of becoming operational.

India plans gas-based power plant in Iran
The Hindu Business Line, 25 August 2009
India is working on a proposal to build a gas-based power plant in Iran, with a capacity of at least 4000 MW. Options for bringing the electricity to India, either over land or through an undersea transmission cable, are being explored. While the proposed station may cost upwards of Rs 200 billion, depending on its final size and unit configuration, the centre is considering the option of evacuating a chunk of the power from the project to India, either over land or via an undersea, 1000/1500-km high-voltage transmission link.

Six restructured electricity boards made profits in 2007/08
Business Standard; 11 July 2009
Less than half of the SEBs, which have been restructured, have made profits in 2007/08, Power Minister, Mr Sushilkumar Shinde said today. In a written reply to a question asked in the Parliament, Mr Shinde informed that the electricity boards of only six states – West Bengal, Orissa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka – out of the 14 restructured SEBs have registered profit in the year 2007/08. Out of the remaining eight restructured SEBs, six have registered losses in the year. These are Assam, Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

Government hikes allocation for power reform scheme by 160%
The Hindu Business Line; 7 July 2009
The power reforms programme got a booster dose in the Budget, with the finance minister hiking the allocation for the centre’s flagship distribution reforms scheme by 160% over the previous fiscal. As part of the continued focus on rural development, budgetary allocation under the RGGVY for fiscal 2009/10 has also been increased by 27% to Rs 70 billion. The programme aims to bring the aggregate technical and commercial losses from around the current levels of 35% to less than 15%.

Govt looks for changes in mega power policy
The Times of India; 3 June 2009
The government is prepared to make it easier for generation projects to qualify for incentives under the mega power policy by dropping the clause on mandatory privatisation of distribution networks for states that plan to buy electricity from plants of up to 1000 mw. Policy modifications drafted by the power ministry for seeking Cabinet approval also proposes to scrap the condition requiring a mega power project to sell electricity to states other than where they are located. Several other changes listed among the proposal are aimed at giving a fillip to the sector

Big push to rural electrification on cards
The Hindu, 21 May 2009
Apart from giving a major thrust to power reforms and attracting large private investment, the new Government in office will give a big push to the rural electrification programme, curbing aggregate and technical losses (A&T) and working a roadmap for achieving the open access goal propagated by the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, in his last tenure.

CERC's new criteria to revise power tariff
The Financial Express; 18 May 2009
Electricity tariffs may change as power sector regulator Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) will soon announce new parameters determining the cost of generation and transmission for thermal power projects.

Tajikistan eyes JVs in power sector
The Financial Express, 12 April 2009
Tajikistan is looking for Indian power companies to set up about 20 power stations to reduce the energy crisis and establish a pretreatment of coal and redundancy elimination of electricity and gas loss. At present, the central Asian nation has 95 small power stations and 21 more are under construction.

CERC amends its cross-border trading norms
The Financial Express, 24 February 2009
The CERC (Central Electricity Regulatory Commission) has amended its trading regulations after the MEA (ministry of external affairs) argued that any attempt to dilute its control mechanism on international trade in electricity would adversely impact national and strategic interests.

GMR Energy takes over Indonesian co for $80 million
The Economic Times, 26 February 2009
GMR Energy, a subsidiary of GMR Infrastructure, has acquired 100% stake in Barasentosa Lestari PT, an Indonesian coal mining company, for $80 million to fortify back-end integration for its future power projects. With this move, GMR aims to achieve fuel security for its power projects in India.

Rural electrification project launched
The Hindu; 11 February 2009
The Rs.447.41-crore rural electrification project, aimed at benefiting nearly 5.25 lakh below-the-poverty-line households (BPLHH) spread over 27 districts, was launched at Kollumedu village, about 30 km north of Chennai. In the initial phase, about 54,000 households will be covered by March-end. The project is expected to be completed by December. Called the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY), the scheme is fully funded by the Centre through the Rural Electrification Corporation. Its goal is to create electricity infrastructure by the year-end in all un-electrified villages.

Renewable energy

Astonfield bets big on India's solar power market
The Financial Express, 13 August 2010
US-based Astonfield is betting big on the Indian solar market as the government starts work to implement the first phase of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. The company has planned to develop 1200 mw solar power generation capacity by 2017 with an estimated investment of over $ 1 billion, says a top company executive. India has planned to develop 20,000 mw grid-connected solar power generation capacity in three phases by 2022. Under the first phase, 1000 mw capacity is to be added by March 2013, half of which will be based on solar PV equipment and the rest on solar thermal technology.

Clean energy fund may garner Rs 670 billion in 10 years
The Hindu Business Line, 15 July 2010
The National Clean Energy Fund, which will come about through a Rs 50 a tonne cess on coal used, it is estimated, will garner more than Rs 670 billion over the next 10 years. The players in the renewable energy sector want the fund to be used only for developing the sector and not diverted for other purposes. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, which will coordinate the fund, has invited expressions of interest from consulting firms to help it come up with options, including financing mechanisms, to use the corpus.

Railways looks at biofuel to cut costs
The Pioneer, 5 July 2010
After CNG, the Indian Railways now wants to tap bio-diesel potential to cut down on its operational cost. The Ministry has decided to set up an integrated bio-diesel plant at Chennai. The plant will have a production capacity of 30 tonnes per day. The total cost of the project, to be executed under the public private partnership model, is estimated to be Rs 250 million and has to be completed within two years. The plant would come up on Railway land in Todiarpeth in Chennai. Railways consume approximately two million kl of diesel every year and, official said, it would like to blend it with bio-diesel starting from five per cent and gradually increasing it up to 20 % in the years to come.

American Capital forms venture with MSM Energy
The Hindu, 11 June 2010
Seeking to garner a share of the Jawaharlal Nehru Solar Mission 2020 initiative, US based solar energy giant American Capital Energy announced joining hands with MSM Energy to float a 50:50 joint venture company ICE Solar to provide PV (photovoltaic) solar engineering, procurement and construction to the Indian markets. Addressing a press conference, American Capital Energy CEO and President Mr Tom Hunton said the new solar energy joint venture would entail an investment of Rs 20 billion over the next three years. The company had already bagged a 5 MW solar power project in Gujarat in the private sector and had got solicitations from a number of players wanting to venture into solar energy.

Atlas to guide in tapping of wind energy launched
The Hindu, 30 April 2010
The government and industry need to jointly explore new sites with wind energy potential to scale down the use of fossil fuels, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Mr Farooq Abdullah said. Launching the Indian Wind Atlas developed by the Centre for Wind Energy Technology and Riso DTU Denmark, Mr Abdullah said the atlas was not an end in itself and there were likely to be several areas with wind potential that had to be tapped. The Minister stressed the need to eliminate use of fossil fuels by turning to solar, water, wind and other renewable energy sources.

Suzlon forms JV to tap Bulgaria's energy market
The Financial Express, 29 April 2010
Suzlon Energy is tapping the wind energy market in Bulgaria through a 50:50 JV with Volkswind Bulgaria GmbH. The company has already tested the market, which is considered to be attractive among Eastern Europe markets because of the appealing tariff structures announced for wind energy. It offers competitive feed in tariffs of approximately 0.096 EUR for the first 2,250 hours/year and 0.088 EUR KW/h for the following hours guaranteed for 15 years. The European division of Suzlon Energy entered into the JV with Volkswind Bulgaria. The company has not disclosed the investments in the JV. The JV will help Suzlon grow into the Bulgarian wind energy market by combining with Volkswind’s local knowledge and development experience. The tie up will also be exclusively using Suzlon wind turbines.

Solar powered ATMs from Vortex Engineering
The Hindu, 12 March 2010
The Chennai based Vortex Engineering, provider of rural ATM (automated teller machines s), has bagged a large scale order from State Bank of India for deploying 545 ATMs across semi urban and rural areas at a cost of Rs 180 million. Of these, over 300 will be solar powered, according Mr V Vijay Babu, Chief Executive Officer, Vortex Engineering. The R&D has been built over the years, with a steady focus on rural need and with an aim to have low power consuming ATMs for semi urban and rural areas. Vortex was founded with focus on improving the quality of rural life by building technology for practical use.

BSES to supply solar plant in Delhi
The Financial Express, 15 January 2010
Delhi BSES subsidiaries-BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd (BRPL) and BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) -- will each procure 25 mw of solar power from ACME Jaisalmer Solar Pvt Ltd under a long-term contract. The two companies separately signed a 25 year-memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the solar power generator. The ACME Group is setting up 3 solar power plants at Jaisalmer, Bikaner and Jodhpur, with 50 MW capacity each. BRPL and BYPL will together procure the entire 50 MW from the group's Rs 7500 million Jaisalmer project.

Solar energy: Russia sees huge potential for various JVs
The Hindu, 13 January 2010
Lauding the major renewable energy initiative of Jawaharlal Nehru Solar Mission, Russia has expressed strong confidence that both New Delhi and Moscow had great potential for forging JVs and setting up manufacturing facilities for application of solar energy in the fields of industrial, military, civil, and space sectors. Mr Sergey V Seredin, First Deputy Director-General (Economics and Finance) Open Joint Stock Company, Research, Production Enterprise 'Kavant', said that the Russian side was very much interested to participate in the solar mission programme and was ready to assist India and Indian companies to construct solar power stations on a turnkey basis as they had advanced technological know-how in this field.

Amritsar village gets country’s first commercial solar power plant
The Indian Express, 16 December 2009
Amritsar has got the country’s first commercial 2 MW solar power plant. The plant is set up by American company Azure Power in IPP mode, it has the capacity to be expanded to 5 MW

Big push to R&D in renewable energy
The Hindu, 12 December 2009
To promote generation of energy from renewable sources, the Central Government has decided to invest Rs 5000 million on its research, development and technology demonstration during the XI Plan. The government had already taken up around 77 projects and sponsored various R&D institutions for the Plan period. These projects include development of high efficiency solar cells, hydrogen and fuel cells; solar photovoltaic and solar thermal power generation; high-rate bio-methanation; and medium and large capacity biogas plants for energy and power generation. These new projects would also help in employment generation, he said, and pointed out that a wind power project would help in the creation of 6-10 direct and 30 indirect jobs per megawatt capacity addition.

BHEL plans solar voltaic plant in Hyderabad, to spend Rs 5000 million
The Financial Express, 23 October 2009
BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd) is looking to set up its proposed 250 mw solar photovoltaic manufacturing facility at the Fab City in Hyderabad with an investment of Rs 5000 million. Incidentally, BEL (Bharat Electronics Ltd) and Bhel have signed a MoU to explore a 250 mw joint manufacturing facility for solar photo voltaic cells, modules and silicon wafers. Fab City is being promoted by the Andhra Pradesh government which has tasked the APIIC (Andhra Industrial Infrastructure Corporation) to oversee the progress and establish PPP with developers. It is expected to create 5000 jobs by end of 2009. It is learnt that Bhel is on the look out for suitable vendors or partners for technology and supply of raw materials such as poly silicon. The joint venture would cater to domestic solar product requirements and exports. Currently, BEL and Bhel have an existing capacity of around 6 mw and 8 mw, respectively.

Uttar Pradesh extends sops to RRBs for solar power promotion
The Financial Express, 15 October 2009
In what could be a boon for rural Uttar Pradesh, which is reeling under a serious power shortage, remote villages in the state will soon be illuminated, thanks to the Centre's solar home lightning scheme. The regional rural banks can take the initiative to promote the scheme and provide micro finance for the installation of the solar panels in the villages. The Centre had earlier floated a direct subsidy to banks to promote the use of solar power; now it has been made incentive-based. Under the scheme, three branches of a rural bank with a good track record in loan disbursement will get a cash reward of Rs 3-10 lakh and the gram sabha which successfully illuminates all the homes through solar lightning will also get a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh.

India can generate 48 000 MW through wind energy
Business Standard, 14 October 2009
India has a potential of generating over 48 000 MW through wind energy farms, and for that it would require just 1% of its land, according to an estimate by the C-WET. The Centre, in its initial study at the coastal district of Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, has showed that it is possible to generate power through offshore wind farms. So far, these farms had been developed onshore. To examine the feasibility of offshore wind farms, the Centre conducted the first phase of its study at Dhanushkodi in Rameswaram. For the next level, it is awaiting approval from various government agencies.

BHEL expands capacity for solar photovoltaic modules
Deccan Herald, 2 September 2009
BHEL has enhanced the capacity to manufacture solar photovoltaic module at its electronic division in the City from 3 MW to 8 MW per annum. The additional facility has enabled BHEL to handle larger and thinner solar-grade mono/multi-crystalline silicon wafers, for which optimized trials have been successfully completed. The company will set up a 250 MW PV production facility for processing silicon wafers, solar cells and PV modules in a joint venture with BEL.

TERI introduces a unique platform: LaBL partners in technology to illuminate lives of those living in the dark
Business Wire India, 20 August 2009
As the world struggles to control energy-related GHGs, electricity-starved rural families in the developing world toil and work without light. The Indian government has steered the process of rural electrification through the use of solar energy that will help reduce GHG emissions and light up the lives of millions. The National Solar Mission is a positive step to popularize the use of solar technologies for the benefit of the masses. TERI has already steered the process of providing solar lanterns to a billion rural households across developing nations through their flagship campaign - LaBL. To further LaBL, it has formed a forum to discuss the opportunities and cohesively work towards lighting a billion lives, TERI along with manufacturers of solar technologies came together to form LaBL PAT, a unique forum introduced by TERI.

World’s largest solar steam system inaugurated in Shirdi
The Hindu, 31 July 2009
Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah inaugurated the world’s largest solar steam system, installed at Sri Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi. The system has been designed to cook food for the devotees. The total cost of the project was estimated at Rs. 1.33 crore and a subsidy of Rs. 58.40 lakh was provided by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

Bring solar to our villages
The Asian Age, 17 July 2009
Out of more than 6,00,000 villages in India, something like 1,05,000 are still officially not electrified. The Lighting a Billion Lives model has been launched by TERI wherein a village level charging station is put up by the efforts of TERI using resources collected from different sources and the panels are used to charge up solar lanterns at the charging station. The lanterns are rented out to the villagers for a nominal fee for the night and returned the next morning for charging through the day.

‘Green’ push to rural telecom
The Hindu Business Line, 8 July 2009
The DoT has decided to offer financial support from the USC fund to telecom players using renewable source of energy to power their base stations in rural areas. The DoT has launched a scheme whereby it will give Rs 5 million per installation for mobile towers running on solar or wind or any other type of renewable energy. The scheme has been launched on a pilot basis for 20 areas and is limited to infrastructure companies who had earlier won the contract for rolling out 8000 cellular towers in 500 districts.

EU sees potential for renewable energy tie-ups
The Hindu Business Line, 22 June 2009
With the European Union charting out a strategy to ensure 20 per cent of its energy requirement comes from renewable energy sources by 2020, opportunities for cooperation in wind and photovoltaic power generation segments are set to grow. A decision to ensure that there is increased contribution from renewable energy sources was taken in late 2008. This presents opportunities for vendors to explore opportunities, according to senior officials from the European Commission.

Bid to launch renewable energy certificates under way
The Financial Express, 22 June 2009
The forum of power regulators (For) has kicked off an exercise for introduction of renewable energy certificates to promote renewable energy generation. As per For’s report, renewable energy generators with capacity untied in power purchase agreements (PPA) would have an option to sell electricity and renewable energy certificates separately. Renewable energy certificates would be issued to renewable energy generators only and purchase of renewable energy certificates would be considered as purchase of renewable energy.

ADB to double clean energy outlay to $2 billion
The Financial Express, 18 June 2009
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will increase its clean energy investments to $2 billion a year from a previous target of $1 billion, in a bid to accelerate low carbon growth and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region. The new investment target is a part of ADB's Energy Efficiency Initiative.

Renewable energy use to be made mandatory for SEZs
The Financial Express, 16 June 2009
The government is considering a regulation to make use of renewable energy mandatory for special economic zones (SEZ) to save on traditional fuel like coal and diesel. The Ministries of Commerce & Industry and New & Renewable Energy are working on the modalities for such a regulation.

CERC for inter-state trade of wind power
Business Standard, 14 June 2009
To attract more investment in the renewable energy sector, particularly in windpower, the CERC (Central Electricity Regulatory Commission) has proposed that wind power should be freely tradable across the country, a top official today has said. Modalities were being worked out for a Renewable Energy Certificate concept which would act as an incentive for investment and would be in place by April 2010.

Solar, India's best hope - Subramanya, K
The Financial Express; 22 May 2009
Although interrupted by the current global slowdown, the Indian economy needs to return to the growth rates of 8-9 per cent p.a. of the last 4 years. If we have to lift out of poverty the 400 million fellow Indians who live on less than one dollar a day, the growth rates need to continue and scale even greater heights

Wind power producers fan growth
The Hindu Business Line, 11 April 2009
Indian wind power producers added nearly 1500 MW of wind power capacity in 2008/09 representing investments of over Rs 90 billion, according to industry estimates. Better tariffs, policy support and optimistic outlook are driving investments, say industry representatives. The total installed capacity in India is 10 134 MW as of March 2009

Hydrogen run three wheelers planned for Indian roads
The Hindu; 13 March 2009
United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)’s International Centre for Hydrogen Energy Technology (ICHET) signed a memorandum of understanding with its Indian partners to run three-wheelers on Indian roads on the most advanced and clean fuel: hydrogen.

E-Solar gets $30mn to help build solar plants in India
Mint; 4 March 2009
E-Solar, a closely held solar power company backed by Idealab Inc. founder Bill Gross, said it will license its technology to Acme Group to build solar plants in India that can provide as much as 1 gigawatt of power. India-based Acme Group will make a $30 million investment in e-Solar in exchange for a 5% ownership stake and the right to use its technology over the next 10 years, Gross, chief executive officer of e-solar, said in an interview. Pasadena, California-based e-Solar's solar-thermal plants use sunlight to create steam that drives turbines. Construction will start on the first plant this year, Gross said. E-Solar, which builds 46MW solar units that can be combined to produce more power, is also looking at projects in other countries.

Yes Bank to close clean energy fund by June
The Financial Express, 16 February 2009
With LPs (limited partners) turning cautious as the global recession leaves them with less surplus cash to invest, Yes Bank will now close its first PE (private equity) fund, the $200 million SACEF (South Asia Clean Energy Fund), by June this year rather than the earlier target of March. Yes Bank has already raised about $125 million for SACEF. The PE arm plans to invest $7-10 million each in 20-25 companies once the fund is closed. Though the company is not averse to PIPE (private investment in public equity) deals, a majority of the investments will take place in unlisted entities.

'Wind Atlas' in the works
The Hindu Business Line, 20 February 2009
The Centre is in advanced stages of getting an 'Indian Wind Atlas' commissioned, which would identify windy locations across the country, and thereby, enable better harnessing of resources by project developers in the future. The 'Wind Atlas' is being prepared by the Centre for Wind Energy Technology in association with the RISO National Laboratory of Denmark, which has taken up three pilot areas covering different topography and climate types across the country.

New mechanism to improve viability of renewable energy
The Financial Express; 12 February 2009
The task force on renewable energy certificate (REC) mechanism, headed by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) chairman Pramod Deo, will finalize REC mechanism and evolve model regulations for state electricity regulatory commission (SERCs) to adopt and implement REC mechanism.

Centre for mechanism to encourage use of solar energy
The Financial Express; 17 December 2008
In a bid to push the use of renewable energy, the government is preparing a regulatory mechanism envisaging promotional incentives to industries to encourage them to shift from fossil fuels to solar energy.

Indian firms may get to trade in energy efficiency credits
Business Standard; 17 December 2008
India is considering allowing trading of energy efficiency certificates and giving concessions such as capital subsidies to promote solar energy, seeking to mitigate damage from the changing climate. India, the world’s fourth-largest emitter of carbon dioxide, in June said it will form eight commissions to encourage solar power, energy efficiency and water conservation as part of plans to address global warming and cut fossil-fuel dependency. Asia’s third-biggest economy expects to announce as early as next year proposals for discussions on the eight commissions.

Environment

Rs 14 billion green urban transport project launched
The Hindu Business Line, 10 June 2010
The Urban Development Ministry has launched a Rs 14 billion green urban transport project called SUTP (Sustainable Urban Transport Project). The Global Environment Facility, the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme are providing both technical and financial assistance for its implementation. Under the project, green urban transport will be introduced in select cities to overcome pollution and other hazards of the existing urban transport system, including traffic impediments for pedestrians.

India emerging as hub of eco-entrepreneurs
The Financial Express, 22 April 2010
Driven by supportive government policies, maturing clean technologies and growing investor appetite, India is fast becoming a hub of eco-innovation for all manner of people — small town residents, Indian expats returning home with Ivy League education to boot, and even a few enterprising foreigners. Interestingly, this eco-entrepreneurship trend cuts across business models — from profit seeking to pure social evangelism—and domains ranging from irrigation and apparel design to waste management. Supported more recently by Deshpande Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Delhi based Digital Green collaborates with local organisations to use videos of best agricultural practices to enhance the environmental and economic sustainability of small and marginal farmers in 200 villages in Karnataka, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa. Santosh Ostwal, CEO of Pune based Ossian Agro Automation, has come up with a basic product, Nano Ganesh. A mobile phone and a modem combination, Nano Ganesh enables farmers to remotely control water pumps in faraway farms, leading to better farm management practices, including saving electricity and water.Waste technology is another favourite with entrepreneurs. Mumbai based Sustainable Technologies & Environmental Projects (STEPS) focuses on developing environment friendly technologies to convert waste into value added products.

This Earth Day, salute the heroes – Pachauri, R K
The Asian Age, 18 April 2010
The founder of Earth Day is the late US Senator Gaylord Nelson, one of the greatest champions of environment, not only in the US but worldwide. Senator Nelson, who announced his plans for Earth Day in 1969, later wrote that the germination of the idea for an Earth Day goes back to November 1962 when he decided to bring environment into political limelight, once and for all. The announcement of Earth Day came during Nelson's address in Seattle in September 1969 to a gathering known those days as "Teach-in". He said he felt the need to organize a huge grassroots protest over what was happening to our environment. He announced this by marking a day for Earth Day in spring of 1970.

FinCom sets Rs 50 billion for ecology based projects
The Asian Age, 11 March 2010
The 13th Finance Commission has allocated Rs 50 billion as forest grant to support ecology based projects initiated by Ministry of Forests and Environment. Another Rs 20,630 million have been allocated to support for state specific projects. From this, Rs 4500 million has been allocated to strengthen the vulnerable riverside embankments in the Sunderbans region of West Bengal. Goa has been allocated Rs 1000 million to build sea barricades to enhance tourist safety, Gujarat will get Rs 3000 million to address the problem of salinity in nearly 11 lakh hectares of land across 600 coastal villages and also reduce sea erosion affecting 450 fishing villages. The Bruhad Gir area has been given Rs 480 million to promote eco tourism facilities while Rs 1200 million have been allocated to improve Asia's largest fresh water wular lake. Kerala has received Rs 3000 million for implementing the Kuttanad Development Package to strengthen the Kuttanad wetland ecosystem while Maharashtra has got Rs 2050 million for taking up110 anti erosion bund work. The Orissa's Chilka Lake ahs been given Rs 500 million to help revive.

Drinking water, sanitation infrastructure key problems in Asian cities, says ADB
The Financial Express, 23 October 2009
The drinking water and sanitation infrastructure in Asian cities is a major area for concern and though most cities are aware of their sanitation needs, only a small percentage have sanitation plans, and few are able to provide information on capital expenditure and operations and maintenance costs. These are some of the findings of a survey of 27 cities published by the Asian Development Bank in its Asian sanitation data book 2008. Of the 27 cities, one is in Bangladesh, three are in People’s Republic of China, four are in India, one in Indonesia, three in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, five in Nepal, three are in the Philippines, two in Sri Lanka, and five in Vietnam. A somewhat disturbing finding is that most cities that provide sanitation services rely on government funding to pay for capital and operating costs, with only 10% indicating that sanitation fees and charges can cover the costs. Alarmed at the deteriorating condition of water distribution and overall sanitation, ADB has called for priority action by all stakeholders including the concerned governments.

Government seeks public view in BT brinjal
The Financial Express, 16 October 2009
Despite the recommendation of the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) granting environmental clearance to Bt Brinjal, the union minister for environment and forest decided hold further public discussion on apprehensions expressed in many quarters on the safety aspect of the transgenic crop. Bt Brinjal is the first food crop to get GEAC approval after Bt Cotton was introduced for commercial use in 2002.

Bt Brinjal gets biotech regulator's approval
The Hindu Business Line, 15 October 2009
In a significant development, the Indian biotechnology regulator Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has given its green signal to the environmental release of Bt brinjal, the first genetically modified food crop to be allowed in the country. However, the Government is said to have reserved its opinion on allowing Bt brinjal, news reports said, against the backdrop of the controversy over commercially allowing a GM food product and the impact it could have on the health of people. At present, Bt cotton is the only GM crop allowed in the country. In a GM product, the genetic material is altered in an effort to bring in a health benefit to the consumer or a benefit to the producer; for instance, incorporating resistance against a pest in a crop. Environmental groups, however, question the bio-safety of such products.

Green sector set to paint the job town red
The Financial Express, 23 September 2009
The green sector is set to bring about an employment revolution, as information technology did two decades ago. The new avenue of employment, termed ‘green jobs’, is creating waves in renewable energy, environment protection, water and waste management and other climate-related sectors. Experts say a vast majority of green jobs in India will be related to fields such as managing natural resources like water and land, besides deploying renewable energy systems like wind and solar power. Each of the 6 lakh villages in the country will require a water and waste manager-this alone will create 12 million jobs.

Government moratorium on new port projects
Business Standard, 31 August 2009
The government will not accept any new proposal for setting up ports or expansion of existing projects along the country's fragile coastline till a policy to regulate their activities is evolved, Union Environment Minister Mr Jairam Ramesh has said. He said his ministry had also imposed a three-month moratorium on proposals it had received for new ports or harbour, besides expansion of existing project and asked the Ministry of Earth Science to initiate a study on cumulative impact of the existing projects.

Environmental clearance process made more transparent
The Hindu Business Line, 21 July 2009
The Ministry of Environment and Forests has decided to put information .regarding the clearance process on its web site to increase transparency of the process. Information relating to status of pending projects, schedule and agenda of the meeting of Expert Appraisal Committee, minutes of the Expert Appraisal Committee meeting, environmental clearance letters, and circulars and guidelines relating to Environmental Clearance would be available on the Ministry web site.

India, Britain to jointly develop green tech
The Asian Age; 9 July 2009
India and Britain agreed to exchange notes on jointly developing green technologies where the two have inherent strengths. The two countries also exchanged notes on their respective stands on climate change issues ahead of the talk on the subject at the G8 plus G5 meeting in Italy.

TERI University receives support to launch new programme to train students in sustainable development
Indian Express, 1 July 2009
TERI University has been selected by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, globally headquartered in Chicago, as one of 10 universities worldwide to receive significant support in the amount of $ 900,000 to create a new master’s degree program in Development Practice. The MacArthur Foundation has awarded $7.6 million to seed the creation of Master’s Development Practice (MDP) programs that will provide rigorous post-graduate training for a new generation of development experts over the next three years.

Management education gets an environmental edge
The Financial Express, 22 May 2009
Indian business schools and universities are getting climate friendly. While some are launching programmes on sustainability, others are starting courses in climate change, clean technology and carbon trading to be in sync with globally emerging trends in business and environment. TERI University is also launching its MBA in business sustainability for fresh students as well as mid-career professionals in June. The programme will seek to impart new skill sets to aspiring managers so that they are in sync with a new global context, which puts a premium on sustainability. It will focus not only on the integration of sustainable agenda in management, but also ethical practices for a holistic perspective.

HP partners with TERI to launch green programme in schools
The Hindu, 17 February 2009
Hewlett-Packard India, in partnership with TERI, has announced the launch of Hewlett Packard-TERI Schools' future programme, an initiative it said will improve environment projects in schools. HP India has awarded a grant of Rs 11.7 million ($250,000) comprising cash and technology resources to TERI for the programme. "The primary objective of this partnership is to create a motivated force of students -- leading to cleaner and greener school campuses -- and initiate ecologically beneficial initiatives in the areas of energy, e-waste management and greening of neighbourhoods," HP India said in a statement.

Global green deal, Indian business pie
The Financial Express, 12 February 2009
New Delhi was like the world’s climate change capital recently. The city was the centre stage for giving an impetus to the global fight against climate change with Indian business leaders playing a prominent role. The United Nations secretary-general, Mr Ban Ki-moon, discussed climate change with a group of Indian CEOs in an early breakfast meeting. TERI organized a World CEO Forum to discuss growth and prosperity in a carbon constrained world. Most global CEOs, ministerial delegations, diplomats and officials from UN and multilateral institutions had descended in the capital to attend the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2009, but they made it a point to meet up with Indian CEOs as part of the conference as well as independent of it to explore the scope of cooperation and trade on climate related issues.

Buildings can get green ratings, incentives
The Times of India; 17 December 2008
Soon, constructing a green building here will not only reduce your electricity and water bills but also earn you incentives from the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE). Griha, its green building rating system, will be launched in South India early next year. Until now, most constructors and architects have been following the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, based on the US architecture and developed by the US Green Building Council. Griha focuses on passive architectural strategies or designs that suit the Indian climate. MNRE adopted Griha in November 2007, and launched it in North India. Now, it plans to use Griha in the South. Work will start with a training programme here on Griha guidelines by MNRE and TERI on 22 and 23 December 2008.

Climate change

India to launch satellite to monitor sea levels
The Hindu Business Line, 12 August 2010
India will launch a satellite next year to monitor sea water levels in collaboration with the French National Space Agency. The satellite, called Saral, will carry an altimeter (ALTIKA) for studying the sea surface heights and an ARGOS payload, which is a satellite-based data collection platform. "SARAL is a joint project of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) and FNSA (French National Space Agency). The ALTIKA and ARGOS payloads are built and supplied by the French space agency. The satellite building and launching are the responsibilities of ISRO," Mr Prithviraj Chavan, Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, told the Lok Sabha. The satellite bus is under fabrication at ISRO, while the integration and testing of the payloads are ongoing at the French space agency. The satellite is likely to be launched in 2011, the minister said.

Carbon credit prices rise 20%
Business Standard, 8 July 2010
The carbon credit market has revived, with prices of CER (carbon emission reduction) certificates up nearly 20 % over last month on expectation that Europe would proceed with its plan for a 30 % cut in emissions by 2020, without waiting for the global accord review in 2012. In mid-May, the European Commission released 2009 data showing carbon emission in the region had fallen 11 % over last year, to 1.873 billion tonnes. This had led to a drop in prices of CERs, also known as carbon credits, on the European Climate Exchange where most of the trading takes place.

Low carbon footprint to make highways green
The Financial Express, 5 July 2010
NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) is preparing a strategy to construct environment-friendly highways to reduce its carbon footprint. The idea is to use recycled material for building roads, reduce energy consumption and utilize the sides of highways for water harvesting and growing plants. The authority also wants to explore carbon reduction revenue streams, or carbon credit, and develop a system to rate all national highways on their environment friendliness. India has a national highway network of 70,000 km. NHAI has invited expression of interest for appointing a consultant to prepare a detailed project report for upgrading a 55 km stretch of NH-1 in Haryana into a green facility. The consultant for this pilot project has to suggest ways and means to preserve the environment while building pedestrial facilities, shoulder sealing and grade separation. NHAI also wants to take measures to reduce traffic noise, conserve and harvest water, reduce dust, use energy efficient lighting for toll plaza and street lights and improve air quality.

Melting Himalayan glaciers to hit Indus, Brahmaputra
The Hindustan Times, 14 June 2010
The melting of glaciers in the Himalayas will have varying impact on the waters of the Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Yangtze and Yellow rivers, according to Dutch research published in "Science". Scientists believe that the changes to the flow of meltwater due to global warming may have a "severe" impact on food security in some areas. However, they also point out that the people living elsewhere are likely to see an increase in food productivity. Overall, the food security of 4.5 per cent of 1.4 billion people in the region is threatened, the researchers say. The lives of more than 1.4 billion people are dependent on waters of the Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Yangtze and Yellow rivers.

India Inc eyes new strategies to help cut carbon emissions by 20%–25%
The Financial Express, 8 June 2010
With a goal to reduce carbon emissions by 20%–25% by 2020, as a part of India's commitments at Copenhagen, India Inc is trying its best to adopt newer strategies to reach that target. Over 95% of the green house gas emissions are generated directly by the mining industry as a result of the fossil fuel use. In this industry, energy use represents 15%–20% of the operating cost. According to the FEEVI report on corporate India's green initiatives, the energy component in the mining industry has to be controlled to reduce the green house gas emissions. The report warns that if adequate care is not taken then the mining industry can have “adverse effect” on the surrounding surface and ground water which can result in high concentration of some chemicals, such as arsenic and sulfuric acid, over a significant area.

India opposes carbon tax on imports
Mint, 3 June 2010
India has opposed suggestions that countries that have cap and trade schemes to control carbon emissions mostly developed countries impose a carbon tax on imports from nations that do not have such measures in place, made at the ongoing global climate talks in Bonn. Developed and developing nations have been locked in a pitched battle over sharing the burden of reducing global carbon emissions, which scientists believe lead to global warming. While nations in Europe and North America have historically emitted the bulk of atmospheric carbon in their pursuit of industrial development, they now want the developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America to scale back their pace of development to reduce emissions. Leading developing nations such as China, India, Brazil and South Africa insist the industrialized nations must transfer their technologies and offer financial support to them in return.

SAARC plans expert group on climate change
The Hindu, 30 April 2010
With the more vulnerable Bangladesh and Maldives seeking firmer commitments to combat climate change, a watered down declaration was issued at the end of the 16th summit of the SAAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), which ended recently. Climate change was the theme of the conference, held for the first time in Bhutan with generous assistance from India. The eight-member SAARC decided to convene a meeting on the issue before the meeting of the Committee of Parties to be held in Mexico. Bangladesh and Maldives were in favour of some sort of commitment on the peaking of emissions, a stand that did not find favour with China and India during the Copenhagen climate change summit. It was, therefore, decided to establish an Inter-governmental Expert Group on Climate Change to develop a clear policy direction and guidance for regional cooperation as envisaged in the SAARC Plan of Action on Climate Change. The member-states also resolved to commission a study, for presentation to the 17th summit, on ‘Climate Risks in the Region: ways to comprehensively address the related social, economic and environmental challenges'.

Steel may prove deterrent in carbon reduction
The Asian Age, 28 April 2010
CSE (The Centre for Science and Environment's) study on the cost and feasibility of emissions reduction to combat climate change believes steel will prove to be the problem sector for India. The study looks at six emission intensive sectors including power, aluminum, steel, cement, fertilizers and the paper and pulp industry which together contribute over 60 % of carbon dioxide emissions. From these, steel will not be able to reduce emission intensity significantly because the present technology choices are forcing them to move from blast furnace to sponge iron. Mr Chandra Bhushan, who has authored the study titled "Challenge of the New Balance," points out that close to 60 % of India's steel will be produced using sponge iron whose emissions efficiency gains are few.

$75 million IFC loan to IDFC for climate change projects
The Financial Express, 21 April 2010
World Bank's multilateral lending arm, IFC (International Finance Corporation), will provide $75 million (around Rs 3380 million) to IDFC (Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation) for investments in renewable energy, cleaner production and energy efficiency projects. This project is part of IFC's climate change strategy of partnering with financial intermediaries to scale up the impact for climate change projects in India. IDFC, which has its registered office in Chennai, invests in infrastructure projects all over India. The project will help IDFC scale up its capacity to assess renewable energy and energy efficiency projects through sharing of IFC's experience and knowledge of these sectors worldwide.

Emissions: China joins India on scrutiny
The Hindu, 11 March 2010
China supports India in opposing any international "scrutiny" of voluntary actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, said the country's top climate change negotiator. China also sought to continue and expand cooperation with India as negotiations between the developing world and the West headed towards the climate change conference in Mexico later this year, said Dr Xie Zhenhua, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission and one of China's lead negotiators at December's Copenhagen conference. Developed countries, Dr Xie said, "should be subject to MRV in emission reductions and also in providing technological, financial and capacity building support to developing countries". The question of international scrutiny of developing countries' mitigation actions remains a crucial sticking point in talks between the West and the developing world.

India agrees to be associated with the Copenhagen Accord
Mint, 10 March 2010
India has agreed to be associated with the Copenhagen Accord - with some riders - in an 8 March letter to UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). "First, the accord is a political document and is not legally binding. It is not a template for outcomes. Second, the Copenhagen Accord is not a separate, third track of negotiations outside UNFCCC. Third, the purpose of the Copenhagen accord is to bring about a consensus in the existing and on-going, two-track multilateral negotiations process under UNFCCC," Union minister of state for environment Mr Jairam Ramesh told the Lok Sabha. India's latest move is in sync with its stand that the accord should not in any way bypass negotiations held under the auspices of UNFCCC.

25-member panel on low-carbon economy constituted
The Hindu, 11 January 2010
The Planning Commission has formed a 25-member expert panel to explore options before the country for a low-carbon economy. In a statement, the Planning Commission said the group, chaired by Prof. Kirit Parikh, will review existing studies on low-carbon growth/low-carbon pathways prepared by various organizations and assess low-carbon options for the economy. It is expected to outline a road map starting in 2011. The interim report will be presented by April and final report by September. The Planning Commission said the government was committed to making India a low-carbon economy. It recently announced voluntary and unilateral targets to reduce the emissions.

Grim forecast for climate talks
The Hindustan Times, 17 December 2009
As negotiations to save the planet from overheating dissolved in intense bickering between the rich and poor, the European Union made a last-gasp 100 billion euro payout to the poorest, mainly African, nations. The announcement is unlikely to please India and China, which earlier in the day led a protest against a Danish move to leave the final text to be adopted on December 18 to 103 heads of state.

India and China are the most decisive factors - Somayaji, Sakarama
The Financial Express, 16 December 2009
‘Climate change’ is the buzz word today. According to reports of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), there is enough scientific evidence to prove that the matter is serious and needs immediate global action. As the Copenhagen Conference has started, every international leader is keen to be in the centre of the talks on climate change. However, one thing remains unclear—who will do what and by when, to save the planet from global warming.

The Copenhagen conundrum- Srivastava, Leena
Financial Chronicle, 15 December 2009
The news media has been full of the controversies surrounding the climate change summit at Copenhagen. Prime space and time has been accorded to the stand-off between members of India’s negotiating team as also to the stand-off between the developing and the developed world; within the developing world and within the developed world too! There seems to be a complete breakdown in negotiations.

Innovation centres to develop clean technologies: India
The Financial Express, 14 December 2009
The approval of India's technology transfer proposal to establish a global network of climate innovation centres for developing and deploying clean technologies at the ongoing climate change talks in Copenhagen should cheer businesses. In its submission to the UNFCCC, India had suggested that climate innovation centres be located in various parts of the world for undertaking development and deployment of clean technologies suited to their respective regions. The centres would do so by forging private and public sector partnerships.

India gets pat on back for its green tech plan
The Times of India, 11 December 2009
India got all-round credit for suggesting a proposal and forging a consensus on a deal to share new green technologies. Even as talks on the issue of financing technologies and other actions got stalled, the Indian delegation was able to forge near complete consensus on the formation of Climate Innovation Centres which would be akin to the CGIAR model created during Green Revolution to develop and share crop varieties. The innovation centres would be a collaborative effort by all countries in terms of both funds and capacities to create new green technologies. The rights over these new technologies would be shared by all countries that contribute to the work. The CGIAR model created during the food crisis in the 1970s had led to large scale deployment of hybrid and high productivity seeds across the poor world. Its authors – primarily the Bureau of Energy Efficiency and the power ministry - have pinned hopes on similar breakthrough on the clean tech front through the innovation centres.

Carbon credits offer us a Rs 280 billion opportunity
Business Standard, 11 December 2009
The Indian government has approved more than 1400 projects as part of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) that could attract around $6 billion (Rs 280 billion) into the country by 2012 through sale of Certified Emission Reduction (CER) certificates, according to the Minster for Environment and Forests Mr Jairam Ramesh. NCDMA (The National CDM Authority) in India has accorded Host Country Approval to 1455 projects. These projects have seen an investment of more than $33.7 billion. If all these projects get registered at the CDM executive board, it will earn developers over 600 million CERs by 2012. At a conservative price of $10 per CER, the figure works out to a little over $6 billion.

Waning Himalayan glaciers a challenge
Deccan Herald, 30 October 2009
South Asia faces a major challenge with the fast depletion of the Himalayan glaciers, scientists opined at a conclave. This could impact the livelihood of 2.6 billion people, who are dependent on the water and natural resources harnessed from the 12 major rivers fed by the glaciers, which may lead to a humanitarian crisis, they pointed out. On the first day of the two-day conclave on “Indian Himalayan glaciers, change and livelihoods”, various organizations and institutions researching on the Himalayan eco-system gave elaborate presentations touching various aspects of the issue. The conclave has been called to focus the attention on the critical need to ensure sustainable development of the Himalayan region by responding to the challenges posed by climate change to its eco-system. Pointing out to several studies on the Himalayan glaciers, Dr Syed Iqbal Hasnain, from TERI, said the scientists projected a 43 per cent decrease in glacial area on average by the year 2070 and 75 per cent decrease by the end of 21st century at the current warming rate.

India, China ink pact to fight climate change
The Economic Times, 22 October 2009
India and China have signed an agreement to co-operate on ways to fight climate change. They will also continue to work together in international climate deal negotiations. The agreement emphasized that the ‘United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol are the most appropriate framework for addressing climate change’. The agreement has called for cooperation on addressing climate change. The two countries will cooperate on mitigation policies, programmes, projects, technology development and demonstration relating to greenhouse gas emission reduction, which will extend to the areas of energy conservation and efficiency, renewable energies, clean coal, methane recovery and utilization, afforestation and sustainable management of forests and ecosystem, transportation and sustainable habitat.

Global warming: Yaks moving to higher altitudes
The Indian Express, 20 October 2009
Even as the world talks about melting of ice in the Arctic, the Antarctic and the Himalayas, one animal species – yak or ‘Bos grunniens’ – is already beginning to bear the brunt of global warming – be it in the Northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh or in the Ladakh region of Jammu & Kashmir. While the yak population is declining sharply, the animal is being gradually pushed up the Himalayas, with scientists fearing that the time is not far away when there will be no more ‘comfort zone’ left for it to survive. Only four states in India have yaks – Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Arunachal’s yak population has almost halved, from about 13 000 in 1997 to about 7000 in 2003. In Himachal, it has come down from 6000 to 2000 in 10–12 years. Sharp population decline has also been reported from Sikkim and Jammu & Kashmir.

ISRO to launch 2 exclusive satellites for climate study
The Pioneer, 20 October 2009
After the success story of first Indian lunar mission, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) is launching two exclusive, dedicated satellites in polar orbit to study the climate change by 2010 and 2011. This initiative by ISRO is to study climate change through atmospheric research and detection of greenhouse gases to augment reduce the pressure on climate . The chairman ISRO Dr G Madhavan Nair has said these 50 kg micro satellite will conduct atmospheric research. The satellites will be launched in 2010 and 2011. The first will be a 50 kg micro-satellite to conduct atmospheric research. The second will be a remote sensing satellite to monitor emission of greenhouses gases like methane and carbon dioxide, said Dr G Madhavan Nair. The dedicated satellites will make India one of the few countries in the world to have such advanced facility to study the impact of climate change due to emission of greenhouse gases. The use of satellite technology will also demonstrate that India is serious about global warming and committed to protect the environment by measuring and monitoring the emission of greenhouse gases.

Climate change: India to sign treaty with SAARC nations
The Indian Express, 20 October 2009
Marking a shift from its earlier position of staying within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Changes, India now appears ready to collaborate with various countries on climate change. On top of the list are the US, China and Japan. In a bid to present itself as a leader on climate change issues in the SAARC region, India is set to sign a treaty on environment with SAARC countries. India has also discussed the possibility of a bilateral co-operation with Japan on thermal technology which cuts down on greenhouse gases.

Bangalore to have world class research institute on climate change
The Hindu, 19 October 2009
India will demonstrate to the world that “we are serious about climate change” through a set of new initiatives — the first being the setting up of a world class institute here to carry out research on climate, global warming and its impact on the economy and environment.

Climate mission gets PM panel's green signal
The Indian Express, 15 October 2009
In an effort to create India’s own knowledge base and generate data and services related to climate change, the Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change, the government’s top-most advisory body on climate change on Tuesday gave in-principle approval to the National Mission on Strategic Knowledge. It is a Rs 22-billion project aimed at promoting indigenous research and development and capacity-building in this field. The mission on strategic knowledge is one of the eight missions launched by the government under its National Action Plan on Climate Change. It is the third — after the Solar Mission and the one on energy efficiency — to have been approved by the Council. The mission aims to fill the big void that exists in indigenous knowledge on climate change. Most of the predictions relating to global warming on India are based on studies done by scientists and researchers in other countries and are not customized for India. The Mission on Strategic Knowledge seeks to correct this imbalance by promoting research that will produce more accurate data.

Bad news: glaciers in Jammu and Kashmir melting faster than others
The Hindustan Times, 13 October 2009
Environment specialists have long warned that the Himalayan glaciers, a source of water to rivers that flow across India; China; Bangladesh; and Burma, are melting faster than the glaciers in the rest of the world. In the last 40 years alone, the Kolhai glacier, in the Zabarwan range in Kashmir, has receded by 18%, while the 72 sq. km area in Suru basin in Kargil district of Ladakh – covered by over 300 glaciers – has shrunk by over 16%. This data was presented in an international conference on ‘Climate Change, Glacial Recession, and Livelihoods’, organized jointly by the Jammu and Kashmir government, University of Kashmir and TERI, New Delhi, in Srinagar. Experts from UK, US, Australia, and Nepal participated in the conference. Experts said the glaciers are melting at a rate of 0.8 sq. km a year due to warmer winters and lesser precipitation.

EU for linking social disparity, climate change with India FTA
Business Standard, 14 October 2009
With increasing pressure on the EU to stick to a rigid stand on linking climate change and social disparity with trade, the conclusion of talks on India-EU FTA is set to get delayed. Member of European Parliament, Ms Lena-Kolarska Bobinska, said the EU considered India an ‘absolutely crucial region’ not only in terms of economy but also in terms of stabilization of democracy. But there was a need to assess the impact of the FTA on the social groups of the country, she said. The insistence of the 27-nation bloc would delay the conclusion of the negotiations launched in 2007 for signing an FTA, which is aimed at removing duty and other barriers on the India-EU trade which aggregated $73 billion in 2007/08. India's Ministry of Commerce has been strongly opposing linking the trade with social and climate change issues, arguing these are better left to the United Nations.

Prime minister for integrated approach to climate change
The Hindu, 14 October 2009
Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has cautioned against compartmentalized thinking among various ministries concerned with climate change and suggested an integrated approach to capacity building in this sector. Chairing a meeting of the National Council on Climate Change to give shape to the National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change – one of the eight missions of the NAPCC – Dr Singh said it was important to develop skills, knowledge, and capacities in the science of climate change. Dr Singh said it was necessary to have the ability to prepare and read scientific data related to climate change since India was engaging itself with the global community on this issue. The meeting emphasized the importance of building a vibrant and dynamic knowledge system for effectively promoting ecologically sustainable development with the National Mission on Strategic Knowledge working as a service mission of the NAPCC.

New crop varieties to cope with climate change on anvil
The Hindu Business Line, 14 October 2009
ICAR is working on new crop varieties in rice and potato to cope with climate change. These varieties are not just expected to be flood- or drought-resistant; they are also expected to withstand rising carbon dioxide emissions without suffering metabolic changes. ICAR is working with institutes such as the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Calcutta University, and other private bodies in developing such varieties. Maize and millet, called C-4 crops, are known for their ability to withstand higher levels of carbon dioxide and survive with less water. ICAR is working on a submergence tolerance rise that would be commercialized in the next two to three years. This variety is expected to withstand about two weeks of complete submergence in water.

Climate change hits poor in Africa, South Asia hardest: World Bank
Deccan Herald, 5 October 2009
Climate change could depress the economic output of Africa and South Asia by as much as five percent per year, the World Bank has warned. The effects of a warming of the Earth's temperature by even two degrees Celsius could put up to 400 million people at risk of hunger and leave up to two billion lacking enough water resources. The world's governments have set themselves a goal of keeping warming below that two-degree mark. The costs of living in a warmer climate make it critical that governments act now to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions blamed for causing the warming, the World Bank said. The World Bank estimates the world will suffer a one percent drop in economic output because of climate change, with minimal effects for advanced countries, compared to a drop of 4-5 per cent for Africa and South Asia.

India offers to discuss climate with US and Europe
The Hindustan Times, 4 October 2009
Environment and Forest minister Mr Jairam Ramesh has offered talks with the US and Europe on India’s stand on a Kyoto-type protocol for climate change agreement in Copenhegan

Climate change poses threat to wheat yield
The Financial Express, 3 October 2009
As climate change makes the tropical wheat environment less favourable and challenges the sustainability of wheat yields, global efforts are under way to develop new varieties of wheat which can withstand excessive heat and continue to retain their productivity levels. US-based International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Cereal System Initiative in South Asia (CSISA)—a collaborative project led by the International Rice Research Institute and funded by the United States Agency for International Development and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation—and the International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas are developing new varieties suited to warmer, drier environments and promoting resource-conserving farming practices.

Clean tech good investment says IPCC chief RK Pachauri
Reuters India, 3 October 2009
United Nations scientist whose report set the global standard for climate change sees biofuels as a good investment bet and advised on Friday that people eat less meat to help curb global warming. In an interview on what individuals in developed countries can do to slow climate change and profit in the process, Dr R K Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, advised investors to assume the future will be low-carbon. New technologies, some of which are still in the lab, could become important, Dr Pachauri said on the sidelines of the Governors' Global Climate Summit in Los Angeles

India to give annual climate report to UN
The Hindustan Times, 27 September 2009
In a major concession to rich countries before December’s climate change negotiations in Copenhagen, environment and forests minister Mr Jairam Ramesh has offered an annual report to the Union Nations on India’s GHG (greenhouse gas) inventory and measures to reduce it. Under the Kyoto Protocol that expires in 2012, only rich countries are required to submit annual reports on their commitment to reduce GHGs. There is no such binding requirement for developing countries such as India and China, which submit their national declarations on climate change once in six years.

India for long-term green tech partnership with Japan: Jairam
The Financial Express, 24 September 2009
Environment minister Mr Jairam Ramesh expressed hope of a long-term partnership with Japan in the field of green technology, praising the message given by Japanese Prime Minister Mr Yukio Hatoyama at the high-level Climate Change Summit. In a bilateral meeting with Japanese officials, Mr Ramesh discussed a partnership agreement in the field of technology for climate change.

Developed nations must change unsustainable lifestyles, says Krishna
The Hindu, 24 September 2009
In a strong message, India has asked developed countries to change their ‘unsustainable lifestyles’ so as to significantly cut down carbon emissions by 2020 and ensure that developing nations have enough resources to pursue accelerated development while coping with climate change. Speaking at a Round Table during the Climate Change summit at the United Nations, External Affairs Minister Mr S M Krishna called on developed countries to deliver on significant reduction in their emissions – at least 40 per cent by 2020, from the agreed 1990 baseline.

Oceansat?2 to boost climate modelling
The Times of India, 24 September 2009
High-precision weather and climate modelling to enable higher accuracy in day-to-day predictions is set to get a boost in India with the launch of Oceansat?2. The study of atmospherics and surface temperature is a major objective of the satellite. With data being generated on wind speeds and changing temperature too, building weather models from data generated by the satellite becomes easy. The National Institute of Oceanography, which was looking for a second satellite that would cover ocean temperatures for climate prediction, now has a dedicated one. Oceansat?1 lasted for 10 years though its life span was five years and Oceansat?2 is expected to last for five years.

CSCI India Chapter launched
EFY Times, 27 July 2009
Dell, Intel, HP, Google, WWF, TERI, CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development, MAIT and NASSCOM have joined hands with the aim of driving energy efficient practices in every-day computing. They have launched the India chapter of a global initiative - CSCI (Climate Savers Computing Initiative). The nine founding members of CSCI India pledged to reduce carbon emissions by four million tons and reduce 50 per cent in energy costs through efficient computing in next three years. CSCI is a non-profit group of eco-conscious consumers, businesses and conservation organisations promoting adoption of smart technologies in everyday business and personal computing which can improve the efficiency of a computer's power delivery and reduce the energy consumed when the computer is in an inactive state.

Pachauri says India can't be forced on climate change
PTI, 22 July 2009
Supporting India's stand that it would not budge under pressure from the western world to accept emission reduction standards, Dr R K Pachauri, Director-General said that India cannot be "pressurized" on the issue and asked the developed world to act first. Dr Pachauri said the statement made by Environment Minister Mr Jairam Ramesh during a joint interaction with US Secretary of State Ms Hillary Clinton that India would not budge under pressure from the western world to accept emission reduction standards was the country's principled stand.

Stand on climate change unchanged: Shyam Saran
The Hindu; 17 July 2009
Allaying fears that India had diluted its stand on the climate change at the recently concluded G8 meeting in Rome by accepting carbon emission caps, Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Climate Change Shyam Saran said that there was nothing in the declaration to suggest this. India’s position remained unchanged and the lead in checking emissions had to be taken by the developed countries, Mr. Saran said at a Consultative Dialogue on “India’s Climate Responsive Roadmap for Development,” organised by Oneworld Foundation India.

Funds announced for climate change
The Tribune; 7 July 2009
The Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, in the Union Budget speech, has announced the government’s decision to fully exempt petro-diesel blended with biodiesel from excise duty. The Finance Minister said in order to encourage the use of this environment-friendly fuel, the government proposed to reduce basic custom duty on green fuel, also known as biodiesel fuel, from 7.5% to 2.5% at par with petrol-diesel. Biodiesel obtained from vegetable oils and used for blending with petrol-diesel is currently exempted from excise duty. On this environment-friendly measure, TERI said the decrease of the custom duty on the bio diesel from 7.5% to 2.5% was a forward looking step, which may provide the necessary environment for the use of biodiesel for blending purposes. This will be further encouraged by the decision to avoid double duty on blended diesel (diesel and biodiesel were separately attracting excise duty and the blended biodiesel, being termed as a manufactured product, was also included in the list of excise duty product), Dr R K Pachauri, Director-General of TERI said.

India, Japan to work together on climate change
The Tribune; 4 July 2009
Cementing their strategic ties, India and Japan have agreed to cooperate on pressing global issues of climate change, disarmament, and non-proliferation while moving ahead in negotiations to stitch a comprehensive economic partnership pact. External Affairs Minister, Mr S M Krishna, held wide-ranging discussions with the Japanese side on a gamut of bilateral relations during the third strategic dialogue he co-chaired with his counterpart. On the issue of climate change, which they identified as an ‘important global challenge,’ India and Japan hoped that all countries would participate constructively and work towards an ‘ambitious’ outcome at a crucial meeting on a pact to replace the Kyoto Protocol in Copenhagen later this year.

Improving environment education in schools
The Hindu, 29 June 2009
Global systems and services company Dell in partnership with TERI announced the launch of “The Climate EduXchange Initiative”, an IT-enabled initiative to improve environment education in schools across India. The primary objective of this partnership is to create a motivated force of students, who through technological advancements are aware of and concerned about the environment. The campaign aims to raise awareness and understanding about climate change issues among students and teachers.

Maharashtra to set up panel to tackle global warming
The Hindustan Times, 20 June 2009
The delayed monsoon and severe climatic changes has forced the Maharashtra government to get environment conscious. The state will form a high-powered committee to look into how the effects of global warming can be tackled. Dr R K Pachauri, Director-General of TERI and Chairman of IPCC, will help the committee in formulating an effective action plan. The action plan would be two-fold – one would be sector specific highlighting what action industries could take to help deal with climatic changes while the other would be region and area specific. This would allow the government to identify problem areas and take steps towards protecting ecosystems.

Emission trading rights and India
The Economic Times, 19 June 2009
Developing countries including India have been absolved of any responsibility towards reducing emissions in the first commitment period, 2008-2012, of the Kyoto Protocol. This is not surprising as India’s per capita carbon dioxide emission is very low — only 1.21 tonnes per annum, roughly one-fourth of the world average per capita emission of 4.50 tonnes per annum.

Asia set to become biggest climate change driver
The Times of India, 17 June 2009
Asia's share of global greenhouse gas emissions could rise to more than 40% by 2030, making it the world's main driver of climate change, experts have warned. The most populous continent with the fastest-growing economies in China and India already accounts for a third of world emissions of gases blamed for warming weather, including carbon dioxide, Asian Development Bank President Dr Haruhiko Kuroda told a conference in Manila. “Climate change has this characteristic of exacerbating the existing stress in a region ... which is afflicted by poverty and a lack of infrastructure,'' said Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

TERI launches Specialized Library on Climate Change
Business Standard, 15 June 2009
In a first of its kind initiative in the country, TERI has launched a Specialized Library on Climate Change to spread awareness and information on the issue. Ambassador of Norway to India Ann Ollestad inaugurated the library in presence of climate expert and TERI Director-General Dr R K Pachauri, who said "the initiative is important to create resources from where people can gain knowledge about climate change". The specialized library will work as an information platform to collect and disseminate information related to climate change and energy security.

Economic recovery ups carbon credit demand
Business Standard, 3 June 2009
As the 2012 deadline for limiting carbon emissions under the Kyoto Protocol draws near, and with the overall market sentiment perking up, the demand for carbon emission reduction (CER), popularly called carbon credit and European allowances (EUA), have seen a sudden spurt. As a consequence, prices of such derivative products jumped 5 - 11 per cent in May. On European Climate Exchange (ECX), prices of EUA for delivery in December 2009 settled at €14.63, a rise of 4.5 per cent while CER contract for the year-end delivery surged 10.7 per cent to close at €12.73 during the last month. Although, CER is hardly traded on domestic commodity futures trading platform, prices continue to move up due to a similar guidance from abroad.

Climate change: Poorest worst hit - Pachauri, R K
Deccan Herald, 2 June 2009
As we observe the World Environment Day on June 5, Dr R K Pachauri reflects on climate change and points out that while few doubt the science of climate change, its impact on the world’s poor is largely ignored. Also, he adds, it is time to break the silence.

McKinsey endorses India's green stand
The Times of India; 22 May 2009
After the World Bank endorsed India's stand in international climate negotiations, McKinsey and Company in its yet to be released study has acclaimed that India is already on way to becoming one of the least carbon intensive countries in the world even as it continues to climb up at a healthy 7.5% economic growth rate.

US wants India's help on climate change issue
The Times of India, 22 May 2009
The Obama Administration is all set to embark on a dialogue with India on addressing climate change and related issues, similar to a mechanism it currently has with China, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said. Considering the issue as a major policy priority, the Obama Administration has appointed a special envoy on it and held a special ministerial level meeting of emerging economies, including India. Clinton said she has been in special talks with China on this issue.

World Bank support for India’s climate change stance
Mint; 15 May 2009
a multilateral agency has endorsed India’s stance on climate change: that it cannot undertake deep emission cuts without sacrificing poverty alleviation plans and development needs. India’s long-standing position in the international debate has revolved around its growth trajectory to pull millions out of poverty into a basic standard of living, which cannot be compromised under any scenario, without financial and technological help from the developed world. The study backs this position: “This (current and future emissions trend) is not to support a lifestyle or consumption patterns displayed in developed countries, but to provide basic energy services and support a growing economy.” “It is always good to have an independent technical body like the World Bank come to the same conclusions as us, even if the approaches are different, and this report will get a lot of currency,” said Dr Prodipto Ghosh, distinguished fellow at TERI and a former secretary at the ministry of environment and forests. “But when we had been saying similar things, we were not pulling it from the air; we were saying them after undertaking very detailed studies, done in a much more robust manner than the World Bank’s.”

US welcomes Indian technology proposal in climate deal
The Economic Times, 11 April 2009
The US is ‘very interested’ in an Indian proposal to create a global network of climate technology centres and thinks it deserves to make it to a UN climate change agreement scheduled for later this year. Dr Jonathan Pershing, the US President’s Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Change, told IANS on the sidelines of a UN conference here that there was ‘enormous opportunity for common work’ between India and the US over efforts to combat climate change.

TERI to support glaciers research in the Himalayas
The Hindu, 8 April 2009
A memorandum has been signed by TERI and the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) to provide logistic support to researchers studying at the high-altitude glaciers in the Himalayas. The memorandum was signed by Dr R K Pachauri, director general of TERI and Major H P S Ahluwalia, president of IMF. Dr Pachauri said that according to the agreement, all TERI scientists conducting experiments at high-altitude glaciers will get training in mountaineering by IMF to make them self-reliant and to acclimatise them to the rough terrain of the Himalayas. Personnel from the mountaineering institute will provide training to every scientist engaged with TERI’s Glacier Research Programme being executed in Kashmir, Himalayas, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim.

Dr R K Pachauri to lead new Climate and Energy Institute at Yale University
Businesswire India; 10 March 2009
Dr R K Pachauri, Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), has accepted the additional responsibility of leading the newly established Yale Climate and Energy Institute (YCEI), Yale University. Dr Pachauri is also chairing the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) since 2002 and is an active leader in the global climate policy debate and played a major role in laying the groundwork for the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.

Metro earns UN acclaim
The Asian Age, 23 February 2009
Delhi Metro has become the first rail network in the world to get a UN certificate for preventing over 90,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere, doing its bit to fight against global warming. The certification report was given by Germany-based validation organization TUV NORD which conducted an audit on behalf of the UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) and found that the DMRC stopped the emission of 90,004 tonnes of carbon dioxide from 2004 to 2007 by adopting regenerative braking systems in the metro trains.

Gujarat first state to have Climate Change department
The Pioneer, 26 February 2009
The Guajarat state government became the first State Government in the country to set up a department of Climate Change. The Chief Minister who made this announcement in the State Assembly said that the new department which shall initially be under him will prepare a comprehensive multi-dimensional policy on climate change of the State.

Need for change in lifestyle to tackle climate change
The Hindu; 18 December 2008
Noble laureate Dr Rajendra K Pachauri stressed the need for a change in the mindset and lifestyle of the people and a major shift in every sector of economy to deal with the challenge of climate change. He was delivering the 14th Justice Sunanda Bhandare Memorial Lecture at Chinmaya Mission Centre. Delivering a lecture on “Ethics and The Challenge of Climate Change”, Dr. Pachauri, who won the Noble Peace Prize in 2007, said: “Scientists had been warning us of the implications of the climate change, brought about by the industrialization, for over a hundred years. A lot has been written and extensive research is done on the adverse effects of unbridled industrialization, but we have ignored what the knowledge had been telling us because it was in the interest of companies and the people.”

Corporate Social Responsibility

SME awards by TERI & HSBC
The Pioneer, 22 April 2010
TERI along with HSBC announced the HSBC Living Business SME awards, recognizing the social commitment of SMEs. Marco Food products bagged the first prize for building a school for imparting free education to underprivileged children of Ratnagiri district. Impetus Infotech (I) Pvt Ltd, figured second in the fray for its community initiatives as English speaking workshops, blood donation camps etc while Sports Goods Foundation of India won a special prize for working towards the prevention of child labour in the sporting goods industry.

New Companies Bill stresses CSR
The Financial Express, 17 December 2009
The Companies Bill 2009 has proposed laying guidelines for corporate social responsibility, although it does not intend to infringe the voluntary aspect of CSR. Minister of corporate affairs Mr Salman Khurseed has said the objective of incorporating CSR in the Companies Bill is to guide India Inc on the way of making money that helps inclusive growth.

Sustainability meets sound business sense
The Economic Times, 25 August 2009
TERI is the winner of the Economic Times Award for Corporate Excellence in the category, Corporate Citizen. TERI and Dr R K Pachauri, Director-general, TERI, have done significant work on sensitizing people to not only the dangers posed by GHG emissions and global warming, but also to the economic opportunities that lie in energy efficiency and climate change prevention and mitigation. Climate change is one among the many societal challenges on which TERI carries out research.

Clinton to talk CSR with India Inc
The Financial Express; 17 July 2009
India Inc’s initiatives in corporate social responsibility (CSR) will dominate the discussions between visiting US secretary of state Ms Hillary Clinton and a 10-member team led by Tata Group chairman Mr Ratan Tata. Clinton’s meeting comes in the backdrop of greater acceptance of CSR by Indian companies in recent years. Corporate India has spread its CSR activities across 20 states and Union territories, with Maharashtra gaining the most from them.

Natural disasters

Emerging population dynamics in India - Deshpande, S V
Deccan Herald United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)’s International Centre for Hydrogen Energy Technology (ICHET) on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding with its Indian partners to run three-wheelers on Indian roads on the most advanced and clean fuel: hydrogen. 12 March 2009 In the history of its population growth, India crossed the one billion mark on May 11, 2000, standing next to China in the world. And between 2000 and 2008, the population boomed by another 16 crores. This has resulted in a highly skewed land/man ratio, while India constitutes about 17 per cent of the world population, its surface area is just 2.3 per cent to the total world’s geographical area. This reveals that the land available is extremely low compared to the size of the population. It is striking to note that in 1901 just 77 persons lived in every square kilometre, this boomed to 324 in 2001, more than four times in number.

Pollution

Euro-IV emission norms from April 1
Business Standard, 13 March 2010
Environment and Forests Minister Mr Jairam Ramesh has said he hopes the environment cess proposed by Finance Minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee would be utilized for clean-up activities in the 88 critically polluted industrial clusters identified by the environment ministry. Listing some of the steps that are being taken for cleaner air quality, he said, from April 1, all vehicles would have to comply with Euro-IV emission norms across 13 major cities. Euro-III emission norms would be applicable across the country later this year. In addition, lead pollution standards had been tightened and attention was now being paid to mercury pollution, the minister added.

Government amends rules to tackle noise pollution
Business Standard, 15 January 20105
The Ministry of Environment and Forests is setting up a network for national-level monitoring and reporting of noise pollution. Based on the pattern of existing air and water networks, the setting up of the National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network and development of infrastructure for noise mapping in the country are expected to be in place within five years. The network will be managed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), involving the State Pollution Control Boards. As part of this network, the use of construction machines, musical instruments, bursting of noise-emitting firecrackers and horns beyond permissible limits at nights in residential areas have been made punishable offences, attracting seven years of imprisonment or penalty of Rs 1 lakh.

Population

Emerging population dynamics in India - Deshpande, S V
Deccan Herald United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)’s International Centre for Hydrogen Energy Technology (ICHET) on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding with its Indian partners to run three-wheelers on Indian roads on the most advanced and clean fuel: hydrogen. 12 March 2009 In the history of its population growth, India crossed the one billion mark on May 11, 2000, standing next to China in the world. And between 2000 and 2008, the population boomed by another 16 crores. This has resulted in a highly skewed land/man ratio, while India constitutes about 17 per cent of the world population, its surface area is just 2.3 per cent to the total world’s geographical area. This reveals that the land available is extremely low compared to the size of the population. It is striking to note that in 1901 just 77 persons lived in every square kilometre, this boomed to 324 in 2001, more than four times in number.

Trade

Free trade pact with China soon
The Tribune, 30 October 2009
In the midst of tensions between them over contentious political issues, India and China are close to concluding negotiations over a free trade agreement (FTA). Senior Indian officials have confirmed that the two sides have completed a feasibility study on their proposed FTA which now awaits approval from the political leaderships of the two countries. An FTA between the two countries is expected to lead to the establishment of the biggest free trade region in the world.

US wants India to decrease tariffs on industrial goods
Business Standard, 29 October 2009
Commerce ministry officials are examining a demand made by the US that India should agree to steep tariff cuts on a range of industrial products that cover about 60 per cent of the latter’s overall imports. India has informed select trade envoys during a closed-door meeting that it is studying the American “queries” on whether New Delhi is prepared to reduce tariffs on items of interest to Washington.

India, Qatar in capital tie-up
The Hindustan Times; 11 February 2009
At a time when the world is grappling with the worst financial crisis in 70 years and when investments have all but dried up, India and Qatar are all set to sign an agreement for setting up a multi-billion dollar joint investment fund that will catalyze investments in mega-sized infrastructure projects in the two countries. State Bank of India (SBI) has been designated as the nodal agency for operating this fund from the Indian side.

Transport

Mohan panel to work on integrated transport policy
DNA, 13 March 2010
The recently formed committee on transport, headed by former deputy governor of Reserve Bank of India, Dr Rakesh Mohan, is expected to make suggestions for a policy on an integrated transport system to ensure seamless point-to-point transportation across the sector. Other major focus areas, according to Dr Mohan, are energy efficiency in the transport sector and greater focus on public and urban transport. The National Transport Development Policy Committee will also create a policy environment to encourage competitive pricing and coordination between various modes of transport. The committee will also look into the performance of the public private partnership. It will suggest ways to weed out bottlenecks in the PPP model.

Fuel economy standards for cars get PMO green signal
The Times of India, 3 June 2009
The government has finally decided to implement auto fuel economy standards. After a year of wrangling between the heavy industries, surface transport and power ministries, the PMO has decided that the Bureau of Energy Efficiency will formulate the norms and notify them under the Energy Conservation Act while the surface transport ministry will ensure its implementation. The norms will be developed on the basis of mileage that petrol and diesel vehicles give.

Waste Management

E-waste management project launched
The Hindu, 15 August 2010
The Mumbai-Pune corridor may be the hot spot for investors. It is also the highest producer of India's electronic waste. About one third of India’s electronic waste is generated in this region. A stakeholders’ consultation on e-waste management was conducted in Pune recently to address the issue. The Pune Municipal Corporation; Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation; Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, Janvani; Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat; and German Technical Cooperation (GTZ)-Advisory Services in Environmental Management came together to share ideas and solutions on the issue. The event also witnessed the launch of a new project on e-waste management by GTZ. Technical Manager of GTZ- Advisory Services in Environmental Management, Dr Ashish Chaturvedi shared the project objectives which offer a platform for bridging the gap in e-waste management between the formal and informal sector. The proposed action under this project aims at improving the situation of e-waste management in Pune, Pimpri and Chinchwad by involving informal sector associations, generators, and recyclers in setting up a channelisation mechanism in the waste management system.

EU to help India draw up waste management policy
The Hindu Business Line, 2 July 2010
EU (European Union) is providing technical expertise to the Government as it drafts a policy framework for waste management, said Ms Daniele Smadja, Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Union in India, while addressing a two day FICCI Environment Conclave 2010. She said that the cooperation in the waste management project has a key component on e-waste management for policy development and remedial measures for contaminated sites. This would be done through a suitable adaptation of the EU policy and regulations to the Indian situation.

UN prepares report on India’s hazardous waste
The Asian Age, 14 January 2010
The campaign launched by civil society groups against the huge quantities of toxic waste being generated in India has forced the United Nations to send UN special rapporteur Mr Okechukwu Ibeanu to get a first hand take on practices being followed. The rapporteur expressed concern about the poor working practices and environmental conditions prevailing in India's shipbreaking yards, especially Alang in Gujarat. Mr Ibeanu expressed concern at the speed at which toxic waste has begun moving from one continent to another often at the hands of criminals.