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Biotechnology

Union Budget 2013: Booster dose for agri biotech
The Times of India, 1 March 2013
Indian farmers, agri scientists and agribiotech firms can pull out their farm tools and research equipment as the $5 billion Indian biotechnology industry got a small booster dose of funds and knowledge inputs from Union Budget.

Seed makers plan high-density Bt cotton planting to boost yield
The Hindu Business Line, 20 February 2013
Faced with stagnating yields from Bt cotton hybrids, seed makers are now advocating high-density planting or putting more plants an acre by reducing the spacing to boost the output.

Labels must for GM food from next year
Business Standard, 13 December 2012
India might not have started growing genetically modified (GM) food crops, but it does import food products that contain GM ingredients. Consumers who buy them have no way of knowing what they contain. Recently, the department of consumer affairs, under the Union food and consumer affairs ministry, decided to take a corrective measure to help consumers make an informed choice. It mandated that all packaged food products containing GM ingredients should carry a GM label from January 1, 2013.

Department of Biotechnology, Cambridge varsity in research venture
The Hindu Business Line, 14 September 2012
To develop new scientific approaches for treatment of diseases such as cancer, India's Department of Biotechnology and the University of Cambridge are setting up a new initiative for chemical biology and molecular therapeutics at inStem, Bangalore.

BARC showcases disease-resistant crop varieties
The Hindu, 29 April 2012
A workshop on nuclear technology held recently attracted many to packets containing pods of large and small groundnut seeds. There were packets containing moong dal, black gram, and other such pulses. These were the products of the crop variants developed by the Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology division of the Baba Atomic Research Centre (BARC). The BARC were exhibiting samples of the produce from 39 new crop varieties that it brought out since 1973.

UN recognition for traditional Koraput farming systems
IBN Live, 3 January 2012
UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation has recognized the efforts of the tribal community of Koraput to conserve biodiversity and develop climate resilient farm practices as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS). Mentioning this at the inauguration of the 99th Indian Science Congress, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh lauded the Koraput tribals for the achievement. The recognition of the Koraput Traditional Agricultural System as a GIAHS site is expected to guarantee local and international efforts for the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable use of its genetic resources. It is also seen as the recognition of tribal peoples' contribution to biodiversity and knowledge systems, whilst increasing attention to their natural and cultural heritage. The Koraput region is famous for its rich agricultural biodiversity of global importance. The genetic diversity of Asian cultivated rice and has been considered as the centre of origin of aus ecotype of rice. The landraces or traditional varieties growing here are thought to beharbouring dominant genes for biotic and abiotic stresses, aroma and palatability, and hold promise for their utilization in future plant breeding and biotechnology programme.

Soon, database on Indian bio-resources
The Times of India, 27 December 2011
The Unit for Research and Development of Information Products (URDIP) here has prepared a database of patents granted world-wide to Indian bio-resources, including food crops, forest trees, marine organisms, microbial resources, livestock, other animals and agro-resources. The database is expected to help monitor patenting of bio-resources, detection of bio-piracy, commercial exploitation and benefit sharing. The database is created with an emphasis on technologies and applications for multiplication, harvesting, processing and utilization of bio-resources.

E&Y: Biotech cos spending less on R&D
The Financial Express, 5 September 2011
Funding for research and development has grown increasingly scarce for a majority of firms in the global biotechnology sector, says a study. This has put more pressure on the traditional biotech business model and may reshape how companies pursue R&D, says Ernst & Young’s 25th annual report on the biotech industry.

Nine-lab consortium positive about micro-algae as source of bio-fuel
The Indian Express, 11 July 2011
As plantations for bio-fuel increasingly nudge out plantations for food, a joint project by nine Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) laboratories may be heading towards a   solution that could check carbon emissions while sustaining food supplies. The micro-algae, or sea-weed, grows naturally in India's west coast and the bio-fuel extraction process is similar to that using Jatropha. Scientists working on the project recently tested a bio-diesel mix (20 per cent bio-fuel, 80 per cent petroleum) produced from micro-algae and found it road-worthy.

A new patron for biotech industry
Business Standard, 26 April 2011
The Department of Biotechnology is playing venture capitalist to private companies to push agri research. DBT is providing half the project costs, loans at giveaway rates and hand-holding to boot — all to encourage cutting-edge research in agriculture, healthcare and energy. It is also throwing open the expertise of the public sector organisations to companies, some of whom are acknowledged leaders in their field.

Bioinformatics sees massive investments by R&D firms
The Financial Express, 22 April 2011
With collaborations and new products from IT companies enabling life sciences firms to quantify available information, bioinformatics is witnessing exciting changes. With the growing vaccines and biologics markets, bioinformatics has become a key investment area for research firms.

Asia emerging global biotechnology hub
The Hindu Business Line, 25 February 2011
Recent deals in Japan , China and India point towards the fact that Asia is on its way to becoming a global biotechnology hub. Japan 's Astellas Pharma acquired OSI Pharmaceuticals, USA for $4 billion in what was the biggest M&A deal in the biotech space in Asia last year. Next, Charles River Laboratories snapped up Wuxi Pharmatech, China for $1.6 billion. India followed suit with Rallis buying out Metahelix for $46 million. In the year 2010, Asia recorded 43 M&A and private equity deals in the biotech sector. The deals, led by India, China and Japan, aggregated to $5.5 billion. The Indian biotech sector grew $3 billion in size with the Chinese market touching $9 million last year.

GM rubber: MOEF proposes field trials for 14 years
The Hindu , 6 January 2011
Field trials of Genetically Modified (GM) rubber will be held in “designated experimental sites inside research farms” of the Rubber Research Institute of India in Kerala and Maharashtra for around 14 years, according to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. The trials will not be done in commercially cultivated holdings and the growth of the GM rubber plants will be closely monitored by a multi-disciplinary team of scientists.

PM’s panel bets big on farm biotech
Hindustan Times, 15 December 2010
India is likely to rely a great deal on biotechnology in food crops to ease growing demand for food amid rising prices, even though the country has clamped a moratorium on Bt brinjal, its first genetically engineered food crop. A working group set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to suggest long-term solutions to high food inflation, which submitted its report to the PM on Wednesday, has said a second green revolution would not be possible without biotechnology-led breakthroughs.

TERI and Deakin University, Australia comes together to augment research in the area of nano biotechnology
Business Wire India, 27 November 2010
TERI and Deakin University, Australia signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to announce the setting up of a Centre of Excellence, the TERI-Deakin Nano Biotechnology Research Centre in the field of Nano Biotechnology in India. This development is an outcome of TERI’s core capability of knowledge creation and development of efficient, environment friendly technologies and Deakin’s India Research Initiative which is committed towards establishing a lasting association with industry partners in India to chart a vibrant culture of research and scholastic excellence. The initiative is also aimed at bridging the gap between industry and academia through research and collaboration of world leading experts, which will enable efficiency, effectiveness and provide solutions for a sustainable future through the utilization of biotechnology. The TERI- Deakin Nano Biotechnology Research Centre will bring to the fore Deakin’s expertise in the design and characterization of novel nanomaterials while TERI will bring their wealth of experience in biotech applications in pharmacology, food, agriculture and environmental areas.

Regulator for biotech to be supervised by government panel
The Financial Express, 11 November 2010
The performance of the upcoming Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India would be supervised by an inter-ministerial governing board, even though the time frame in which the regulatory body would come up is not clear. This is a clear deviation from the previous stance, which conceptualized the setting up of the regulatory body under the direct control of the department of biotechnology.

Israel to set up projects in Haryana
The Financial Express, 3 September 2010
Keen to help India with its highly developed technologies in the farm sector, Israel will soon set up two centres of excellence in the field of floriculture and horticulture in Haryana to provide expertise to farmers. These centres which would provide important lessons to growers of Punjab, Delhi, Haryana and other areas are expected to come by October or November this year, the Israeli Ambassador to India, Mr Mark Sofer, said.

TERI begins oil `zapping'
Indian Express, 22 August 2010
To rid the shores of the oil slick without further polluting the sea, TERI is using the bioremediation technology. TERI is using the Oilzapper method for the partial clean-up of beached after getting permission from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. TERI, which had invented the oilzapper technology of bioremediation, along with the Department of Biotechnology of the central government after seven years of research, scooped oil-stained sand from a 1.2 km stretch of the beach with help of volunteers. It has dumped into a bioremediation pit about 200 metres from the shore and the oilzapper technology was applied. The sludge will get bio-degraded in two months.

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

Government draws up plan to reduce outgo on subsidies
The Hindu, 12 March 2013
The Government has drawn up a comprehensive plan to reduce the outgo on subsides from 2.6 per cent of GDP in 2011-12 to 1.5 per cent by the end of the 12th Plan (2012-17). The objective of the move is not to eliminate subsidies, but such subsidies should be contained within a pre-determined level of affordability.

Bihar tops in per capita income growth; Gujarat places 11th
Mint, 7 March 2013
Bihar has been the most successful in improving the living standards of its residents. It was followed by Madhya Pradesh, while Kerala at number three was a surprise. Per capita income in Bihar is low, so it has the advantage of a lower base. But Kerala, Maharashtra, Goa and Sikkim have very high levels of per capita income.

Ambala railway office 'most energy-efficient'
The Times of India, 18 December 2012
In Haryana, the Ambala divisional railway building has been declared as the "most energy-efficient government office building" for the year 2012. The building has already been given five-star status by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency. Solar panels, LED lighting, GSM-based controlling of lights and water supply, energy efficient fans and lights are some of the hallmarks of this building. Ambala railway division has been experimenting various methods in the field of energy conservation.

Andhra Pradesh Government embarks on energy conservation measures
The Hindu Business Line, 3 December 2012
The Andhra Pradesh Government has embarked on energy conservation measures, expectations from upcoming renewable energy projects and purchase of power, even as its industries reel under severe crisis. The Government is hopeful of an addition of about 2000 MW through the upcoming solar and wind power units. It is also seriously contemplating partnership with industries and other stakeholders for continuous deliberation on a long-term basis to provide some relief to all categories of consumers.

Private participation to ease funding pressure: Economic Survey 2011-12
Business Standard, 16 March 2012
The government anticipates the ambitious infrastructure financing target for the 12th Five-Year Plan will not be difficult to meet, despite credit growth in the infrastructure sector turning negative in the current year. According to the Economic Survey 2011-13, tabled in Parliament, at Rs 70,155 crore, net credit to the infrastructure sector during the April-December 2011 period was nearly 61 per cent of the amount advanced during the same period last year, with a significant reduction in credit to the power and telecom sectors.

Union Budget: Fiscal deficit target set at 5.1% of GDP in Budget 2012-13
The Economic Times, 16 March 2012
The fiscal deficit target for the Financial Year 13 has been projected at Rs 5.13 lakh by the Finance Minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee in his Union Budget 2012-13 speech. The target is 5.1 per cent of the GDP. Rapid fiscal consolidation was effected in 2010-11 with fiscal deficit dropping to 4.8 per cent of gross domestic product from 6.5 per cent of GDP in 2009-10

ICICI, Citi, BoB to form NBFC to fund core sector
Business Standard, 5 March 2012
In a first of its kind alliance, three lenders have joined hands to form NBFC (non-banking finance company) to support infrastructure development in the country. The largest private sector lender, ICICI Bank, the third largest public sector lender, Bank of Baroda, and Citi Financial (NBFC arm of Citigroup) will form the first infrastructure development fund. While ICICI Bank and BoB will pick up 30 per cent stake each, Citi Financial will have close to 30 per cent. The balance will be shared by other financial entities.

MDGs: India makes impressive gains in 10 out of 22 counts
The Economic Times, 18 February 2012
With roughly three years left for India to achieve the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals), the country has managed to show significant progress in 10 of the 22 indicators. With impressive gains in improving primary education enrollment rate, promoting gender equality and increasing forest cover, the country's lackluster performance in reducing overall poverty and health indicators has dragged down the performance of the overall South Asian region. The millennium development goals are a list of eight international development parameters that all 193 members of the United Nations have to achieve by 2015. The progress in the 8 parameters is measured by 22 socio-economic indicators.

India's first special investment region to come up in Gujarat
Business Standard, 16 January 2012
With the first two phases of town planning and zonation completed this month, the country's first special investment region at Dholera in Gujarat is set to take off. The endeavour in Ahmedabad district is likely to bring investment amounting to $90 billion to the western state over the next ten years. To be created around the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor with financial cooperation from Japan, the project has already attracted attention -- not just for its unique land acquisition model, but also for the financial and investment opportunities it will represent. A delegation of 150 senior management-level Japanese investors engaged in business ranging from manufacturing to banking to trading and logistics will be in Ahmedabad to assess opportunities in what will be the world's first real smart city.

National agriculture insurance scheme to be modified for farmers' protection
Business Standard, 1 March 2012
The government proposes to roll out an integrated farmer security plan by reworking insurance schemes and consolidating all other risk management schemes to benefit farmers at large. According to the new plan, crop insurance, price protection for farmers and market intervention scheme would now fall under the umbrella of the national farmer security cover programme. The farmer crop insurance cover is proposed to be named MNAIS (Modified National Agriculture Insurance Scheme) and will replace the existing National Agriculture Insurance Scheme. A pilot version of MNAIS was launched in the 2010-11 rabi season in 34 districts across 12 states.

GoM clears new urea policy
Business Standard, 25 February 2012
In what could give the finance ministry an option to narrow down the fiscal deficit in the Budget next month, a group of ministers has cleared an investment policy for urea aimed at reducing the government’s subsidy burden. However, analysts did not quantify the exact impact on the subsidy outgo of the government because of the policy, saying it would be clear once production from new investment began. The government will, nonetheless, take this into account while estimating its fertilizer subsidy in the Budget for 2012-13, to be tabled on March 16. This financial year, the fertilizer burden is expected to cross Rs 90,000 crore, against nearly Rs 49,000 crore estimated in the Budget.

DIT proposes to set up Rs 500-cr corpus for small-scale sector
The Financial Express, 24 September 2011
DIT (department of information technology) proposes to set up a separate Rs 500-crore corpus for MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises). The fund may be managed by the SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India). The officials of the department and finance ministry met to discuss the formation of this fund. According to an official who was part of the meeting, finance ministry wants SIDBI to manage this fund.

Agri schemes set to be rationalized in 12th Plan
The Pioneer, 3 October 2011
The Ministry of Agriculture, which is entrusted with the task to implement 50 odd Centrally Sponsored Schemes, will have lesser schemes in the 12th Five Year Plan period (2012-17). The 50 odd schemes with a total outlay of Rs 15,034 crore in 2011-12 would be reduced to 6-7 schemes in the 12th plan.

Meeting new challenges: Responsible business –   Annapurna Vancheswaran
The Financial Express, 30 September 2011
In the past couple of years, the business environment has been dynamic and constantly changing. The set of major market forces that has motivated companies to drive their businesses differently are three-fold; first, is the effect of globalisation, second, the discovery of newer rural markets in emerging economies, and third, the growing scientific evidence of climate change and the associated risks to businesses.

Cabinet clears land acquisition Bill
Business Standard, 6 September 2011
The cabinet on Monday approved the draft Land Acquisition, Relief and Rehabilitation Bill with changes that take away some of the farmer-friendly features it boasted of and some of the teeth industry was concerned about. The Bill will be tabled in Parliament. The approval came with changes in the draft following objections and suggestions from Paschim Banga chief minister Mamata Banerjee as well as industry bodies. The main features of the Bill include a provision for relief and rehabilitation, not seen in the form of a legislation in the past.

Exports growth could taper off as US, Europe slows
The Financial Express, 5 September 2011
Even as India’s growth indicators point to a clear slowdown in the industrial sector, it could be exports that bear the brunt. The seasonally adjusted manufacturing HSBC PMI came in at 52.6 for August, down from July’s 53.6, the fourth successive moderation. But more than the fall, economists draw attention to the fact that new export business received by manufacturers in India decreased markedly in August, with the rate of contraction at one of the sharpest in the history of the series.

12th Plan approach paper to focus on governance
Business Standard, 12 July 2011
As the country grapples with a string of corruption issues, the approach paper to the 12th Five-Year Plan, which is in final stages of preparation by the Planning Commission, will focus prominently on governance issues.It will also outline what states and the Centre need to do to improve governance. Unlike speculations that the approach paper will fix a range of annual economic growth for the 12th Plan, which will begin from the next financial year, it will specify a particular number somewhere between 9 and 9.5 per cent.

India major contributor to poverty reduction: UN
The Financial Express, 9 July 2011
India has significantly contributed to the reduction in global poverty, according to the UN annual report on the Millennium Development Goals, which also pointed out that despite progress, the most vulnerable sections of society were being left out. The deep cuts in poverty are mainly found in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, where the Millennium Development Goals target of halving extreme poverty has already been met, while progress in Southern Asia has been slow and insufficient to meet the target, according to the Millennium Development Goals Report 2011.

Draft manufacturing policy receives PM's in-principle nod
Business Standard, 10 June 2011
Hanging in balance for about a year, the draft National Manufacturing Policy today got in-principle nod from a high-level committee headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He, however asked a committee of secretaries to “fine-tune the policy” following objections from the environment and labour ministries. The primary objective of the policy is to increase the share of manufacturing to 25 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP), from the existing 16 per cent. The government feels the sector has the potential to mitigate India’s huge unemployment problem.

India's wealth to grow at 14% in 2010-15: report
The Financial Express, 2 June 2011
Wealth in India is all set to grow at 14% between 2010 and 2015 with the country’s assets under management (AUM) accounting for 8% of the overall increase in AUM. India is among the group of four countries including the UK, US and China that have shown the largest absolute gains in wealth.

Health plan success may lead to wider spread for more schemes
The Economic Times, 2 May 2011
The government is examining the possibility of turning its two important social sector programmes into universal schemes covering the unorganised sector in phases, taking a cue from the successful extension of a health insurance plan to 23 million poor families. The labour ministry will prepare a feasibility plan together with the rural and finance ministries that run the old age pension scheme for the below poverty line people and the Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana (AABY) targeting the rural landless.

India, China to drive global growth
The Times of India, 29 April 2011
Asia will continue to lead global economic growth over the next two years even as it grapples with risks including inflation, turmoil in the Middle East and the effects of Japan's tsunami, the International Monetary Fund said. Robust regional growth of close to 7% will be fueled by exports and domestic demand, Anoop Singh, director of the Washington-based body's Asia & Pacific department, said in the twice-yearly report. Asia's overall economy grew 8.3% in 2010.

Twelfth Plan could see up to 9.5% GDP growth
The Financial Express, 20 April 2011
Hoping that the turbulent global economy won’t plunge into a long-drawn crisis, the Planning Commission will target an average real GDP expansion of 9-9.5% for the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17), up more than a percentage point from the current Plan. On the residual capacity of the economy to grow at an accelerated pace, the Commission would opt for a realistic prognosis and set the likely average investment rate for the next Plan at 38% of the gross domestic product.

Government set to liberalize FDI policy on JVs, tech tie-ups
Business Standard, 16 March 2011
The government is likely to liberalize the foreign direct investment norms for entry of foreign companies that have existing joint ventures or technical collaborations in India . The new policy, to be implemented from April 1, may drop the requirement of no-objection certificate (NOC) that foreign firms need to set up a separate entity. The revised version of the FDI policy, which will be released soon, is expected to do away with Press Note 1, 2005, to bring in the above-mentioned change.

A new approach to rural programmes in 12th plan
The Hindu, 4 March 2011
Rural development programmes have either reached a point of saturation or are lagging behind, calling for a rethink. At least that is what the restricted allocations would seem to suggest in the Union Budget for 2011/12, the closing year of the 11th Plan, underlining a possible new approach to tackle the rural problems in the next Plan. Allocation for the popular Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, guaranteeing job entitlement for 100 days has been kept a tad lower at Rs 400 billion, Rs 1000 million less, for the next financial year. Allocation for the rural housing scheme, the Indira Awas Yojana, too, has been pegged a shade lower at Rs 100 billion, also Rs 1000 million less. But the cut is somewhat glaring for construction of rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana at Rs 177.89 billion, Rs 33.01 billion less due to poor utilisation of money, apart from other reasons.

Infrastructure needs more investment through PPP model
The Financial Express, 26 February 2011
Calling for a second green revolution through new technological inputs for increasing yield, the Economic Survey suggested higher investment in agriculture infrastructure like storage, communication, roads and market on a priority basis through the private public partnership model. While projecting annual growth of 5.4 per cent in the current fiscal for the agricultural sector, the Survey called for "raising farm productivity with adequate focus on rainfed areas, diversification of agriculture from just crop farming to livestock, fisheries and poultry and horticulture while simultaneously addressing environmental concerns. These should be the focus for the agricultural sector." The annual Survey, which compiles key achievements of current fiscal and future challenges, said agriculture and allied sectors would register 5.4 per cent growth this fiscal due to a good monsoon compared to a mere 0.4 per cent expansion last year.

Growth at 9 per cent for FY12 if oil's well
The Financial Express, 26 February 2011
Powered by a rebound in agriculture growth and a robust expansion in savings and investment rates, the country's economy would grow at 9 per cent or slightly more in the next fiscal if there is no 'disproportionate spike' in crude oil price, the Economic Survey has forecast. The survey also endorsed the 8.6 per cent growth projected for this fiscal by the National Statistical Organisation and the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council. The high inflation level of 8.23 per cent in January and the recent slowdown in industrial output growth — a 20 month low of 1.55 per cent in December from a year ago—could slow the growth momentum in the short run, the survey said. The Survey has forecast that the economy is now posed to return to the strong 9 per cent plus growth rate that characterized the three years starting 2005/06 before the global economic crisis brought it down to 6.8 per cent in 2008/09. The price of crude oil, which at one time went past the $120 a barrel mark in global markets, threatens to decelerate the growth by fuelling inflation, increase subsidy requirement and aggravate the fiscal deficit.

PM stresses on green regulatory policies
The Tribune, 4 February 2011
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said the country should have a structure of regulatory policies to check the potentially damaging impact of development projects. He, however, cautioned against the risk of reverting back to licence permit raj. Addressing the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit organized by TERI, he said incentives for sustainable development must encourage economic decision makers to act in an environmentally benign manner. For this he proposed a two-pronged strategy for it, putting in place a structure of regulatory policies and making the polluter pay.

IMF voices concern over weaker fiscal consolidation by emerging economies
The Hindu Business Line, 28 January 2011
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that fiscal balances in several key economies among the G20, most notably Brazil, China and India turned out "weaker than projected" in November last, even as fiscal consolidation in emerging economies is likely to continue this year. In its Fiscal Monitor Update, released in Washington , the Fund said the average fiscal deficit in 2011 is likely to decline by about 0.75 per cent of GDP, enough to keep the average gross general government debt ratio constant. Even as this prognosis is roughly unchanged from the November Monitor, the Fund voiced concern over variation across countries which have increased considerably. While some countries with commodity exports such as Russia and Saudi Arabia (oil) are likely to perform better than initially expected due to sizeable revenue windfalls, fiscal deficits in key emerging economies such as China and Brazil are expected to be higher than in the last estimate, due to the carryover of spending committed in the second half of 2010 or the non-recurrence of certain receipts from last year such as in India from the auction of spectrum.

Productivity in India races ahead of China
The Financial Express, 25 January 2011
Though China 's productivity, at about twice India 's in the last three decades, has really driven its growth story (along with higher capital investments), the wheel could soon be turning. Not only have India 's capital investments started rising dramatically, there has even been a surge in productivity, to levels higher than those in China . Not surprisingly, a large part of this has been driven by today's high growth sectors of telecom, banking and insurance telecom productivity grew 17% while that in banking and insurance grew 12% per annum in recent years. achievinga10% GDP growth, however, will require several policy changes. Simply expecting the current spurt in productivity to continue, along with the higher levels of capital investments, is unlikely to hold true in the long run. These were the initial findings of the first India KLEMS research project at ICRIER in collaboration with Groningen Growth and Development Centre, University of Groningen , The Netherlands the project is being supported by RBI and aims to construct internationally comparable data covering the entire Indian

Government decides to make rural jobs scheme women friendly
Mint, 10 January 2011
The government has decided to make its marquee rural jobs scheme more women friendly while linking wages paid under it to inflation, as suggested by a group of experts, but it has declined to bring the wages in line with the minimum prescribed in the Constitution. The rural development ministry had formed some working groups to look into the implementation of MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) and suggest reforms. MGNREGS promises 100 days of manual work annually to at least one member of every rural household. The scheme has been allocated Rs401 billion this fiscal, and currently provides employment o 39 million households.

Core sector grows at 21 month low of 2.3%
The Economic Times, 31 December 2010
The output of six key infrastructure sectors grew 2.3% in November from a year ago, the slowest pace in the last 21 months, raising the prospects of a drop in industrial growth for the month. The six core industries - crude oil, petroleum refining, coal, electricity, cement and finished steel - have a combined weight of 26.7% in the index of industrial production and are considered an advance indicator of industrial activity. These sectors had grown an upward revised 8.6% in October helping industrial growth bounce back to 10.4% for the month from 4.4% in September. Industrial production data for November is expected on January 12. The sluggish growth was largely because of a contraction in refinery and cement output in November from a year ago, the official data. The cement production contracted 11.6% in the month, while steel production was up only 4.4% suggesting lack of spark in the construction sector. The growth would have been much lower were it nor for a 17% rise in crude production, which has a 4.17% weight in the index of industrial production.

India's share of global trade set to cross $550 b
The Economic Times, 31 December 2010
Emerging from the grip of a crippling recession, world trade is set to surge by 13.5% in 2010, with a resurgent India contributing over half a trillion dollars to global commerce for the first time in history. With global trade coming out of a "painful economic recession" in 2009, India's merchandising engagement with the world- both imports and exports-picked up pace in the 2010-11 fiscal after a rather lucklustre performance on the previous year. The value of India's inbound and outbound trade in goods is set to touch $550 billion in the 2010-11 fiscal with imports expected to touch $350 billion, as against $288 billion in the 2009-10 fiscal. "Following a faster-than expected recovery in global trade flows so far in 2010, WTO economists have revised their projection for world trade growth in 2010 upward to 13.5% a WTO report said.

Government clears 27 proposals to set up MSME clusters
Business Standard, 29 December 2010
The government has approved 27 proposals for setting up clusters with common infrastructure facilities for the micro and small units at a total cost of Rs 730 million. The projects spread across the country would be developed under the public-private-partnership mode. Of the total project cost of Rs 734 million, the government assistance would be Rs 517.5 million and rest would be funded by private players. In a recent meeting, the Ministry of Micro, Small and MSMEs (Medium Enterprises) cleared four proposals for establishing common facility centres and 17 diagnostic study report centres. Besides six proposals for setting up of new industrial estates and upgrading the existing ones, under the Industrial Infrastructure Development Scheme, were approved.

India–Russia set $20-billion trade target in 5 years
The Economic Times, 21 December 2010
India and Russia have set a target of more than quadrupling the bilateral trade to $20 billion in five years. The two countries identified pharmaceuticals, energy, IT & communication, chemicals & fertilizers and banking & finance as thrust areas in a protocol on trade and investment signed on Monday. An ambitious trade target and renewed focus on key sectors could help both countries increase presence in each other's markets, which has fallen to low levels after disintegration of the USSR. Bilateral trade in 2009/10 was at $4.7 billion, with India's exports at less than $1 billion.

Single licence, sops for risk taking on cards to attract investments in mining
The Financial Express, 27 November 2010
In a move that could significantly reduce hassles for investors, most mining related approvals — including environmental and scientific — will be combined in a single licence. An incentive structure to promote risk taking by investors would also be one of the salient features of the revamped mineral policy on the cards, apart from a new formula for power sharing between the Centre and states. The GoM headed by finance minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee also felt the need for an empowered coordination committee at the Centre to reconcile the policies of different ministries at an operational level.

India to grow at fastest pace globally by '12: Report
The Times of India, 16 November 2010
India is set to become the fastest growing major economy in the world by 2012 and the third largest by GDP-size in the next two decades , behind China and the USA, a global study by British banking giant Standard Chartered said.

Gujarat launches innovation fund
Business Standard, 16 November 2010
In a move to support innovation among small and medium enterprises in Gujarat, the state government has launched a fund with a corpus of around Rs 60 crore. Gujarat Chief Minister Mr Narendra Modi said that one of the main focus areas for the government is SMEs.

India, US to set up $10 billion infra debt fund
The Times of India, 9 November 2010
India and the US are working to jointly set up a $10 billion infrastructure debt fund to finance large road, port and railway projects through PPP (public private partnership). The fund, as proposed by the Planning Commission in February and suggested by the Parekh expert panel, is intended to address a critical need of infrastructure companies in India, which currently lack access to 10– and 20—year funds for long gestation projects like airports, ports and roads. It would cater to the needs of projects that have already begun commercial operations.

Obama seeks wider access to Indian market
The Financial Express, 8 November 2010
US President Mr Barack Obama sought reciprocity in trade and wider access to Indian market to allay the fears of Americans about losing more jobs to the new growth centre of the world—Asian economies like India and China. Sending out a firm indication of the growing ties between US and India Mr Obama has already promised to remove restrictions on US high tech exports to India while announcing commercial deals worth $15 billion that will support 54,000 American jobs.

India, US urged to form CEOs' forum for small, medium units
The Hindu Business Line, 1 October 2010
The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in India should create a focus group under US-India Trade Policy Forum for SMEs, said Mr Uday Kumar Varma, Secretary, Ministry of MSME at the Growth in Emerging Metropolitan Sector conference, held in Pune recently. Stressing on building synergies between the two countries for sourcing products and building value chains to enter global markets, he suggested that they should create a chief executive officer forum for SMEs with 20 representatives from US and India each.

ADB raises India's GDP growth forecast to 8.5%
Business Standard, 29 September 2010
The Asian Development Bank raised the 2010 economic growth forecast for India to 8.5 per cent, from 8.2 per cent estimated in April. However, it warned that high inflation and an appreciating rupee could potentially weaken future robust expansion. The Asian Development Outlook 2010 Update has, however, retained the growth 2011 estimate at 8.7 per cent. The projections are in line with those made by the central bank, the finance ministry and the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council. The report warned that global recovery remains shaky and downside risks lurk. It also did not rule out the possibility of a double-dip recession in major industrial economies and advocated that governments should refrain from tightening fiscal and monetary policies "too quickly" to sustain the expansion. ADB, however, said Asian economies have made a strong comeback. Asia, excluding Japan, is now projected to grow at 8.2 percent in 2010, faster than an April estimate of 7.5 per cent. For next year, the growth forecast is at 7.3 per cent.

National Innovation council aims to set up $1-billion fund
Business Standard, 15 September 2010
The newly constituted National Innovation Council headed by Mr Sam Pitroda, aims to have a $1-billion (around Rs 46 billion) fund to promote new ideas for inclusive development and innovation in the country. The Council had announced the setting up of a fund with a corpus of Rs 10 billion to encourage innovation. The government will contribute 10-20 per cent to the fund with the rest coming from other sources like private funds, institutions and foundations. Going ahead, innovation councils will be set up at the state and sectoral levels The NIC will also have innovation centres in universities and innovation clusters to create regional hubs. It will delineate appropriate policy initiatives within the government to spur innovation. It will also promote setting up of Sectoral Innovation Councils and State Innovation Councils.

Investment norms for foreign firms with India ties may ease
Business Standard, 12 September 2010
To further simplify the foreign investment regime, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion proposes to ease investment norms for foreign companies that have existing joint ventures or technical collaborations in India. At present, for ventures set up before 12 January 2005, a foreign player that wants to open a new line of business must first obtain NOC (no objection certificate) from its Indian partner confirming that the new venture would not jeopardize the existing one.

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

TERI launches a new rating system for large scale developments
Reuters Alert Net, 19 February 2013
In order to promote energy efficiency across the spectrum to reduce carbon footprint, TERI and ADARSH (Association for Development and Research of Sustainable Habitats) jointly launched the GRIHA LD - an offshoot of highly successful GRIHA and SVAGRIHA - the green rating for integrated habitat assessment which has been conceptualized especially for buildings whose total built up area is greater than or equal to 1,50,000 sq.m. The project was launched at the sidelines of the National Conference on Green Design 2013 inaugurated by the Hon'ble President of India and organized jointly by TERI, ADARSH and MNRE in New Delhi.

India: President for increasing energy efficiency in building sector
The Economic Times, 14 February 2013
To effectively manage the rising demand of power, President Mr Pranab Mukherjee stressed on increasing energy efficiency in the building sector and utilizing renewable energy, His observation came in light of Planning Commission reports stating that energy supply must grow at a rate of 6.5 per to 7 per cent per annum in order to meet the nine per cent growth rate of the economy during the Twelfth Plan period.

TERI launches assessment tool to predict energy performance in residential buildings
The Economic Times, 14 September 2012
TERI has launched a toolkit to predict energy performance in new residential projects in India, especially energy-intensive high-rise buildings. This will help identify energy saving potential in various projects when compared to a reference building. The assessment tool, Resbuild India, has been launched by TERI in association with KfW, the German Federal Bank, National Housing Bank (NHB) and Fraunhofer IBP under the promotional programme for energy efficiency in new residential buildings. The objective is to calculate the projected energy demand and identify energy saving potential in comparison to a reference building. Developers can then use this energy saving potential to apply for loans according to the KfW/NHB programme on energy efficient residential buildings.

Now, small buildings can go for green stars
The Times of India, 3 September 2012
The focus of energy efficiency has usually been large buildings, whether residential or commercial. Now, there is a project that will help smaller buildings reduce their carbon footprint. An offshoot of GRIHA - the green rating for integrated habitat assessment - SVAGRIHA has been conceptualized especially for buildings that are less than 2500 sq m. The project was launched earlier this year by TERI and new and renewable energy ministry.

India: 'Cool roofs' mandatory for all new buildings
The Indian Express, 16 August 2012
A recent study by Power Ministry's Bureau of Energy Efficiency says electricity consumption can be brought down by 25 per cent with adoption of cool roofs. These roofs can deliver high solar reflectance, which is the ability to reflect visible infrared and ultraviolet rays of the sun. This reduces heat transfer to the building. Delhi's Chief Minister has directed all building construction and maintenance agencies to implement such roofs in upcoming private and government buildings. The Chief Minister's office has asked the agencies to promote reflection of light and heat by going for either of the two ways - a coating with a thick white paint on the roof, or by putting white tiles on roofs.

Energy efficiency targets for core sector units fixed
The Financial Express, 2 April 2012
Industrial units of the core sectors, like steel and fertilizer, may have to pay a penalty of Rs 10,154 for every tonne of oil equivalent energy shortfall, if they fail to meet the new energy efficiency targets set by the government. The 478 most energy-intensive industrial plants, which account for about one-third of the total energy consumed in India, will have to reduce their power consumption use to 6.6 million tonne of oil equivalent energy by 2014-15 as per the New Energy Conservation Rules. The eight sectors - iron & steel, cement, fertilisers, aluminium, pulp & paper, chlor-alkali, textiles and thermal power stations - used 166 mt of oil equivalent energy in 2009-10.

Government introduces energy efficiency norms for industry
Mint, 31 March 2012
The government has finally set the ball rolling on forcing India’s industrial units to make their use of energy more efficient. According to a recent notification, over 400 of India’s most energy intensive industrial units must collectively reduce their current energy consumption of 166 million tons by a little over 6% by 2015. Together these units, which include major companies such as Reliance India Ltd and Vedanta Aluminium Company account for a third of India’s energy usage. The sectors under the net include includes iron & steel, cement, fertilizers, aluminium, pulp & paper, chlor-alkali, textiles and thermal power stations. Within each sector, only plants using more than a specified amount of energy have been directed to improve their act.

Government extends popular accelerated depreciation scheme for wind power producers
The Economic Times, 27 March 2012
The government has decided to extend the popular accelerated depreciation incentive for wind power producers beyond 31 March, when it was due to be terminated, as the alternative generation based schemes have not found enough takers. Power producers can opt for either of these incentive schemes, and since as many as 70% have opted for accelerated depreciation, an overwhelming majority of the companies have been lobbying for extension of this scheme which provides subsidies for setting up wind-generated power plants.

New energy norms hike fridge, AC prices
The Times of India, 25 January 2012
Prices of refrigerators and air conditioners are rising on the back of the BEE (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) norms that came into force at the start of the year. White goods makers said they were hiking prices by up to 10% as the new norms call for greater investments to make products that consume less power. Now, the conventional rating of split ACs and frost-free fridges will go up one notch. This means an AC that was rated five-star in 2011, will carry a four-star tag this year and a three-star rating in 2013. Consequently, a product which was a one-star in 2011 will no longer be available in the market this year. While the norms are intended to reduce energy consumption, companies will have to launch newer products in the five-star category that are compliant with these norms.

Tata Capital to disburse Rs 5k crore for clean energy projects
The Economic Times, 4 January 2012
Tata Capital has said that it would disburse around Rs 5,000 crore over five years for clean energy projects. The company has entered into an agreement with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) for extending funds for energy efficiency initiatives. The MoU would provide a flexible framework under which collaborative activities and partnerships in the areas of utility-based Demand Side Management and Energy Conservation Building Code would be implemented.

Securing the future: Energy security –   Charles K Ebinger
The Financial Express, 3 October 2011
Despite evidence of a direct relationship between energy access and social, economic, and political stability, policy makers in India rarely fully appreciate the importance of energy security to national and economic security. It’s no surprise that India's least electrified states are also the ones that suffer the greatest internal strife…

India: Release of draft guidelines for green large area development
Steel Guru, 22 September 2011
Mr Deepak Gupta secretary, ministry of new and renewable energy released the “Draft Guidelines and benchmarks for green large area developments such as townships, neighborhoods, educational and institutional campuses, special economic zones and medical college hospitals”. The Guidelines have been formulated by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in association with the Association for Research and Development of Sustainable Habitats, ADaRSH. These guidelines will be useful for developing a campus or a township as a “Green Campus/Township”. The Guidelines include details of various incentives which are available under different schemes of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy for deployment of solar hot water systems, roof top PV system, waste recycling for energy generation, solar power plants, etc while constructing green buildings and green campuses.

TERI and HUDCO plan green buildings
The Times of India, 14 September 2011
HUDCO (Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd) will soon construct only energy efficient buildings that will have a minimum of a three-star rating. The government agency has tied up with TERI to develop designs and build capacity in the sector of energy efficiency. In the near future, three buildings in the NCR, including two in Noida, will be constructed on this principle. HUDCO would incorporate energy efficient codes into all its future construction work, though these were just preliminary plans. Initially the focus will be on only new buildings. TERI has expertise in energy efficient buildings having developed GRIHA, India's national rating system for green buildings, while HUDCO has great experience in construction work. Through this MoU the two organizations have agreed to jointly promote the cause of green building design. The main areas of cooperation will be promotional activities, incentive package, capacity building and joint research

South Asia needs to build energy cooperation, says expert
One World South Asia, 7 September 2011
Energy policy specialist Dr Charles K Ebinger spoke on the inner workings of South Asia’s energy sector and its future prospects at the launch of his latest book, Energy and Security in South Asia: Cooperation or Conflict?. The event was organized by TERI and the Brookings Institution.

PSU wealth, $5 billion forex to help build energy fund
The Financial Express, 25 August 2011
Keen to reduce the economy's vulnerability to costly and rising energy imports, the finance ministry and Planning Commission have decided to move fast on setting up a sovereign fund to acquire natural assets like oil, coal and gas abroad. With the insistence of the finance ministry and plan panel, RBI has agreed to set aside $5 billion from the country's $317-billion forex reserves (as on 12 Aug.) for the fund.

IIM-A incubator to start Rs 100 crore green fund
Mint, 24 August 2011
IIM-A (Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad) incubation centre is starting a '100 crore fund that will back start-ups developing technology related to sustainable energy. The Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship is collaborating with the ministry of new and renewable energy, the Union government's investment funds Technology Development Board and the UK's BP Plc for INFUSE (Indian Fund for Sustainable Energy). INFUSE, a rare private-public-academia partnership, will incubate, build and support sustainable energy start-ups financially and through mentoring.

Educational campuses rush to qualify as green structures
Mint, 2 August 2011
In the delta region where the Cauvery flows into the Bay of Bengal in Thiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu, what’s billed as India’s first completely green university campus is coming up on 517 acres sprawled across two villages. All buildings on the campus of Central University of Tamil Nadu are constructed with materials made of fly ash, an industrial by-product of thermal power plants, approved forest timber and stone sourced locally. The land, less than 4% of which is being built upon, is broken by networks of canals, the roads lined with trees to provide shade for pedestrians. Rain water harvesting and solar energy use have been incorporated into the design of the campus, being developed as per the criteria specified by the GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment), a green building evaluation system conceived by TERI and developed jointly with the Union ministry of new and renewable energy.

India-US cooperation on track: US
The Hindu, 18 July 2011
Asserting that the India-United States bilateral cooperation was on track, US Deputy Secretary of Energy, Daniel B Poneman said there was no “inconsistency” in the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) guidelines. Mr Poneman was interacting with the students of TERI

India: Fuel-efficiency stars on cars from April 2012
The Pioneer, 13 June 2011
The star-labelling of cars is likely to be made mandatory from 1 April 2012. The labelling is similar to that in appliances like refrigerators, air-conditioners and transformers. While the labeling programme would be notified by the Power Ministry, the labeling regulations would be notified by the BEE (Bureau of Energy Efficiency). The labelling follows the standard BEE approach of providing consumers with information about the fuel consumption of a particular model, and also, through a star rating, on a scale of one-star to five-stars, to provide information on the relative fuel consumption of the model compared to other models in the same weight class.

Moving towards a sustainable transit system - Akshima T Ghate
Mint, 30 June 2011
Not many would disagree that tackling urban transport in large cities has emerged as a key challenge for our city planners and local governments. This has primarily happened because we never paid enough attention to urban transport planning and approached it more as a response mechanism rather than a tool to guide future growth.

Coal imports from Russia set to rise
The Hindu Business Line, 11 July 2011
After South Africa and Indonesia; Russia may emerge as India's third source of thermal coal imports. Though still in an evolving phase, coal  imports to the country from the Eastern Russian ports of Vladivostok,  Vanino Vostochny and others on the Pacific are surely rising and may  cross the one million tonne (mt) mark this year. Major Russian miners are also building large coal terminals on Pacific ports to meet Asian demand. 

GoM approves 26% profit-sharing for coal companies
Business Standard, 07 July 2011
India will soon have a benefit-sharing regime for those affected by   mining projects, despite protests from industry. The new mining Bill -   approved by a 10-member Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Finance   Minister Pranab Mukherjee - says coal companies will have   to share 26 per cent profit with the local population. In case of other   minerals such as iron ore, bauxite and limestone, the miners will have   to share with the locals an amount equal to the royalty paid in the   previous year. The coal sector had been asked to pay 26 per cent profit   as royalty collections from coal companies were low because of   administered prices.

Financing bridges energy efficiency barriers
The Financial Express, 5 June 2011
India, the second most rapidly growing economy in the world, has been facing significant challenges in providing reliable power to its urban cities and meeting basic electricity needs for its rural population. Realising these challenges, the government has developed aggressive targets for new power plants and a regulatory framework to promote energy efficiency. Promoting energy efficiency will also go a long way for India to meet its carbon emission reduction goals.

India Inc expands its green footprint
The Financial Express, 5 June 2011
In an attempt to attract customers and also show their concern for the environment, India Inc is going green by constructing environment-friendly buildings and registering for green rating for their buildings. A green building is one which uses less energy, water and natural resources, creates less waste and is healthier for the people living inside compared to a standard building. Energy savings happen to the extent of 30-40% right from day one besides enhanced indoor air quality, higher productivity of occupants, potable water saving to the tune of 20-30% and enhanced day light and ventilation.

Builders set to replicate President's green initiatives

IBM, BEE partner for India’s first smart grid
Financial Chronicle, 18 May 2011
IBM has announced that it is working with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) to create the country’s first smart grid project. Together, they will create a cost-benefit analysis for smart grid activities as part of the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency. Smart grid refers to an improved electricity supply chain using digital technology. It enables monitoring, analysis, control and two-way communication between the electrical delivery system and the consumer end. Smart grids use sensors, digital metres and controls and analytical tools to automate, monitor and control flow of energy and hence provide detailed and timely information on energy consumption.

OIL and TERI sign a ten year agreement to augment research in areas of petroleum biotechnology and new & renewable energy sources
APN News; 25 April 2011
India’s national oil company Oil India Limited (OIL) signed a ten year MOU with TERI to broaden the scope of Joint Research Collaboration in areas of Petroleum Biotechnology and New & Renewable Energy Sources. The MOU was singed by Mr B N Talukdar, Director Exploration and development, OIL and Mr M M Joshi, Director Technology Dissemination and Enterprise Development, TERI in the presence of Mr N M Borah, Chairman and Managing Director, OIL and Dr R K Pachauri, Director General, TERI. Biotechnology is an emerging field of study for its immense beneficial capability in providing solutions for a sustainable way to conserve energy resources and control environmental degradation.

Is nuclear power safer than other energy: We need the power, but with scrutiny – Leena Srivastava
The Economic Times, 18 March 2011
The fact that India needs nuclear energy to contribute to its portfolio seems indisputable. Today, roughly half of India's population does not have access to clean energy forms and the other half that does have access cannot rely on either the quantity or the quality of energy provided. Therefore, if India needs to sustain an 8-9% annual rate of economic growth based on inclusive development, we would need to add approximately 6,00,000 mw of power by 2030. It is increasingly obvious that India 's coal resources are not going to be able to support this growth. While renewable energy is an option, the need for stable base power makes reliance on nuclear power almost a given. The people in the country have to be involved in the decision-making processes on location, safety and regulatory aspects and disposal of nuclear wastes. India needs to evaluate its own options in a local context.

NPC calls for consensus on nuclear power projects
Business Standard, 8 March 2011
Amid rising opposition to the proposed nuclear power projects in Maharashtra, Harayana and NPC (West Bengal, Nuclear Power Corporation) chairman and managing director Mr S K Jain said the time was ripe for the political leadership, academicians, scientists, opinion makers and other stakeholders to arrive at a consensus on capacity addition. The NPC has proposed a 10,000 Mw project at Jaitapur ( Maharashtra ), 2800 Mw in Gorakhpur (Haryana) and 6000 Mw at Haripur ( West Bengal ). In Jaitapur, the NPC has already started soil inspection, while in Haryana and West Bengal pre-project activities including land acquisition, environment impact assessment and site evaluation studies are at various stages.

Eight sectors to pump Rs300 billion into green technology
The Indian Express, 27 January 2011
In a significant boost to green energy, eight industrial sectors, including power and fertilizers, are set to invest Rs 300 billion over the next three years in energy-efficient technology, which will help them save 10 million tonnes of oil equivalent. The power ministry has notified sectors, including thermal power plants, fertilizers, cement, pulp and paper, textiles, chlor-alkali, iron & steel and aluminium under the Perform Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme, which aims to reduce energy consumption by 20 to 25% by 2020 from 2005 levels. The PAT scheme is an important mechanism under the National Mission on Enhanced Energy Efficiency, which is one of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change. Firms which do not follow the norms would have to pay a fine of Rs 10,00.000 and a monetary penalty equal to the energy which is non compliant. The scheme also provides for issuing tradeable energy saving certificates to those industries that consume less than permitted energy. These can then be sold to those industries that consume more than the permitted energy. One certificate will be valued at one tonne oil equivalent and will be traded on the energy exchange.

IFC lends $300m for green energy
The Economic Times, 18 January 2011
IFC (International Finance Corporation), the private sector lending arm of the World Bank, plans to invest this year more than $300 million in the power sector, particularly in renewable energy projects. IFC director Ms Anita George said the investment arm will provide $300m in equity and debt to help local banks such as the Infrastructure Development Finance Company invest in renewable energy development. India has set the ambitious goal of installing 72.4GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022, more than a quarter of which will be solar, having recently quadrupled its renewable energy targets. The IFC funding, which forms part of the $1 billion that it plans to invest in renewable energy globally, will be invested in proportion to the country's renewable energy goals. A majority of the investment will be made to support the development of wind, biomass and solar in India , by 2013.

US government arm to give $100 million for energy projects
Business Standard, 10 November 2010
The US OPIC (Overseas Private Investment Corporation) will provide $100 million in financing for the $300 million South Asia Energy Fund, part of GEF (Global Environment Fund). The South Asia Energy Fund which will invest in solar, wind, hydropower, advanced biofuels and natural gas projects, with focus on Indian investment. In addition, GEF will form an India specific sub fund in association with the Infrastructure Development Finance Company and other potential Indian investors, targeting India only investment. This will be in addition to OPIC's pipeline of more than $280 million in clean energy and energy efficiency projects in India, said a statement from the US White House.

$175 million worth deals on clean energy signed
The Hindu, 9 November 2010
Even as India and the US inked an agreement to establish a bilateral energy cooperation programme to promote clean and energy-efficient businesses, Indian and US companies inked joint venture deals worth $175 million in the renewable energy sector. US-based Ascent Solar and TERI have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on off-grid solar charging solutions for rural electrification using Ascent solar modules.

TERI-North America organizes the 2nd US-India Energy Partnership Summit 2010: Technologies & Policies for Energy Security
Business Wire India, 30 September 2010
Carrying the momentum of unprecedented cooperation and providing the perfect setting for deliberation on strategies and activities for Indo-U.S. collaboration towards energy security ahead of the much awaited visit of US President Mr Barack Obama to India in November, TERI North America organized the second annual US-India Energy Partnership Summit. The summit themed “Technologies and Policies for Energy Security” was co-convened by Yale University with support from the US-INDIA Business Council and drew over 200 participants from government, industry, think tanks, academia, banks and the finance sector. India and the United States share a large capital in science and technology manpower, and in innovation and enhancing it to tackle the challenges of energy security was the focus of experts and policymakers from the two countries at the high-level conference. The Summit provided the perfect setting for deliberations on strategies and activities for Indo-US collaboration towards energy security for both countries, as they move towards low carbon economic pathways

Rajya Sabha clears nuclear liability Bill
The Hindu Business Line, 31 August 2010
The path has been cleared for victims of a nuclear accident to claim higher compensation than earlier. This follows the Rajya Sabha clearing the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill 2010. The Bill, which has already been passed by the Lok Sabha, seeks to hike the operator's liability three-fold to Rs 15 billion.

Engineering giants gear to set up nuclear projects
Business Standard, 31 August 2010
With passage of the nuclear liability Bill, the heavy engineering supply chain, led by Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL), Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Bharat Forge Ltd, is gearing to take up the challenge ahead. India plans 25,000 Mw of nuclear capacity addition by 2020 and this will be partly done through indigenous technology-driven reactors for a capacity addition of about 7000 Mw and the balance through technology transfers from countries such as Russia, France and the US. Despite concerns on supplier liability, domestic companies in both the private and government sector have over the past few years adopted the joint venture route.

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

CIL to import 20 million tons of coal
The Statesman, 7 March 2013
Coal India, world's biggest producer of coal, may import as much as 20 million tons of the fuel next fiscal to comply with orders to increase supplies to power utilities and avoid paying penalties.

India to become 2nd largest coal consumer in 2024: BP report
The Hindu Business Line, 4 February 2013
India is expected to overtake US as second largest coal consumer in 2024, according to BP World Energy Outlook 2030. Nearly 93 per cent of the net growth in demand to 2030 will come just from India and China. The combined share of global coal consumption in these two Asian countries would rise from 57 per cent in 2011 to 65 per cent in 2030, BP said. The US will not be increasingly dependent on energy imports, with energy set to reinvigorate its economy. And China and India are expected to need a lot more imports to keep growing, said Mr Bob Dudley, Chief Executive of BP Group.

Centre draws up plans to restructure Coal India
The Hindu, 17 January 2013
The Centre aims to set in motion the restructuring process of Coal India Ltd. (CIL) for which consultants are being engaged, Coal Minister Mr Sriprakash Jaiswal said. The Planning Commission has already called for the re-organisation of CIL besides bringing competition into the coal sector to meet rising demand.

CIL arm finds coal in Mozambique
The Economic Times, 11 December 2012
A wholly-owned subsidiary of state-run Coal India has hit coal seams during exploration in Mozambique, a senior company executive said. Coal India Africana Limitada, which had drilled four boreholes in the southeast African nation, has hit coal in all four of them, making it the subsidiary's first success overseas, the executive said.

Govt starts Coal India restructuring process
Business Standard, 8 December 2013
State-run coal miner Coal India Ltd is heading for a restructuring, with the government on Monday inviting expressions of interest (EoI) from consultants to draw out a plan. The idea is to spin off CIL subsidiaries as independent entities to ramp up production by infusing competition.

CIL to acquire coal mines in South Africa
Business Standard, 9 August 2012
Amid the country facing acute coal shortages, Coal India (CIL) moved a step forward with its plans to acquire coal mines abroad by initiating the process of forming a subsidiary in South Africa. The development follows CIL signing a pact with the Limpopo province of South Africa, for jointly identifying, exploring and developing coal mines. The public sector firm has invited bids for appointing consultants to help it form a wholly owned subsidiary in Africa.

Presidential directive to CIL on supply to power companies
The Financial Express, 4 April 2012
The government issued a presidential directive to Coal India (CIL) that will make it mandatory for the public sector mining company to supply a minimum level of fuel to thermal power projects. On the same day CIL released its annual results that show it has not been able to reach its thrice-lowered annual production target for the 2011-12 fiscal. If the company fails to meet the supply commitments under the directive, it will have to pay a penalty. But the coal ministry has left it to the board of directors of the company to decide on the quantum of the penalty.

Govt to import 194 million tonnes coal by 2017, Says Minister
The Pioneer, 28 December 2011 With Coal India Ltd (CIL) already having downwardly revised its production target to 440 million tonnes from the original 452 million tonnes due to various factors like heavy rains and delays in grant of forest and environmental clearances, the Government has further painted a grim picture of the dry fuel crisis by saying the country is likely to import 194 million tonnes of coal in 2017, as against 135 million tonnes at present, to meet the demand of the power sector.

Coal ministry go-ahead to new pricing mechanism
The Financial Express, 24 December 2011
The Union coal ministry has given a go-ahead to gross calorific value-based (GCV) pricing of coal from January 1, after a series of meetings on Thursday and Friday. The shift from heat value-based (UHV) pricing to GCV-based pricing is aimed at bringing Indian coal prices on par with international coal prices following the planning commission's recommendation of moving out from the discount regime.

Coal India set to invest Rs 40k cr in 12th Plan
Business Standard, 3 October 2011
State-run Coal India said it might invest up to Rs 40,000 crore in the 12th Plan period ending 2017 towards development of mines for augmenting production. “We will spend between Rs 35,000 and Rs 40,000 crore in the 12th Plan period for development of new projects, buying machinery and building washeries, among others,” CIL Chairman Mr N C Jha said. Jha said against the investment target of Rs 35,000 crore during the 11th Plan period, CIL might end the five-year period with an actual investment of less than Rs 25,000 crore.

India Inc on coal mine acquisition drive
The Economic Times, 17 December 2010
Coal mine acquisitions have risen sharply in India in the current year and are expected to rise further due to strong demand, as user companies in steel and power industries expand capacities and fuel the need for larger coal usage. However, the pace of acquisitions would be tempered by new regulations that will focus on the role of companies in mining and in developing adequate rehabilitation policies for displaced people. According to Bloomberg data, the mining industry's capital flows to the Middle East and Africa have more than doubled to $7.7 billion this year. Most of these flows are prompted by a strong demand from Indian steel and power producing companies to own raw material assets to lower costs. Coal fuels about 80% of India's energy needs. On Wednesday, Lanco Infra announced its plans to acquire Griffin Energy that owns thermal coal mines in western Australia.

New Mechanism on anvil to free coal blocks from no-go list
Business Standard, 27 November 2010
At a time when many coal blocks have come under a 'no-go' restriction, the government plans to tweak the approach adopted for calculating the green cover of a block-bearing region to dilute the average affected forest land. While this measure would not reduce the impact of mining on the environment, it will help free around 25% area from the no-go list. The mechanism, if adopted, could come as some relief for around two dozen companies, including NTPC, Coal India, Hindalco, Essar Power and Adani, whose coal blocks have come under the no-go shadow.

Adani to spend $4 billion on Aussie mine
Business Standard, 30 September 2010
After completing its big-ticket acquisition of an Australian coal asset from Linc Energy, Adani Enterprises will now make an additional investment of $3.5-4 billion (Rs 157-180 billion) to develop the necessary mining infrastructure and logistics, including a rail link and a coal terminal in a port facility. This combined investment of over A$6.5 billion (over Rs 280 billion) will make it the largest coal sector investment in Australia. In August, Adani - India's biggest coal importer - agreed to pay $2.7 billion (Rs 125 billion) in a cash and royalty deal for the coal asset in the Galilee Basin of Queensland, Australia, which has one of the largest high-grade thermal coal deposits, at 7.8 billion tonnes. To begin with, there will be open-cast mining. But, eventually, the mining will go underground. On an average, for a 30-million-tonne per year extraction, the mining development cost is typically around $1.5 billion (over Rs 67 billion). Adani will start at that level, but will ramp it up to 50 million tonnes a year. So, that should be a $2.2-billion (nearly Rs 100 billion) capex, according to officials involved in the process.

NTPC eyes stake in foreign mines
The Asian Age, 31 August 2010
NTPC is expanding its operations into neighbouring countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The PSU is also scouting for new coal and natural gas sources to boost fuel security for its plants. NTPC will set up a coal-based mega power project in Bangladesh to help the country overcome its electricity shortage. This might prove a significant step towards bolstering India-Bangladesh bilateral cooperation in the power sector. As part of its strategy to increase its presence in neighbouring countries, NTPC is also setting up a 500-mw power project in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, it is also preparing detailed feasibility report for a hydroelectric project in Bhutan as well. NTPC and Bangladesh Power Development Board signed a memorandum of understanding. As per the terms of the MoU, NTPC will set up a 1320-mw power project in joint venture with Bangladesh Power Development Board. It will also help the Bangladesh utility with improving operational efficiency of its existing power stations.

CIL road shows for foreign anchors
The Economic Times, 25 August 2010
CIL (Coal India) will kick off road shows to bring in foreign anchor investors from September 6 for its proposed IPO where the government will divest 10% of its stake. Road shows for domestic anchor investors will start from August 31. Anchor investors are institutional investors, who cannot be promoters of the issuer company, and can be allocated as much as 30% of the portion reserved for qualified institutional buyers. Also, such investors must bid for at least Rs 100 million worth of shares at a go. While it is preparing for the IPO on one hand, on the other, it is now decided to enter into 10 year contracts with a set of foreign coal producers in the US, Australia, South Africa and Indonesia for sourcing coal from these countries. This is a fresh expression of interest where CIL is looking at sourcing coal. For this set of companies, CIL does not intend to take any stakes in any of these companies unlike the EoIs it floated for jointly producing coal and owning blocks overseas. CIL hopes to conclude the contracts by October–November this year. The coal behemoth also expects to make considerable headway in striking JVs with foreign coal producers by that time.

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

India-Kazakh pipeline can extend to Russia
The Hindu, 6 March 2013
A proposed hydrocarbon pipeline from Kazakhstan will have the potential to be extended to Russia resolving the headache of transportation that has vexed Indian energy security managers when they scout for hydrocarbon collaboration with Moscow.

Reliance, BP to invest $5 billion to boost KG-D6 gas field output
The Financial Express, 20 February 2013
BP and Reliance Industries, partners in oil exploration in India, said on Tuesday they planned to invest in excess of $5 billion over the next three to five years. This investment will be made in a series of projects to develop around 4 trillion cubic feet of discovered natural gas resources from the KG-D6 block under the block's enhancement plan.

India to have 18 mt crude stock by 2020
Business Standard, 17 February 2013
The government is looking to build storage capacity for about 18 million tonnes (mt) of crude by 2020 in a bid to insulate India, which is heavily dependent on imports for its energy needs, from supply disturbances. The first phase of this strategic stockpile--5.33 mt--will be commissioned by April 2014. Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISPRL), a special purpose vehicle owned by the Oil Industry Development Board (OIDB), is now building storages in underground rock caverns at Visakhapatnam (1.33 mt), Mangalore (1.5 mt) and Padur, Kerala (2.5 mt).

DGH to invite bids for seven CBM blocks under fifth round of auction
The Financial Express, 6 February 2013
The Directorate General of Hydrocarbons will soon offer seven coal bed methane blocks under the fifth round of bidding with the Central Mine and Planning & Design Institute (CMPDI) finalizing the data dossier. The DGH had engaged CMPDI in 2011 to identify CBM blocks and prepare a list for the fifth round.

Cairn allowed to raise Rajasthan oil output
The Hindu Business Line, 5 January 2013
Cairn India and its partner ONGC have been allowed to increase output from the company's Rajasthan oilfields by up to 3 lakh barrels per day (bpd) from the 1.75 lakh barrels at present.

Oil India to set up LNG terminal
Business Standard, 11 December 2012
Even as domestic gas production has fallen 8 per cent, Oil India Ltd (OIL) is planning to set up a liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal in India. The company plans to set up a 2.5-million tonne (mt) capacity terminal. According to an industry executive in the know, Geneva-based Foster Wheeler AG has been appointed consultant to prepare a project report for the foray into imported gas.

Oil India set to acquire shale asset in US
Business Standard, 24 September 2012
State-run Oil India, nation's second largest explorer, is in advanced stages of discussion with Carrizo Oil and Gas Inc to acquire stake in Niobrara Shale in North Eastern Colorado. This buy will make Oil India third such player to hold shale gas acreages in the US. Persons aware of the development said two Indian companies-- Oil India and GAIL had bid for stake in the shale plays. A Chinese private equity player was also in race for the same.

ONGC Videsh makes a foray into Azebaijan
The Hindu, 9 September 2012
State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Videsh Ltd (OVL) has announced that it had bought US energy company Hess Corp's stake in in Azeri, Chirag and Guneshli group of oil fields for $1 billion making its debut in Azerbaijan. The buyout marks OVL's entry into oil rich Azerbaijan. ACG, which is located in the South Caspian Sea, about 95 Km off the coast of Azerbaijan, is the largest oil and gas field complex in Azerbaijan and one of the largest producing oil fields in the world. UK's BP Plc operated field produces around 700,000 barrels a day of crude oil. This is more than India's annual oil production. OVL's share of output would be over 19,000 bpd.

Petronet to start work on third LNG terminal, signs pact with GPL
Business Standard, 3 May 2012
Petronet LNG, India’s biggest liquefied natural gas (LNG) importer, on Wednesday signed an agreement to invest Rs 4,500 crore in building a five-million-tonne import terminal at Gangavaram Port on the Andhra coast. This will be the country’s fifth LNG terminal after Dahej, Dahbol, Hazira and Kochi. Gangavaram will be Petronet's third LNG import terminal. The company, at present, operates a 10-million tonne facility at Dahej in Gujarat and is building another five-million tonne terminal at Kochi in Kerala, to be ready by the year-end. A steep decline in domestic gas output, led by declining volumes from Reliance Industries-operated KG-D6 field, has made LNG imports an attractive business.

RIL, BP submit revised field development plan
Business Standard, 6 April 2012
With KG-D6 output hitting an all- time low, Reliance Industries and its British partner BP plc have submitted to the government a revised field development plan for enhancing gas production from MA field in the block. RIL-BP propose to drill one gas production well on the MA oilfield in the eastern offshore KG-DWN-98/3 or KG-D6 block besides intervention jobs in at least two of the existing six wells on the fields. MA is the only oil find made by RIL in the 7645 square kilometre KG-D6 block. The field produces about 11,200 barrels a day of along and associated gas of 6.45 million cubic meters per day. MA field makes up for about one-fifth of the 34.09 mmcmd of current gas output from KG-D6 block.

ONGC inks MoU with ConocoPhillips for shale resources
The Indian Express, 31 March 2012
In the first mega deal in the energy sector this year, public sector Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and US oil giant ConocoPhillips have signed a MoU for co-operation in exploration and development of shale resources in India, North America and elsewhere besides deepwater opportunities offshore in eastern India. ConocoPhilips is the third-largest US integrated energy company, based on market capitalisation, as well as proven reserves and production of oil and natural gas, and the largest refiner in the US. It’s also the seventh-largest holder of proven reserves and the fourth-largest refiner worldwide, among private companies. The US firm has extensive experience in the field of shale gas exploration and exploitation in the US and holds large acreage position, while ONGC’s endeavour in shale gas is at a nascent stage.

Turkmenistan gas pipeline moves closer to reality
The Hindustan Times, 10 February 2012
The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India natural gas pipeline project has moved closer to realization with petroleum ministry set to approach the cabinet for approval of Gas Sales and Purchase Agreement between GAIL and Tukmen Gaz for delivering hydrocarbon at Fazilka in Punjab. The much-needed Turkmen gas will be available for 30 years and address long term energy needs of India as domestic gas availability beyond 2020 has not been established.

ONGC reports two discoveries
The Times of India, 2 December 2011
Flagship explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has announced two "significant oil discoveries", even as the government told Parliament that the state-run company is to spend Rs 25,000 crore in bringing about a dozen marginal fields into production by 2014. ONGC has told authorities that it made a strike in North Kadi area of Gujarat's Mehsana district, which is the company's major production centre. The discovery is a new layer, called 'play" in industry parlance, and will add to the company's output. The exact size of the reserve will be known after further tests.

India looks to Africa for secure energy supplies
Mint, 6 December 2011
As part of India's effort to counter the growing Chinese influence in Africa and provide a fillip to India's efforts to secure hydrocarbon assets in the continent, at least 16 countries will be participating in the third India-Africa hydrocarbons conference starting on 9 December. India's efforts are targeted towards diversifying its import basket and come in the backdrop of China organizing similar conferences previously. The need for diversification of supplies is critical for India as it imports more than 80% of its energy requirements. Consumption of energy in India is likely to double by 2030 to the equivalent of 833 million tonnes (mt) of oil, according to an International Energy Agency forecast.

HPCL, Petronet plan Africa assets
Mint, 10 December 2011
State-owned Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd (HPCL) and Petronet LNG Ltd are eyeing hydrocarbon infrastructure opportunities in South Sudan and Mozambique as part of India's efforts to step up its presence in energy-rich Africa. While HPCL plans to set up pipelines and a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) processing plant in South Sudan, Petronet LNG wants to set up a 5 million tonne per annum (mtpa)liquefaction facility in Mozambique.

RIL sees potential of more exports to Africa
The Financial Express, 11 December 2011
Reliance Industries (RIL) is currently selling two to three million tonnes of petroleum products a year to Africa and sees potential for more, Mr P Raghavendran, president of refinery business, RIL, said. Reliance, which owns the world's biggest refining complex with total combined capacity of 1.24 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil, currently directly sells products into East Africa through its marketing firm Gapco.

GAIL inks 20 year LNG import deal with US co
The Economic Times, 12 December 2011
State-run Gail has signed a 20-year deal with Sabine Pass Liquefaction to import liquefied natural gas from the US from 2017 to secure long-term supplies at prices linked to the US benchmark Henry Hub, company executives said. At current price of gas in the US and prevailing liquefaction and transportation rates, the price would be $10-11 per unit in India, about $5-6 cheaper than the recent LNG contract with an Australia firm.

DGH okays Cairn's Bhagyam plan
The Economic Times, 19 December 2011
The directorate general of hydrocarbons (DGH), the technical arm of the oil ministry, has approved Cairn India's proposal to commence production from Bhagyam, the second-largest oil field in the prolific Rajasthan block, but the ministry has still not given the go-ahead, industry and official sources said. The company, which operates the block with a 70% stake, has been waiting for a year to obtain approvals to start production. Last week, the DGH, which is a part of the crucial management committee that oversees the block has given a nod to the proposal, sources said

Euro-III fuel to be phased out in 7 cities from March 31
The Economic Times, 29 December 2011
Environment-friendly Euro-IV quality petrol and diesel will be sold in seven more cities by March 31, government and industry officials said. The seven cities where fuel of Euro-III specifications will be phased out are: Puducherry, Mathura, Vapi, Jamnagar, Ankaleshwar, Hissar and Bharatpur. The oil ministry has also directed state-run Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum to phase-out sale of Euro-III petrol and diesel in their pumps in 50 cities by 2015, officials said.

RIL gets in principle nod to develop new D6 fields
The Economic Times, 4 January 2012
The government has given in-principle approval to Reliance Industries' $1.5-billion plan to develop new gas fields in the D6 block to produce an estimated 10 mmscmd, signalling a significant upturn in the relationship between the oil ministry and the conglomerate. The Management Committee (MC) of the block, chaired by the directorate general of hydrocarbons (DGH) cleared the development plan of four satellite fields

India seeks LNG from south-east Asian countries
The Financial Express, 22 September 2011
India has started dialouge with South East Asian nations such as Brunei, Indonesia, Australia and Malaysia to import liquefied natural gas to meet the needs of a host of industries including power, fertilisers, petrochemicals and steel. Minister of state for petroleum and natural gas RPN Singh has urged these nations to enter into long- term supply contracts with India as it is one of the largest and fastest growing gas markets

HPCL evaluates Australian companies for acquisition
Mint, 18 August 2011
State owned Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd (HPCL) is evaluating about 10 Australian companies with expertise in coal bed methane (CBM) and shale gas for an acquisition. Shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock containing an organic material called kerogen, which, when distilled, can produce oil and gas.

Continental shift in LNG demand
The Financial Express, 23 August 2011
More and more LNG is on its way to Asia, reversing a trend of only a few years ago when most LNG was being imported by the West. This is not just happenstance but a gradual shift in the direction of LNG market, stemming from rising demand in Asia and growing gas supplies in the US and Australia. According to some estimates, Asia-Pacific makes up almost two-thirds of the world LNG demand, making it a major site of global LNG trade. Since 1990, world gas usage has increased by 50%, while in the Asia-Pacific consumption has tripled.

Honeywell arm to launch green diesel tech in India
The Financial Express, 21 July 2011
The new green diesel is all set to revolutionalise the fuel market by offering cost-effective and environment-friendly solution for the transport sector in the country. US-based diversified technology and manufacturing company, Honeywell, is planning to launch its new technology for the production of green diesel in India soon. Green diesel is similar to the petroleum diesel in chemical composition and can replace the conventional bio-diesel which has the disadvantage of limited shelf life.

India's fuel demand to rise 3.8% IEA
The Indian Express, 14 July 2011
India's fuel demand may rise 3.8 per cent in 2012 led by diesel and gasoline, the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday, adding a recent retail price hike by Asia's third largest oil consumer will not dent demand growth in the short term. IEA, an adviser to 28 industrialised countries, in its July report, forecasts India's fuel demand to rise 132,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 3.6 million bpd in 2012 despite a likely slowdown in economic growth to 7.8 per cent in that fiscal.

India caps offer price for Turkmenistan Gas at $12.67
The Economic Times, 28 April 2011
India is not willing to agree to Turkmenistan's price for natural gas from its Dauletabad gas field, as it would make it costlier than importing liquefied natural gas (LNG). India is hosting a meeting of oil ministers of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan in New Delhi to negotiate the construction of a $7.6 billion transnational pipeline that will bring gas from central Asia. While India is ready to pay about $12.67 per unit for natural gas supplied from Turkmenistan, the central Asian nation wants the price to be linked to the market rate of LNG.

NRL to build 100 km pipeline from India to Bangladesh for Rs 150 crore
 The Economic Times; 15 April 2011
Assam-based Numaligarh Refinery Ltd will construct a 100-km long pipeline from India to Bangladesh for exporting high speed diesel. The pipeline will connect Siliguri in West Bengal to Parbatipur in Bangladesh and will entail an investment of Rs 150 crore. It will connect an existing pipeline in Siliguri which extends till Numaligarh. Numaligarh Refinery Ltd is in talk with Bangladesh for exporting 10,000 million tonnes of high speed diesel through waterways.

ONGC Videsh gets foothold in Kazakh
Business Standard, 17 April 2011
India and Kazakhstan have signed seven agreements, one of which formalizes the transfer of 25 per cent stake of the Kazakh oil and gas company, Kazmunaigas, in its Satpayev Exploration Block to ONGC Videsh Ltd. No details of the payment made by ONGC Videsh for the stake were available, but the agreement marked the entry of the Indian state-controlled company into Kazakhstan’s hydrocarbons sector. This and the other six agreements seek to boost economic and strategic ties between the two countries in wide-ranging areas including offshore petroleum exploration in the Caspian Sea and peaceful use of nuclear energy including fuel supply, joint mining of uranium and construction as well as operation of nuclear power plants.

India in talks with Indonesia, Kuwait for LNG supply
The Economic Times, 19 April 2011
India is in talks with Indonesia, Kuwait and Brunei for long-term import of liquefied natural gas to feed its rapidly growing energy demand, which has attracted global energy giants such as BP.

Japan 's post-quake energy import surge will give a boost to Reliance
The Financial Express, 13 March 2011
Japan 's strongest earthquake on record will boost global demand for natural gas, coal and oil products as production lost from damaged nuclear reactors and refineries is replaced. Tokyo Electric Power Corp. and other Japanese utilities may increase output at gas, oil and coal-fired plants to replace production from the 11 reactors closed on 11 March 2011 , Wood Mackenzie Consultants said. Companies will need to import fuel from Asian refineries because the quake shut 20% of the country's crude-processing capacity. The biggest beneficiaries are probably global liquefied natural gas suppliers, analysts at Alliance Bernstein said, a group that includes BG Group and Royal Dutch Shell, Reliance Industries, which operates the world's largest export refinery in India, and other refiners will see demand rise, according to Purvin & Gertz power generators in China, Taiwan and South Korea may have to pay more for fuel.

Saudi petrochem giant plans big for India
Business Standard, 24 February 2011
Petrochemicals major Sabic (Saudi Basic Industries Corporation) is planning big investments in India that may run into billions of dollars. Sabic, which ranks among the world's top five petrochemical companies, has been in talks with Indian petrochemical players for a joint venture to tap the huge potential of the Indian market with cracker projects and downstream refineries, Mr. Ahmed Alumar, vice president Asia Pacific and member of the board of directors of Sabic Asia Pacific. India , which imports over $22 billion of petrochemical products ever year, offers Sabic the perfect platform to tap the potential for its core business areas like chemicals, fertilizers, innovative plastics, polymers and performance chemicals

BP inks mega deal to pick up 30% in RIL oil, gas blocks for $7.2 billion
The Hindu, 22 February 2011
In what can be termed as one of the biggest FDI (foreign direct investments) in the energy sector, RIL (Reliance Industries Ltd.) on Monday announced the sale of 30% stake in its 23 blocks, including the giant KG-D6 gas fields, to BP of U.K. for $7.20 billion. According to the details of the deal signed in London on Monday by RIL Chairman and Managing Director Mr. Mukesh Ambani and BP CEO Mr. Bob Dudley, BP will pay RIL an aggregate consideration of $7.20 billion, and completion adjustments, for the interests to be acquired in the 23 production sharing contracts. Future performance payments of up to $1.80 billion could be paid based on exploration success that results in development of commercial discoveries. These payments and combined investment could amount to $20 billion, one of the largest FDIs in the country. Besides the stake transfer, RIL and BP will form a 50:50 joint venture for sourcing and marketing of gas, according to identical statements issued by both companies.

Gas pricing key to TAPI project
The Hindu Business Line, 14 February 2011
Gas pricing will be the key to TAPI (Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India) pipeline project that is expected to get India 38 mscmd (million standard cubic metres a day) of gas from Turkmenistan . The supplier, Turkmenistan , has proposed that the landed cost of the gas for the buyers should be in sync with the prevailing delivered price in that country. Meanwhile, according to reports, Pakistan has proposed that there should be a common price of gas for all buyers. To make the project attractive for India , the delivered price (or the landed cost) of Turkmenistan gas has to be lower than that of imported gas. In India , the prevailing delivered price of domestically produced gas is $4.2/mBtu and that of imported gas, about $7/mBtu. The landed cost of Turkmenistan gas in India would rise considerably after payment of transit and transportation fees, as India is at the tail end of the proposed pipeline. A transit fee is payable to the countries through which the $7.6 billion pipeline passes, while transportation charges will be levied by the consortium operating the pipeline.

Petronas makes major O&G discoveries offshore Malaysia
Rigzone, 14 February 2011
Petronas has struck oil and gas in two wells, NC3 and Spaoh-1, offshore Sarawak . The NC3 wildcat well and a subsequent appraisal well in Block SK316 have an estimated 2.6 Tcf of net gas in place. The wells were drilled to a total depth of almost 13,123 feet (4000 meters) below sea level. Production flow test results of the wells demonstrate that the field is technically producible, reported Petronas. The second discovery, Spaoh-1, located in Block SK306, was drilled to 9843 feet (3000 meters) and found around 100 million barrels of oil and 0.2 Tcf of gas in place. The well is currently being prepared for production testing. Petronas says it plans to drill more than 50 exploration wells offshore Malaysia over the next three years.

All 11th Plan power plants to get tax holiday boost
The Financial Express, 21 February 2011
The government is likely to give a breather to the power sector by extending the tax holiday for the sector by another year. The move will benefit power projects, including UMPPs (ultra mega ones) and transmission projects, that are slated to be awarded in the remaining period of the 11th Plan (2007–12). This could be part of the Budget announcements on February 28. The power sector currently gets tax break under Section 80-IA of the Income Tax Act. The sop ends on March 31, 2011 making projects which are awarded after the cut-off date ineligible for the benefit. Under the provisions of the section, power projects get deduction of up to 100% profit for any ten consecutive years out of the first fifteen years of commissioning of a project. Earlier, the benefit was to end on 30 March 2010 but government extended it by an year in the last Budget, enabling projects awarded since then to be eligible for the benefit.

RIL profit surges 28%
Business Standard, 22 January 2011
Better refining and petrochemical margins during the October–December quarter helped Mukesh Ambani promoted Reliance Industries (RIL) post its highest quarterly profit in three years. Net profit of the energy to retail conglomerate met street expectations and was up 28.14% at Rs 51,360 million against Rs 40,080 million during the corresponding quarter in 2009/10. During the quarter RIL's gross refining margin (turning every barrel of crude oil into fuel) stood at $ 9 per barrel against $5.9 per barrel in the corresponding previous period. Natural gas production from RIL's largest gas field, K-G D6 fell 12% to about 53 million cubic meters a day. Gas production from the field may rise to 60 million cubic meters a day in the next three months, the directorate general of hydrocarbons had said earlier this month. According to the ministry of petroleum and natural gas, output from the field may climb to 80 million cubic meters a day by March 2013.Oil and gas production from the Panna-Mukta fields was 34 billion cubic feet of natural gas, down 32% and 38% respectively due to shutdowns. :Production from Tapti field was 74 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 0.95 million barrels of condensate, a decrease of 10% and 18% respectively due to natural reserves decline.

Fifth PCPIR to come up in Tamil Nadu
DNA, 21 January 2011
The Union government will give its approval for the fifth Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemical Investment Region (PCPIR), one of the most ambitious and massive projects of the ministry of chemicals and fertilizers, in Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu in the next two to three months. PCPIR, a plan mooted by the ministry of chemicals and fertilizers in January 2007 and approved by the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) in May 2007, is a policy aimed at promoting huge investments in the chemicals sector in the country and making it a prominent hub for both domestic and international players. The four PCPIRs so far approved are at Dahej in Gujarat , Haldia in West Bengal , Paradip in Orissa and Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. Each notified zone is expected to bring in an investment, both domestic and international, to the tune of Rs 2000–3000 billion.

Iran not to sell crude to India outside ACU mechanism
Business Standard, 31 December 2010
Iran has told India that it will not sell crude oil to India outside the Asian Clearing Union (ACU) mechanism. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) wants transactions with Iran to be done outside the mechanism that was created by nine Asian countries way back in 1974. Iran exports 21 million tonnes oil to India, the second largest supplier after Saudi Arabia. India is also its second largest customer

ONGC, Sistema to merge Russian oil and gas assets
The Economic Times, 22 December 2010
State-run ONGC and Russian conglomerate Sistema have decided to merge their oil & gas businesses in Russia under a joint venture in a no-cash deal where the Indian firm will have a 25% shareholding with a say in management. The merger of three companies, Bashneft, RussNeft and Imperial Energy, will make ONGC a shareholder in the Russian firms' annual oil production of 25 million tonne and in the output of their refineries which have a capacity of 20 million tonnes besides discovered oil fields, Trebs and Titov. IOC (Indian Oil Corp), India's largest refiner, will join ONGC in the venture, an oil ministry official said. ONGC will merge its wholly-owned subsidiary Imperial Energy into the new company. ONGC Videsh, the foreign arm of the state-owned giant, India's second-largest company by market capitalization, had acquired Imperial in 2008 for $2.1 billion. Imperial produces about 1 million tonnes of crude oil annually and all its assets are in Russia

ONGC Tripura signs MoU with Bangladesh
The Hindu, 18 December 2010
ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) has announced that it's power subsidiary, ONGC Tripura Power Company has inked a MoU (memorandum of understanding) with Bangladesh to open up a new transport corridor for transporting heavy equipment for its plant in Tripura. With the new MoU in place, Bangladesh, for the first time, will allow the use of the Ashuganj port on the mighty Meghna River and the connecting road network between Ashuganj–Sultanpur–Akhaura check post (around 48 km) for transporting project equipment to Palatana in Tripura. This will facilitate the transportation of two gas turbines, two steam turbines and about hundred over dimensional cargo items required for the 726.6 MW combined cycle gas based power plant at Palatana.

BPCL, partners strike gas in Mozambique
Business Standard, 30 November 2010
BPCL and its partners have made a major natural gas discovery in offshore Mozambique but no estimates of reserves the find may contain has been made. The Lagosta exploration well "encountered a total of more than 168 net metres of natural gas pay" in the Rovuma Basin, Area-1, offshore Mozambique, BPCL and Videocon Industries, which are partners in the block, said in separate but identical statements. This is the third natural gas discovery; the earlier ones being Windjammer and Barquentine, the statements said but did not put a reserve number to any of the finds.

Kuwaiti investment in Bengal refinery
Business Standard, 27 November 2010
Kuwait's Kharafi Group will invest $150 million in a 1,00,000 barrel per day refinery being built by Cals Refineries Ltd in West Bengal. Al Qebla Al Watya (an investment vehicle of Kharafi) signed agreements on November 25 for investing '$150 million through the GDR route," Cals Refineries said in a statement to stock exchanges.

E&P companies to get more time for deep water exploration
The Financial Express, 26 November 2010
The government will make the terms of oil and gas exploration in deep water and frontier area blocks more friendly to the investing companies in order to improve the chances of finding hydrocarbon. The idea is to mainly give more time to oil and gas exploration companies that win such blocks in March next year under the Nelp (new exploration licensing policy) as well as under the open acreage licensing policy that will come into force subsequently.

HPCL to invest Rs 300 billion in Maharashtra refinery
The Hindu, 14 November 2010
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL) announced a mega plan to invest Rs.30,000 crore to set up an 18-million tonnes a year refinery in Maharashtra. The 9-MT Bhatina Refinery would be ready by April next, the company said. The new refinery, to be set up along the West Coast, was conceptualised to make up for space constraints at the company's existing Mumbai Refinery. Engineers India Ltd had been engaged to carry out a feasibility report on the proposed refinery. The options under consideration were a single 18-million tonnes per annum unit or two units of 9-MT each. The detailed feasibility report would be ready by December. HPCL is also building a 9-MT plant at Bhatinda in Punjab under a joint venture with L N Mittal.

Essar Energy up on refinery margin, sales
Business Standard, 13 November 2010
Essar Energy said its gross refining margins (GRMs) had risen 49 per cent to $6.75 a barrel for the September quarter. Driven, it said, by a general improvement in market conditions, supported by the positive effect of Cairn’s crude oil from Rajasthan fields on its crude costs. Deregulation of petrol prices in India has also had a positive effect, as its retail sales volumes are up by 58 per cent over the June quarter. This has increased its retail sales by 40 per cent to $167 million, as compared to $119 mn. The company has 1,376 operational retail outlets and said that since it expects complete deregulation of diesel prices, it would expand these to 1,700 by March 2011. Essar is also to start commercial sales from the Raniganj Coal Bed Methane project in West Bengal before the end of this calendar year

Chevron takes over Reliance JV
Business Standard, 10 November 2010
Chevron Corp's decision to buy US natural gas producer Atlas Energy has brought the two former partners Chevron and RIL (Reliance Industries Ltd) together, after the American company had exited Reliance Petroleum in April last year. Chevron will take over Atlas's role as the operator of a joint venture in the Marcellus shale gas assets, with RIL having 40% stake (or approximately 137,000 acres) in the project. RIL will continue to fund 75% of the operator's drilling costs, of up to $1.4 billion. In April this year, Atlas Energy had entered into a joint venture with RIL to develop the Marcellus assets. Under the agreement, RIL holds 40% stake of the 343,000 acres shale gas project, spanning parts of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New York. RIL was to invest $1.36 billion to develop the resources and Atlas was the operator. The agreement between Chevron and Atlas states that the former will assume Atlas Energy's role as the operator with 60% participation in the Marcellus joint venture, under the original agreement terms between Atlas Energy and RIL.

US to help in shale gas technology
The Hindu, 9 November 2010
India has inked an agreement with the US for cooperation in shale gas technology that would help it exploit vast untapped unconventional resource. The agreement was one among the several agreements signed during the visit of US President Mr Barack Obama. The MoU would help India identify the shale gas resource and frame policy regime for exploitation of the resource. India is targeting the first round of auction of shale gas areas for exploration before the end of 2011. India intends to join a boom in shale gas exploration that has fuelled more than $39 billion of acquisitions in the US by companies including Reliance Industries Ltd. The main points of the MoU include shale gas resources in India, technical studies to commence on shale gas exploration and training of Indian personnel in the area of shale gas. Since production of shale gas is difficult, a new fiscal policy regime would be needed and exploration laws changed to allow such production, he said adding that current exploration licences for oil and gas did not include unconventional sources.

India, Angola to cooperate in oil & gas sector
Business Standard, 2 November 2010
Angola could become India's second partner country for gas imports with the two countries signing an MoU to commence supply of LNG (liquefied natural gas) from the African nation. India currently buys long term LNG only from Qatar with supply from other countries coming to India only an on spot basis. Though India had in 2005 negotiated an LNG deal with Iran, the deal could never fructify. Gas was to be sourced from Iran's South Pars field. Iranian Oil firm Petropars today indicated it wants the ONGC Hinduja consortium to decide on a gas block for exploration in the field by year end. Petropars has set a deadline of end December for the consortium to decide on participation in a $7.5 billion gas field in the Persian gulf. The company has offered ONGC and the Hinduja Group a 40% stake in the development of Phase 12 of the giant South Pars gas field.

India switches fully to Euro III and IV petrol and diesel
The Hindu, 24 September 2010
India has announced that it had completely switched over to the cleaner Euro- III and Euro- IV petrol and diesel, well ahead of the October 1 deadline fixed by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry. With this, the launch of ultra low sulphur and benzene fuel has been completed ahead of schedule. The Auto Fuel Policy had prescribed a road map for introduction of BS- IV and BS- III grades of petrol and diesel (equivalent to Euro- III and Euro- IV petrol and diesel) in the country.

OVL bids for two new Russian oil fields
The Hindu, 21 September 2010
OVL (ONGC- Videsh Ltd) has bid for Russia's strategic Trebs and Titov oil fields, even as its proposed bidding partner, Rosneft, has pulled out of the race. OVL submitted its application through Nord Imperial, which is part of Imperial Energy, an OVL subsidiary in Russia, hours before the bidding closed. The Indian company is the only foreign bidder competing for what has been described as a "jewel" among the Russian oil reserves. OVL faces tough competition from five Russian rivals — LUKOIL, Russia's No.2 oil producer, TNK- BP, half- controlled by British Petroleum, Gazprom, Russia's natural gas monopoly, Surgutneftegaz, Russia's fourth largest oil producer, and mid sized firm Bashneft

NELP IX to be launched on 18 October
Business Standard, 27 September 2010
The government will launch the ninth round of the New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP IX), which will see an auction of around 35 oil and gas blocks, on 18 October, with a road show in Mumbai. Some of these blocks could be from the eighth round, for which no bids were received. The Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, the country's upstream oil regulator, has identified 30– 35 oil and gas blocks for auction. It is expected that the ninth round will be completed with the award of blocks in the last quarter of the financial year. Of the 70 blocks offered under Nelp- VIII, which concluded last year, only 36 attracted bids.

Essar to bid for gas blocks in Indonesia
Business Standard, 15 September 2010
London Stock Exchange-listed Essar Energy Plc plans to bid for coal-bed methane (CBM) and shale gas blocks in Indonesia next month. The company will also bid for similar assets in China at the end of this year, a company official said. This would be their first international foray into unconventional resources. Indonesia opens its CBM blocks auction next month and they would be bidding for the same. Essar Exploration and Production India Ltd would seek approval of the Essar Energy Plc board for the same, said Mr S R Agarwal, director and CEO, Essar Exploration and Production India Ltd. Essar Energy has five CBM blocks in India - Raniganj (West Bengal), Rajmahal (Jharkhand), Sohagpur (parts of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh), Talcher and Ib Valley (Orissa). While the Raniganj block has begun production, the other four blocks will give Essar an additional acreage of 2233 square km and in-place prospective resources of over 7.6 tcf of CBM gas, according to the gas in-place resource estimates contained in the information documents issued by the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons at the time of bidding.

RIL eyes more shale assets in US
The Financial Express, 7 September 2010
RIL, which has struck three shale gas joint ventures with US firms this year, may go for a full buyout next as the cash rich firm builds the knowledge it needs to run such operations. Reliance has received about 20 to 25 pitches from investment bankers for shale assets. Bankers say potential targets include Fort Worth, Texas headquartered Quicksilver Resources, Colorado based Enduring Resources and companies with assets in the Horn River shale formation in Canada. Another firm on Reliance's radar may be Texas based EOG Resources, which said in early August it plans to sell about 1,80,000 acre of underground rock formations that hold reserves of oil and natural gas.

OIL in talks with US gas firms for JV
The Statesman, 30 August 2010
State run OIL (Oil India Ltd) is likely to form a JV (joint venture) with a US based shale gas company to acquire shale gas assets globally. Shale gas (gas locked in sedimentary rocks) is an emerging area in the hydrocarbons segment and has become an important source of energy in the few countries that have been able to commercially exploit this resource. Meanwhile, India is likely to sign a cooperation agreement with the US Geological Survey later this year for knowledge sharing in the area of shale gas. In India, OIL is looking at shale exploration opportunities in regions such as the Assam Arakan and Cambay Basin. OIL also intends to explore shale gas opportunities in the US and Australia. At present, the company is carrying out geological studies on various shale gas exploration regions in India

BPCL acquires shale gas assets in Oz
The Asian Age, 21 August 2010
Public sector oil firm BPCL (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd) has entered the shale gas business by purchasing a stake in two exploration blocks in Australia. The company has executed a letter of intent with Norwest Energy of Australia for purchasing stakes in two blocks in Perth Basin. Norwest currently owns 100 per cent and 55 per cent interest in the two blocks, half of which will be picked up by BPCL through its wholly owned subsidiary BPRL (Bharat Petro Resources Ltd). The subsidiary will be investing $13.5 million for funding its share of exploration and drilling expenses. The move will give it a competitive advantage when shale gas acreage is offered for bidding in India, the company said in a statement. The past three months have seen Reliance Industries acquire three large properties in the US that have shale gas potential.

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

For demand-side electricity reforms
The Hindu Business Line, 18 February 2013
The recent times have seen several States enhancing their electricity tariffs - the most recent case being in Delhi that came with the usual public outcry and protests. In times to come, with the rising costs of fossil fuels, northward trajectory of tariffs will become a periodic feature.

Power plants without long-term linkages won't get benefits: coal price pooling
Business Standard, 8 February 2013
Coal-based power plants with 16,000 Megawatt (Mw) capacity, entailing an investment of more than Rs 80,000 crore, are unlikely to get the benefit of coal price pooling. The coal ministry has said these projects would be kept out of the pooling mechanism, since they came up without any firm long-term linkage from Coal India Ltd.

Ministry sets up panel for power reforms
The Financial Express, 7 February 2013
The power ministry has set up an advisory committee - comprising head honchos of key public and private sector power companies, chiefs of leading banks as well as industry experts, heads of industry associations and non-government organizations - to discuss issues relating to the sector and suggest reforms. Members of the panel include Dr R K Pachauri (TERI), Mr Vinayak Chatterjee (Feedback Ventures), Mr Vivek Pandit (McKinsey and Co), Mr Cyrus Mistry (Tata Power), Mr Anil Ambani (Reliance Power), and others.

Gujarat's dual power distribution model catches Centre's fancy
Business Standard, 17 December 2012
The government is working on a proposal to replicate Gujarat's "dual distribution mode"" in the power sector across Indian states. The idea is to cut down losses from selling subsidized electricity to farmers and bring their financially-ill distribution utilities to profitability. In the Gujarat model, dual distribution lines were installed to supply power based on paying capacity of the consumers. The first line provided continuous electricity at a much higher rate, whereas the second line aimed at farmers supplied electricity for limited period at a subsidized rate. Gujarat was not only able to cut down the loss, but was able to report profit after they implemented dual distribution lines.

6 states 'agree' to Centre's Rs 1.9 lakh crore power discom debt restructuring
Business Standard, 4 January 2013
At least six states have agreed to subscribe to the Centre's debt restructuring plan for power distribution companies. The deadline for states to opt for the package has been extended by three months and would now end on March 31. The three-month period would be used to accommodate agreements by more states and ensure consensus building among stakeholders. Once accepted by all states, the Rs 1.9-lakh-crore package is expected to bail out financially-stressed distribution companies and usher in long-pending reforms in the power sector.

CERC issues draft rules to power competition in sector
Business Standard, 10 September 2012
The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has issued draft regulations intended to prevent abuse of market power and regulate the conduct of companies harming or potentially harming competition in the sector. The proposals allow it to issue directions in the event of anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominant position or anti-competitive combinations entered into by any entity, licensee, deemed licensee and licence-exempt ones. An agreement can be construed to have an anti-competitive impact if it leads to creation of barriers to new entrants in the market; driving existing competitors out of the market and affecting long-term planning and quality of supply.

Centre to use electricity fund to push states on reforms
The Financial Express, 12 April 2012
The Centre has decided to leverage the national electricity fund (NEF) to push states on power sector reforms. The fund is meant to provide interest subsidy on loans taken by states for funding power distribution projects. Experts agree that the fund will help states reduce their funding cost, which should in turn lead to a reduction in their commercial losses. The Centre has set up the fund following recommendation of the V K Shunglu panel. The panel recommended that the states be asked to take over distressed loans of discoms if they want to avail financial assistance from the Centre. Besides, they should also commit on implementation of power reforms in a time bound manner while negotiating terms of availing central financial package.

Power regulator notifies new grid code
The Hindu, 3 April 2012
To safeguard the Northern Grid from collapse on account of rampant overdawal of power and to enforce greater grid discipline among the States, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission's new grid code has come into effect. The grid frequency has been changed from the current band of 49.5 Hz-50.2 Hz to the new band of 49.7 Hz-50.2 Hz. Power companies will have to adhere to the new frequency guidelines or pay hefty fines. The frequency guidelines have been put in place to deter power companies from overdrawing from the Northern Grid during peak hours and when the frequency is low. The States are advised to either make alternate arrangements or load shed when the frequency falls below a prescribed band to prevent a grid collapse.

NTPC inks $1.5-bn deal in Bangladesh
The Financial Express, 30 January 2012
Bangladesh has signed a $1.5-billion deal with NTPC to build a 1320 -MW coal-fired power plant, the country's biggest, to help ease acute power shortages. Bangladesh's state-owned Power Development Board struck the 50:50 joint venture deal with public sector NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation). Under the pact, a JV company will be floated to install and operate the plant, while the PDB and the NTPC will implement the $1.5-billion project.

RPower Rosa phase II unit goes commercial
The Hindu, 29 December 2011
Reliance Power has commenced generation from the first 300-MW unit of phase II of its Rosa project in Uttar Pradesh three months ahead of schedule. The phase II comprises two units of 300 MW each that were scheduled to become operational from March and July, 2012, respectively.

Nod to set up power subsidy fund
Business Standard, 14 December 2011
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved setting up of a National Electricity Fund to give interest subsidy of Rs 8,466 crore for 14 years to power distribution projects. The scheme will be operational within 12 months, an official statement said. The fund will provide interest subsidy on loans to be disbursed to power distribution companies in the public and private sectors, to improve the distribution network for areas not covered under the Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) and the Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (R-APDRP) project areas.

Panel for more UMPPs in coastal areas
Business Standard, 29 December 2011
Even as the two coast-based ultra-mega power plants (UMPP) facing an uncertain future, it has not stopped the Working Group on Power for the 12th Plan from recommending more coastal power plants based on imported coal, due to the rising shortage in domestic coal. "Construction of more coastal power plants to operate on imported coal needs to be encouraged. However, it requires policy changes to address the risks in sourcing countries," the working group said in its report. The need for changes in policy was triggered by the snail's pace of the already awarded UMPPs. The group has set a target of power capacity addition at around 75,000 Mw in the 12th Plan (2012-17).

Neyveli to invest Rs 40k cr to set up power plants
Business Standard, 6 September 2011
State-run Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) plans to invest Rs 40,200 crore to build power plants in Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The Navratna company has plans to install 7,500 Mw of power generation capacity, including a 4,000-Mw plant in Tamil Nadu and a 2000-Mw plant in Uttar Pradesh.

CERC for new rules to curb grid indiscipline
Business Standard, 26 August 2011
To curb utilities' tendency to overdraw power by using the unscheduled interchange charge (UI) mechanism, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has proposed stricter rules. Suggestions and objections have been invited by September 10.It wants a reduction in the UI frequency band to 50.20-49.7 Hz. A deviation below 49.7 Hz would attract additional Ul charges, the previous limit for which was 49.5 Hz. Rates have been proposed for specified frequency bands.

US agency to fund NDPL's smart grid technology
The Times of India, 22 July 2011
Tata-backed north Delhi discom NDPL and the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) announced the signing of a pact wherein USTDA will extend a financial grant of US $ 686,447 to NDPL towards implementation of the smart grid technology in its distribution network of North & North-West Delhi. NDPL is one of the first Indian utilities to initiate implementation of smart grid technology. The smart grid solutions are designed to enhance the efficiency and reliability of power distribution and to increase the ability of consumers to manage and use energy in a more cost-effective and energy- efficient way. It will also enable us to optimize our power line grid planning, operations and maintenance, enabling us to deliver power more efficiently.

600-crore pilot projects planned to improve power sector efficiency
The Hindu, 20 July 2011
The India Smart Grid Task Force, an inter-ministerial group formed to improve power sector efficiencies through smart grid technologies, plans to spend up to Rs.600 crore for implementing pilot projects across India. “We are planning to spend up to Rs 600 crore for about 15 pilot projects related to smart grid technologies. Preliminary framework on smart grid is expected to be ready in the coming 18 months,” Task Force head Mr Sam Pitroda said. 

CERC to audit price discovery mechanism at power exchanges
Business Standard, 25 April 2011
The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) will audit the price discovery mechanism being used at the country's two power exchanges -- Indian Energy Exchange and Power Exchange India. At power exchanges, utilities and other electricity providers offer to sell a specific quantity of energy at a particular price while potential purchasers give their bids. These exchanges help in discovering the price of power based on the principle of demand and supply

Plan panel's working group to prepare road map for growth of power sector
The Financial Express, 23 April 2011
Power sector has come in the centre stage of government planning with the Planning Commission constituting a working group on power for the coming 12th Five-Year Plan (2012-17). The group, which comprises senior officials from key ministries like coal, petroleum and natural gas, environment and forests as well as power, has been entrusted with the task of preparing a long-term road map for the growth of the power sector with special emphasis on restoring the financial health of distributing utilities. Apart from representation from different ministries, the working group also has as members chiefs of key power PSUs from the central and state sector like NTPC and Karnataka Power Corporation as well as senior executives of private companies such as Reliance Energy, Tata Electric Company and Torrent Power. Outside experts like Mr Girish Sant of PRAYAS and Dr Leena Srivastava of TERI have also been brought on board.

India , Bangladesh giving shape to SAARC electricity market
The Hindu Business Line, 28 January 2011
India and Bangladesh have been entrusted with the task of giving a final shape to the proposed South-Asia electricity grid. Participation in the SAARC Market for Electricity (SAME) — envisaging electricity trading across member states — is likely to happen on the electricity market windows that are already in place in India. The windows, including the two operational power exchanges here, as well as through short-term and long-term contracts, can be expanded to allow participants from the other South Asian countries to come on board for cross-country exchanges, according to the action plan decided on by a SAARC Expert Group on Electricity meeting held recently. The participation in the market, as is being envisaged, will be on a voluntary basis, unlike compulsory pooling of power as required in similar platforms operating in other parts of the world.

India to develop coal fired ultra supercritical plant
The Economic Times, 27 January 2011
A 800 MW coal-fired power project based on more efficient advanced ultra supercritical thermal power technology is being set up jointly by BHEL, NTPC and Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research. The Rs 100 billion plant being developed by IGCAR would be 5per cent more efficient than the prevailing supercritical technology. The venture is aimed to cut on rising costs of imports for energy needs as by 2030 the country would have to import 55% of the fuels. The three energy companies BHEL, NTPC and IGCAR have tied up for the venture for which IGCAR would develop boilers capable of operating at 700 degree centigrade and high pressure. The technology would improve thermal plant efficiency levels to 45% and would cut pollution. The plant is likely to be operational by 2017. The states like J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand also needs to opt for gas for energy needs to check dependence on forests for fuel needs.

R-Power to invest $5billion in Indonesia
The Times of India , 25 January 2011
In what is being seen as one of the largest foreign investments in Indonesia , Reliance Power will infuse $5 billion (around Rs 220 billion) in two projects-one each in South Sumatra and Jambi provinces. The investment covers coal mining, setting up of railway lines, ports and power projects. The project in South Sumatra involves development of a 2- billion MT coal mine, a 200-km railway line, a port and a 2,000-MW power project at a cost of $3.5 billion. The project in Jambi involves another coal mining unit, along with a port, railway line and a small power plant. It will cost $1.5 billion without the power project.

New tariff regime will electrify power sector
The Hindu Business Line, 31 December 2010
The transition to a new regime, under which power projects will be awarded to prospective developers offering the most competitive tariffs, is the most anticipated change in the power sector as we move into the year 2011. The step is expected to usher in greater competition and eventually translate into lower electricity bills for the end-consumer. The year could also see some progress on the awarding of at least a couple of new Ultra Mega Power Projects (UMPPs) proposed in Orissa and Chhattisgarh, especially those which have been stuck through the current year for want of clearance. The slack progress on the issue of distribution reforms, including the issue of distribution utilities lowering losses, is expected to remain an area of concern in the coming future. Analysts, however, envisage increased funds flows into the generation business in the coming year. The projection is broadly in line with the trend in inflows seen during the current year into the power sector, whose share has risen to around 8 per cent of total foreign direct investment this year, from around 5 per cent last year, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers estimates.

Supercritical tech set to be made mandatory for coal power plants
The Financial Express, 27 December 2010
The government may soon make it mandatory for power companies to switch to energy-efficient supercritical technology for their upcoming coal-fired power projects as it looks at playing a major role in global efforts to fight climate change by cutting down emission of greenhouse gases. The coal-based power projects have been identified as major contributor to environmental pollution. They contribute over 65% of the country's total installed power generation capacity at present. Coal-fired power plants based on supercritical technology are less polluting than conventional plants. The energy efficiency of these plants is 45% against 30–32% for conventional plants. It is expected that the government may announce a new policy soon for mandatory use of supercritical technology based power projects. As adoption of new technology for all projects is a time-consuming process, the government wants this to start from the 13th Five-Year plan period starting from 2017.

India to start power trade with Sri Lanka by 2014
Business Standard, 25 November 2010
The government's initiative to have trading of electricity with Sri Lanka is likely to bear fruit by mid-2014, with the commissioning of a high capacity power transmission link between the two countries. PGCIL (Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd), the country's largest electricity transmission utility and the implementing agency for the project from the Indian side, is likely to sign a MoU (memorandum of understanding) for developing the Rs 25 billion project with the neighbouring country by next month.

R-Power, US Exim Bank in $5 billion deal
The Financial Express, 8 November 2010
Reliance Power, the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group's power firm, has sealed a $5 billion (nearly Rs 220 billion) funding deal from the US Export Import Bank for its gas based and renewable energy projects totalling about 9000 mw. This deal is among the numerous business deals which has been announced between the US and India coinciding with the three day visit of US President Mr Barack Obama to India. Under the MoU, "Exim Bank will make available up to $5 billion in support of purchases of US goods and services for the group's various projects including among others 900 mw of renewable power generating technology (solar and wind) and up to 8,000 mw of gas fired thermal electric generating technology," company stated.

R-Power sees eight-fold capacity rise in 2 years
Business Standard, 29 September 2010
Reliance Power is planning to commission its entire portfolio of projects by 2017, which would be around 35,000 Mw. At the company's annual general meeting, Chairman Mr Anil Ambani said it had embarked on a fast-track implementation of its huge portfolio, which include three ultra mega power projects (UMPPs). R-Power started power generation this year, as it commissioned the first phase of its 1,200- Mw Rosa Power Project, in Uttar Pradesh. It also started the construction of a 2400 Mw gas-based power project at Samalkot, Andhra Pradesh, to be commissioned in two years. The company achieved financial closure for 10,000 Mw in over a year. It raised around Rs 500 billion to fund two UMPPs by the company, at Sasan and Krishnapatnam.

RPG co inks 20 year coal deal with Australian miner
The Economic Times, 15 September 2010
Integrated Coal Mining Ltd, owned by the Rs 170 billion RPG Group, inked a 20-year offshore coal procurement contract with Australian coal miner Resource Generation (RGL). The coal will feed future greenfield projects of RPG flagship CESC. Integrated Coal Mining Ltd also has plans to acquire a 10% stake (18,268,053 shares) in RGL for about A$ 0.575 per share, aggregating to A$10.5 million (approximately Rs 450 million). ICML is now controlled by Mr Sanjiv Goenka, vice-chairman, RPG Enterprises.

$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

India to boost solar energy plans
Eco Business, 28 February 2013
The Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has released figures showing that it has assigned 1.17 GW of grid connections for solar projects across the country over the past three years, providing a further boost to the country's ambitious solar energy plans. The government said that 132 solar farms have already been commissioned boasting 369MW of grid connected capacity, while over 700 MW of projects was in the pipeline.

Gujarat to have country's first offshore wind energy project
The Indian Express, 21 February 2013
The country's first offshore wind energy project in Gujarat, increasing power generation capacity by over 3600 MW and creating a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to develop the Mandal-Becharaji Special Investment Region, are among the provisions made for infrastructure and energy sectors in the state budget.

Rajasthan solar power tender attracts lowest-ever tariff
The Hindu Business Line, 14 February 2013
Rajasthan's tender for purchase of solar power has turned up the lowest ever tariff offered for selling electricity generated by solar plants. Essel Mining, which wants to put up a 10 MW solar photovoltaic plant and supply the power to Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation, has quoted Rs 6.45 a kWh. Although, in a similar tender in Tamil Nadu a bidder (Mohan Breweries) had quoted Rs 5.97 a unit, Tamil Nadu's tender has a 5 per cent annual escalation for 10 years. Rajasthan's tender for purchase of solar power from 100 MW of capacity has attracted 23 qualified bidders with total bid capacity of 185 MW. The highest rate quoted is Rs 8.25 a KWhr. Seventeen of the bidders have quoted rates less than Rs 8, and 12 of them Rs 7.50 or below. Four bidders have offered to sell solar-generated electricity at rates of Rs 7 or below.

Kerala plans 25,000-rooftop solar units programme
The Hindu Business Line, 6 February 2013
Even as it is getting ready to formally launch its '10,000 rooftop' programme, Kerala is working on the next step-another programme to facilitate an additional 25,000 rooftop solar plants in the State. The State Government is also working on the subsidy to those who put up rooftop solar plants. In the current '10,000 rooftop' programme, the State gives a subsidy of Rs 39,000 for a one kW system, over and above the subsidy given by the Ministry of New and Renewable Sources, Government of India.

Work to begin in Ladakh on world's largest solar telescope
The Hindu, 7 January 2013
Work on the world's largest solar telescope is likely to commence in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir by the end of this year. The telescope, with an aperture of two metres, is expected to be of great help in understanding the process of creation and decay of sunspots, apart from furthering cutting edge research on other fundamental processes taking place on the Sun.

India, US collaborate on solar energy
The Hindu, 13 December 2012
India and the United States have started an initiative to develop solar energy through photovoltaic projects and concentrated solar power (CSP), also known as solar thermal. This comes four months after India experienced one of the world's biggest blackouts, which affected more than 680 million people. Titled 'SERIIUS' (Solar Energy Research Initiative of India and the United States), the $50 million project would be conducted by the Bangalore-based Indian Institute of Science and the Washington-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Government proposes new norms for funding solar projects
The Hindu Business Line, 3 December 2012
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has come out with proposed norms for viability gap funding (VGF) for large-sized solar power projects that would come up in Phase II of the National Solar Mission. VGF will be made available for certain specified capacity solar projects -- say, 750 MW or 1000 MW, according to the draft policy document on National Solar Mission, Phase II.

Solar power for 25 government schools, 10 hospitals
The Times of India, 24 September 2012
The Delhi environment department has identified 25 government schools and 10 government hospitals that will get independent solar power systems. The pilot project is looking at generating 500kW of power through rooftop solar photovoltaic cells under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. Each of the government schools would get a 10kW panel while the hospitals will get a 25kW panel each. The school and hospital projects will cost Rs 6.75 crore each, bringing the total cost to Rs 13.14 crore. Some of the hospitals that have been shortlisted for the project include Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya, Deen Dayal Upadhay Hospital, Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital, Guru Nanak Eye Centre and Dr Jagjivan Ram Hospital.

India, Norway to jointly develop expertise in geothermal energy
The Pioneer, 9 August 2012
India and Norway are collaborating on a research and development project to develop expertise to harvest geothermal energy and contribute to human resource development. The final report of this project is expected to be submitted in 2015. Inaugurating a one-day workshop on the joint project, the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology director Dr A K Gupta said that geothermal energy is a clean sustainable energy source providing heat throughout the year. As per estimates of Geological Survey of India, the country has the potential of generating 10,000 MW electricity from geothermal sources but it is estimated that the installed capacity for direct utilization of this energy in India is only 265 MW though presently no electricity is generated from this resource. The geothermal springs in the Himalayas have been utilized for domestic and medicinal purposes since time immemorial and many of the hot springs are centres of pilgrimage.

DRDO to tap geothermal energy to power Ladakh
The Tribune, 7 May 2012
As part of its efforts to tap non-conventional resources in its pursuit of energy security, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is exploring the feasibility of tapping geothermal energy in Ladakh for generating electricity. Geothermal energy is the natural heat of the earth generating from the original formation of the planet and subsequently from radioactive decay of minerals over thousands of years. It is continually regenerated by the decay of radioactive elements that occur in all rocks.

Gujarat has 749 gw of renewable energy potential: TERI
The Economic Times, 20 April 2012
Gujarat's overall integrated renewable energy potential is estimated to be around 748.77 GW, according to a study conducted by TERI. Gujarat's potential for concentrated solar power (CSP) with water availability stands at 345.71 gw, solar photovoltaic (SPV) wind hybrid excluding CSP at 240.60 gw, only SPV excluding wind and CSP at 21.36 gw, only wind excluding solar potential at 139.21 gw and biomass at 1.89 gw.

India, one of the top clean-energy economies
The Hindu Business Line, 13 April 2012
India continued its ascent as a top destination for private clean energy investment, according to a research report released by The Pew Charitable Trusts, a non-profit organisation. The country’s ‘National Solar Mission,’ with a goal to have 20 GW of solar power installed by 2020, helped drive the seven-fold jump in solar energy investments to $4.2 billion, the report said. India received $4.6 billion and an additional 2.8 GW of capacity was installed over the course of the year. India now has 22.4 gigawatts of installed clean energy generating capacity. According to the report, India’s clean energy sector continued to flourish in 2011, with private investment increasing 54 per cent to $10.2 billion, placing the country at sixth position among the G-20 nations. This was the second highest growth rate among the G-20 nations.

CERC issues tariff guidelines for renewable energy
The Hindu Business Line, 14 February 2012
CERC (Central Electricity Regulatory Commission) has issued the norms for determining tariffs of electricity generated from various renewable energy sources. These norms apply for the five-year-period beginning 2012-13. An interesting part of the notification, issued recently, is the assumption of module cost for solar photovoltaic - at 85 cents a watt, linked to an exchange rate of Rs 53 to a US dollar. Accordingly, the Commission has fixed the normative capital cost at Rs 10 crore a MW, capacity utilization of 19 per cent and operation and maintenance expenses of Rs 11 lakh a MW in the first year, and increasing 5.72 per cent thereafter.

PE biggies bet on India's green business
The Financial Express, 6 February 2012
Investment interest from the PE (private equity) and VC (venture capital) community in India’s clean technology sector is back in full swing. PE firms invested about $770 million across 36 deals during the 12-month period ended December 2011, according to a study by Venture Intelligence, a research service focused on private equity and M&A transaction activity in the country. The latest figures are higher compared to about $694 million PE investments across 24 deals in 2010, but significantly lower than the PE capital attracted in 2008; during that year, PE firms invested a whooping $1,072 million across 33 deals in the niche sector. Some of the largest investments during 2011 included Goldman Sachs’ $204 million investment in ReNew Wind Power.

BSES introduces solar-powered water pumping system
The Hindu Business Line, 30 January 2012
In an eco-friendly initiative, Delhi's leading power discom BSES has come out with a solar-powered water pumping system, aimed at cutting down on consumption of electricity. REAP (Renewal Energy Assisted Pump), claimed to be first of its kind in the country, has been developed by BSES Yamuna Power Ltd, a subsidiary of BSES, in collaboration with IIT Delhi. A complete REAP system including the solar panels has been priced at Rs 4 lakh and a consumer can place an order for its installation through BSES' call centre.

BARC develops low-cost solar water purifier
Business Standard, 29 January 2012
Scientists at BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre), Mumbai, have developed a water purifying technology that can be driven either by solar or wind power and desalinates contaminated water while simultaneously removing toxic elements, pathogens and turbidity.

Solar power gains foothold in country's energy mix
The Hindu Business Line, 14 December 2011 Almost 180 megawatts of electricity you buy is now coming from solar energy sources. Of this, almost 148 megawatts were added to the country's energy mix in the last one year alone, with no additional burden on the consumer's pocket. Though power produced from solar energy sources is more expensive than conventional thermal sources, consumers need not worry. The average cost of electricity at the consumer end today is in the range Rs 4.5/ unit. On how the pricing works, the official said, according to the prescribed guidelines every megawatt of solar power is bundled with four units of power produced from conventional sources.

Govt working on special policy for roof-top solar units
The Hindu Business Line, 14 December 2011
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is working on a special policy for roof-top solar units, Mr Tarun Kapoor, Joint Secretary, MNRE, said. Speaking at Intersolar India, a conference of the solar industry here, and also at a press conference later, Mr Kapoor said that the government is "working on several options". To aid policy formulation, a "brainstorming meeting" of all the electricity distribution companies (discoms) will take place in New Delhi on the 20th of this month.

Green energy: CERC proposes alignment of financial norms with market rates
Business Standard, 11 December 2011
For renewable energy projects in the country, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has proposed assured long-term tariff visibility and alignment of financial norms with the prevailing market conditions. In its draft tariff regulations, 2012, it has proposed the return on equity (RoE) to be revised keeping in view the increase in the Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT). Unlike the earlier three-year control period, the proposed period is for five years. The various proposals, except the capital cost norms for solar power, would remain valid for five years from April 1 next year.

Green energy to be made mandatory for powering cell towers
The Hindu Business Line, 9 December 2011
The Department of Telecom will make it mandatory for mobile companies to tap into renewable sources of energy for powering their towers. Under the new rules, at least 50 per cent of towers and 20 per cent of the urban towers are to be powered by hybrid energy sources (renewable +grid) by 2015. This will have to be scaled up to 75 per cent of rural towers and 33 per cent in urban areas by 2020. The move is aimed at reducing the carbon emissions due to increased dependence on diesel. India has around 3.5 lakh telecom towers of which about 70 per cent are in rural areas. At present, 40 per cent power requirements are met by grid electricity and 60 per cent by diesel generators.

RPower, ADB to develop country’s largest solar power plant
The Financial Express, 06 December 2011
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Reliance Power are joining forces to build what will be the country's largest solar photovoltaic power plant. The project is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2012. ADB is providing a long-term loan of up to $48 million to finance the 40 MW Dahanu Solar Power Project located in Jaisalmer district in the western state of Rajasthan. The state has one of the highest levels of solar irradiation in India. Reliance Infrastructure will buy the electricity under a long-term power purchase agreement to fulfil its renewable purchase obligations set by India's electricity regulators - the first time for a fully private sector transaction in solar power. The power will be distributed to households in Mumbai.

TVS Group lines up Rs 1800 crore for wind energy
Business Standard, 1 October 2011
TVS Group has lined up Rs 1,800 crore to set up wind energy farms of 200 Mw over the next three years, according to a senior official of Sundaram Clayton Ltd (SCL), a holding company of TVS Motor Company, India’s third-largest two-wheeler manufacturer. SCL will fund the projects through debt, equity and internal accruals. It has already commissioned two projects in Tamil Nadu — a 9.35-Mw facility at Gandamanur in Theni and another 14.4-Mw at Vagaikulam in Tirunelveli.  The new projects will be implemented by two special purpose vehicles, TVS Wind Power and TVS Wind Energy.

$100-m ADB loan for Gujarat solar power project
The Hindu Business Line, 14 September, 2011
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a loan of $100 million for a solar power transmission project in Gujarat. The loan will be used for establishing a sub-station and transmission lines and installation of other equipment to collect and distribute solar power generated at the Charanka Solar Park in Patan district of Gujarat. This is expected to facilitate private companies to set up more cost-effective solar power plants in the park. A large number of solar energy parks are planned in Gujarat to meet the rising demand for power and to help reduce the use of fossil fuel.

Solar equipment majors eye India as manufacturing hub
The Financial Express, 26 August 2011
With the prospect of a slowdown in the renewable power sector in their home markets, US and European solar power equipment manufacturers are betting big on Indian demand. The global renewable energy majors are not only increasing their presence in the market by participating in equipment-supply tenders but also looking at converting India into a manufacturing hub. US-based First Solar, a global leader in the segment, has identified India's solar power development programme as a key driver for its investment in the equipment manufacturing capacity expansion projects.

Dr Farooq Abdullah urges the nation to transform the promise of boundless and clean energy into reality on TERI’s Foundation Day
Business Wire India, 18 August 2011
Outlining India’s achievements in the field of renewable energy, Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, assured that the government and his ministry, along with the support of think-tanks like TERI and leading corporates in the nation have launched major efforts to ambitiously move the country towards greater use of renewable energy resources, while ensuring the well-being of generations yet to come. This message came out strong at 10th Darbari Seth Memorial Lecture that marked the Foundation Day of TERI.

Six more solar plants to be commissioned by year-end
The Hindu, 10 August 2011
The accent on clean and green energy becoming more pronounced, power distribution company NDPL (North Delhi Power Ltd) has lined up half a dozen more plants to be commissioned over the next few months. The company says these smaller solar plants will also serve as a model for replication. The company that has already commissioned nine solar plants ranging between 1.5 kW to a 1 MW will soon have more than 600 kW added to its existing plant capacity.   According to NDPL officials, by September the company is expecting the commissioning of a 48.5 kW solar plant at Inderpuri, a 50 kW plant at Rohini and a 60 kW plant at Shahzadabagh. Later in the year, a 250 kW plant at the Centre for Power Efficiency in Distribution at NDPL's office in Rohini will be commissioned along with a 225 kW plant at Pitampura.

Bharat Petroleum, SG Biofuels ink deal for massive Jatropha 2.0 deployment in India
Biofuels Digest, 9 August 2011
In India, SG Biofuels and Bharat Renewable Energy, a unit of India’s second largest oil company, Bharat Petroleum, signed a landmark commercial agreement to develop and deploy elite hybrids of Jatropha across a total 86,000 acres in this phase of development. The agreement precisely locates more than a third of the total 250,000 acreage pledged for deployment by SG Biofuels earlier this year, in this phase of commercialization of its elite JMax hybrid seeds. BREL has projects across the state of Uttar Pradesh for the plantation of energy crops including Jatropha curcas and Pongamia, but specific locations for deployment were not disclosed by the partners, pending an aggressive crop development effort to produce high performing hybrid varieties of Jatropha adapted to unique growing conditions across the country.

Solar mission: Firms tie up Rs 4500 crore for projects of over 500 MW capacity
The Hindu Business Line, 18 July 2011
Most of the companies that have won bids to put up solar power projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission have achieved financial closure. The total capacity of all the projects that have confirmed financial closure exceeds 500 MW, Mr Anil Agarwal, Chief Executive Officer, NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam -- the nodal agency for conducting the selection process for the first stage of JNNSM told. The ‘500-plus MW' includes all the seven solar thermal projects, whose total capacity is 470 MW. At an approximate cost of Rs 12 crore a megawatt of capacity and working at a debt-equity mix of 70:30, the implication of the financial closures is that banks in India have come forward to lend around Rs 4500 crore to the solar sector.

India's first renewable energy based smart mini-grid system commissioned
The Economic Times, 4 July 2011
India has commissioned a first of its kind Renewable Energy Based Smart Mini-Grid System at TERI Retreat in Gurgaon. Advanced sensing, communication and control technologies are used in smart grids these days for not only generation and transmission of power but also distribution and utilization of electricity in a more intelligent and effective manner. Such an application will not only foster the effective inter-connection and utilization of multiple renewable energy resources but would also help in advancing access to energy to the last mile in the most optimum way by improving the efficiency of the overall system.

Gujarat to host Asia's largest solar energy park in two years
Business Standard, 29 June 2011
Gujarat would house the largest solar energy park in Asia in two years, with a power production capacity of 500 Mw. This would be set up with an investment of around Rs 8000 crore flowing from companies such as GMR and Lanco, which have been assigned generation capacities under the Gujarat Solar Mission. Gujarat had announced a solar power policy in January 2009, with a target of installing 1000 Mw capacity by 2012 and 3,000 Mw by 2014. The state has already signed power purchase agreements for 934 Mw.

Renewable energy-based mini-grid lights up in Gurgaon
The Hindu Business Line, 4 July 2011
The first-of its kind renewable energy-based smart mini grid (SMG) system in India has finally seen the light of the day at TERI Retreat in Gual Pahari, Gurgoan. Developed by TERI with support from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and local implementation partners, the SMG is an intelligent electricity distribution network operating at or below 11 kV, a TERI release said. With digital and control techniques, electricity is supplied by a range of distributed energy resources such as solar photovoltaic system, wind electric generator, biomass gassifier system, battery storage system and diesel generator (which is given the lowest priority).

Renewable energy can help bridge energy deficit, check govt's subsidy burden
The Economic Times, 10 June 2011
Switching rural India on to renewable energy sources could help the country bridge its widening energy deficit, according to the Planning Commission. The panel has suggested diversification of the rural energy basket as a measure to deal with the shortage of fuel at thermal power stations and to check the government's rising subsidy burden.

India to be third largest investment destination for renewables this year: KPMG
The Economic Times, 8 June 2011
India is the third most favoured destination globally for investments in the renewable energy sector and will also be a major source of new entrants into the sector, behind the US and China, according to a survey released by global consulting firm KPMG. The top five targeted countries for renewable energy investment are the US, selected by 53 percent of respondents, China (38 per cent), India (35 per cent) Germany (34 per cent) and the UK (33 per cent), according to KPMG's annual survey of global renewable energy mergers and acquisitions titled Green Power 2011.

Nation’s solar power potential mapped
Deccan Herald, 21 May 2011
The Energy and Wetland Research Group, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have jointly mapped the solar hotspots of the country. Investment in solar power generation will now be less risky and eco-friendly as scientists from IISc have come out with priority regions to deploy solar energy devices across the country. The detailed, three-month-long study provides access to solar potentiality by documenting the solar insolation, the much required parameter to generate solar energy. Trans-Gangetic and Gujarat plains are among regions deemed to hold high potential. The solar hotspots, found based on the exploitable potential using high resolution global isolation data from the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, has found that the country’s favourable geographical location has made it one of the best locations for solar energy. However, the nation suffers in installation of solar applications with just 66 megawatt peak (mwp). This includes 12.28 mwp grid-connected solar power and 2.92 mwp off-grid solar power plants.

Advanced biofuel to meet over 50% of India’s transport demand
Commodities Now, 18 May 2011
Transforming agricultural waste into biofuel could create up to one million jobs in India over the next decade, while radically improving India’s energy efficiency by meeting up to 59% of the demand for transport gasoline through greener fuels by 2020, according to a new study released today. The Indian Government has already announced an ambitious target of 20% of biofuels in transport by 2017 as part of its Indian Biofuels Policy. The Bloomberg New Energy Finance study "Next-generation Ethanol: What’s in it for India” commissioned by Novozymes, was presented at en event organized under the aegis of the Danish Embassy in India in cooperation with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. India is the world’s 6th largest consumer of energy with current consumption of 17.3 billion litres per year of gasoline. Demand is expected to grow 8.5% every year till 2020. Assuming a barrel of crude oil costs USD 100, India will spend USD 19.4 billion on importing gasoline by 2020.

Cabinet OK for national clean energy fund
The Economic Times, 7 April 2011
The Union cabinet has cleared the creation of a national clean energy fund that will finance green energy projects and research ventures aimed at reducing India's carbon footprint. The 2010-11 budget had made provision for such a fund created through a clean energy cess of Rs 50 per tonne of coal, lignite and peat since last year. The cabinet committee of economic affairs also approved the setting up of an inter-ministerial group to pick up projects and schemes eligible for financing from the fund. While the government collected around Rs 31,240 million from the coal cess in 2010-11, it is yet to draw a firm roadmap for investing the money.

$ 150 million ADB guarantee to support solar power
The Hindu, 20 April 2011
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide up to $150 million in credit guarantees to help India scale up use of solar power as a major renewable energy source. The guarantees, according to an ADB statement here, will be available to local and foreign commercial banks that finance private sector solar power plants in the country and will cover 50 per cent of the payment default risk on bank loans made to project developers. The guarantees will help mobilize long-term funding for solar energy development and support the Indian government's push to diversify the country's energy mix away from a heavy reliance on fossil fuels to lower-carbon, renewable sources.

TERI's solar lanterns light up lives of under-privileged children of Yamuna Khader
India Education Diary; 5 April 2011
It is estimated that more than 400 million people in India are living in darkness. According to government estimates, 76 million rural households in India lack access to electricity and out of these; 65 million still use kerosene, Wax candles and dung cakes, firewood, and crop residue bio-mass for lighting. Against this background, developed a unique sustainability initiative 'Lighting a Billion Lives' (LaBL) to pro vide light to a "Billion Lives" across India and abroad. Taking forward this vision, TERI in association with Gyan Shakti Vidyalaya, a Noida-based NGO, distributed solar-powered LED lanterns to the under-privileged children of Yamuna Kahder, a spread between Noida & Chilla

CLP to build wind power projects in Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh
Mint, 8 March 2011
CLP India, the local arm of Hong Kong 's biggest power supplier, will build two wind farms in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh that would together cost around $168 million and be capable of producing 152.8 MW of electricity. These projects will be developed by wind turbine manufacturer Enercon India Ltd and would take CLP India's wind portfolio to 638.8 MW, the company said in a statement. Of this capacity, 360 MW is already operational. CLP has a total power project portfolio of 2613.6 MW, which includes the 1320 MW coal fired Jhajjar power plant in Haryana. While the 102.4MW Sipla wind farm will be located at Jaisalmer district in Rajasthan, the 50.4 MW Narmada farm will be at Nallakonda in Anantapura district of Andhra Pradesh.

India : Rs 2000 million for clean energy fund
The Tribune, 1 March 2011
The government has promised to resolve vexed environmental issues in a time bound manner and provided for the Environment Ministry a minor increase in the Budget, taking the allocation up to Rs 24,919.7 million from Rs 23,855.2 million in the financial year 2010/11. The Finance Minister has put on the table Rs 2000 million for NCEF (National Clean Energy Fund) for protection of forests. The Budget has provided another Rs 2000 million for cleaning "many rivers and lakes of cultural and historical significance". Additional green efforts come in the form of concessions to environment friendly items. The government will also launch the National Mission for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles in collaboration with stakeholders to provide green and clean transportation for the masses. The Finance Minister has given tax exemptions to hybrid and electric vehicles, LED bulbs and fixtures and solar lanterns.

Trading in renewable energy certificate launched
The Hindu, 25 February 2011
IEX (Indian Energy Exchange) has announced the launch of trading in REC (Renewable Energy Certificate) on its platform. A total buy bid of 125 non-solar REC and 11 solar REC was received in the first trading session, the country's leading electricity exchange said here in a statement. RECs represent the attributes of electricity generated from renewable energy sources. One REC represents delivery of 1 MWh of renewable energy to the grid and all associated environmental benefits of displacing 1 MWh of conventional power.

Scope for generating 68,000 mw of green power: World Bank report
The Hindu, 15 February 2011
The World Bank has stated in its latest report that India can generate 68,000 MW of power, costing less than Rs 6 a unit from renewable energy sources, a step that can address the country's energy security concerns. The report released here by the multilateral funding agency on Friday said the 68,000 MW of wind, hydro and biomass energy can be harnessed at less than Rs.6 a unit. "Developing indigenous renewable energy sources, which have low marginal costs of generation, are more economically viable in the long run,'' the study - Potential of renewable energy in India - has stated. India 's electricity demand is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 7.4 per cent in the next 25 years. The generation capacity will have to increase five-fold to keep pace with the growth of demand. At present, the installed capacity of the country stands at about 1.70 lakh MW from all sources of energy, as per official data. The report also suggested that renewable energy development can be an important tool for regional economic development within the country.

Small US firms tap into India 's solar mission
Mint, 27 January 2011
India 's bid to increase solar power production is energizing the business of a number of small and medium-sized US firms that offer innovative equipment and technologies. Renewable energy firms such as Astonfield, Spire Corp. and Suniva have bagged projects worth millions of dollars in recent years from India . Astonfield gets all its business from India . It recently won contracts to build three plants—an 11 MW plant in Gujarat, a 5MW plant in West Bengal and a 5 MW plant in Rajasthan—worth $140 million in total. These plants are part of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM), under which India hopes to increase the production of solar energy to 1000 MW in 2013 and 20,000 MW by 2022, up from around 5 MW now.

NTPC in talks for setting up renewable projects in Maldives
Mint, 5 January 2011
As part of India 's effort to s part of India 's effort to promote greater engagement with neighbours, state owned NTPC Ltd is in talks with the Maldives for setting up renewable energy projects in Male, the island nation's capital. As the largest power producer in the country, NTPC is the biggest consumer of coal in India but will need to balance the country's hunger for the fuel with environmental concerns. Washington based Center for Global Development, a policy and research organization, identified NTPC in 2008 as the third largest polluter among the world's power producers.

Gujarat Chief Minister launches Asia's first solar energy park
The Pioneer, 31 December 2010
Gujarat Chief Minister Mr Narendra Modi launched Asia's first solar energy park to generate 500 megawatt power from the non-conventional source in Patan district of the State. Located at the northern periphery of the Little Rann of Kutch at the borders of Patan and Kutch districts, the Gujarat Solar Park would finally be spread over 2000 hectares in the arid region which gets at least 300 sunny days in a year.

PEs sharpen focus on green energy
Business Standard, 22 December 2010
The MPG (Muthoot Pappachan) Group, a leading non-banking finance company, decided to invest heavily in wind energy, to create 50 Mw generation capacity. The RE (renewable energy) sector in India saw 135% more PE and VC (venture capital) investments in 2010. Data from VCC edge show five PE/VC investments worth $377 million (Rs 17,150 million), including a mega one of $290 million by Blackstone in Moser Baer, the solar power company. As against this, 2009 saw six deals in the sector, worth $160 million. Experts attribute the interest of angel investors in RE — wind, solar and hydel and biomass — to the government's recent initiatives. The latter plans to get 20 gigawatts (20,000 Mw) from sunlight by 2020. It launched the National Solar Mission last year as part of a strategy to cut the country's carbon footprint. India could attract $169 billion for clean power projects over the next decade, according to a recent report of The Pew Charitable Trusts. Over the next decade, India is projected to increase its RE capacity to 91 Gw, five times what is currently installed, adds the report. Another recent study, conducted by the Centre For Development Finance of the Chennai-based Institute for Financial Management and Research, in alliance with World Resources Institute, says India has an aggregate market potential of $2.11 billion per year (Rs 96 billion) for clean energy. That comprises $2.04 billion for decentralized RE services and $70.1 million for energy products such as solar lanterns and solar home systems.

Power players eye high seas for wind energy
The Hindu Business Line, 30 November 2010
Indian wind energy producers and related research organisations are eying the high-seas to harness wind power for electricity generation. Renewable energy majors such as Suzlon and Tata Power are exploring the potential of setting up offshore wind farms, a technology platform that is yet to emerge in India. To back the intentions of these companies, research firms such as Hyderabad-based Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, and Chennai-based Centre for Wind Energy Technology (C-WET) have taken up projects to study the feasibility of offshore wind mills and map potential zones off the Indian coast to set up such projects.

Government incentives RE generation, trading
Business Standard, 26 November 2010
The government has come out with a slew of measures for promoting power generation using renewable sources. These incentives will coincide with trading in RE (renewable energy) receipts on power exchanges that will begin in the next couple of months. The incentives for RE producers include exemption of customs duty on import of equipment for state electricity projects and relaxation of norms for grid access.

Norway to step up solar funding in India
The Hindu Business Line, 25 November 2010
Norway is keen to increase its investments in the Indian renewable energy sector. The Norwegian Government is in talks with MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) to scale up the solar village electrification projects in States such as Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand. Norway and MNRE are collaborating and co-funding a solar based rural electrification project that aims at developing sustainable and scalable business models for accelerating large scale roll out of CSPPs (community solar power plants) in India.

Renewable energy sector to attract more private equity investments
The Hindu Business Line, 20 November 2010
India has the macro drivers and a clear edge to be a key clean energy market for private equity investors, states the India Infrastructure report 2010 by 3i Network – IDFC. Private equity investment in renewable energy sector picked up pace in the country from 2004, with Citigroup Venture Capital's $22.5 million investment in Suzlon Energy being a noteworthy deal. According to the report, from a private equity investment of $851 million in 2005, inflows into the renewable sector in India soared to $2,136 million in 2008.

India explores offshore wind farms
The Financial Express, 11 November 2010
With land acquisition and environmental clearances proving increasingly difficult for wind power projects, India is exploring the potential for offshore wind power generation. Mr Deepak Gupta, secretary, ministry of new and renewable energy, said that a study is being undertaken with the help of Chennai based Centre for Wind Energy Technology to ascertain the feasibility of setting up wind farms in India's offshore areas. Apart from hurdles in acquiring 4/5 acres to generate one mega watt of wind power, environmental clearances are not easy to come by. Offshore wind power projects are in vogue in many countries, especially in Europe. Recently, offshore wind farms have cropped up in the US and China as well.

Areva has Rs 133 billion plans for solar energy
Business Standard, 1 November 2010
After a small presence in the biomass energy sector, Areva, the French energy major, is betting big on solar power in India. It plans to float two subsidiaries for channelising investment to the tune of $3 billion (Rs 133 billion) in solar power generation. Areva has 60 Mw of biomass based power capacity in India. It is looking to also tap the market for nuclear power in a big way. The company is in talks with two financial institutions for floating a joint venture to put up 1000 Mw of solar thermal power capacity over the next five to seven years.

REC could boost investment in renewable energy, says Fitch
The Financial Express, 15 September 2010
India's move to introduce renewable energy certificate (REC) scheme should help improve cost economics of renewable energy projects and attract investments to the sector. However, there are still many regulatory and institutional challenges to be tackled to make the scheme successful, says the international credit ratings agency Fitch Ratings. The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has laid out REC norms in a bid to promote green energy. Under the scheme, an REC is issued to renewable power generators for each 1 mw of electricity generated. Generators can sell the certificate in the market and generate additional revenue. Discoms failing to meet their renewable energy target can buy RECs as an option.

Azure to build 100 Mw solar power capacity
Business Standard, 12 September 2010
Solar power company Azure Power aims to build a 100 Mw solar power capacity in the next three–five years and is in initial discussions with mobile phone operators and other industrial houses to offer commercial solar power. The company plans to invest about Rs 15,000 million in the project. Currently, Azure has agreements with state power utilities for solar power supply. To move beyond this, the company has also started preliminary discussions with one of the telecom player and industrial houses for providing solar power. If the agreement goes through, the company would install solar panels on the telecom towers, which would enable mobile firms to save costs, especially in rural areas.

Institutional funding for renewable energy sector soon, says Farooq
The Hindu Business Line, 31 August 2010
Institutional finance will soon flow into to the new and renewable energy sector in a big way to boost generation, according to Dr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy. By September, the allocation will be made for bids received for 100 MW small-scale solar PV (photo-voltaic) projects, he said. For 500 MW solar PV projects (100 projects of 5 MW each) to be implemented through NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam, several bids had been received and reverse bidding will start shortly. In West Bengal, a 100 MW demonstration project on wind power will be set up. The 1.25 MW grind connected solar project in Asansol was the country's first such project and was doing well.

CLP plans 39.6 MW wind farm in Karnataka
The Financial Express, 28 August 2010
CLP India, the largest foreign player in the Indian power sector, plans to launch a 39.6-mw wind farm in Harapanahalli at Davanagere district in Karnataka. The company has entered into an agreement with wind turbine manufacturer Vestas Wind Technology India to develop the greenfield project on a turnkey basis. Construction has commenced and is likely to be completed in the first quarter of 2011. The wind farm would use 24 Vestas V82 1.65 mw turbines and is expected to qualify as a CDM (clean development mechanism) project under the Kyoto Protocol. This would contribute to the project's financial viability. With this project, CLP's wind portfolio will now increase to 485.6 mw. It has already committed investments for 82.4 mw wind power projects in Karnataka, which are under construction.

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.

Telecom towers asked to shift to hybrid power
The Hindu, 15 January 2012
In a bid to reduce the carbon footprint of the telecom sector by reducing its dependence on diesel, the government has directed all telecom service providers to ensure that at least half of all their towers in rural areas use hybrid power sources. Currently, most telecom towers use diesel generators, making the industry the second-largest user of diesel in the country. The directives -- suggested by the telecom Regulatory Authority of India last year and approved by the government -- also mandate that 20 per cent of all urban towers must use hybrid power by 2015. By 2020, the share of hybrid power, which means a mix of renewable energy technologies and grid power, be increased to 75 per cent and 33 per cent in rural and urban areas respectively.

‘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

Sustainable Development Framework to complement green nod for mining
The Financial Express, 21 August 2012
In an attempt to increase monitoring of mining projects and make miners accountable for mining activities, the environment ministry has agreed to the mines ministry's proposal of a Sustainable Development Framework (SDF) which will comprise guidelines for reporting initiatives and restoration conditions for mining. The SDF needs to be submitted to regulators at the time of seeking clearance or renewal or extension. However, the ministry has stated that the framework is only a tool for leaseholders to comply with disclosure mechanisms and not a substitute for environment clearance.

Study to assess impact of power projects on ecology
The Tribune, 18 April 2012
The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education will for the first time conduct a comprehensive study to assess the cumulative impact of hydropower projects on environment in the Sutlej basin and also quantify the minimum discharge that must be maintained in the river during the lean period for sustaining the "riverine" ecology. The government selected the Sutlej basin for the study, being undertaken on the insistence of World Bank, as a number of projects, including the country's largest public sector Nathpa Jhakri plant and the largest private sector Karcham Wangtu plant, have already come up and many more are in different stages of implementation. Environment impact assessment and environment management plan are carried out for all projects of more than 25 MW as a matter of routine, but these do not address all issues.

Collective global will lacking to fight climate change, says PM
The Hindu Business Line, 3 February 2012
The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, said there appeared to be a "lack of collective global will” to solve the problem of climate change, which could not be fought individually. “...it is necessary to recognize that currently there appears to be a lack of collective global will to address this problem with the seriousness it deserves,” he said at the inauguration of the 12th edition of the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit organized by TERI.

TERI in association with NEDO organizes the 4th India-Japan Energy Forum
BusinessWire India, 31 January 2012
TERI in association with the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation, Japan organized a conference today titled 4th India Japan Energy Forum – Business opportunities in Energy Efficiency and Renewables. The conference focussed on technological options for enhancing energy efficiency and promoting renewable energy technologies.

Entire Western Ghats ecologically sensitive
The Hindu, 27 December 2011
The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) has designated the entire hill range as an ecologically sensitive area. The panel, in its report, has classified the 142 taluks in the Western Ghats boundary into Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZ) 1, 2 and 3. It recommended that "no new dams based on large-scale storage be permitted in Ecologically Sensitive Zone 1. Since both the Athirappilly of Kerala and Gundia of Karnataka hydel project sites fall in Ecologically Sensitive Zone 1, these projects should not be accorded environmental clearance," it said.

Indo-French climate satellite set for 12 October launch
The Hindu Business Line, 11 September 2011
Megha-Tropiques, the novel Indo-French climate satellite, is planned for launch soon. The 1,000-kg satellite - a combination of the Sanskrit 'megha' or cloud and the French word for the tropics – will give a better understanding of the crucial convection systems, humidity in the tropics, said ISRO's Chairman, Dr K Radhakrishnan.

Climate change affecting crop yield: Icrisat
The Hindu Business Line, 17 August 2011
A recent study by International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) found that crop yields in crops such as maize and sorghum in Nalgonda (Andhra Pradesh) and Parbani (Maharashtra) have fallen in the last few years as a result of increase in temperature.  Crop cycle has been reduced by at least 10 days. When this is reduced by 10 days, which happened in the case of Nalgonda, it means that the crop is starved of moisture during that period. This will result in yield losses. But the problem is they (farmers) are now aware, Dr S P Wani, Principal Scientist (Watersheds),  ICRISAT said.

Indian Railways to go LNG way for less carbon footprints
The Statesman, 15 August 2011
Railways has decided to gradually opt for liquefied natural gas on a large scale as part of its effort to reduce diesel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and ensure major operational savings. The Indian Railways and the Indian Oil Corporation have signed a MoU to explore the potential of LNG in a substantial manner in locomotives, factories and workshops.

New regulator soon for eco clearance of projects: PM
The Hindu Business Line, 25 July 2011
The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, said an independent regulator — the National Environment Appraisal and Monitoring Authority — would soon revamp the process of granting environmental clearance and help protect the ecology without bringing back “the hated licence permit raj”. Speaking at an international seminar on ‘Global Environment and Disaster Management: Law and Society', Dr Singh added that “this authority could lead to a complete change in the process of granting environmental clearances. Staffed by dedicated professionals, it will work on a full-time basis to evolve better and more objective standards of scrutiny”. The Prime Minister also said that development of new technologies will play an important role in addressing the rising environmental concerns.

India links climate talks to poverty eradication
The Times of India, 20 July 2011
The Environment and forests minister, Ms Jayanthi Natarajan, reaffirmed India's commitment towards ensuring a second phase of Kyoto Protocol in a meeting with the US delegation led by US special envoy Mr Todd Stern. The seven-member US climate team is accompanying US secretary of state Ms Hillary Clinton. They held a technical and negotiating-level dialogue with the Indian climate team and met the minister and her team separately. Ms Natarajan explained to the US that India had already taken substantial voluntary steps such as those on developing alternative energy. She also pointed out that the concerns of equity and growth had countrywide support and the political class, cutting across party lines, was on the same page on the issue. She was also emphatic that by growth, India implied that it had to meet the imperative of poverty eradication.

Census shows India urbanizing faster
Business Standard, 20 July 2011
More of the countryside is turning into towns and more village folk are moving to cities. The tempo of urbanization has picked up to a three-decade high, say demographers on the 2011 census data on urbanization released recently. The data reveals a jump which is close to the highest-ever increase in urbanization that took place between 1971 and 1981, says Mr P M Kulkarni, demographer, with Jawaharlal Nehru University here. Urbanization went up 3.35 points over the past 10 years; there was a similar leap of 3.43 points in 1971-81, says Mr Kulkarni. Demographers attribute the latest decadal increase to economic growth, besides the classification of many areas as `census towns' based on density of population and other factors.

Sustainability issues becoming critical for industry
The Financial Express, 7 June 2011
Sustainability issues such as natural resource management, water use and climate change mitigation are increasingly becoming critical for the economic performance of India Inc. In other words, environmental and social parameters, in time to come, will turn into financial liabilities for companies if they are not managed well enough, according to the FE-EVI Green Business Survey 2010-11, titled India Inc: Sustainability Matters, conducted by The Financial Express (FE) and Emerging Ventures India (EVI), an integrated climate change and clean energy company.

World Bank approves one billion to clean Ganga
The Times of India, 2 June 2011
The World Bank has approved a $1 billion credit and loan for cleaning the river Ganga that accounts for one-fourth of India's water resources. A significant part of the Bank's support will go towards financing demonstrative investments for reducing pollution in a sustainable manner, in four key sectors: wastewater collection and treatment, industrial pollution control, solid waste management, and riverfront management, a statement said.

Mumbai densest in Asia with 27,000 people per sq km
The Indian Express, 15 February 2011
As Many as 27,000 people live per square km in Mumbai, making the metro one of the densest cities in Asia , as per the Asian Green City Index. The Asian Green City Index, commissioned by German firm Siemens, analyzed the environmental sustainability of 22 major cities in Asia with respect to environmental and climate protection. The unique research project came up with interesting findings, including the fact that Singapore is Asia 's greenest metropolis. Singapore stands out in particular for its ambitious environmental targets and its efficient approach to achieving them. However, in other Asian cities as well, environmental awareness and climate protection guidelines are playing an increasingly important role. According to the findings, of the 22 cities, Mumbai is the densest city in the Index with 27,000 people per square km - more than 27 times more tightly packed than Wuhan , which has less than 1000 people per square km.

ADB to extend $7.4 b loan for sustainable growth
The Hindu Business Line, 1 February 2011
ADB (Asian Development Bank) is to provide lending assistance worth $7.4 billion to support inclusive and environmentally sustainable growth in the country. This funding assistance will be part of a new three year business plan extending to 2013. A major thrust of ADB's India COBP (Country Operations Business Plan) for 2011–13 will be to support infrastructure development particularly through PPP (public private partnership) programme. In order to help bridge interstate economic disparities, ADB will continue with its projects in the transport, energy and urban sectors in States such as Assam , Bihar , Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. It will also continue to provide assistance for the critical national rural roads development programme in Assam , Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, and West Bengal and for the public resource management in Assam and Mizoram.

TERI organizes 3rd YUVA Meet for youth to understand the ‘Road to Global Sustainability via Local Initiatives'
India Education Diary; 1 February 2011
The world is grappling with serious issues of Climate Change with far-reaching consequences for our forthcoming generations. Until now, much emphasis has been laid on understanding atmospheric and scientific changes resulting from climate change. However, the role of youth, their perspective, solutions for change and social implications of Climate Change has gained attention. Against this background, TERI in partnership with Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and The British Council organized the 3rd YUVA Meet on ‘Road to Global Sustainability via Local Initiatives', a special two-day event and a part of TERI's annual flagship initiative 'Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2011'. This annual meet for the youth, aims to provide them with a holistic overview of the emerging environmental challenges and to encourage them to play a vital role in spreading awareness on key environment concerns and collectively voice their views and exchange ideas.

India gets 1st green railway station
The Times of India , 27 January 2011
Railways has inaugurated India 's first green station at Manwal on the Jammu-Udhampur rail route. With the tiny station facing frequent power cuts, it has been a provided a supply of solar power. A request was made to Jammu & Kashmir State Electricity Board for providing reliable electric power supply to this station; it was planned to generate onsite renewable energy through solar panels. Additional solar panels for increasing backup for power supply and standalone lights for complete platform lighting are planned to be provided for further improvement in the system after the trials are successful.

Jairam to include industry in policy advisory council
Business Standard, 20 January 2011
Union environment minister Mr Jairam Ramesh said he would set up an advisory council with participation of industry to look into policy issues regarding environment clearances. The council, to meet once in three months, will examine suggestions on changes required in policy for faster environment and forest clearance. He also endorsed the view that all projects related to natural resource extraction should be put up for competitive bidding only after getting environmental and forest clearances.

3rd research base at Antarctica launched
The Tribune, 11 January 2011
India formally launched its third research base "Bharati" in Antarctica . Science and Technology Minister Mr Kapil Sibal unveiled a plaque in Delhi , indicating the laying of foundation stone for "Bharati" in Antarctica . The new station by the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, on Larsmann Hill, 3000 km from Schirmacher Oasis where Maitri stands, will be operational by 2011, positioning India as a member of an elite group of nine nations that have multiple stations in the region. The site survey and shifting of the construction machinery for the Rs 2000-million project has already been completed. The first phase of the construction activity is progressing as per schedule. As much as 65% of the task has been completed till date and the rest will be completed by the end of the current season. While living in Antarctica , where temperatures range from -89 degrees Celsius in winter to -25 degrees Celsius in summer, can be tough, constructing a permanent structure can be tougher, especially with wind speeds crossing 40 knots, scientists explain. "Bharati" will undertake multi-disciplinary research and observation studies, including biological, geological, physical, chemical, suspended particulates in oceans, aerosols, meteorological sciences, giving India cutting edge lead in polar research programme. "Bharati will be a unique station with advanced facilities. It will accommodate around 70 people, 35 scientists and 10 logistic persons, who will remain throughout the year. They will experiment on movement of platonic plates, microbes surviving in this atmosphere, magnetic properties, aerosol etc," Mr Sibal explained.

Government clamps green norms on 37 sectors
The Pioneer, 25 December 2010
In a bid to tune in economic growth and development in the country with regulations for environmental conservation, MoEF (Ministry of Environment and Forest) has notified the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification 2006. It has brought 37 developmental sectors under its ambit which would require prior environmental clearance. The notification also provides for bringing out guidelines from time to time on the requirements of the EIA Notification and on the process of environmental clearance. Prominent among these sectors include mineral beneficiation, asbestos, building construction and townships, nuclear power, coal washery aerial ropeways, cement, sugar, distilleries, pulp & paper common municipal solid wastes , common effluent treatment plants, industrial estates, common hazardous waste disposal, storage and treatment facilities among others.

Electric cars to get cheaper by Rs 1 lakh on Government sop
The Hindu Business Line, 23 November 2010
Electric cars may become cheaper by up to Rs 1 lakh with manufacturers expected to pass on to the consumers the benefits of the Rs 950-million incentive package extended by the Government to the industry. This subsidy will be applicable till 2011/12, after which it will be merged with the National Electric Vehicle Policy that is currently being formulated.

Centre issues new regulations to protect coastline
The Hindustan Times, 14 September 2010
The Centre notified regulations imposing fresh restrictions on development activity within 500 meters of the 7500 km long Indian coastline divided into four zones depending on ecological sensitivity. A special relaxation has been given to Greater Mumbai, which includes old and new Mumbai. The new regulations have been enforced after deliberations for over five years. Even the proposed airport at Navi Mumbai comes under the ambit of the relaxed rules but it will have to pass the test of a expert appraisal committee. In CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) one, which includes mangrove belts and coral reefs, construction of new approach roads has been allowed if they don't disturb free flow of tidal water. In the CRZ-II areas developed close to shoreline in Mumbai, the ministry has allowed existing development activity and has provided special exemption for slum rehabilitation schemes undertaken by the government.

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

In a first, Okhla compost plant gets carbon credits worth Rs 25 lakh
The Hindustan Times, 6 March 2013
The Okhla composting plant of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation has received carbon credits and Rs 25 lakh from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for helping the environment. The plant uses 200 tonnes of municipal waste to produce manure that can be used in parks and gardens.

Rise in sea level threatening Sunderbans: Pachauri
The Hindu Business Line, 7 January 2013
The rise in sea levels around the Sundarbans delta - the world's largest mangrove forest spread across India and Bangladesh - is a cause of concern, said Dr R K Pachauri, Director-General of TERI. Researchers of the School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur University, estimate that sea levels rose from 3.14 mm annually (recorded until the year 2000) to about 8 mm by 2010. The delta consists of 102 low-lying islands of which 48 are inhabited. Nearly four million people in the Sundarbans coexist with 26 species of true mangroves, 234 species of birds and 47 species of mammals, including the Royal Bengal tiger.

What did Doha achieve?
Indian Express, 19 December 2012
Actions at the global level are required to make sure that the international community takes whatever steps are necessary to prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference, says Dr R K Pachauri, Director-General, TERI.

District-level plans to farmers' help in climate change
The Financial Express, 1 December 2012
With the effects of climate change becoming evident by the day and farmers having to face the worst, the good news is that the agriculture ministry's attempt to prepare district-level contingency plans across India to deal the contingencies seem to be working. Many farmers in coastal Andhra Pradesh, participating in one such contingency plan, could manage to save their paddy crop from the fury of cyclone Nilam as they had sown submergence-tolerant varieties. As a part of a pilot project, submergence-resistant rice varieties were sown in select villages of two Andhra coastal districts of West Godavari and Srikakulam this year. And despite the severity of cyclone Nilam, many farmers could save large portion of their crop while others faced severe losses. Similarly in Bihar and Jharkhand, as part of piloting the district-level contingency plan, paddy nurseries were grown in a staggered manner thereby providing seedlings to farmers in villages which faced a delay in monsoons this year.

BSE launches carbon-based thematic index
The Hindu, 1 December 2012
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has launched BSE Carbonex, the first carbon-based thematic index in the country, which takes a strategic view of organizational commitment to climate change mitigation. This index has been launched with the aim of creating a benchmark, and increasing awareness about the risks posed by climate change.

Malabar Hill surface 4 degrees hotter since 1998
The Times of India, 16 September 2012
The unending, unplanned concretisation of Mumbai is not just impacting its air brutally but also its land. A recent study shows that between 1998 and 2011 the temperature of the land here rose by an average of 2-3 degrees Celsius, with Malabar Hill suffering the biggest increase, followed by Santa Cruz (West), Khar (West) and Bandra (West). Conducted by TERI, the study recorded land surface temperature (LST) by examining satellite images. LST, experts explained, indicates how hot the earth surface is. It differs from the atmospheric temperature but contributes to a general increase in temperature. High LST affects flora and fauna besides disturbing humans' concentration levels and work efficiency as well as causing in them depression and irritation.

India: Equity formula must for green targets
The Times of India, 3 April 2012
India will not agree to any greenhouse gas emission reduction targets without an equitable regime, the government has decided. Further consolidating its position ahead of crucial international climate meetings, the Union environment and forests ministry said that until the formula for equity and common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) was not defined, India's responsibilities to reduce emissions would remain voluntary. Further, it will not accept any punitive international regime now or after 2020. The move comes in wake of some developed countries along with the association of small island states demanding that emerging economies like India undertake commitments from as early as 2015. They also asked for a global regime post 2020 to have binding commitments for all.

India, US must pool their resources on energy and climate issues: Pachauri
Zee News, 27 April 2012
India and the US must pool in their resources to develop policies and solutions to address challenges being faced in the fields of climate change and clean energy, Dr R K Pachauri has said. "It is imperative for India and the US to pool their resources, the skills, technological capabilities and innovativeness, to develop policies and solutions to the challenges of energy security," Dr Pachauri, Director-General of TERI said in his address to the third India-US Energy Partnership Summit

India to adopt low carbon growth path in 12th Five-Year Plan
Deccan Herald, 16 March 2012
India will adopt a low carbon growth path in the 12th five year plan to meet the national target of lowering the emission intensity of its gross domestic product by 20-25 per cent by 2020, the “Economic Survey 2011-12” has suggested. While the Centre will put its best foot forward to achieve a sustainable growth, the survey also underlined the importance of adopting climate friendly policies at the state level to lower the overall carbon footprint so that a green cover can be put on the GDP growth. The survey, for the first time, has a separate chapter on climate change suggesting the road map for sustainable growth in the next five years.

Developed nations should set higher climate goals: India
The Financial Express, 2 March 2012
As part of its submissions to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, India has sought an increase in the level of ambition by the developed or Annex-I countries, in line with the principles of equity and common -- but differentiated -- responsibility. The environment ministry has also categorically stated that the increase in the ambition level can be achieved only if the Annex-I countries clarify that their commitments and targets between 2012-2020 are without any conditions.

Five industrialized states improve green cover, says survey
Business Standard, 17 February 2012
For long, industrialized states were looked upon as the ones trading forest cover for development. However, a recent report by the Forest Survey of India showed five of the nine most industrialized states were able to increase their green cover in 2011, compared to 2009. Between 2001 and 2010, these nine states contributed 60 per cent towards the country's gross domestic product output. Data analyzed by Business Standard showed the five states added 178 sq km of forests. The states were Tamil Nadu (74 sq km), Rajasthan (51 sq km), Orissa (48 sq km), Karnataka (four sq km) and West Bengal (one sq km). The net losers of forest included Andhra Pradesh (281 sq km), Maharashtra (four sq km), Uttar Pradesh (three sq km) and Gujarat (one sq km).

Pachauri to set up TERI unit in Bengal
The Times of India, 2 January 2012
Dr R K Pachauri, Director-General of TERI and Chairman of IPCC, has said he would soon set up a unit of TERI in West Bengal to work on climate change impact. The unit will be set up at Baruipur in South 24 Parganas district to give more intensity to study on climate change impact and work for the protection of the environment. Welcoming Dr Pachauri's initiative for the state, the state’s chief minister said her government was ready to extend all cooperation to his institute.

ICT can help India meet climate change goals
The South Asian Times; 23 December 2011
TERI-Business Council and NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Services Companies) launched a report titled, ‘Sustainable Tomorrow: Harnessing ICT Potential’. The report is an attempt to bring together the entire ecosystem of users and providers of IT applications and services that can help meet the goals of climate change and environment sustainability. The report, emphasizes on the role played by ICT in reducing India’s energy requirements by encouraging practices that promote a healthier environment without impeding the economic growth. The report recognizes the potential of ICT sector and largely focuses on cost effective product enhancement and not necessarily driving energy efficiency. The report is result of a research project jointly undertaken by TERI BCSD and NASSCOM with help of its member companies in identifying IT solutions that can play a game changing role in reducing carbon footprint and defining new opportunities.

Much ado at Durban - Bhadwal, Suruchi
The Financial Express, 16 December 2011
The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 7th Session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties (CMP7) to the Kyoto Protocol was held at Durban, South Africa, from November 28 to December 9, 2011. It brought together representatives of the country governments, international organizations and civil society. The discussions sought to advance the implementation of the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, as well as the Bali Action Plan, agreed at COP13 in 2007, and the Cancun Agreements, reached at COP16 in December 2010.

Delhi Metro gets certification from UN
The Economic Times, 25 September 2011
The United Nations has certified Delhi Metro as the first metro rail based system in the world to get carbon credits for contributing to the fight against climate change by helping in reducing pollution levels in the city by 6.3 lakh tons every year. The organization has also earned carbon credits worth Rs 47 crore annually for the next seven years. With nearly 20 lakh people taking the new age transport system every day, the Metro has helped reduce pollution and emission of greenhouse gases as it is a completely non-polluting and environment-friendly system.

Global warming hurts coastline most
The Pioneer, 21 April 2011
Even as the debate on climate change and the wisdom of following a development model of energy-intensive industrialisation rages on, there are tell-tale signs that indicate that the threat faced by India from global warming is increasing with every passing day. The rising average temperature and erratic rainfall have raised concerns among environmentalists as agricultural yields are getting affected. Further, increased precipitation is causing the sea-levels to rise resulting in land loss and coastal erosions.

National Water Mission under National Action Plan on Climate Change
Press Information Bureau, 6 April 2011
The Union Cabinet has approved the Comprehensive Mission Document of the National Water Mission. The National Water Mission is one of the 8 National Missions which form the core of the National Action Plan for Climate Change. The Mission Document for National Water Mission was drafted by the Ministry of Water Resources through consultative process with full involvement of State Governments, concerned Central Ministries, Non-Governmental Organizations, academicians and other stakeholders.

TERI gets Wipro's supercomputer for climate modelling
Business Standard, 14 March 2011
TERI, which is working on climate change issues, has acquired supercomputer from Wipro to enhance understanding of climate variability and climate change at different spatial and temporal scales. Climate modeling at TERI envisions addressing key environmental challenges from global to local levels, by providing plausible scientific knowledge on climate change issues, TERI Director General Dr R K Pachauri in a statement. Wipro's supercomputer will help in fine-tuning the complexities attached in predicting the climate patterns so that they can be used for climate change projections and regional impact assessment studies, Dr Pachauri said.

India : PM council on climate change okays Green India Mission
The Financial Express, 24 February 2011
The Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change has approved the Green India Mission, which targets 5 million hectare improvement in forest and tree cover besides adding another 5 million hectare to existing forest cover. The mission is one of eight missions comprising the National Action Plan on Climate Change and will involve a investment of Rs 460 billion over 10 years. The decisions that were solicited at the meeting of the ministry of environment and forests and the council included the approval for immediate creation of core mission team and an additional allocation of Rs 3000 million in 2011/12 for preparatory phase. The additional funding can be allocated from the National Clean Energy Fund. Besides, a separate budget head for Green India Mission will be made in 2011/12. The mission calls for improved ecosystem services including biodiversity, hydrological services and carbon sequestration as a result of treatment of 10 million hectare, increased forest based livelihood income for 3 million forest dependent households and enhanced annual CO2 sequestration of 50-60 million tonnes by the year 2020.

Climate change impacts small nations more
The Asian Age, 4 February 2011
Speaking at the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit organized by TERI, President of Afghanistan Mr Hamid Karzai lamented that the last 30 years of war in his country had resulted in "the massive destruction of trees, soil, earth and all the support systems on which his country had survived". Mr Karzai also regretted that growing consumerism (which he described as the arrival of money in Afghanistan ) was resulting in a lavish and unsustainable lifestyle. Two other leaders — President of the Dominican Republic Dr Leonel Fernandez and President of Seychelles Mr James Alix Michel highlighted how the impact of climate change was being more strongly felt in the small nation states.

Delhi Metro scores a world first with carbon credits
The Times of India , 19 January 2011
Delhi Metro has earned Rs 30 million annually in carbon credits since 2009. The railway project is the first transport project in the world that was registered under the United Nations programme for dealing in the carbon market. The use of regenerative braking system in trains — that results in power production — was one project that had been certified for carbon trading and another project had received in principal approval. Metro has also used flyash bricks in construction activity which, the corporation says, will save 3.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 10 years. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation officials said the braking system had saved 90,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from being emitted.

Himalayan glaciers to shrink by 10% by 2100: analysis
The Hindustan Times, 11 January 2011
Himalayan glaciers are likely to shrink by 10% by 2100, much slower than in the Alps and other regions, scientists have determined through possibly the most rigorous analysis of global warming effects on glaciers. Alpine glaciers may shrink by as much as 75% by the turn of the century, a team of American and Canadian scientists has said in research published in Nature Geoscience in January 2011. But the melting of ice sheets in the Arctic regions of Canada and Russia , Alaska , northern Norway and Antarctica are likely to contribute most to the rise in global sea level of an estimated 12 cm by 2100 because of their large size, the scientists have said. "The surprising finding for me is that the 12 cm rise by 2100 is only from glacier melting…our predictions probably present the lower bound (of sea level rise from ice melting)," Dr Valentina Radic, geophysicist at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver and one of the lead authors said.

TERI, Assam government organize a multi stake-holder discussion on "North East and the Response to Climate Change"
India Education Diary; 28 December 2010
With an aim to have a thorough strategy to understand the implications of climate change in Assam and the North Eastern region, so that well formulated measures could be taken for its people to adapt to its effects, Government of Assam, in association with TERI, organized a major state-level summit North East and the Response to Climate Change- Policies for Watershed Management, Energy Security, and Biodiversity. The prime objective of the summit was to initiate a multi stake-holder discussion around specific sustainable development issues, the prevalent best practices, and the way forward towards outlining a sustainable development road-map for the North eastern states.

Bangladesh sand to help keep the Maldives afloat
Business Standard, 28 December 2010
After looking to buy land in other countries, Maldives is making a last-ditch effort to avoid its citizens becoming climate refugees. It is importing sand. In this endeavour to tackle the effects of global warming, none other than Bangladesh is playing Good Samaritan. Both countries are planning to sign a deal within four months to ship sand to the Maldives. The island nation faces a real threat of being inundated if the sea level rises by even one metre. Maldives, a chain of 1200 islands and coral atolls about 500 miles from the tip of India, may disappear if the present pace of global warming continues unabated. Bangladesh is planning to start a huge river project worth over BDT 10 billion (Rs 6380 million) to dredge all major rivers, which will bring up huge quantities of sand in the near future.

Tamil Nadu, Gujarat to have pilot emissions trading scheme
Mint, 24 December 2010
Tamil Nadu and Gujarat will soon have India's first domestic ETS (emissions trading scheme), which will be tied to air pollution. It will be implemented under a cap on air pollutants set by the respective state pollution control boards as a pilot for the rest of the country for six months. Mr Jairam Ramesh, minister of state for environment and forests, described the plan as "a big innovation...in market-friendly systems of implementing environmental laws". The scheme works thus: A ceiling on emissions of a certain pollutant is set, based on its desired concentration in the atmosphere. The government then issues or auctions free permits to industrial units in accordance with the amount of pollutant they are allowed to emit. If the plant exceeds the level, it has to buy these permits from others and vice-versa

India, China to hoist green flag together to keep West pressure on emission at bay
The Financial Express, 17 December 2010
A new era of cooperation is in the works between India and China to adopt greener technologies in various industrial sectors that help reduce overall emission levels. Greenhouse emissions have become a major cause of concern for both the countries fighting a hard battle with the West that is putting pressure on them to agree to legally binding arrangement to cut emissions in a time-bound manner. According to senior government officials, India and China have agreed in principle to cooperate for development and adoption of green technologies in energy, metal and mining sectors where already the two countries share a working relationship. It has also been agreed that both the countries would also initiate joint R&D exercise that aid in faster development of clean technologies.

Incentive driven policy for emission
The Financial Express, 29 November 2010
In order to encourage companies to step up investment in green technologies, the government is planning to provide tax benefits to firms that prove their carbon content to be on the lower side. The tax breaks are likely to be spelt out in the Budget for 2011/12. The government is considering several options to sensitise the industry on the dangers of high carbon emissions.

UK, India business leaders set road map to handle climate change
Business Standard, 16 November 2010
Top business leaders from the UK and India have called for closer trade ties on clean technologies with the aim of boosting economic growth at the same time as cutting carbon emissions. The report from the UK-India BLCG (Business Leaders Climate Group) — chaired by Sir Stuart Rose and Mr Rajan Bharti Mittal — is the first report of its kind where business leaders have come together to consider the practical steps necessary to deliver a low carbon economy.

India, UK firms to step up cooperation in clean technology
The Hindu Business Line, 16 November 2010
A low carbon economy summit to examine further cooperation between India and the UK will be held in India next year, following the recommendations of a high-profile climate change group published recently. The summit will help encourage British private equity and venture capital firms to work with Indian firms working on new clean technology, the UK-India Business Leaders Climate Group, chaired by Sir Stuart Rose, the chairman of retail group Marks and Spencer, and Mr Rajan Bharti Mittal, Vice-chairman of Bharti Enterprises, said.

India proposes new emission check system
The Economic Times, 10 November 2010
India has suggested a system of "international consultation and analysis" that could well turn the tables on industrialized countries, particularly the US. Environment minister Mr Jairam Ramesh presented the proposal at Mexico ministerial. It will now be discussed at Major Economies Forum in Washington on November 17 and 18. ICA( International consultation and analysis) refers to a global system for monitoring efforts that developing countries make to counter climate change by using domestic resources. This was agreed to by developing countries like India, China at the Copenhagen meet as part of the political "grand bargain"— the Copenhagen Accord. The Indian ICA proposal stresses that it would be a "facilitative process for transparency and accountability" and with no punitive implications. The mechanism will be anchored within the multilateral system Subsidiary Body for Implementation within the UNFCCC. The consultation and analysis will take place once every 2/3 years for countries' with a share of more than 2 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.

DRDO to study climatic changes in Ladakh
The Tribune, 9 November 2010
Following the freak cloudburst that devastated Leh during the monsoon, DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) has embarked upon a project to study the changing weather phenomenon in Ladakh and subsequently develop new models for weather forecast. The task is being carried out by the Chandigarh based SASE (Snow and Avalanche Studies Establishment), which has already forwarded two preliminary reports on the subject to the DRDO headquarters. The project is expected to take about a year. The SASE is analyzing the climatic data of Ladakh and the surrounding areas in the past 50 years to determine the probable cause of the cloudburst and some recent freaky weather conditions in the area.

ADB may step up funding for clean development projects
The Hindu Business Line, 5 November 2010
ADB (Asian Development Bank) expects to step up its CDM (clean development mechanism) financing to Indian projects in areas such as renewable energy and solid waste management. CDM financing is part of ADB's carbon market initiative and the bank helps its clients with the CDM registration process and buys upfront a portion of carbon credits likely to be generated by the projects over a period of time. The multilateral financing institution has two carbon funds. The $150 million Asia Pacific Carbon Fund launched in 2006 buys carbon credits up to 2012, while the $115 million Future Carbon Fund, launched last year, buys post 2012 credits.

German-aided project on climate change in Nagaland
The Hindu, 29 September 2010
A German development bank and Nagaland government have signed an agreement to raise adaptive capacity of rural people in the face of climate changes. As part of the climate change adaptation (CCA) project in the North-East, the German government-owned development bank, Reconstruction Credit Institute (KfW) on Tuesday signed the ‘minutes of meeting” (MoM) with the Nagaland government for implementation of the programme. The KfW (German financial cooperation programme) will be implemented involving various government agencies, including Nagaland Environment Programme through Economic Development and NGOs, through micro-level planning and execution of livelihood programmes keeping in mind the challenges of climate change. The programme, which is likely to take off by early 2012, is intended to enhance the resilience and adaptive capacity of rural people in Nagaland in the face of climate change and variability

Government to set up 16 carbon credit centres
The Hindu Business Line, 25 September 2010
The government is in the process of setting p 16 carbon credit accredited centres across India with a funding of Rs 15 lakhs a centre as grant, according to Mr D Chandra Sekhar, Director, MSME Development Institute, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises inaugurating a seminar on "Plastics for Green Buildings", he said the Ministry provided funding support to MSME units that adopt energy efficient technologies. "A grant of 25% of the project cost subject to a ceiling of Rs 10 lakhs would be given to MSME units that adopt energy efficient technologies," he said. Underscoring the need for encouraging green buildings, he said such building sued products that are non toxic, reusable, renewable and recyclable wherever possible.

National project to help crops fight climate change
The Times of India, 5 September 2010
In the near future, Goa could avail of funds under the national agriculture innovation project to tide over instances of saline water entering agricultural land. The project, which is aimed at making farming more resilient to climate change, could also apply to the state as salinity in its seven major rivers is likely to increase due to a rise in temperatures. Dr Anil Kumar Singh, deputy director general (NRM), ICAR, New Delhi, announced this to the press on the sidelines of a seminar on Ecosystems and biodiversity: Goan perspective, organized by ICAR Old Goa, Centre for Environment Education (Goa) and Science, Technology and Environment department at Old Goa. Climate change will lead to a rise in temperatures, which would affect crops and lead to a reduction in the production of food. The government will support small and marginal farmers by integration of traditional knowledge and practical systems, information technology and biotechnology, as well as new credit and insurance mechanisms.

Government earmarks Rs 250 billion for climate change
The Times of India, 22 August 2010
The government said India was going to be affected "the most" by climate change, but it had made a provision of huge fund to the tune of nearly Rs 250 billion from different sources, including clean energy cess on coal, to mitigate its impact. Replying to a debate in the Rajya Sabha on a private member's resolution for setting up a fund for dealing with climate change, minister for environment and forest Jairam Ramesh said the government would come out with a "discussion paper" on financing of adaptation and mitigation in the domestic context in the next Budget Session of Parliament (February–March, 2011). Explaining how the fund is being raised, the minister said the money was being raised through the cess on coal at a nominal rate of Rs 50 per tonne and other financial mechanism called CAMPA.

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

New Companies Bill mandates CSR spending
The Hindu, 20 December 2012
With the Lok Sabha giving its approval for the Companies Bill, 2011, Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Mr Sachin Pilot said the aim of the legislation was to make India a safe and attractive destination for investment and to do away with 'inspector raj' on companies. "The aim is to protect the interests of employees and small investors while encouraging firms to undertake social welfare voluntarily instead of imposing that through 'inspector raj' and make India an attractive and safe investment destination," Mr. Pilot, who put up a spirited show during the passage of the Bill, said. The passage of the Bill is another important part of the reforms process being undertaken by the UPA II government.

National body to monitor CSR funds, project execution likely
The Financial Express, 3 December 2012
An independent mechanism may be put in place to ensure fair, transparent and full use of the funds earmarked by India Inc for corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. New corporate affairs minister Mr Sachin Pilot has proposed creation of an entity -- likely a special purpose vehicle (SPV) -- for monitoring CSR funds use besides ensuring that corporates don't fail in timely execution of CSR projects.

Parliamentary panel for mandatory CSR
Business Standard, 14 August 2012
A parliamentary panel has asked the government to make corporate social responsibility (CSR) spending mandatory for companies above a certain threshold. It also wanted the government to clearly define in the Companies Bill the term 'private placement' of instruments to raise money. In its report on the Companies Bill, 2011, tabled in the Lok Sabha, Parliament's standing committee on finance also suggested to the government that appointment of auditors be approved by shareholders at the annual general meeting. The Bill had proposed to allow appointment of auditors for the straight five years.

India's green IT, sustainability spend to reach $70 b by 2015
The Hindu, 20 September 2011
India's spending on green IT and sustainability initiatives will double from $35 billion in 2010 to $70 billion in 2015, according to Gartner, Inc., a leading IT research and advisory company. In its report "Hype cycle for green IT and sustainability in India, 2011," Gartner said green IT and sustainability have found their way into the IT  organisations of many industries in India. Although still buzzwords for many, they will soon emerge as top priorities for businesses, investors and technology professionals across  industries and policymakers in India.

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.

Climate change

New guidelines to mark no-mining zone in forests
The Hindustan Times, 02 September 2012
Forests with rich bio-diversity, good hydrological potential and livelihood support for locals should be declared inviolate (free) from mining, an environment ministry committee has told the government. The committee headed by environment secretary Mr Tishyarakshit Chatterjee was constituted by a Group of Ministers after it scrapped the go-no-go policy for coal mining in dense forests saying the ministry should come out with norms for mining in "pristine" forest areas. The committee, in its final report, which has been submitted to the Planning Commission, has recommended eight parameters to evaluate forests before allowing mining.

Natural disasters

Floods, landslides displace 1 million in northeast, 33 dead
The Times of India, 24 September 2012
Floods and landslides caused by relentless rain in northeast India have killed at least 33 people and displaced more than a million. Floods displaced nearly one million in Assam alone, and many were now sheltering in camps or beside roads, which tend to be built above the land they pass through, a senior official in Assam's disaster management authority said.

Bangalore to host World Water Summit in February
The Hindu, 8 September 2011
Leading water innovators, policy makers, academics, researchers, investors, thinkers, catalysts, technocrats and entrepreneurs from across the globe will congregate in Bangalore for three days in February to discuss the future of innovation in the water sector

12 member GoM to review forest clearance norms
Business Standard, 17 February 2011
With environmental clearances coming in the way of industrial activity, a 12 member GoM (Group of Ministers) will be reworking the existing statues and rules relating to forest clearance. The GoM is headed by Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee. The agenda note lists three predominant `issues' that are to be considered by the GoM, including efficacy and legality of existing forest clearance norms and procedures, environmental clearance in respect of projects in areas of high CEPI (Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index) and steps to be taken to ensure better quality forests are regenerated in a time bound manner after mining operations are over. The GoM will suggest changes in existing statutes, rules, regulations, guidelines or executive instructions.

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.

Natural Resources

New rules to ease supply of minor minerals
The Tribune, 5 March 2013
The Punjab Government has approved "The Punjab Minor Mineral Rules, 2013" to ease the supply of minor minerals in the state. Under the rules, environmental approval of mines spread over less than five hectares would be accorded by a district-level committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner with General Manager-cum-Mining Officer as member secretary.

IIT Kanpur, European tech centre tie up to cut pollution in Ganga
The Hindu Business Line, 2 December 2012
The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IITK) and European Business and Technology Centre (EBTC) have entered into a partnership for restoring the river Ganga. EBTC, an initiative co-funded by the European Union (EU), and coordinated by Eurochambers, is organizing the "India Water Impact Summit from December 3 to 5 in the Capital.

Pollution

Indoor air pollution kills 1.3mn Indians
The Hindustan Times, 25 February 2013
Over a million people in India - among highest in the world - die every year because of indoor air pollution. But the country's top advisory body the Planning Commission wants more epidemiological studies before it agrees to put in place national indoor air pollution norms.

Delhi groundwater may run dry in 3-5 years: study
The Times of India, 12 December 2012
Scientists at the premier National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) have said groundwater in Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, along with several other northern cities, are declining at such a rapid pace that in three years the Andhra Pradesh capital will be almost bone dry. Staring at an acute crisis, NGRI has been asked by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) under the ministry of water resources to trace new aquifers using heliborne electromagnetic techniques in the states of Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Bihar and Rajasthan.

Road map for cleaner air
The Hindu, 9 August 2012
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry has sought setting up of an inter-ministerial Committee (IMC) with representatives from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Ministry of Heavy Industries, Urban Development and Public Enterprises and the Ministry of Environment and Forests to draw up a roadmap for reduction of pollution. The Ministry has stated that with a time lag in implementation of sound vehicle inspection and maintenance, vehicle retro-fitment and retirement, garage certification and traffic management, mere improvement of fuel quality was not enough to achieve the desired results.

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

India, Pakistan to double trade to $6 billion
The Hindu, 29 September 2011
India and Pakistan agreed to jointly work towards doubling the bilateral trade to $6 billion annually from the current level of $2.7 billion by 2014. They also decided to put in place a liberalized visa regime from November 2011 for business communities of both nations.

India, South Africa set $15-bn bilateral trade target by 2014
Business Standard, 30 August 2011
India and South Africa on Monday decided to increase two-way trade between both countries to $15 billion by 2014 from $10.64 billion while concluding the India-South Africa CEOs Forum. This was the second meeting of the forum. The first one was held in Johannesburg last year, where five sector-specific working groups were created to ensure seamless trade and business transaction between both countries.

India-UK bilateral trade grew 20% in 2010 - Stephen Keith Green
The Financial Express, 21 July 2011
It has been a year since the UK’s Prime Minister, David Cameron, made a highly successful visit to India, which helped to strengthen our bilateral relationship and build on our already-strong trade and investment ties. Now we have published figures to show how many companies from overseas are investing in the UK, and these have demonstrated just how important a partner India is for the UK.

India not for IPR beyond domestic law in free trade pact with EU: PM
Business Standard, 1 May 2011
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has directed Indian negotiators not to take Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) obligation, particularly in pharmaceuticals, beyond domestic laws or as mandated in a World Trade Organisation pact, while entering into a Foreign Trade Agreement (FTA) with European Union (EU).

Trade policy to focus on Latin America, Africa
The Times of India, 25 April 2011
After Look East, India is now adding a 'Focus West' chapter to its trade policy. Under increasing pressure from China, especially in Africa, New Delhi is now moving ahead with plans to sign three comprehensive economic partnership agreements (CEPA) that would include free trade pacts in goods and services. In addition, the government has started work on upgrading its preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Mercosur -- comprising Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.

Indo-US trade up 29.6% at $48.75 billion
The Financial Express, 22 February 2011
The total two way trade between India and the US between January to December 2010 was over $48.75 billion. This is in comparison to $37.61 billion achieved during the same period in 2009, showing an increase of 29.64%, according to Indo-American Chamber of Commerce. The total bilateral trade in calendar year 2009 was $37.61 billion, which was a significant drop from $43.39 billion in 2008 mainly because of the downturn in global economy. Between January and December 2010, the country's exports to the US stood at $29.53 billion as against $21.17 billion for same period in 2009 thus showing an increase of 39.52%.

India , Japan sign landmark trade deal
The Times of India , 17 February 2011
India and Japan signed a comprehensive economic partnership agreement which is expected to give greater market access to both countries. The agreement between the two countries covers trade in goods, services and investment and is expected to reduce tariffs in about 90% of the trade in the next 10 years as both Japan and India seek to diversify trade and ensure greater market access within Asia . The pact between the two countries has ensured that the sensitive sectors for India are fully protected. These include agriculture, fruits, spices, wheat, basmati rice, edible oils, wines and spirits and also certain categories of industrial products such as auto and auto parts.

Talks in advanced stage for free trade pact with EU: Ministry
The Hindu Business Line, 15 September 2010
The Government will be signing Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with the European Union, Japan and Malaysia in the next few months. Stating that FTAs would pose challenge to Indian agriculture products and planters, Mr A.S. Mangotra, Additional Secretary, Commerce Ministry, said while addressing the 117th annual conference of the United Planters Association of Southern India. That trade with other countries has to be two-way and there had to be some quid pro quo.

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

Urban transport to get a leg up; 10,000 buses to be bought for Indian cities
The Hindustan Times, 1 March 2013
Often ignored by politicians, the urban poor and middle class got a little more attention and funding from finance minister in the 2013-14 budget. Ten thousand swanky buses for Indian cities, a fund to tide over housing shortage in urban areas, financial help for municipalities implementing waste to energy projects - the "urban focus" was very much evident in Union budget.

Railway to invest Rs 5000 crore for port connections in 5 years
The Indian Express, 8 February 2013
Railways has drawn up an ambitious plan to meet a target of garnering private investments worth Rs 5,000 crore in rail connectivity projects to key infrastructure points such as ports in the next five years. It is meeting rail investors and customers.

India, Japan to up cooperation in infrastructure projects
The Financial Express, 1 May 2012
Reflecting their increasing commercial ties, India and Japan recently held their first economic dialogue during which they agreed to accelerate cooperation in several infrastructure projects, including Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) and railways.

Modernisation takes driver's seat; Rs 63k crore to be spent over 5 years; Rail Budget
Business Standard, 15 March 2012
The 2012-13 rail budget laid special focus on modernisation to enhance efficiency and safety. India cannot sustain its present gross domestic product growth unless its lead basic infrastructure, Indian Railways, modernizes and grows at least 10 per cent annually, said railway minister Dinesh Trivedi in his budget speech.

NHAI plans swanky makeover of 10 highways across 11 states
The Economic Times, 27 September 2011
NHAI will develop 60 service plazas on major highway stretches, and set up complexes every 50-60 km along the roads. It will kick off the plan next month and invite bids for 27 sites of 2-5 hectares each on 10 highways across 11 states, to be developed in two years. The highways would also have security systems, and Siemens has already signed an MoU with a subsidiary of Reliance Industries to develop such facilities in roads and cities. Ten years ago, Siemens had earlier tested waters with a pilot project when it installed emergency call boxes, television cameras along a stretch of Delhi-Jaipur highway.

Electric vehicle market to touch five million units by 2020: study
Mint, 7 September 2011
Demand for electric and hybrid vehicles in India, the world’s second fastest growing automobile market, is estimated to increase 50-fold to 5 million units by 2020, according to two people involved in a study funded by the government.

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

Waste-to-energy gets fund boost
The Times of India, 1 March 2013
With the government throwing its weight behind waste-to-energy (WTE) plants in this year's Budget, a debate has started on the need for, and suitability of, such projects. Waste management across most parts of the country is in a mess and in cities like Delhi, where a WTE plant has been operating for more than a year, municipal agencies say it is the best way to manage waste. However, environmentalists say incineration is not a suitable technology for India.

Only 55% homes linked to Delhi's sewage network
Mint, 5 December 2012
Untreated human waste from nearly 45% of the population in Delhi flows into the Yamuna river as these homes are not connected to the city's sewage network, according to a Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report submitted to the Supreme Court. As per the estimate provided by Delhi government including Delhi Jal Board about 45% population is not covered with sewerage facilities and there is no provision as on date for collection and treatment of the sewage generated in these areas, the report states.

Low-cost tech to convert human sludge into compost
The Hindustan Times, 3 December 2012
The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, the country's premier nuclear research institute, has moved a step away from its core function and found a low-cost solution to deal with the country's ever-increasing problem of recycling sludge. It has developed a technology for converting sludge - having 99% water and 1% human waste - into compost for use as low-cost good quality organic fertilisers in farms. The technology has been successfully demonstrated at the centre's Mumbai office.

Pune's 'waste to energy' project pays dividends
The Hindu, 10 September 2012
At a time when projects generating energy and compost out of segregated waste (mainly biodegradable waste) are catching up, the Pune Municipal Corporation, which handles 1,300 to 1,400 tonnes of solid waste every day, took the risk of going a step further by roping in a company with advanced technology which produces energy utilizing unsegregated waste. Initiated a year ago, the PPP model of "waste to energy" has taken shape at the Ramtekdi Industrial Area on the outskirts of Pune in an area of 2.5 acres allotted by PMC

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.