CAG report points the finger at Manmohan for discrepancies
Reeling under the impact of several scams, including 2G spectrum allocation, UPA-II was buffeted on Friday by another serious allegation that it had caused a Rs. 1.86- lakh crore loss to the exchequer by not ensuring transparency in coal blocks allocation during 2004-09. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also came under scrutiny of the Comptroller and Auditor-General, whose report pointed to serious discrepancies during 2006-09, when he was holding charge of the Coal Ministry.
To avert a total breakdown of the grid system and prevent a major blackout in future, the northern grid States have formulated a 12-point plan including installation of automatic demand management schemes.
At a recent meeting held at the Power Ministry, the plan was agreed upon by a dozen States including major offenders Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, and Delhi were also part of the agreement.
Petroleum Ministry seeks setting up of an inter-ministerial group to draw up an action plan for pollution issues
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.
States in denial; data shows massive overdrawing was overlooked
The “blackout” on Monday and the “torturous Tuesday” have clearly brought out the deficiencies in the management of the power grids across the country and there is no reason for anybody to believe that this would not happen again. Notwithstanding the denial by Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and other States that they did not indulge in overdrawing of power, data accessed by The Hindu presents a starkly different story of rampant violation of grid discipline.
In a significant decision, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has directed the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry to carry out a revamp of the Directorate-General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) within three months with focus on strengthening its technical, legal and financial aspects to make it a world class body for better negotiation and monitoring capabilities.
The decision to strengthen the DGH comes in view of the increasing number of production-sharing contracts (PSCs), cases of arbitration and other legal matters.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry has warned the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) that unless proactive efforts are made to fasten the process of pending clearances for oil and gas blocks, the country could witness an ‘exodus’ of foreign companies and billions of dollars of investments.
Foreign oil and gas giants were lured to India with a promise of conducive investment environment, it said. Non-clearance would adversely effect investment environment for the future.
The Coal Ministry is preparing a draft on public-private partnership (PPP) in the form of mining, development and operations (MOD) agreement for exploration of coal mines by private entities in clo
Major power producers in the private and public sector, including Tata Power, NTPC, Torrent Power and Mahagenco, have opposed the proposal floated by the Association of Power Producers (APP) to pool domestic gas with RLNG (regasified liquefied natural gas). They have opposed the move on the ground that this would lead to higher tariffs.
In its submission to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) on the gas pooling issue, Tata Power said that its Trombay power station was allocated 1.5 million metric standard cubic metres per day (mmscmd) when ONGC flaring first started.
The UPA-II, celebrating three years in office, gave the “common man” a gift on Wednesday: the steepest- ever increase of Rs. 7.54 in petrol prices. The increase is the first in the past six months. Petrol price in Delhi was increased by Rs. 7.54 a litre to Rs. 73.18 with effect from midnight Wednesday, the state-owned oil marketing companies said in separate, but identical, statements.
With no end in sight to the continuing tussle between Coal India Limited (CIL) and power producers over the fuel supply issues, the Power Ministry has petitioned the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) t
