Even as opinions are divided over the feasibility of such a measure, fissures have already emerged within the Australian polity over the imposition of the controversial carbon tax from July 1 this year.

The New South Wales (NSW) government has opposed the introduction of the carbon tax by the federal government led by Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. In reply to queries posed by The Hindu, NSW Minister of Resources and Energy and Central Coast, Christopher Hartcher said the NSW government does not support the introduction of the carbon tax by the federal government. “The government is concerned about the impact on cost of living for NSW families and businesses

The focus is clearly on clean energy, says Minister for Resources and Energy

Australia has embarked on a major expansion and investment programme for putting in place massive liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure with around $170 billion worth of current and new projects taking shape. Already the fourth largest exporter of LNG in the world, Australia is the third largest LNG exporter in the Asia-Pacific region having exported 18.9 million tonnes of LNG in 2011 worth around $11.1 billion.

No timeframe or deadline could be set for Australia to start uranium exports to India. But Australia's decision to export to India is firmly in place, despite opposition in some quarters, and both nations are discussing the issue to seal a deal, Australia's Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson said on Monday.

“There are some groups, including the Green Party, which are opposed to the sale of uranium to India. The [ruling] Labor Party and the present government have decided to allow uranium exports to India only for peaceful use and generation of clean energy.

Plans $2 b investment in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha projects

Undeterred by the continued economic downslide in the West and the crisis in the eurozone, Australian mining and iron ore giant Rio Tinto has embarked an ambitious but exciting expansion and growth project with an investment of $15 billion over the next five years in new mines and port facilities to meet the demand from emerging markets such as China and India.

The Central Government has directed Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) to sign gas sales and purchase agreement (GSPA) with NTPC and 10 other city gas distribution (CGD) companies to supply gas from the KG-D6 fields.

Recently, Communist Party of India (Marxist) Rajya Sabha member Tapan Sen had, in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, pointed out to interventions and action of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to help private gas and power producers while ignoring the interests of its own PSUs.

The GSPA relating to the TAPI pipeline has not been signed yet

With India, Pakistan and Afghanistan reaching a broad understanding on the issue of transit fee for import of natural gas through the proposed $7.6 billion Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India (TAPI) pipeline project, the nations concerned are likely to meet next month to sort out the issue and give it a final shape.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry has rejected the “integrated development plan” submitted by Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and its partner British Petroleum (BP plc) for development and production of 16 gas discoveries and instead asked it to restrict pre-development expenses only to fields that have proved commercial viability.

The Managing Committee (MC), led by the Directorate-General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) chief, rejected the proposal for undertaking concept validation and front-end engineering design (FEED) for all the 16 discoveries around the present productive Dhirubhai-1 and 3 fields in the KG-D6 block.

Despite the embarrassment faced by the Manmohan Singh government over the “arbitrary” allocation of captive coal mines and the allegations of anomalies in the coal block allocation against the Ministry, the Coal Ministry continues to drag its feet on a Bill to set up a regulator for the coal sector.

Neither the Ministry nor the Cabinet Secretariat seems to be in a hurry to push through the legislation, which has been hanging fire for the past few months.

GoM headed by Pranab accepted Ashok Chawla committee report in October 2011

Notwithstanding frequent criticism by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on lack of transparency in allocation of natural resources, the Manmohan Singh government continues to sit tight on the reforms suggested by the Ashok Chawla committee which include adoption of an open, transparent and competitive mechanism for allocation and greater disclosure of the existing approval process.

‘Or cut excise duty and compensate our loss'

Fed up with the Centre's “indecision” on allowing an increase in fuel prices in the face of rising international crude prices, the oil marketing companies (OMCs) on Tuesday virtually threatened to increase petrol prices by Rs. 8.04 a litre. They said the government should either cut the excise duty on petrol and give them Rs. 49 crore a day in compensation or face a sharp price hike.

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