Opinion
Are oil sector reforms off track?
01 Oct 2003 |
Asha Ram Sihag2
| The Economic Times
Petroleum sector meets close to 45% of the commercial energy needs of the country. Reforms in this crucial sector are important to promote investment and energy security; improve access and quality of service; and reduce costs and environmental impacts. Over the last 20 years efforts have been made to increase private participation in exploration and production, in refining and to even introduce competition in limited product categories such as lubricants and some bulk distillates.
Spectrum management: the telecom lifeline
14 Aug 2003 |
Asha Ram Sihag2
| The Hindu Business Line
Spectrum is the fundamental resource in wireless communication. It is scarce and is allotted by the government to various users. The increase in number and the popularity of wireless communications have led to a situation of demand pressure on the limited spectrum supply.
Babucracy needs a change menu: lateral entry, early retirement, secondment to the corporate world
13 Aug 2003 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| The Indian Express
Newspaper reports indicate that under Deputy Prime Minster L K Advani's initiative, two professors from IIM Ahmedabad carried out a daylong training programme, attended by 30 secretaries to the Government of India.
IUC regulation: TRAI again!
27 Jul 2003 |
Asha Ram Sihag2
| The Hindu Business Line
With many inconsistencies coming to the fore post-IUC (interconnection user charges) regulation, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has taken up its review. The IUC regulation and the tariff order issued by TRAI in January came into force from May 1; the tariff hike proposed by TRAI was rolled back under political pressure. As for the IUC, until the review process is complete, it will continue to remain in force in its existing form.
Tourists to Advocates: making ecotourism work for people
27 Jun 2003 |
Dr TP Singh
| The Times of India
The idea of ecotourism being one of the ways in which a variety of ecological, economic and social ills can be resolved has been around for some time now. Unfortunately though, the desire to see quick and/or easy solutions to these problems all too often results in both the concept and the practice of ecotourism being used and abused.
Whither Water
06 Jun 2003 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| The Indian Express
Today is World Environment Day. For those of us living in India, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's message, on the occasion, holds special significance. He's marked out the theme of this year's World Environment Day as "Water: Two billion people are dying for it".
Next stop, Cancun
04 Jun 2003 |
Mr Sandeep Singh
| Business Standard
The Doha round of trade negotiations, launched in 2001, is in some difficulty. Whether the difficulties prove fatal depends on whether the developed world continues with the unnecessary rigidity it has shown so far on issues crucial to the developing world.
Give the regulators a chance
24 May 2003 |
Ms Anjali Garg
| The Hindu Business Line
Regulator bashing appears to be everyone's favourite pass time these days. A power cut and one hears about - for the next few weeks, at least - the "bad job" being done by the electricity regulator. Any increase in telephone tariffs, and everybody is out to run down the telecom regulator. There is no denying that it is necessary to keep the regulators on their toes, but are anti-regulator crusades the only way? Is it fair to judge a regulator on the basis of one action? Does it (the one action) make a regulator anti-consumer? Does it rewind the wheel of reforms, undoing all earlier successes?
Start power reforms from the pit
18 May 2003 |
Mr S K Chand
| The Economic Times
The symbiotic link between reforms in the power and coal sectors needs greater attention. The policy framework in the coal sector has a direct bearing on the performance of the power sector. Sixty per cent(62,631 MW) of power generating capacity is coal based and the coal industry is virtually operated by a monopoly. Of the total domestic coal production of 328 million tonnes (MT) in 2001-02, about 74% was consumed by power utilities alone. In 2001, the Indian railways, again a monopoly, carried about 53% of the coal, accounting for 48% of all revenue traffic. All these have a bearing on the power tariff.
Govt buildings waste Rs 150 cr of power each year: Shahi
22 Apr 2003 |
Mr Ramesh Menon
| <a href="http://www.rediff.com" target="_blank">http://www.rediff.com</a>
Inefficient energy consumption patterns by most government buildings result in a financial loss of about Rs 150 crore (Rs 1.50 billion) a year.