Opinion
Restructuring Indo-US relations: urgent action essential
17 Mar 2000 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| TERI Newswire VI(6)
President Clinton's visit to India is being seen by several observers as a watershed in Indo-US relations. The political implications of the visit apart, what does have a great deal of significance for India in particular is the prospect of a much stronger economic content in the relationship between the two countries. While there were very few heavyweight industry leaders in President Clinton's delegation, this should not be seen as a significant omission, given the fact in the past few years several major US companies have established a major presence in India, particularly in the field of information technology. President Clinton's own assessment of the dynamism of Indian society and the strength of the country's democratic institutions would provide a very powerful feedback to the captains of industry and political leaders in the US.
Crippled by fiat!
16 Mar 2000 |
Mr S Sundar
| The Economic Times
The promulgation of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Ordinance, 2000 has been hailed as a positive step towards strengthening the telecom regulator. It must be said to the credit of the ordinance that for the first time, the objectives of the legislation have been clearly spelt out. Furthermore, for the first time, the ordinance recognises the growing convergence of technologies, and has rightly included broadcasting services within the meaning of telecommunication services.
Decision-making processes in India: quality inputs essential
02 Mar 2000 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| TERI Newswire VI(5)
The Delhi scene is currently buzzing with activity in preparation for President Bill Clinton's visit to India. Over the past few weeks, several teams of officials from the US have been doing the rounds of Delhi and other cities which were regarded as possible destinations for the Clinton visit, and the contours of the President's itinerary are now fairly clear. Even though President Clinton would be completing his term of office in less than a year, the fact that a US President is visiting India after a gap of 22 years is a significant development. Undoubtedly, at the political level there have been hectic preparations for the discussions that would take place between the US President and the Indian Prime Minister as well as between senior officials from both sides, but it is not clear whether India has prepared adequately to define a common agenda in the fields of science and technology, climate change, environment, and energy.
"Managing transition vital"
01 Mar 2000 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| The Financial Times
TERI is a premier research organization focusing on energy and environmental issues. In a freewheeling interview with Nitin Chittal of FE-Thinktank, TERI director, Dr R K Pachauri spoke extensively on the ongoing reforms process in the power sector.
"Remove poverty beforetackling environmental problems"
25 Feb 2000 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| The Indian Express
The capital hosted one of the biggest gatherings of recent years with world leaders and academicians coming for the conference on 'Global Sustainable development in the 21st century: Directions for innovation and change'. The occasion was TERI's 25th birthday. The conference had 400 delegates from 25 countries and those from corporates like Shell, Indian Aluminium Company and Unilever. They rubbed shoulders with representatives from World Bank, UNEP and ex-premiers from Japan, Sweden and Nepal. Dr R K Pachauri, TERI Director, spoke to Sonu Jain.
Call for global sustainable development: TERI's Silver Jubilee Celebrations
17 Feb 2000 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| TERI Newswire VI(4)
The third week of February was a momentous occasion for TERI and marked a major milestone in the history of the Institute. In the period 18-21 February, TERI celebrated its Silver Jubilee by organizing a series of conferences dealing with the most critical issues defining sustainable development. TERI staff have reason to feel satisfied and proud that the occasion was able to attract some of the most outstanding leaders from all over the world, drawn from the fields of science and technology, business and industry, international organizations, governments, academia and the media.
Power sector reforms: welcome development
02 Feb 2000 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| TERI Newswire VI(3)
The Government of Karnataka has, it is reported, decided on privatizing distribution by the end of the year 2001. This is an extremely welcome development, and according to newspaper reports, the Union Ministry of Power has got into an agreement with the Government of Karnataka to provide certain financial allocations in response to the plans of the state to pursue a time-bound path of reforms. This too is a very healthy and welcome development because in the past the divergence of stands taken by the centre and some states has led to sluggishness in the reforms process with several states unwilling to participate in a purposeful manner.
"Reforms are needed in the upstream sector"
18 Jan 2000 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| The Economic Times
The energy sector in India has been witnessing significant shifts in the past few years. Both the industry and policy-makers are gradually beginning to realise the fall-outs of the new policies, which are based on market principles rather than administrative prices. While, in the power sector, the government started off with a liberalised policy allowing private investors in generation, distribution and transmission, in the oil and gas sector, the government is now moving towards market prices for petroleum products instead of administered prices.
Dr R K Pachauri, Director-General of TERI, one of the premier research organisations in the field of energy, spoke to Soma Banerjee and M K Venu of The Economic Times on the new trends in this sector.
Greenbudgeting: essential for sustainable economic growth
17 Jan 2000 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| TERI Newswire VI(2)
Even though Asia has been afflicted with a serious economic crisis during the end of the 1990s, India has done reasonably well in maintaining a healthy rate of growth. The current phase of economic reforms being implemented by the Government of India has raised expectations that economic growth will be accelerated even further, and investments for key sectors of the economy enhanced in the coming years. The Budget of the Government of India due to be presented by the Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha on 29 February is, therefore, being awaited with great expectations and hopes that it would spur a higher rate of growth of the Indian economy. There are undoubtedly concerns about the budget deficit, which has been threatening to go out of hand, particularly if we look at the combined deficits of the states and the union government. The situation looks daunting, but can be brought under control with effective fiscal discipline.
In the time of trusteeship
08 Jan 2000 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| Business Today
As we step into the New Millennium, the protection of the environment is a critical challenge for countries and companies alike. Historically, socialist countries like the former Soviet Union that practised rigid centralized planning were poor examples of social responsibility and environmental protection. In particular, a large number of cases from the former Soviet Union that are only now becoming known provide horror-stories of total disregard for environmental damage and destruction. Countries with free market economies too have emerged no better.