TIOL-DDT 263 · the untouched capture
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<html> <head> <title>Untitled Document</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> </head> <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font color="#663399" size="3">TIOL-DDT 263</font><br> 16 12 2005<br> Friday</b></font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#006600" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>DRAFT INTEGRATED ENERGY POLICY - FOR PUBLIC DEBATE</b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Quotes from the Draft:</b><br> <br> ++ Most new oil and gas will come from a politically uncertain middle-east.<br> <br> ++ Energy security concerns are driving key consumers such as the US, China and Japan (that together account for some 40% of the world's primary energy consumption) to seek coal - the world's most abundant fossil fuel.<br> <br> ++ A competitive market without any entry barriers is theoretically the most efficient way to realize optimal fuel and technology choices for extraction, conversion, transportation, distribution and end use of energy<br> <br> ++ The tax structure and regulation across energy sub-sectors should be consistent and institutional arrangements should provide a level playing field to all players. Social objectives should be ideally met through direct transfers. Environmental externalities should be treated uniformly and internalised, as far as possible, under the polluter pays principle<br> <br> ++ Coal Shall Remain India's Primary Energy Source till 2031-32, Current shortages are a concern:<br> <br> ++ Coal accounts for over 50% of India's commercial energy consumption and some 78% of domestic coal production is dedicated to power generation<br> <br> ++ Imported coal is far more cost competitive to imported gas for power generation especially along the western & southern coasts of India<br> <br> ++ <b>Reduce Cost of Power:</b> In terms of purchasing power parity, power tariffs in India for industry, commerce & large households are among the highest in the world<br> <br> ++ Only a competitive free market can do an efficient job of price determination<br> <br> ++ Natural Gas is a non-tradable commodity in the absences of significant investments in pipelines or, alternatively, in liquification, cryogenic shipping & regasification<br> <br> ++ Promote urban mass transport, freight movement by railways, and energy efficient vehicles<br> <br> ++ Enforce minimum fuel efficiency, standards for all vehicles<br> <br> ++ Annual audits must include energy audits for all specified energy intensive industries and industries with a turnover exceeding say Rs 100 crores<br> <br> ++ The benefits in empowerment, health, environment and reduced pressure on deforestation and hence the water table and soil erosion are well worth the cost – even without considering the benefits from the likely increase in productivity of rural India.<br> <br> ++ The top 5% of India's households could pay for this subsidy through a cess on their incomes or a more widely distributed cess on consumption could fund this subsidy burden.</font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#006600" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Eco-ratings of Indian cement industry to be released today</b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Prof. MS Swaminathan will release today the findings of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on the Indian cement industry. Cement is not only one of the major industrial sectors in the country but also a major contributor to the GDP. It is also the fastest growing sector in the country at a growth rate exceeding the GDP rate. <b>The cement industry is second highest payer of Central excise after the tobacco industry in the country and pays as much as Rs 3500 crore as central excise only</b>. With growing emphasis on infrastructure development and booming housing sector, the demand for cement is likely to significantly increase in the coming future.<br> <br> The Indian cement industry has responded positively to the rating process. The rating can boast of all the big names in the Indian industry like Associated Cement Corporation, Gujarat Ambuja, Lafarge India, Grasim Industries, JK’s Lakshmi Cements, Birla Corp, Jaypee Cements, Shree Cements, Madras cement, Ultratech Limited etc.</font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#006600" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <b>Squirrels smuggled into US of A</b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> Three Mexican squirrels entered the United States illegally, tucked in the coat pockets of a border crosser. The attempted smuggling of the wild animals took place Tuesday morning at the Santa Teresa Port of Entry. Customs officers grew suspicious when they found an empty bird cage inside a pickup and looked for live animals. They found the squirrels in the pockets of a 19-year-old California man. The smuggler was fined 350 Dollars and the squirrals are to be kept in quarantine until it is determined that they are free of disease. They will then be released into the wild on the U.S. side of the border.</font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#006600" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>East Bengal has a new coach – a foreigner</b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">After Central Excise Superintendent, Subhas Bhowmick got caught by the CBI, there was a prime job vacancy in the Club and now they have chosen a Belgian on a two year contract.</font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#663399" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <b>One whose anger inspires no awe,<br> One whose pleasure results in no gain and<br> One whose authority can pass no punishment or grant any reward<br> Are of no consequence</b></font></p> <p align="right"><i><b><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Chanakya</font></b></i></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font color="#FF6666">Until Monday with more DDT<br> <br> Have a nice Weekend.<br> <br> Mail your comments to </font></b><a href="vijaywrite@taxindiaonline.com">vijaywrite@taxindiaonline.com </a></font></p> </body> </html>