Piped cooking gas in PM’s constituency Varanasi by March next year
People in Varanasi, the Parliament constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will start getting piped cooking gas by March next year, about nine months ahead of the proposed Jagdishpur-Haldia gas pipeline touches the city, with supplies sourced using tankers. State-owned natural gas major GAILBSE -0.69 % plans to start a gas distribution pilot in Varanasi and Bhubaneswar by March 2018, its director (projects) Ashutosh Karnatak said. During the pilot, each city would have two compressed natural gas (CNG) stations for vehicles and about 500 domestic piped gas connections. The supply will be fetched from the nearest sources using tankers until the Jagdishpur-Haldia pipeline reaches the two cities, Karnatak said. GAIL is building a 2,620-km of gas pipeline from Jagdishpur in Uttar Pradesh to Haldia in West Bengal, Bokaro in Jharkhand and Dhamra in Odisha. It also has the government mandate to develop city gas distribution network in seven cities along the way and supply piped gas to consumers in those cities. GAIL is rapidly implementing the pipeline project, awarding contracts for laying of pipeline on several stretches and engaging with landowners to easily secure right of use. “Our mantra is constraint first, progress later. We try and resolve the problems of our vendors first. With their constraints gone, the progress is automatically made,” said Karnatak. “We are continuously engaging with farmers, understanding their pulse, gauging their reactions to secure their participation in the process. This should help us stay on schedule,” he said. Under the plan, Varanasi is the first of the seven cities to be touched by the proposed pipeline, with Patna, Jamshedpur, Kolkata, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack coming in later. The pipeline, with a gas carrying capacity of 16 million metric standard cubic meters a day, will reach Varanasi and Patna by December 2018 and other cities next year. GAIL will invest Rs 2,800 crore in building city gas distribution networks in all seven cities, which are expected to serve nearly 3.4 lakh domestic and industrial customers and 1.7 lakh vehicles in five years. Jagdishpur-Haldia pipeline project had been languishing for years. The Modi government gave it a new lease of life. Its route was also changed, benefiting Varanasi and cities in Odisha. Cam Neely Jersey
Duty casts a cloud over solar panel makers in export zones
Eleven solar panel manufacturers in export oriented zones are on the verge of shutting down and another four have already downed shutters saying the import duty structure has rendered them uncompetitive in the local and export markets. “If export oriented units sell their panels in the domestic market, they become un-exempt from duty exemption while their counterparts from Special Economic Zones and Domestic Tariff Areas’ remains exempt from such duties.This has resulted in a large number of units in export oriented units on the verge of closing down their operations while some has already been shut because they have been rendered uncompetitive,“ said Subrata Mukherjee, director at Sova Power and founding member of the All India EoU Solar Manufacturers. “There are around 46 solar panel manufacturers in India of which 11 are in export oriented units and they are the ones not being able to compete with their counterparts in other zones. Some 4-5 have already shut operations,“ said Vineet Jain, director at Green Brilliance Energy. According to Cecil Anthony, director at Synergy Electric and a member of the Association that has been recently formed, the market price for solar panel of one watt is around Rs 30 of which the cost of materials including cost of assembly and other raw materials come to around Rs 25 a watt. “We are being asked to pay a duty of Rs 2. Another Rs 2.75 is needed for paying for manpower, admin and power costs. Leaving us with 75 paise per watt which is not enough to pay finance costs,“ said Anthony. Sujit Saha, general manager at Sova Solar said: “As a result of the customs duty cost of solar modules produced at EoUs have increased by 25% in comparison to their counterparts in other zones. It is killing the firms at EoUs. In fact we have two units one at an EoU the other at a SEZ. The unit at the EoU has already suspended operations. “If this goes on for long rest of the 11 units would have to down shutters,“ said Anthony. “We have made several representations to the power ministry as well as the ministry of new and renewable energy. They have agreed to the fact that firms at EoUs should be treated at par with their counterparts in other units. However, there has been no notification or clarification on this front. In fact, the customs department has already sent us a show-cause notice asking why won’t these units at EoU pay the customs duty because the law requires them to pay the duty,“ said Saha. C.J. Anderson Womens Jersey
India as a solar power bright spot helps fill Japan, China slowdown
India may be a bright spot for global solar markets this year as it adds capacity at a record pace, becoming one of the top regions for panel producers struggling with rock-bottom prices. India is expected to add nearly twice as much new solar as last year, outpacing once-booming Japan, according to forecasts by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). China, the world’s largest renewables market, will see solar growth dip by about a fifth after peaking in 2016, London-based BNEF predicts. Bolstered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious clean-energy goals, India’s rising appetite for solar power spells good news for Chinese solar cell and module manufacturers including Trina Solar Ltd and Hanwha Q Cells Co. It comes after the global spot market price for solar panels fell to a record low amid slowing demand elsewhere. India pipped Japan to become the top importer of solar cells and modules from China for three out of 10 months last year and the trend will continue in 2017, says Xiaoting Wang ofBNEF. “India will account for 10 to 13% of global new build in the next couple of years, and its market fluctuation will have an important impact on the short-term supply-demand relationship and therefore the pricing environment,” Wang said. India and Latin America are among key growth markets for solar panels, Trina Solar chief executive officer Gao Jifan said in an interview this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The world’s second-most populous nation is likely to add about 8.9 gigawatts of new solar in 2017, nearly twice the 4.5 gigawatts last year, according to BNEF’s most conservative estimate. Japan’s new solar capacity may drop to about 6 gigawatts from 8.9 gigawatts in 2016, while China is estimated to fall to about 21.6 gigawatts from about 26.5 gigawatts last year. To be sure, India’s solar capacity is still small compared with China, the world’s largest solar market, and Japan. agencies While India races against time to meet Modi’s goal of installing 100 gigawatts of capacity by 2022, China scaled back its target by 27% to 105 gigawatts by 2020 under its 13th five-year plan amid stagnating electricity demand and a slowing economy. The five-year plan marks the beginning of a new era of reduced investment in renewables, BNEF said in its China Outlook for the second half of 2016, adding that it expects 2016 to be the near-term peak for new installed solar capacity in the world’s second-largest economy. According to BNEF chairman Michael Liebreich, one of the “less welcome” developments of 2016 was that wind and solar investment fell from their peaks in both China and Japan. “This came as a major jolt to the sector, after many years of seemingly inexorable growth,” Liebreich said in his yearly review for 2016. Japan’s solar installations for 2016 are estimated at 8.6 gigawatts to 9.2 gigawatts, lower than in 2015, according to BNEF’s forecast. The drop comes as the country scales back generous incentive tariffs. China and Japan are now planning to adopt auctions. While India has conducted auctions since 2010 to build solar projects, Japan has promised to introduce the mechanism this year in a bid to lower the subsidies developers receive. Japan’s new solar installs peaked in 2015 when the country added 11.5 gigawatts of capacity, according to BNEF data. China, which has built most of its solar capacity under feed-in-tariffs, or government-set prices, is reducing these preferential tariffs and encouraging auctions to lower solar prices. Malcolm Subban Womens Jersey
Winter power demand hits new high
Winter heating to counter a severe cold wave sweeping across north India has driven up power demand beyond what was seen in previous years, sending power distributors in the region scurrying to negotiate arrangements to prepare for contingencies. Delhi’s peak power demand this winter is expected to be around 4,500-4,600 mega watt (MW), compared to around 4,125MW a year ago, according to a spokesperson for two units of BSES promoted by Reliance Infrastructure Ltd supplying power in the National Capital Region (NCR). Peak winter power demand in NCR which has steadily risen from 3,678MW in 2010, has already crossed last year’s winter peak. Last summer, peak demand had touched 6,188MW in the capital on 20 May, about a quarter more than the peak summer demand around the same time a year ago. Energy demand peaks in mornings and early night hours compared to the average level of supply and forms a component in the electricity tariff to the consumer. It makes sense for a consumer to keep her peak demand lower as power generation companies have to invest in extra capacity required to service the peak demand which remains idle at other times. According to Praveer Sinha, chief executive officer and managing director at Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd, Delhi may see a rise in winter peak power demand as compared to previous years due to the persistent cold wave. “We all are experiencing a dip in the temperature to the coldest minimum since 2013, which has led to the increase in demand. At Tata Power-DDL, we have made prior arrangements to meet the rising demand…We have tied up through long-term power supply, banking as well as procurement on short term though the exchange,” said Sinha. Power banking is a barter system of supplying excess power available to a distribution company to a counterpart which can be sourced back at another season at no cost. Distribution firms serving in plains strike such deals with those in hill states where power demand is more in winter and less in summer. “Besides long-term arrangements, we are also using techniques like banking and backdown to dispose of surplus power and making arrangements to get power during summer months. In case of any unforeseeable contingency, BSES discoms will buy short-term power from the exchange which is available at economical rates,” said the company spokesperson. BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd will bank the surplus of around 200MW with states like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. BSES Yamuna Power Ltd (BYPL) has arranged for an additional 150MW from Punjab for December and January. To reduce the night surplus, BYPL will supply around 175MW to Bihar between December and March, said the spokesperson. This year, winter came late in the north and central parts of India. Two sets of cold waves, first between 11-15 January and the second between 18-19 January led to a severe fall in temperature across many parts of north and central India. In the first spell, Delhi’s minimum temperature dropped to 3.4 degrees Celsius on 12 January, the lowest in January in three years. Churu in Rajasthan recorded a minimum temperature of -1.9°C, seven degrees below average, making it the coldest city in the country on 12 January. According to India Meteorological Department, another cold wave will grip the northern parts of the country in the next few days which would lead to a fall in temperature. Isolated parts of North Rajasthan and south Haryana will continue facing cold waves during this period. Patrick Kane Authentic Jersey
OPEC oil output to come down in January: International Energy Agency
Steeper cuts in OPEC oil production are likely this month as producers increasingly implement a recent key deal aimed at stabilising oil prices, the IEA said Thursday. “Initial indications are that a steeper (month-on-month) decline may be on the way in January,” said the International Energy Agency, which analyses energy markets for major oil consuming nations. Under a landmark deal on November 30, aimed at reducing a global supply glut that depressed oil prices, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is meant to slash its output ceiling by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) to 32.5 million bpd, effective January 1. On Wednesday, the cartel said that its oil production fell in December but remains well above levels envisaged the deal. However, steeper cuts would come this month as Saudi Arabia and nearby producers move to implement the agreed reductions, the IEA said. Under the deal, Saudi Arabia is to cut production to 10.1 million bpd, Iraq to 4.4 million bpd, Kuwait to 2.7 million bpd and UAE to 2.9 million bpd, according to OPEC. Iran, able to export crude freely again following the lifting of sanctions under a 2015 nuclear deal with major powers, can ramp up output to 3.8 million bpd. Libya and Nigeria are exempt from the accord, while Indonesia has suspended its membership. – Coordinated cuts – “OPEC’s elevated supply during 2016 helped push global oil stocks to record levels and the explicit aim … of the deal is to speed the market’s return to balance by working off the excess,” the IEA said. “Coordinated action with non-OPEC countries… could hasten the process.” On December 10, OPEC also struck an agreement with countries outside the group, most notably Russia but not the United States, for them to reduce production. Both deals boosted oil prices by around 20 percent to above $50 per barrel, but gains have been capped by unease about implementation and rising US shale production thanks to the higher prices. On Thursday oil prices firmed, with WTI up 27 cents at $51.35 and Brent 34 cents higher at $54.26. Both agreements are valid for six months and are extendable for another six months. However, Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister Khaled al-Falih said Monday it was “unlikely” that an extension would be necessary, pointing to a pick-up in global demand. The IEA said the output cuts “have entered their probation period and it is far too soon to see what level of compliance has been achieved.” “The coming weeks will provide more clarity.” A committee to monitor compliance — Kuwait, Algeria and Venezuela along with non-OPEC producers Russia and Oman — is tentatively scheduled to meet in Vienna this weekend. – Vigorous demand – In the meantime, the IEA said it had revised upwards its estimate for global oil demand growth in 2016 and now saw growth at 1.5 mbd, “with most of the revision contributed by stronger European demand.” In particular, demand was vigorous in the fourth quarter of 2016 as it was “pulled higher by a combination of resurgent industrial activity and colder winter weather conditions,” the agency said. “In 2017, however, we still expect the rate of growth for global demand to fall back to 1.3 mbd,” it continued. “The prospect of higher product prices — assuming that the cost of crude oil rises in 2017 — plus the possibility of a stronger US dollar are factors behind our reduced demand growth outlook for this year.” Marqise Lee Authentic Jersey
43 more airports to see regular flights: Jayant Sinha
43 more airports in India will see regular flights, says Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha. He was addressing a press conference after regional air services bidding process started. Soon 118 airports will see regular flights from 75 at present. “Hope to have first regional flight in February as several airports like Jaisalmer and Coochbihar are ‘ready to go’,” the Minister said. He termed the Government’s move to make regional flying cheaper in regional areas as a ‘game changer’. 16 airports in South India, 32 in Western India, 21 in north, 12 in east and 11 in north-eastern regions are proposed to be connected under the regional air connectivity scheme. The bids for routes will be decided by February 3. Joffrey Lupul Womens Jersey
Confident of achieving 40 km/day target by next yr:Nitin Gadkari
Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari is very optimistic of his ministry contributing 2-3 percent to the GDP of the country and create 5 crore jobs by end of his 5-year term. The ministry will be a big contributor to the double-digit growth of the country, he said. In the forthcoming Union Budget on February 1, he expects the Finance Minister to give high priority to infrastructure investments. “Budget is an economic vision for the whole country,” he said. He is also confident of his party (BJP) doing well in the elections in Uttar Pradesh, Goa and other states. Speaking to CNBC-TV18 from the sidelines of WEF at Davos, he said there has been a lot of investor interest in road and infrastructure sectors. Foreign investors have a good opinion of the Indian economy, especialy investment-friendly policies, he said. The Canadian Pension Fund has promised huge investments. He is also confident of his ministry achieving the target of 40 km of road per day by next year. By end of December, last year they had reached 30 km per day, said Gadkari. He is also looking at 12 more express highways. The government will now also focus on the agriculture sector. Phil Esposito Authentic Jersey
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust investing Rs 3K cr on road connectivity project: Government
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) is investing Rs 3,000 crore for improving road connectivity and also looking to finalise Rs 2,000 crore-dredging project, a top government official said today. Shipping Secretary Rajive Kumar said the port is “investing Rs 3,000 crore for a road connectivity project. They are just in the process of finalising Rs 2,000 crore (for) dredging project and they are investing about Rs 1,000 crore within the port for improving both the rail and road network.” He also said that operationalisation of the fourth terminal will double the capacity of JNPT “that they intend to start phase I in early 2018”. Further, the official informed, the government is working to reduce cost of logistics for traders. “We are looking at GST. We are also looking at roads having electronic toll collection so that the trucks need not stop everywhere,” Kumar added. However, he said, the centre would have to negotiate with state governments to ensure that reduction of other local barriers for smooth movement of cargoes. He was speaking at a function on ‘Stimulating India’s EXIM Growth – reducing the indirect costs of trade’. Speaking at the event, Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) A K Bhalla said that the country’s exports are showing growth in the last three months. He said under the WTO’s trade facilitation agreement in goods, India is bound to bring lot of reforms. Under the foreign trade policy (FTP), the commerce ministry extends lot of incentives to facilitate exports under certain schemes, Bhalla said, adding “some of these schmoes are not going to be WTO compliant in the years to come where we crossed a certain threshold of GDP”. There is a need to reduce cost of logistics and its impact on trade, he said. Brenden Dillon Jersey
Nitin Gadkari promises to make India’s own Davos
As over 3,000 leaders from across the world huddle for their annual talk-fest in this snow-capped Swiss ski resort town in sub-zero temperatures, senior union minister Nitin Gadkari has got a full city to take back home literally — he wants to create India’s own Davos in hilly terrains of Himalayas. Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport, Ports and Shipping, said it is very much possible to create a new city like Davos back in India where hotels, shops and conference centres would be set up, while taking care of the environment and other issues, and which can host events like World Economic Forum while giving a big boost to tourism, jobs and overall economy. “After I came here, a thought has come to my mind. I’m yet to start any work on it. We are working on a 1,000-km new roads for Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri of Rs 12,000 crore which would be all-season roads. That will be a historical thing with tunnels etc. “Along with that, there is Pittoragarh where we are building a road for Mansarovar and we are taking Australian machines through MIG-17 and some work is already done, about 50 per cent. That place has got temperature of about minus 5-6 degrees. “After coming to Davos, I felt why can’t we develop a township like this in that area, where people will come in sub-zero temperatures and which will have hotels and tourism facilities and will even go to Mansarovar,” Gadkari told PTI in an interview here at Make in India lounge on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. The minister, known for his out-of-the box innovative ideas, said it is very much possible to create a Davos-like city there in India, which is rich in all kinds of assets. “We are capable of creating Taj Mahal even in a desert. It needs a vision, fast track decision making process, transparency and corruption free system. Another important thing is the commitment to the society and the country, and my country also needs something like this,” he said. Giving an example, Gadkari said he was travelling from San Francisco through Pacific Ocean and an idea struck him to build a new road for Mumbai to Goa which will run alongside the sea and the work has begun on that idea. “Similarly, we will work on Yamuna riverfront by building a wall for a highway from Delhi to Yamunanagar. A study is on for this project which will make travel easier from Delhi to Uttarakhand and Himachal, bringing down the traffic on existing roads,” he said. Gadkari, who is attending several sessions at WEF and is also holding bilateral meetings with corporates and other leaders from across the world here, said he has got an idea after coming here and it is very much possible to create a beautiful city in India itself in sub-zero degree temperatures. Observing that at times an extreme position is taken on environment like issues, he said it is necessary to protect environment but development is also necessary, so appropriate measures can be taken to ensure that there is no ecological disturbances. “We need an integrated approach, since an eccentric approach on either side is not good for the country. For a developing country like India, the development should be done by taking care of both sides,” he said. There can be opposition even for a small construction in Himalayas and therefore an integrated approach would be required by the environment ministry, environmentalists, tourism ministry, road ministry and all concerned stakeholders, he added. “There are so many hotels that have been built here in Davos. They may also have cut trees somewhere. What can be done is that for every tree you have to plant ten new ones. Then, what we will do is we will not cut the trees, but will move them to a new place and will ensure that ten new trees are planted for every single one,” he said. “We are a rich country with a poor population. We can become top most tourist attraction in the world,” he said, while adding that there is huge scope for Andaman Nicobar and islands. Gadkari said he has already begun work on running sea planes in the country, while new buses are being brought in that will run on water as well. “We need to think out of box and innovate. We can solve many of our problems with new technologies and help change the country. What is required is the appropriate vision, commitment and a leadership that has willingness to do it. “I am learning after coming here and seeing new ideas. I am studying the successful practices here and I want to know what all can be done back in India,” he said, while complementing Professor Klaus Schwab for making Davos and WEF such a big thing on the world map single-handedly. “A city like Davos in India would give a big boost to tourism, development, jobs and overall economy, while the number of people travelling to holy places in that region will also increase manifold and also increase the faith in our own culture. Malik Jefferson Womens Jersey
Report : Indian airports, airlines to ramp up IT spending in 2017
Airlines and airports in India are expected to rapidly ramp up spending on new technology over the next three years to keep up with surging growth that is expected to position India as the world’s third largest aviation market, ahead of the UK, in 10 years’ time. The spending predictions come from SITA, a specialist in air transport IT and communications. According to SITA’s 2016 India IT Trends Benchmark study, released at the India ICT Aviation Forum 2016 in December, all airlines in India expect to see IT budgets increase in 2017 compared to 2016. This contrasts markedly with global airline confidence on future IT budgets, with just over half expecting an increase while around a third anticipate no change in 2017. The remainder globally are braced for lower budgets. Airports in India are similarly positive about IT spending, SITA says, with 80% of airports expecting an IT budget increase in 2017 over 2016. This compares to 58% of airports globally who expect an increase next year. Foremost among the priorities of Indian airports, according to SITA, is handling the huge passenger volumes efficiently. That means self-service technologies are in high demand and the majority of Indian airports (83%) plan major passenger self-service programmes in the next three years. One area of significant growth is self-service bag-drop, with more than 80% of airports expecting to put in place assisted self bag-drop systems. Benson Mayowa Womens Jersey