Dear All, Given the fact that today is the last date to send feedback, a lot of us are busy finalizing the comments on Draft National Energy Policy issued by NITI Aayog.
These comments assume greater significance in the context of scandal ridden energy sector. The disclosures in "Modi Government’s Rs 500-Crore Bonanza to the Adani Group <https://thewire.in/149156/modi-government-adani-group/>" by Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Advait Rao Palepu, Shinzani Jain and Abir Dasgupta on 19th June, 2017 underlines a critical moment. These revelations illustrate the structural reasons for energy injustice in our country. This Economic & Political Weekly (EPW) article (is available on thewire.in but removed from EPW website) refers to government's notification 9/2016 dated February 16, 2016 which specified that the largest power plants in the country with installed capacities of more than 1,000 MW each that received formal approval for establishment in an SEZ prior to February 27, 2009 have been granted complete exemption from payment of duty. This move apparently benefited companies like Adani Power Limited but smaller power plants (of less than 1,000 MW capacity) continued to be taxed. As per the EPW article, in August 2016, the Special Economic Zones Rules, 2016, were amended by the department of commerce to insert a provision on claims for refund under the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005. The amendment seems to be made to specifically provide Adani Power Limited a chance to claim refunds of some Rs 500 crore on customs duty. The author of this article is in possession of documents that reveal that this company did not pay customs duty on the coal imported for the generation of electricity. But Department of Commerce is allowing the company to claim refunds on duty that has never been paid by it. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Ministry of Finance noticed over-invoicing in coal imports from Indonesia and siphoning of funds outside the country by firms in the Adani and Essar Groups who are also accused of over-invoicing imported power plant equipment. Other firms like Reliance Infrastructure & Rosa Power Supply too have been been under the scanner. *In this regard deafening silence of Arun Jaitley, Nirmala Sitharaman and Deepak Nayyar, Chairman of Sameeksha Trust & publisher of EPW is intriguing. Notably, Deepak Nayyar has worked as Economic Adviser in the Ministry of Commerce and has been Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India and Secretary in the Ministry of Finance. * In such a backdrop, Draft National Energy Policy issued by NITI Aayog merits greater attention at a time when *invisible and anonymous beneficial owners of institutions of all ilk* are calling the shots and draining nation's wealth in myriad disguises. It is essential for establishing energy democracy and securing it from Puppet Masters. thanks & Gopal Krishna Mb: 08227816731, 09818089660 [email protected] Web: www.toxicswatch.org *Technology…is a queer thing; it brings you great gifts with one hand and it stabs you in the back with the other.* -- Charles Percy Snow On Sun, Jul 23, 2017 at 11:11 PM, Narasimha Reddy Donthi < [email protected]> wrote: > Dear Sri. Shankar Sharma, > > Thank you for that encouragement, and information. > > I am sure your email will spur more action. > > Narasimha Reddy Donthi > ********************************************************************* > 201, Aarthi Residency, Laxminagar Colony, > Saidabad, Hyderabad 500 059 (Telangana), India > Ph. 0091-40-24077804 > Alternate e-mail: [email protected] > Twitter: @DonthiNreddy > Visit: http://donthinreddy.wordpress.com/, www.pmger.org, ht > tp://agropedia.iitk.ac.in/users/nreddy/track > > > *Celebrate World Handloom Day on 7th August, 2017 - Buy Handlooms, Be > Happy* > > On Sun, Jul 23, 2017 at 12:55 PM, Shankar Sharma < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Dear all, >> >> Greetings from Mysore. >> >> This is a gentle reminder that the due date for sending the public >> comments to NITI Aayog on draft National Energy Policy is 24th July, ie >> tomorrow the Monday. >> >> If you have not yet sent the feedback, please consider doing so early; >> please do so even if it has to be one or two days later. In case you do >> not have the time to go through the draft NEP in detail, please send your >> larger concerns on energy related issues to NITI Aayog without fail. If you >> find any good points from your perspective in my feedback to NITI Aayog, as >> in the file attached to e-mail below, please do not hesitate to use those >> points in your feedback. At the minimum you may like to simply endorse my >> feedback by forwarding my mail to NITI Aayog. >> >> Whatever is convenient to you please do so. But do send your feedback to >> NITI Aayog asap. >> >> I know that many individuals/CSOs/NGOs have been working on such feedback >> during the last few weeks, and hence let us hope that all these feedback >> will persuade/enable NITI Aayog to come up with a credible NEP for the >> country. I suggest that we all should ask for public consultations by NITI >> Aayog at state capitals before the review of DNEP takes place. >> >> Best wishes and regards >> >> Shankar Sharma >> Power Policy Analyst >> 1026, 5th Main Road, E&F Block >> Ramakrishna Nagara, Mysore, India - 570022 >> Phone: ++ 91 821 2462 333 / 94482 72503 >> [email protected] >> [email protected] <[email protected]> >> >> "I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I >> hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle >> that." - Thomas Edison in conversation with Henry Ford, 1931 >> >> “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” >> ------------------------------------------------------------ >> ------------------------- >> >> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >> From: Shankar Sharma <[email protected]> >> Date: 23 July 2017 at 11:37 >> Subject: Feedback on draft National Energy Policy prepared by NITI Aayog >> To: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], >> [email protected] >> Cc: secy-power <[email protected]>, secy-mnre <[email protected]>, >> "Secretary (MoEF)" <[email protected]>, [email protected], >> [email protected] >> >> >> To >> Shri Rajnath Ram >> Joint Adviser (Energy) >> NITI Aayog, New Delhi >> ([email protected]) >> >> Copy with compliments to: >> (1) Chairman, NITI Aayog >> (2) Members, NITI Aayog >> (3) CEO, NITI Aayog >> >> >> Dear Sri. Rajnath Ram, >> >> Greetings from Myore. >> >> This has reference to the draft notification of NEP by NITI Aayog, and >> the public comments sought for the same by 24th July. >> >> Please consider my feedback as in the attached file. In an effort to >> provide suitable justification to my comments/ suggestions, the feedback >> has occupied a length of 14 pages and it is hoped that the same will be >> considered with the seriousness it deserves on such a crucial national >> level policy. It contains few box items with credible references from >> around the world advocating a paradigm shift to our approach to energy >> related matters. >> >> I am an electrical engineer with more than 36 years of professional >> experience in India, New Zealand and Australia in the areas of electricity >> generation, transmission and distribution including 9 years in Central >> Electricity Authority (CEA). Since 2004, I have been studying the impact >> of policies/practices in energy sector on social and environmental aspects >> of our communities, and also engaged in trying to find effective solutions >> for the same, including the much needed reforms in electricity sector. >> >> The initiative by NITI Aayog to prepare a draft NEP (DNEP) is wholly >> welcome, as it comes at a critical juncture in India’s post-independence >> era. Whereas DNEP has many good points and recommendations, it can be >> improved considerably by diligently reviewing the same on the basis of the >> feedback from the larger civil society and the domain experts. It can be >> said that the draft would have been vastly more credible from the overall >> perspective of nation’s welfare objectives, if it were to consider the >> issues impacting the demand and supply of energy from social and >> environmental (Climate Change) perspectives. It is fondly hoped that the >> vast number of recommendations/comments to be received from the individuals >> and the NGOs/CSOs from around the country will be positively considered by >> NITI Aayog, and that a much more inclusive energy policy will emerge from a >> thorough and objective review of the draft NEP. >> >> Having interacted with many individuals/NGOs/CSOs on the draft NEP, my >> feedback largely reflect their concerns, and hence may please be seen as a >> part reflection of the true concerns of the larger civil society. >> >> In view of the criticality of the NEP to the overall developmental >> considerations of the country, it will be necessary for NITI Aayog to hold >> effective consultations with the interested stakeholder groups at state >> capitals, before a diligent review of the draft NEP is taken up. >> >> I came to know that Mr. Amory Lovins of Rocky Mountain Institute >> <https://ecowatch.com/community/rockymountain>, US is a consultant to >> NITI Aayog on Transportation related issues. NITI Aayog should seriously >> consider what he has written about the nuclear power in EcoWatch on 21st >> July 2017. The link to this article is: https://www.ecowatch.com/nucl >> ear-climate-change-2462663343.html >> >> It would also be consistent with the overall importance of the NEP to >> provide opportunity for some of the interested NGOs/CSOs to make >> presentation to NITI Aayog on their views of how the energy scenario in the >> country can/should look like by 2040/50. It should be recognised that there >> is a vast knowledge and experience base in the civil society to assist NITI >> in developing a credible NEP for the country. Anyway, this approach to >> consult the public effectively is consistent with the govt. policy of "sub >> ke saath, sub ka vikas". >> >> May I request that the NITI Aayog consider each category/group of >> recommendations/suggestions/comments adequately, and post comments on >> its website as to why one or more of them are not included in the final >> version of the NEP? >> >> Can you please arrange to acknowledge the receipt of this mail along with >> the attachment? >> >> Best wishes for a successful task on NEP. >> >> >> >> Regards >> Shankar Sharma >> Power Policy Analyst >> 1026, 5th Main Road, E&F Block >> Ramakrishna Nagara, Mysore, India - 570022 >> Phone: ++ 91 821 2462 333 / 94482 72503 >> [email protected] >> [email protected] <[email protected]> >> >> "I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I >> hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle >> that." - Thomas Edison in conversation with Henry Ford, 1931 >> >> “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” >> >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
