TRACKPAD

Petroleum Minister reviews issues of cleaner fuel in transportation

In-charge Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan recently met Sunita Narain of Centre of Science & Environment (CSE) to discuss issues related to cleaner fuel in the transport sector. This meeting was important in context of India’s voluntary commitment on INDC and ongoing meeting of COP 21. Pradhan outlined the various initiatives that have been taken and are under implementation under clean and green fuel policy of the present government.

After the meeting, the MoS informed that IGL and OMCs are working out to open 200 additional CNG outlets in Delhi within next few months, which will smoothen the supply of CNG in the national capital. New CNG stations will also come up in the NCR. He said all efforts will be made to make CNG a preferred fuel.

Subramanian Committee Submits Its Report On GST

High powered committee headed by the Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian on possible tax rates under GST submitted its report to the union Finance Minister recently. On the most crucial issue of Revenue Neutral Rate (RNR), committee recommended same in the range between 15 per cent and 15.5 per cent (centre and states combined) with a preference for the lower end of that range based on the analysis made in the Report. Committee in its concluding observations has stated that domestically, it will help improve governance, strengthen tax institutions, facilitate ‘Make in India by Making One India’ and impart buoyancy to the tax base. Crucial points of the reports are:

·        With GST launch, centre and states are coming together as partners in embracing growth and employment-enhancing reforms.

·        Getting the design of the GST right is, therefore, critical. Specifically, the GST should aim at tax rates that protect revenue, simplify administration, encourage compliance, avoid adding to inflationary pressures, and keep India in the range of countries with reasonable levels of indirect taxes.

·        The RNR should be distinguished from the ‘standard’ rate defined as that rate in a GST regime which is applied to all goods and services whose taxation is not explicitly specified. Typically, the majority of the base (i.e., majority of goods and services) will be taxed at the standard rate, although this is not always true, and indeed it is not true for the states under the current regime.

A K Jha, chairman and managing director of NTPC  inaugurated 150 kWp Rooftop Solar PV plant at NTPC's Power Management Institute, implemented under SECI Rooftop Solar PV scheme, with 30 per cent subsidy from MNRE.

NTPC already has installed 110 MW ground mounted Solar PV with installation of 80 kWp at NETRA, Greater Noida and 110 kW at Engineering office Noida aggregating to 340 kW in NCR region, which is expected to generate 0.5 MU electricity  avoiding of around 485 ton CO2 per annum. Importantly NTPC is targeting all rooftops of its buildings and power stations for solar installations.