The objectives of the plan are to leverage the region’s hydrocarbon potential, enhance access to clean fuels, improve availability of petroleum products, facilitate economic development and to link common people to the economic activities in this sector.
The states covered include Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
The Vision rests on five pillars: People, Policy, Partnership, Projects and Production.
For people, it foresees clean fuel access to households alongside fostering skill development and involvement of the local community.
As for partnership, the stress is on greater involvement of state governments in planning and implementation, and on boosting trade with neighbouring nations.
In projects, the focus is on pipeline connectivity for carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), natural gas, and petroleum products, oil and lubricants (POL); building refineries and import links; and development of compressed natural gas (CNG) highways and city gas distribution network.
The production side emphases include production enhancement contracts, technology deployment and fast-track clearance, and development of service provider hubs.
Beyond production, the focus areas include exploring hydrocarbon linkages and trade opportunities with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal & Bhutan; implementation of ‘Make In India’ in the region; development of health & medical facilities; industrial policy & infrastructure related action points; focus on skill development; and employment generation requirement in the region.
The Vision aims at doubling Oil & Gas production by 2030, making clean fuels accessible, fast tracking projects, generating employment opportunities and promoting cooperation with neighbouring countries.
India plans to build a pipeline to carry high-speed diesel (HSD) to Bangladesh. The cross-border pipeline will run from Siliguri in West Bengal to Parbatipur in northern Bangladesh.
BS Emission Norms
Eagerness to move from BS-IV to BS-VI in three years -a switch that no country in the world has accomplished. Countries in Europe and the US have taken up to 10 years for the same change.
Automakers point out whenever there is a transitioning of advanced emission norms anywhere in the world the last date of retiring 31 March, 2017 in this case -is on manufacturing; vehicle makers are allowed to sell the stock in the following year. The SC has not given the industry this leeway, which by one estimate will call for liquidation of some 7 lakh units of two wheelers, three wheelers, trucks and passenger vehicles.
If April 2017 may seem like a bad dream for Indian auto, 2020 may be the year of the biggest nightmare complying with BS-VI norms, the toughest emission standards in three years. The transition requires auto firms to make significant changes in engine technology, combustion and upgrade to more electronic controls. This could mean investments of more than Rs 80,000 crore and a substantial increase in the price of cars. But environmentalists feel it's well worth it, as the new emission norms are fuel-neutral.
The BS-IV transition, has brought forth a critical issue which India has been ignoring: the ability to foresee future growth in vehicles and have a coordinated and long-term policy direction to deal with the negative externalities associated with vehicular growth, be it pollution or road accidents.
To reduce vehicular pollution, CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), says all vehicles need to be maintained and, those fitted with catalytic converters, checked regularly.
