PM Modi inaugurates the Kochi-Mangaluru natural gas pipeline
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday set out his government's energy roadmap, envisaging more than double the share of cleaner natural gas in the consumption basket, diversifying sources of energy, connecting the nation with one gas pipeline grid and bringing affordable fuel to people and industry.
Inaugurating a 450-km natural gas pipeline between Kochi in Kerala to Mangaluru in Karnataka, he said India under his government is seeing unprecedented work on highways, railway, metro, air, water, digital and gas connectivity which will aid economic development.
The government has an "integrated approach to energy planning. Our energy agenda is all-inclusive," he said.
While on the one hand, natural gas pipeline network is being doubled to about 32,000 km in 5-6 years, on the other, work on the world's biggest hybrid renewable plant combining wind and solar power has started in Gujarat.
Also, the emphasis is being laid on manufacturing biofuels as well as electric mobility.
In 10 years' time, petrol will be doped with as much as 20 per cent of ethanol extracted from sugarcane and other agro products, he said.
This would help cut reliance on imports for meeting oil needs as well as reduce carbon emissions.
Alongside, the share of natural gas in the energy basket is being targeted to be raised to 15 per cent from the current 6.2 per cent, he said.
The pipeline grid will help improve clean energy access as well as also aid in the development of city gas projects, he said.
Modi said 900 CNG stations were set up till 2014 after the advent of compressed natural gas as fuel for automobiles in the country around 1992. In the last six years, the number of CNG stations has gone up to 1,500 and the target is to take them to 10,000, he said.
Also, 25 lakh households had piped natural gas connections for using the fuel for cooking purposes till 2014 which has risen to 72 lakh now, he said.
"We are working to provide clean, affordable and sustainable energy," he said.
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No exception made in granting interim bail to Kejriwal, critical analysis of verdict welcome: SC
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court said Thursday that it has not made any exception for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in granting him interim bail for campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls and "critical analysis of the judgment is welcome".
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta refused to consider claims and counters of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Kejriwal's lawyer on statements made related to the interim bail to the Aam Aadmi Party national convenor.
"We have not made any exception for anybody, we said in our order what we felt was justified," the bench said, adding that critical analysis of the judgment is "welcome".
Appearing for the ED, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta objected to Kejriwal's speeches in poll rallies that if people voted for AAP, he would not have to go back to prison on June 2.
"It is his assumption, we cannot say anything," the bench told Mehta.
A statement made by a senior Union minister, who was not named during the proceedings, was pointed out by advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who was appearing for Kejriwal.
The top court was hearing Kejriwal's main plea against his arrest.
On May 10, the apex court granted interim bail to Kejriwal in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
The court has asked him to surrender on June 2.
The Delhi chief minister was arrested on March 21.
