Indra's Drishtikona (Viewpoint) http://drishtikona.com My online journal with thoughts, opinions, comments and more.. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:24:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 Indra's Drishtikona (Viewpoint) http://drishtikona.com/images/favicon.gif http://drishtikona.com en Sun and Rivers Powering India http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002193.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002193.php#comments Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:19:05 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002193.php Scientists long ago calculated that an hour's worth of the sunlight bathing the planet held far more energy than humans worldwide could use in a year." Though 'the first practical devices for converting light to electricity were designed more than half a century ago', the challenge for the scientists and technocrats remains alive. The technology requires some real revolutionary breakthrough to make it substitute for fossil fuel generated electricity. Can India prove its low-cost innovation skills by using its solar and river potentials to the best? Anand Mahindra, CEO, Mahindra &Mahindra in the leader article 'Harvest The Sun' in Times of India on 23 Aug 2008 raises certain queries and expects India to think big in fixing the target for solar power generation. The National Action Plan on Energy recently released by the prime minister sets a goal to increase production of photovoltaics to 1,000 MW per year. The solar mission targets 10,000 MW installed capacity by 2020. Why can't India think bigger? According to expert's estimate, dedicating just 0.3 per cent of India's land area for solar power through Solar Thermal Electricity Generation (STEG) could meet our entire electricity needs. A one-megawatt solar plant running continuously at full capacity can power 778 households each year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. According to Mr. Mahindra, STEG technology consists of curved mirrors that concentrate sunlight onto a receiver tube to heat a working fluid flowing through it. The remaining part of the plant is very similar to a conventional power plant. Solar energy payback is merely five months compared to a useful life of more than 25 years. Most importantly, STEG technology is the only solar technology that provides "firm" power and allows plants to dispatch power when demanded. But STEG costs between Rs 7.50 and Rs 17 per kWh compared to Rs 1.40 for certain coal-based plants. In India, many consumers have to use captive power plants to back for outages. The installed capacity of captive power plants in India is more than 20,000 MW, approximately 40 per cent of which are based on diesel generator (DG) sets. The real cost of generation of diesel power comes to around Rs 17/kWh adding the subsidy component. So while STEG may cost more compared to conventionally generated power, these costs are competitive with peak load power costs generated by DG sets. However, with ongoing researches, the US Department of Energy estimates the cost of STEG power generation to come down to Rs 1.50-2.50/kWh in the next 15 years, which would be comparable to conventional power. Research priority in India must include solar power technologies. Mr. Mahindra suggests India to put all plans on the fast track, and become STEG technology leaders and suppliers to the world. India is gifted with plenty of water resources from Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh that can generate electricity. Other states have also many rivers. The estimated potential of small hydropower- micro-mini and small hydro schemes up to three-mw capacity, in India is about 15000 MW or more. Unfortunately, India is moving very slow on small hydel power projects. One of my friends was behind one such project near Manali that is now in operation. As I foresee one can create many small power generation facilities on a single water stream. Some are already being set up. Dharmshala Hydro Power Ltd is setting up two mini hydel power plants in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. In the first project, a 7.7-mw and another 5-mw. Prof V.K. Damodaran, an energy consultant on UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organisation) Mission suggests India to take small hydropower sector seriously and to emulate China's policies of small hydropower units. China, according to him, adds up to 6,000 MW of small hydropower capacity every year and the total installed capacity from this source should be about 50,000 MW. From 2010, the country hopes to add 10,000 MW of small hydropower capacity every year. It has estimated its potential at 1,50,000 MW of which it believes it can realise at least 1-lakh MW. Why should India talk of only big huge projects, when a number of successful small hydropower units are operative even in a backward state of Bihar on Sone Eastern Main Canal? Why is India hesitating in taking this course? As my friend told me, 'the private sector and small entrepreneurs can help building the small hydropower plants. However, the bureaucratic delay and corruption takes away all the charm.' ]]> Scientists long ago calculated that an hour's worth of the sunlight bathing the planet held far more energy than humans worldwide could use in a year." Though 'the first practical devices for converting light to electricity were designed more than half a century ago', the challenge for the scientists and technocrats remains alive. The technology requires some real revolutionary breakthrough to make it substitute for fossil fuel generated electricity. Can India prove its low-cost innovation skills by using its solar and river potentials to the best? Anand Mahindra, CEO, Mahindra &Mahindra in the leader article 'Harvest The Sun' in Times of India on 23 Aug 2008 raises certain queries and expects India to think big in fixing the target for solar power generation. The National Action Plan on Energy recently released by the prime minister sets a goal to increase production of photovoltaics to 1,000 MW per year. The solar mission targets 10,000 MW installed capacity by 2020. Why can't India think bigger? According to expert's estimate, dedicating just 0.3 per cent of India's land area for solar power through Solar Thermal Electricity Generation (STEG) could meet our entire electricity needs. A one-megawatt solar plant running continuously at full capacity can power 778 households each year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. According to Mr. Mahindra, STEG technology consists of curved mirrors that concentrate sunlight onto a receiver tube to heat a working fluid flowing through it. The remaining part of the plant is very similar to a conventional power plant. Solar energy payback is merely five months compared to a useful life of more than 25 years. Most importantly, STEG technology is the only solar technology that provides "firm" power and allows plants to dispatch power when demanded. But STEG costs between Rs 7.50 and Rs 17 per kWh compared to Rs 1.40 for certain coal-based plants. In India, many consumers have to use captive power plants to back for outages. The installed capacity of captive power plants in India is more than 20,000 MW, approximately 40 per cent of which are based on diesel generator (DG) sets. The real cost of generation of diesel power comes to around Rs 17/kWh adding the subsidy component. So while STEG may cost more compared to conventionally generated power, these costs are competitive with peak load power costs generated by DG sets. However, with ongoing researches, the US Department of Energy estimates the cost of STEG power generation to come down to Rs 1.50-2.50/kWh in the next 15 years, which would be comparable to conventional power. Research priority in India must include solar power technologies. Mr. Mahindra suggests India to put all plans on the fast track, and become STEG technology leaders and suppliers to the world. India is gifted with plenty of water resources from Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh that can generate electricity. Other states have also many rivers. The estimated potential of small hydropower- micro-mini and small hydro schemes up to three-mw capacity, in India is about 15000 MW or more. Unfortunately, India is moving very slow on small hydel power projects. One of my friends was behind one such project near Manali that is now in operation. As I foresee one can create many small power generation facilities on a single water stream. Some are already being set up. Dharmshala Hydro Power Ltd is setting up two mini hydel power plants in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. In the first project, a 7.7-mw and another 5-mw. Prof V.K. Damodaran, an energy consultant on UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organisation) Mission suggests India to take small hydropower sector seriously and to emulate China's policies of small hydropower units. China, according to him, adds up to 6,000 MW of small hydropower capacity every year and the total installed capacity from this source should be about 50,000 MW. From 2010, the country hopes to add 10,000 MW of small hydropower capacity every year. It has estimated its potential at 1,50,000 MW of which it believes it can realise at least 1-lakh MW. Why should India talk of only big huge projects, when a number of successful small hydropower units are operative even in a backward state of Bihar on Sone Eastern Main Canal? Why is India hesitating in taking this course? As my friend told me, 'the private sector and small entrepreneurs can help building the small hydropower plants. However, the bureaucratic delay and corruption takes away all the charm.' ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002193.php/feed/ CK Prahalad’s ‘India@75′ http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002175.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002175.php#comments Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:02:48 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002175.php CK Prahalad at number one as the most influential living management thinker of the time. Prahalad has come out his dream plan called India@75. And according to him, India@75 may be very ambitious but achievable. CK Prahalad believes that India has the potential to actively participate in shaping the emerging world order. But India must acquire enough economic strength, technological vitality and moral leadership to do so. Here are six targets of India@75: 1. India builds a base of 200 million college graduates-that is just 16 per cent of India's population. I would like to see 500 million certified and skilled technicians and universal literacy. This is possible in 15 years, if leaders focus on this goal as a priority. 2. India must become the home for at least 30 of the Fortune 100 firms. 3. India accounts for 10 per cent of global trade . 4. India becomes a source of global innovations-new businesses, new technologies and new business models. The bottom of the pyramid, the 800 million Indians, can become a major source of breakthrough nnovations. 5. India aims to have 10 Nobel prize winners, prreferrably for the work done in India-unlike Indians getting the Nobel Prize for the work done elsewhere. 6. India becomes the world's benchmark on how to leverage diversity.and a benchmark for the practice of universality and inclusiveness with its unique opportunity as a home to all the major religions, 15 major languages and hundreds of dialects, and a complex range of cultures, food habits and rituals-all the diversity one can hope for. If India is not the laboratory to practice diversity and inclusiveness, nobody else is. Prahalad elaborates why he thinks, India@75 as achievable.
In 1929, when Congress declared Poorna Swaraj as the goal, did it seem likely? The Green revolution, the White (milk) revolution-and the development of space technology are all worthy inspiring successes. When in 1994, I suggested to a select group of CEOs that they must build multinational firms from India (Indian MNCs) rather than be paralysed by the entry of multinationals in the Indian market, it looked far-fetched. Very few, if any Indian, CEOs thought it was possible at that time. Today, Indian MNCs are a reality. Similarly, 10 per cent growth and 10 million new jobs per year (10/10 programme) looked impossible in 2000. The idea was ridiculed. One was reminded of the traditional Hindu rate of growth of 3-5 per cent. But India is growing at close to 10 per cent; some states are growing at 15 per cent plus. India is yet to generate 10 million new jobs a year. But that can happen if we put our mind to it. It was just 10 years ago that most managers and politicians had declared manufacturing in India as a dead end. "We have no hope against China," they said. Today, manufacturing is alive and well and growing rapidly. India is becoming a manufacturing hub. Exports of manufactured goods are at $91 billion (Apr. '07-Feb. '08) and growing at more than 15 per cent. Others are taking note. Investments by Hyundai, Nissan, Ford, and Nokia are a small indication that not just Indians but others also believe that India can build excellence in manufacturing. India was not known for its quality. Today, many Indian firms have demonstrated that they do not lag behind anyone in quality-be it in software development, manufacturing fine chemicals for pharmaceutical industry or in automotive component manufacturing. Western models do not easily fit with the needs of Indian markets; especially as we focus on straddling the economic pyramid. The challenge is to build "world class products and services" at a new price-performance level (new value equation) that has never been tried before by established MNCs. India has a very large number of examples-$30 cataract surgery (Aravind Eye hospital), $2,500 car (Tata Nano), $0.01 cell phone minute (Airtel), $0.01 shampoo in a sachet (Hindustan Unilever), or $25 micro loans. Many such experiments demonstrate that we can straddle the pyramid and that this can be done commercially. We can "do good and do well". India should not replicate the development process of the West or China. India must leapfrog. Simply stated: avoid landlines, go wireless; avoid paper ballots, go electronic; avoid bank branches, go mobile and digital.
Is it not an awefully inspiring, providing hope to all that I keep on writing in my blog? PS: The Thinkers 50 2007 list is still dominated by North Americans (37 of the 50 gurus are from the United States). While CK Prahalad is at number 1, three more thinkers of Indian origin are Ram CHARAN at 22, Vijay GOVINDARAJAN at 23, and Rakesh KHURANA at 45 in the Top 50. As yet, no Chinese guru has emerged. ]]> CK Prahalad at number one as the most influential living management thinker of the time. Prahalad has come out his dream plan called India@75. And according to him, India@75 may be very ambitious but achievable. CK Prahalad believes that India has the potential to actively participate in shaping the emerging world order. But India must acquire enough economic strength, technological vitality and moral leadership to do so. Here are six targets of India@75: 1. India builds a base of 200 million college graduates-that is just 16 per cent of India's population. I would like to see 500 million certified and skilled technicians and universal literacy. This is possible in 15 years, if leaders focus on this goal as a priority. 2. India must become the home for at least 30 of the Fortune 100 firms. 3. India accounts for 10 per cent of global trade . 4. India becomes a source of global innovations-new businesses, new technologies and new business models. The bottom of the pyramid, the 800 million Indians, can become a major source of breakthrough nnovations. 5. India aims to have 10 Nobel prize winners, prreferrably for the work done in India-unlike Indians getting the Nobel Prize for the work done elsewhere. 6. India becomes the world's benchmark on how to leverage diversity.and a benchmark for the practice of universality and inclusiveness with its unique opportunity as a home to all the major religions, 15 major languages and hundreds of dialects, and a complex range of cultures, food habits and rituals-all the diversity one can hope for. If India is not the laboratory to practice diversity and inclusiveness, nobody else is. Prahalad elaborates why he thinks, India@75 as achievable.
In 1929, when Congress declared Poorna Swaraj as the goal, did it seem likely? The Green revolution, the White (milk) revolution-and the development of space technology are all worthy inspiring successes. When in 1994, I suggested to a select group of CEOs that they must build multinational firms from India (Indian MNCs) rather than be paralysed by the entry of multinationals in the Indian market, it looked far-fetched. Very few, if any Indian, CEOs thought it was possible at that time. Today, Indian MNCs are a reality. Similarly, 10 per cent growth and 10 million new jobs per year (10/10 programme) looked impossible in 2000. The idea was ridiculed. One was reminded of the traditional Hindu rate of growth of 3-5 per cent. But India is growing at close to 10 per cent; some states are growing at 15 per cent plus. India is yet to generate 10 million new jobs a year. But that can happen if we put our mind to it. It was just 10 years ago that most managers and politicians had declared manufacturing in India as a dead end. "We have no hope against China," they said. Today, manufacturing is alive and well and growing rapidly. India is becoming a manufacturing hub. Exports of manufactured goods are at $91 billion (Apr. '07-Feb. '08) and growing at more than 15 per cent. Others are taking note. Investments by Hyundai, Nissan, Ford, and Nokia are a small indication that not just Indians but others also believe that India can build excellence in manufacturing. India was not known for its quality. Today, many Indian firms have demonstrated that they do not lag behind anyone in quality-be it in software development, manufacturing fine chemicals for pharmaceutical industry or in automotive component manufacturing. Western models do not easily fit with the needs of Indian markets; especially as we focus on straddling the economic pyramid. The challenge is to build "world class products and services" at a new price-performance level (new value equation) that has never been tried before by established MNCs. India has a very large number of examples-$30 cataract surgery (Aravind Eye hospital), $2,500 car (Tata Nano), $0.01 cell phone minute (Airtel), $0.01 shampoo in a sachet (Hindustan Unilever), or $25 micro loans. Many such experiments demonstrate that we can straddle the pyramid and that this can be done commercially. We can "do good and do well". India should not replicate the development process of the West or China. India must leapfrog. Simply stated: avoid landlines, go wireless; avoid paper ballots, go electronic; avoid bank branches, go mobile and digital.
Is it not an awefully inspiring, providing hope to all that I keep on writing in my blog? PS: The Thinkers 50 2007 list is still dominated by North Americans (37 of the 50 gurus are from the United States). While CK Prahalad is at number 1, three more thinkers of Indian origin are Ram CHARAN at 22, Vijay GOVINDARAJAN at 23, and Rakesh KHURANA at 45 in the Top 50. As yet, no Chinese guru has emerged. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002175.php/feed/ NHAI vs. Delhi Metro http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002131.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002131.php#comments Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:07:06 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002131.php
NH-2 Delhi to Kolkata
Map
Chain Diagram
I have been following the two projects for a long time. I see Delhi Metro working in Noida, and get convinced of its world-class professionalism. Hardly one can assess the amount of confidence it would have given to the technocrats and project managers of the country. I don't know if it has created some intellectual properties in form of patented technologies. However, Sreedharan has certainly become one of the best CEO managers in the world, and interestingly with his age in 70s, when American management gurus have made experienced managers beyond 60 or even younger ones all over the world retire and replaced by younger ones in 40s. At the same time, the progress of NHAI projects has been dismal, particularly in last four years. Everywhere I go, I make it a point to go by road to see the progress and quality of the construction work going on almost in every part of the country. I have been writing on the issue quite often too. I cherish a wish to drive all along the GQ and NS and EW corridor expressways during my lifetime and see my country. However, the NHAI is missing all the time schedules promised. Why is this difference? Perhaps its remaining strictly under the minister's control is the main reason. NHAI head might not be having the same autonomy. But with a proven model of Delhi Metro, why couldn't Mr. Man Mohan Singh go for the similar operation management and/or appoint a CEO of the caliber of Sreedharan for NHAI? I have judged performance of NHAI through a different tool. NHAI under UPA made one change in its web content that clearly indicates its intention and the officer responsible for doing that should be named. In its chain diagrams, it removed the estimated dates of completion of various segments that were designed and followed till NDA ruled. It was done so that no one can point out at NHAI's failure to meet the time frame. It hardly bothers about the anomalies that its information on the web provides. The map of the expressway connecting New Delhi to Kolkata as on April 30, 2008 gives a figure of only 34 kms as incomplete or under implementation. However, when I go to its chainage diagram for the Delhi-Kolkata on NH-2, I find hundreds of kms and many segments still shown 'under implementation'. Why is it so? Can some one responsible in NHAI and the transport ministry, explain? I wish some one goes along the expressways and write a book for people who shall like to see India following the routes. Perhaps, the speed of progress confirms that at least my wish to do that will remain unfulfilled. After Satyendra Dubey murder, it became known that NHAI projects suffer from blatant corruption and even the quality of the construction is far from the world-class standard that it claimed once to achieve. It would have worked hard to make it more transparent and involved institutes such as IITs or CRRI more intensively. I feel bad, as just this one single infrastructure project, if properly executed, would have taken India pretty ahead and added to sustainable overall growth. I call it a project of national importance but the government doesn't think so, nor treat so. It is still not late for the government to see that the timeframe is not sacrificed. ]]>
NH-2 Delhi to Kolkata
Map
Chain Diagram
I have been following the two projects for a long time. I see Delhi Metro working in Noida, and get convinced of its world-class professionalism. Hardly one can assess the amount of confidence it would have given to the technocrats and project managers of the country. I don't know if it has created some intellectual properties in form of patented technologies. However, Sreedharan has certainly become one of the best CEO managers in the world, and interestingly with his age in 70s, when American management gurus have made experienced managers beyond 60 or even younger ones all over the world retire and replaced by younger ones in 40s. At the same time, the progress of NHAI projects has been dismal, particularly in last four years. Everywhere I go, I make it a point to go by road to see the progress and quality of the construction work going on almost in every part of the country. I have been writing on the issue quite often too. I cherish a wish to drive all along the GQ and NS and EW corridor expressways during my lifetime and see my country. However, the NHAI is missing all the time schedules promised. Why is this difference? Perhaps its remaining strictly under the minister's control is the main reason. NHAI head might not be having the same autonomy. But with a proven model of Delhi Metro, why couldn't Mr. Man Mohan Singh go for the similar operation management and/or appoint a CEO of the caliber of Sreedharan for NHAI? I have judged performance of NHAI through a different tool. NHAI under UPA made one change in its web content that clearly indicates its intention and the officer responsible for doing that should be named. In its chain diagrams, it removed the estimated dates of completion of various segments that were designed and followed till NDA ruled. It was done so that no one can point out at NHAI's failure to meet the time frame. It hardly bothers about the anomalies that its information on the web provides. The map of the expressway connecting New Delhi to Kolkata as on April 30, 2008 gives a figure of only 34 kms as incomplete or under implementation. However, when I go to its chainage diagram for the Delhi-Kolkata on NH-2, I find hundreds of kms and many segments still shown 'under implementation'. Why is it so? Can some one responsible in NHAI and the transport ministry, explain? I wish some one goes along the expressways and write a book for people who shall like to see India following the routes. Perhaps, the speed of progress confirms that at least my wish to do that will remain unfulfilled. After Satyendra Dubey murder, it became known that NHAI projects suffer from blatant corruption and even the quality of the construction is far from the world-class standard that it claimed once to achieve. It would have worked hard to make it more transparent and involved institutes such as IITs or CRRI more intensively. I feel bad, as just this one single infrastructure project, if properly executed, would have taken India pretty ahead and added to sustainable overall growth. I call it a project of national importance but the government doesn't think so, nor treat so. It is still not late for the government to see that the timeframe is not sacrificed. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002131.php/feed/ BRT- A damager to IIT Image http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002075.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002075.php#comments Sat, 26 Apr 2008 16:23:19 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002075.php Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor has become the nightmare and if media is to be believed, it has created major upheaval in day-to-day lives of a large number of Delhites living in the affected areas where the trial run is getting carried out. Citizens' groups, traffic experts and MPs forgetting party lines are raising the embarrassing questions for the government implementing it and even demanding immediate scrapping of the project. Even Supreme Court lawyers have joined the chorus. Perhaps soon enough it may reach SC through some PIL. Interestingly, the persons behind the corridor concept are Dinesh Mohan and Geetam Tiwari from IIT-Delhi's Transport Research and Injury Prevention Programme. I heard them once on TV channel. However, I don't hear any more if they are with the taskforce on the road to see that the fiasco is sorted out fast enough so that their capabilities don't come under questions. The IIT's team should have taken this as a challenge and deployed all its resources to see that the design is robust taking all the failure and effect modes in view. All the issues and possible problems would have been studied and taken care of before starting the trail. After all, the name of IIT is at stake. Many like me must be feeling bad about it. Why couldn't the concept and expected actions from the commuters using the corridor have reached them through media and pamphlets? Why should the road users lack the information about BRT and be taken for granted? Why couldn't the sufficient number of smart marshals be trained in advance? Why shouldn't signaling and signage be put in place? Why can't issue of stray cattle be sorted out? If the concept, as claimed, were supported by bus manufacturing majors Volvo and Tatas, I would have expected them to put their experts with the implementing task force to provide all assistances. As I feel the preparations before starting the trial was not done using suitable management tools, and accountability was not fixed. I have also found some blaming the government for not using its own talent. I wonder why we Indians fail in getting all the projects such as BRT implemented. It happened with expressway connecting Gurgaon to Delhi. It has happened now with BRT. I am sure the authorities will take care of the lapses, the commuters will soon learn and get acclimatized, and the people will forget about the fiasco created. But I opine, IIT experts would have been more visible and vocal, when its design had some difficulties in implementation or drawbacks perceived or real. ]]> Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor has become the nightmare and if media is to be believed, it has created major upheaval in day-to-day lives of a large number of Delhites living in the affected areas where the trial run is getting carried out. Citizens' groups, traffic experts and MPs forgetting party lines are raising the embarrassing questions for the government implementing it and even demanding immediate scrapping of the project. Even Supreme Court lawyers have joined the chorus. Perhaps soon enough it may reach SC through some PIL. Interestingly, the persons behind the corridor concept are Dinesh Mohan and Geetam Tiwari from IIT-Delhi's Transport Research and Injury Prevention Programme. I heard them once on TV channel. However, I don't hear any more if they are with the taskforce on the road to see that the fiasco is sorted out fast enough so that their capabilities don't come under questions. The IIT's team should have taken this as a challenge and deployed all its resources to see that the design is robust taking all the failure and effect modes in view. All the issues and possible problems would have been studied and taken care of before starting the trail. After all, the name of IIT is at stake. Many like me must be feeling bad about it. Why couldn't the concept and expected actions from the commuters using the corridor have reached them through media and pamphlets? Why should the road users lack the information about BRT and be taken for granted? Why couldn't the sufficient number of smart marshals be trained in advance? Why shouldn't signaling and signage be put in place? Why can't issue of stray cattle be sorted out? If the concept, as claimed, were supported by bus manufacturing majors Volvo and Tatas, I would have expected them to put their experts with the implementing task force to provide all assistances. As I feel the preparations before starting the trial was not done using suitable management tools, and accountability was not fixed. I have also found some blaming the government for not using its own talent. I wonder why we Indians fail in getting all the projects such as BRT implemented. It happened with expressway connecting Gurgaon to Delhi. It has happened now with BRT. I am sure the authorities will take care of the lapses, the commuters will soon learn and get acclimatized, and the people will forget about the fiasco created. But I opine, IIT experts would have been more visible and vocal, when its design had some difficulties in implementation or drawbacks perceived or real. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002075.php/feed/ Powering India http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002032.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002032.php#comments Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:12:37 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002032.php Tata Power, India's third-biggest utility by value, will spend Rs 17,000 crore ($4.2 billion) on a plant at Mundra in Gujarat to generate 4,000 mw of electricity. Tata Power has tied up Rs3,115 crore debt to develop a 1,050 Mw coal- based power project in Jharkhand. Reliance Power is expecting necessary clearances from the governments within 90 days for its 4,000 Mw Sasan ultra mega power project (UMPP) in Madhya Pradesh and plans to make it fully operational in 50-60 months. NTPC Ltd would invest $1.84 billion in setting up a 1,320 MW power plant and is to set up and maintain a 1,980 Mw coal-based thermal power project at Nabinagar, Bihar. Godawari Power and Ispat (GPIL), an integrated steel manufacturer based in Chhattisgarh, is mulling foray into commercial power generation with projects in Chhattisgarh or Jharkhand with capacities ranging between 300 to 1,000 Mw with coal and coal rejects as fuel. Vidoecon proposes a thermal power plant with a capacity of 1,000 Mw and investment of about Rs 4,000 crores in eastern UP. Venugopal N Dhoot may set up a photovoltaic (PV) factory somewhere in Varanasi for an estimated Rs. 1000 crore investment. Kolkata-based Jain Energy plans for setting up a 1,000 Mw coal-based thermal power plant at Balpur of Janjgir-Champa district in Chattisgarh and expects to commission it in 2011 at an estimated investment of Rs 5,000 crore. Jindal India Thermal Power Ltd plans to invest over Rs 20,000 crore to implement three pit-head, coal-based power projects totaling 4,300 Mw in Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The firm also proposes to venture into hydel power production with plans to establish a 1,000 Mw project in North India at a cost of Rs 6,000 crore. Hyderabad-based GVK Power & Infrastructure Ltd (GVKPIL) is setting up a 660 Mw thermal power project Amritsar at a project cost of about Rs 3,000 crore, and has also plans for a thermal power plant at Talwandi Sabo (1,800 Mw) and another coal-based thermal power plant near Rajpura (1,200 Mw) for an investment of Rs 12,000-14,000 crore. Adani is targetting a power generation capacity of 10,000 Mw that will be operational in a phased manner. Steel-maker Prakash Industries will set up a 600 Mw thermal power station in Chhattisgarh with an investment of about Rs 2,400 crore. And similar initiatives are going on for hydel power too. NHPC, the country's largest hydel power company will double the power generation to become a 10,000 Mw-plus corporation by 2011-12 envisaging an investment of Rs 28,000 crore. The Himachal Pradesh government has signed deals with private companies for building eight hydel projects, including two mega projects and six micro-sized projects. Initiatives to remove the darkness do also cover alternative sources of energy. More and more entrepreneurs are trying in different ways to tap solar energy to light up homes in rural hamlets Moser Baer India is investing about $1.5 billion in increasing its thin-film photovoltaic capacity to 600 Mw over the next two years from the existing project capacity of 40 Mw. After successfully starting its pilot wind energy project in Gujarat, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is now planning to invite bids for its second pilot project in Karnataka. ONGC will invest nearly Rs 600 crore in the first phase of its wind energy foray for generating nearly 15000 Mw of power. The total installed capacity for wind energy in India was about 7114 Mw. And naturally the entrepreneurs are moving into equipment manufacturing too. BHEL can't remain the sole supplier and the excuse for not meeting the target. L&T is seriously getting into power equipment manufacturing. L&T is being officially promoted as the BHEL-II for manufacturing power equipment required for large super critical thermal power plants. Lanco Infratech Ltd is planning to set up one of the country's largest wind turbines manufacturing facilities, to take advantage of shortage of wind turbines in the global and domestic markets. The interesting development is the increase in the number of power projects based on imported coal, which will be shipped in from countries such as Indonesia and Australia. "Of the 78,577Mw (of power generation capacity) that is to be added by 2012, around 4,000Mw will be from imported coal-based projects on the coasts." Delays in timely forest and environmental clearances for 30 thermal power projects, with a combined generation capacity of around 22,000Mw, may make it difficult for India to meet its already ambitious power generation targets. India must learn to complete its power projects within a timeframe that must match the best international standard, and move to cut down the electricity losses on war footing. Electricity losses in India are about 30% of output; in Bangladesh, it is below 10%. Will the initiatives make India power sufficient and efficient, if not power surplus? I wish the government could design some robustness in administrative system that can build clear accountability to ensure timely executions. Simultaneously, a time bound programme for power conservation through disciplined use and technologies (preference and incentives for energy-efficient equipment and CFLs) must also be in place. ]]> Tata Power, India's third-biggest utility by value, will spend Rs 17,000 crore ($4.2 billion) on a plant at Mundra in Gujarat to generate 4,000 mw of electricity. Tata Power has tied up Rs3,115 crore debt to develop a 1,050 Mw coal- based power project in Jharkhand. Reliance Power is expecting necessary clearances from the governments within 90 days for its 4,000 Mw Sasan ultra mega power project (UMPP) in Madhya Pradesh and plans to make it fully operational in 50-60 months. NTPC Ltd would invest $1.84 billion in setting up a 1,320 MW power plant and is to set up and maintain a 1,980 Mw coal-based thermal power project at Nabinagar, Bihar. Godawari Power and Ispat (GPIL), an integrated steel manufacturer based in Chhattisgarh, is mulling foray into commercial power generation with projects in Chhattisgarh or Jharkhand with capacities ranging between 300 to 1,000 Mw with coal and coal rejects as fuel. Vidoecon proposes a thermal power plant with a capacity of 1,000 Mw and investment of about Rs 4,000 crores in eastern UP. Venugopal N Dhoot may set up a photovoltaic (PV) factory somewhere in Varanasi for an estimated Rs. 1000 crore investment. Kolkata-based Jain Energy plans for setting up a 1,000 Mw coal-based thermal power plant at Balpur of Janjgir-Champa district in Chattisgarh and expects to commission it in 2011 at an estimated investment of Rs 5,000 crore. Jindal India Thermal Power Ltd plans to invest over Rs 20,000 crore to implement three pit-head, coal-based power projects totaling 4,300 Mw in Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The firm also proposes to venture into hydel power production with plans to establish a 1,000 Mw project in North India at a cost of Rs 6,000 crore. Hyderabad-based GVK Power & Infrastructure Ltd (GVKPIL) is setting up a 660 Mw thermal power project Amritsar at a project cost of about Rs 3,000 crore, and has also plans for a thermal power plant at Talwandi Sabo (1,800 Mw) and another coal-based thermal power plant near Rajpura (1,200 Mw) for an investment of Rs 12,000-14,000 crore. Adani is targetting a power generation capacity of 10,000 Mw that will be operational in a phased manner. Steel-maker Prakash Industries will set up a 600 Mw thermal power station in Chhattisgarh with an investment of about Rs 2,400 crore. And similar initiatives are going on for hydel power too. NHPC, the country's largest hydel power company will double the power generation to become a 10,000 Mw-plus corporation by 2011-12 envisaging an investment of Rs 28,000 crore. The Himachal Pradesh government has signed deals with private companies for building eight hydel projects, including two mega projects and six micro-sized projects. Initiatives to remove the darkness do also cover alternative sources of energy. More and more entrepreneurs are trying in different ways to tap solar energy to light up homes in rural hamlets Moser Baer India is investing about $1.5 billion in increasing its thin-film photovoltaic capacity to 600 Mw over the next two years from the existing project capacity of 40 Mw. After successfully starting its pilot wind energy project in Gujarat, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is now planning to invite bids for its second pilot project in Karnataka. ONGC will invest nearly Rs 600 crore in the first phase of its wind energy foray for generating nearly 15000 Mw of power. The total installed capacity for wind energy in India was about 7114 Mw. And naturally the entrepreneurs are moving into equipment manufacturing too. BHEL can't remain the sole supplier and the excuse for not meeting the target. L&T is seriously getting into power equipment manufacturing. L&T is being officially promoted as the BHEL-II for manufacturing power equipment required for large super critical thermal power plants. Lanco Infratech Ltd is planning to set up one of the country's largest wind turbines manufacturing facilities, to take advantage of shortage of wind turbines in the global and domestic markets. The interesting development is the increase in the number of power projects based on imported coal, which will be shipped in from countries such as Indonesia and Australia. "Of the 78,577Mw (of power generation capacity) that is to be added by 2012, around 4,000Mw will be from imported coal-based projects on the coasts." Delays in timely forest and environmental clearances for 30 thermal power projects, with a combined generation capacity of around 22,000Mw, may make it difficult for India to meet its already ambitious power generation targets. India must learn to complete its power projects within a timeframe that must match the best international standard, and move to cut down the electricity losses on war footing. Electricity losses in India are about 30% of output; in Bangladesh, it is below 10%. Will the initiatives make India power sufficient and efficient, if not power surplus? I wish the government could design some robustness in administrative system that can build clear accountability to ensure timely executions. Simultaneously, a time bound programme for power conservation through disciplined use and technologies (preference and incentives for energy-efficient equipment and CFLs) must also be in place. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002032.php/feed/ Budget 2008: Terrible, Historic, Sweeping, Election, or Election-oriented http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002027.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002027.php#comments Sat, 01 Mar 2008 03:54:46 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002027.php All the time I wish some finance minister will introduce a scheme in which the persons paying significant income taxes for 20 years or more will be covered by some respectable medical insurance scheme, at least for major hospitalization. However, I don't think it to happen ever. ]]> All the time I wish some finance minister will introduce a scheme in which the persons paying significant income taxes for 20 years or more will be covered by some respectable medical insurance scheme, at least for major hospitalization. However, I don't think it to happen ever. ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002027.php/feed/ Projects that make me proud http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002002.php http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002002.php#comments Fri, 01 Feb 2008 14:46:47 +0000 Indra http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002002.php First is Delhi Metro's Airport Express Link. With a dedicated fast track, that will take commuters from New Delhi Railway Station to IGI in 20 minutes flat speeding at 135 kmph. It will also have check-in facilities too at the railway station where the travelers abroad will be taking the train. What a great thing to dream of the day! IGI will be in line with or better than many international airports. After reaching IGI station, the people can straight walk to the terminal's lobby. DMRC promises that the new service should be operational by July 2010. It will be on the lines of Heathrow Express, London and Narita Express at Tokyo. The total cost is estimated at Rs 3,800 crore. With personal experience of Heathrow and Narita, the DMRC project becomes more exciting for me. And with DMRC's record of completion of all its projects before the schedule time, I am confident about having it in place in time. Second is Ganga Expressway Project of Mayawati running across Uttar Pradesh from east (Ballia) to west (Noida). Jai Prakash Associates Limited, as expected, has bagged the contract with its lowest bid of Rs 29,355 crore. In a one-page ad in the national print media with a prayer to Ganga, Jai Prakash Associates vows to complete this 8-lane, 1047- km Expressway in the next three years. The expressway will certainly lead to massive development all along the river and will connect the backward eastern region. As economists say the region through which the expressway passes, gets the per capita income of the people there improved considerably and automatically. Let me confess I am not a fan of Mayawati rather I hate her brand of politics. However, I appreciate her developmental projects. She initiated Taj Expressway to connect Agra with Noida, and also some flyovers in Noida in 2003 when she headed BJP-BSP coalition. Unfortunately, Mulayam stalled it. I wish JP Associates completed the Taj Express project as soon as possible. It would have given confidence to the people. Interestingly, it was JP Associates who completed Noida-Greater Noida Expressway. And as some in Noida associated with the project claimed while the Expressway was in making, the lady used to get Rs 1 crore in cash every week. Is the Ganga Expressway being expedited to accumulate the money required to reach the highest chair of the country in New Delhi? However, it hardly concerns me if the project gets completed in time and the quality of work is maintained to the world-class standard. The three expressways running through the UP, beside Ganga expressway will include East-West Corridor, and Golden Quadrilateral. It will mean a great excitement for the motoring population and prosperity for the state. It can happen only if Myawati could win over the protests of the opposition parties, making forcible acquisition of agricultural land as issue that had avowed to continue the agitation till the project is withdrawn. Will it have a fate of Buddha's Nandigram? ]]> First is Delhi Metro's Airport Express Link. With a dedicated fast track, that will take commuters from New Delhi Railway Station to IGI in 20 minutes flat speeding at 135 kmph. It will also have check-in facilities too at the railway station where the travelers abroad will be taking the train. What a great thing to dream of the day! IGI will be in line with or better than many international airports. After reaching IGI station, the people can straight walk to the terminal's lobby. DMRC promises that the new service should be operational by July 2010. It will be on the lines of Heathrow Express, London and Narita Express at Tokyo. The total cost is estimated at Rs 3,800 crore. With personal experience of Heathrow and Narita, the DMRC project becomes more exciting for me. And with DMRC's record of completion of all its projects before the schedule time, I am confident about having it in place in time. Second is Ganga Expressway Project of Mayawati running across Uttar Pradesh from east (Ballia) to west (Noida). Jai Prakash Associates Limited, as expected, has bagged the contract with its lowest bid of Rs 29,355 crore. In a one-page ad in the national print media with a prayer to Ganga, Jai Prakash Associates vows to complete this 8-lane, 1047- km Expressway in the next three years. The expressway will certainly lead to massive development all along the river and will connect the backward eastern region. As economists say the region through which the expressway passes, gets the per capita income of the people there improved considerably and automatically. Let me confess I am not a fan of Mayawati rather I hate her brand of politics. However, I appreciate her developmental projects. She initiated Taj Expressway to connect Agra with Noida, and also some flyovers in Noida in 2003 when she headed BJP-BSP coalition. Unfortunately, Mulayam stalled it. I wish JP Associates completed the Taj Express project as soon as possible. It would have given confidence to the people. Interestingly, it was JP Associates who completed Noida-Greater Noida Expressway. And as some in Noida associated with the project claimed while the Expressway was in making, the lady used to get Rs 1 crore in cash every week. Is the Ganga Expressway being expedited to accumulate the money required to reach the highest chair of the country in New Delhi? However, it hardly concerns me if the project gets completed in time and the quality of work is maintained to the world-class standard. The three expressways running through the UP, beside Ganga expressway will include East-West Corridor, and Golden Quadrilateral. It will mean a great excitement for the motoring population and prosperity for the state. It can happen only if Myawati could win over the protests of the opposition parties, making forcible acquisition of agricultural land as issue that had avowed to continue the agitation till the project is withdrawn. Will it have a fate of Buddha's Nandigram? ]]> http://drishtikona.com/archives/indias_infrastructure/002002.php/feed/