Why the mobile phones to be switched off at the petrol Pumps?

Though the question sounds to be funny, but by using the cell phone at Petrol Pump may result in catastrophe.

"The Threat mobile phones poses to petrol pumps and their users around the world is due to thier ability to produce sparks. These can be generated by the high powered battery inside the phone, which is itself, is a possible cause of fire. But the electromagnetic waves emitted by the phone are more than sufficient to create considerable static electricity that heats the surrounding air and if the flammable vapor, concentrated enough, causes an explosion. But the other electronic devices installed at the petrol pumps are safe, as they are protected by the explosive containment devices. But the same is not true with the cellular phones". But the danger is still ignored by number of users who continue to talk on the cellular phones while filling up at petrol pumps.

Indian Ministry Guidelines:

Switch off cellphones at petrol pumps: Ram Naik

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JUNE 27. The Petroleum Ministry today warned that cellular phones should be switched off at petrol pumps as they were a potential ignition source to the flammable vapours in the atmosphere.

Due to the potential risk of fire accidents due to ignition from the batteries of cell phones, manufacturers and service providers of cell phones also advise users to keep cell phones in "off'' mode.

The Petroleum Minister, Ram Naik, directed that steps be taken to create awareness among customers about the need to keep cell phones switched off while at the retail outlets.

He said oil marketing companies should arrange distribution of suitable pamphlets in this regard to each vehicle coming in for refuelling at the outlets for 30 days. The companies have also been advised to orient their staff appropriately and put up signs urging their customers to switch off their cell phones.

The Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD) has given the opinion that mobile phones should be switched off at retail outlets, CNG and LPG refuelling stations, and not permitted inside oil installations.

It pointed out that cell phone manufacturers such as Nokia, Motorola, Panasonic, multinational oil and companies such as Shell, the aviation wing of BP Amoco and Airtel had all recommended switching off mobile phones at fuel stations.

Source : http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/06/28/stories/2002062803601100.htm

Some Advice to be given to the customers:

“Please do not talk on the phone sir,” should be a polite warning from an employee to the customer. “Due to the potential risk of fire accidents, we advise cellphone users to switch off their sets when they come to petrol bunks. Aware the customer that we have also instructed our staff to make sure the rule is implemented,”

Rs. 21,000 cr oil bonds urged

Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora on Monday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to intervene and get issued oil bonds worth Rs.20,872 crore to the three state-run oil marketing companies to make up for the losses they had incurred on fuel sales. Though the government had earlier this year explicitly decided to compensate Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Bharat Petroleum Corporation for the losses they incurred on selling domestic LPG and kerosene through PDS by way of oil bonds, the Finance Ministry had not issued any bonds for the three quarters.

The three companies lost Rs.11,853 crore in revenues on not being allowed to raise LPG and kerosene prices in line with the cost during April-September. An additional revenue loss of Rs.9,019 crore revenue was estimated for the third quarter ending December 31, 2009.

Mr. Deora had on two occasions written to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for issuing oil bonds but the Ministry has failed to allocate any amount towards this in the supplementary demands of grant (extra spending). “We have not got any bonds in the last three quarters. It is not possible to continue like this,” Mr. Deora said.

Revenue loss

The government had decided to make good all of the revenues lost on sale of domestic LPG and kerosene through the issue of oil bonds, while the same on petrol and diesel was to be met by upstream firms like OIL and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation.

The three firms now lose Rs.3.49 a litre on petrol, Rs.2.38 a litre on diesel, Rs.18.13 a litre on kerosene and Rs.250.67 per LPG cylinder, according to Mr. Deora.

Source : http://beta.thehindu.com/business/Industry/article68381.ece

Nation-wide bank strike on Wednesday

Already our dealers are suffering with strike / bandh at rayalaseema and coastal andhra pradesh. This resulted with disruption of supplies from cuddapah and guntakal depots. To take the toll again, strike by SBI on wednesday... Anyway news follows:

Banking operations are likely to be hit on Wednesday as public sector bank employees will go on a one-day nation-wide strike to protest the proposed merger of the State Bank of Indore with the parent SBI.

“About 4 lakh bank employees under the banner of All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA) and All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA) would observe a strike as the conciliation meeting with the management failed,” AIBEA General Secretary C H Venkatachalam said.

During the conciliatory meeting held today, unions offered to defer the strike if the SBI management agreed to stop further action on the merger of State Bank of Indore, he said, adding, “the management did not agree, and hence the strike stands.”

The conciliatory meeting with the Indian Banks’ Association and the management of SBI and the State Bank of Indore was held before the Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner here.

Among other demands, Venkatachalam said, there should be no consolidation in the public sector banks in the name of creating a global size bank.

Many public sector and private sector banks have already informed the public that the normal functioning of the bank’s branches may get affected in view of the strike call.

The Federal Bank in a filing on the Bombay Stock Exchange said it is likely that the normal functioning of branches may get affected.

http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article65568.ece

All about Nitrogen Tyre Inflator

Advantages:

The claims are this:

1. Nitrogen-filled tires maintain proper pressure longer
2. The rubber of nitrogen-filled tires last longer
3. Nitrogen is less volatile than oxygen and thus safer in a fiery crash
4. Cars with Nitrogen-filled tires get better gas mileage
5. Cars with Nitrogen-filled tires are better for the environment

The last two claims are dependent upon the expectation that the tires filled with nitrogen are actually at properly inflated pressure more consistently. So let’s set them aside and focus on the first three points.

1. Do nitrogen-filled tires maintain proper pressure longer? The premise for this claim is that nitrogen is a larger molecule than oxygen. It is. Only slightly. But let’s not omit the fact that we’re talking about molecules here and not just the element. Oxygen and nitrogen are both diatomic molecules. Nitrogen actually has less mass than oxygen, so Graham’s Law dictates that it diffuses a bit faster than oxygen. However, since the actual size of the oxygen molecule (O2) is a bit larger than that of a nitrogen molecule (N2), this only applies if the opening from which the molecules are effusing from is large enough to permit the largest of the two. In such cases, N2 will diffuse faster.

The question, then, becomes, are the pores in rubber (assuming there are such pores) smaller than the N2 molecule but larger than the O2 molecule? I don’t know the answer to this. Nor could I find any literature in the few minutes I searched, but if anyone has a citation to an independent (i.e. non Nitrogen Tire industry) study or bit of research, I’m interested. Without digging out my old chemistry textbook, I’m willing to tentatively accept Wiki Answers on the sizes of N2 and O2 molecules: N2 is roughly 300 picometers while O2 is slightly smaller at 292 picometers. I’m open to revising these figures if someone cites a more reliable source, but I can’t imagine that there’d be any reason for the link to be more than slightly wrong.

2. Does rubber oxidize faster when exposed to oxygen rather than pure nitrogen?I’d expect so. The real questions are: a) how to you keep oxygen on the outside of your tires from causing oxidation?, and b) does it really matter to me since every single tire I’ve ever replaced was because of worn tread and not oxidation?

3. Why do I give a shit whether or not the oxygen in my tires will fuel the fire of my fiery crash? If the explosion is powerful enough to consume the oxygen in the surrounding air leaving only my tires as reserve fuel, I suspect I’m going to be a crispy critter anyway.

As for 4. and 5., I’m not that arsed for time that I can’t continue my routine of checking my tire pressure every 5,000 KMS when I change my oil. In fact, nearly every time I’ve ever checked my tires at 5k, they’ve either been dead on for the proper psi or just a pound or two off. Whenever I’ve had to fill more than that, it’s been either because of a faulty valve or a nail in the tire itself. I suspect that the resulting points of egress in a faulty valve or pucture would create holes large enough for either O2 or N2 to escape through effusion. So, in that case, Graham’s Law would be in effect and N2 would escape faster than O2.

Disadvantages

• Inflating tires with Nitrogen is quite costly. The cost generally comes to somewhere around 25 to 50 India Rupees per tyre for a passenger car.
• Filling tyres with nitrogen requires more maintenance as compared to compressed gas.
• The availability factor is the biggest disadvantage of inflating tyres with nitrogen, as the gas is not readily available. It is usually found only with specialist tyre dealers.

OVL, Oil India to bid for oil blocks in Iraq

New Delhi, Nov. 26 ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL), the overseas investment arm of ONGC, and Oil India Ltd (OIL) are exploring the possibilities of bidding for oil and gas fields in Iraq.

The Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Mr Jitin Prasada, informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday that “OVL is looking into the possibility of bidding for oil and gas fields in Iraq. Preliminary discussions are being held with qualified oil companies for joint bidding in Iraq.”

“Oil India is also exploring the possibility of participation in exploration and production in Iraq,” he said.

Last year, Iraq had come out with the list of 35 companies that had qualified for bidding in the first licensing round for oil and gas fields in that country. OVL was the only Indian company that had qualified for the first round. It had, however, not got any blocks in the first round. The company now plans to bid for the second licence round which is to take place next month.

Oil India, along with other international companies, has qualified to bid for the second round. Iraq holds over 115 billion barrels of crude oil reserves.

Source : http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/11/27/stories/2009112750460300.htm

APCPDCL MEMO

Income Tax Calculator

Centre weighs another cut in diesel prices before elections

 THE government is exploring plans to cut diesel prices again — the third time in less than two months — with the political leadership of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance favouring a further reduction ahead of the crucial parliamentary elections later this summer, said a government official who asked not to be named. 
    A cut in diesel prices could help bring down prices of essential commodities such as rice, edible oil, fruits, vegetables, eggs and milk, strengthening the UPA’s hand at the time of elections. 
    The government slashed pump price of petrol by Rs 5 a litre, diesel by Rs 2 a litre and cooking gas by Rs 25 per 14.2 kg cylinder on January 28. Last December, prices of petrol and diesel were reduced by Rs 5 a litre and Rs 2 a litre respectively. The latest proposal, which is still in discussion stages, involves cutting the price of diesel by Rs 2-3 a litre. 
    “The current price of petrol reflects the retail price of June 2005. The existing price of diesel is almost at the level of September 2005. Due to falling international oil prices, the government could reduce prices of fuels,” said a Cabinet minister, requesting anonymity. 
    The minister added the previous cuts in diesel prices had helped the poor by bringing down prices of essential items, while the reduction in petrol and cooking gas prices helped the middle class. 
    The cut being planned now may happen as another interim measure, or as part of a resurrected deregulation agenda in case of auto fuels helped by low global prices and healthy margins for state-run oil companies. “In December last year the Cabinet had in-principle favoured deregulating petrol and diesel prices and that proposal has not been abandoned,” a senior official who was present in the December meeting told ET. 
    A government official said the profit margin for refiners on diesel now stands at Rs 4.45 a litre, giving the government enough cushion to cut prices. But other officials said a cut is expected to be opposed by the oil ministry because public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) are still losing money on the sale of subsidised kerosene and cooking gas. 
    “Currently, OMCs are losing Rs 11.25 on the sale of PDS kerosene (sold through fair price shops) and Rs 74.53 on every cylinder of cooking gas. But the margin is positive on petrol (by 0.03 a litre) and diesel,” another official said, adding the overall margin on the sale of four fuels is positive by Rs 329 crore on a monthly basis for the OMCs. 
    rajeev.jayaswal@timesgroup.com 

Source : http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=ET&BaseHref=ETM/2009/02/21&PageLabel=7&EntityId=Ar00702&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

Reliance gas to hit market by April

NEW DELHI: Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora on Wednesday told the Parliamentary Consultative Committee that the first consignment of natal gas from the Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries’ Eastern offshore KG-D6 fields will hit the markets by April this year.

“The arrival of the natural gas would certainly ease fuel deficit being faced by power and fertilizer units. Reliance is likely to start gas production by the first week of March but the initial volume would go for testing the equipment and building pressure in the pipeline. The first sale may be by early April,” he added.

Mr. Deora said that it had been decided to supply the first 40 mmscmd (million metric standard cubic metre per day) of natural gas to meet the shortfall in existing gas-based urea plants, LPG plants and power plants. KG-D6 gas would be a boon for the fuel-starved fertilizer and power companies, increasing production at cheaper rates. Reliance gas priced at $4.20 per million British thermal unit, at least 50 per cent cheaper than competitive domestic gas, would increase supply of urea in the country and bring down fertilizer subsidy, he said. Mr. Deora also said that Reliance had started crude oil production from its deep sea KG-D6 block in Krishna Godavari basin in September with initial output of 8,000 barrels a day.

The initial volumes from KG-D6 would be sold to gas-based urea manufacturing plants and the Dabhol power plant in Maharashtra.

source : the hindu

XTRAPOWER FLEET CARD HOARDING - NEW

HIGHLIGHTS OF INTERIM BUDGET 2009-2010

Source : The Hindu

NEW DELHI: Belying all expectations of India Inc. of fiscal sops to weather the impact of the global downturn, the United Progressive Alliance government, in the interim budget 2009-10 presented on Monday, announced a massive allocation of Rs. 1,31,317 crore for its various flagship programmes to spur the economy and benefit the common man. It also indicated the need for tax relief in 2009-10, when the regular budget is presented by a new regime after the Lok Sabha elections.

Presenting the interim budget for a vote-on-account for the necessary government expenditure in the first four months of the new fiscal, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who holds charge of Finance, desisted from announcing any sops as he did not have the parliamentary mandate to “tweak” the rates and did whatever he could under the constraints.

“Constitutional propriety requires that new government formulates the tax and expenditure policies for 2009-10… Therefore, I am presenting an interim budget for the purpose of vote-on-account to enable the government to meet expenditure during the first four months of the next financial year,” he said.

Detailing the performance of the UPA regime with regard to its Common Minimum Programme and achieving a gross domestic product growth of 9 per cent and above in three consecutive years till 2007-08, he highlighted the steps taken to tackle the slowdown in the current fiscal.

Besides making a much higher allocation for defence at Rs 1,41,703 crore in view of the deteriorating security environment owing to cross-border terrorism, Mr. Mukherjee announced massive spending on social sector schemes for the larger benefit of the “aam aadmi.” Among these, the Bharat Nirman programme was allocated Rs. 40,900 crore while Rs. 30,100 crore has been set apart for the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for the new fiscal.

With the thrust on higher spending on the social sector, the “Sarva Siksha Abhiyan” has been allocated Rs. 13,100 crore, the Integrated Child Development Services Rs. 6,705 crore, the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Scheme Rs. 11,842 crore, the National Rural Health Mission Rs. 12,070 crore, the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Drinking Water Mission Rs. 7,400 crore and the Total Rural Sanitation Programme Rs. 1,200 crore.

“In the current environment, there is a clear need for contra-cyclical policy and it calls for a substantial increase in expenditure in infrastructure development, where we have a large gap and in rural development where programmes such as Bharat Nirman and NREGS are playing a vital role,” he said.

Huge allocations for flagship schemes:

1. Sarva Siksha Abhiyan : 31,100 crores

2. Integrated child development scheme : 6,705 crores

3. JNURNS : 11,842 crores

4. National rural health mission : 12,070 crores

5. Rajiv Gandhi Rural drinking water mission : 7, 400 crores

6. Total rural sanitation programme : 1,200 crore

7. Bharat Nirman : 40,900 crores (Covers rural roads, telephony, irrigation, drinking water supply, housing and electrification).

8. NREGS : 30,100 crores (Which generated employement for 138.76 crore man days covering 3.51 crore households, gets an increased allocation of 30,100 crores)

New Schemes :

1. Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension :

2. Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme

3. Unique identification Project

Fiscal Defecit

http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/17/stories/2009021760031600.htm (for more info)

Unique Identification Project

1. Allocation  : 100 crores

2. The Unique Identification Authority of India is being established under the aegis of the Planning Commission for which a notification has been issued in January 2009. A provision of Rs.100 crore has been made in the annual Plan 2009-10 for this,” Mr. Mukherjee said while presenting the interim budget.

3. The project envisages assigning a unique identification number to each resident in the country. It aims at eliminating the need for multiple identification mechanism prevalent across various government departments. The government has been working on improving arrangements to ensure that development deliverables reach the intended beneficiaries.

National Investigation Agency

1. Alloted with 10 crores 

2. The NIA, under the administrative control of the Home Ministry, was set up by an Act of Parliament in December last. The agency has concurrent jurisdiction which empowers the Centre to probe terror attacks in any part of the country, covering offences such as challenge to the country’s sovereignty and integrity, bomb blasts, hijack of aircraft and ships, and attacks on nuclear installations.

Central Plan Outlay By Sectors

Car - In - A - Tank - Sceme

IndianOil

Fill up your tank and win a car! IndianOil offers 'Car-in-a-tank' scheme

‘Car-in-a-tank’ is an on-ground campaign at all IndianOil/IBP/AOD petrol/diesel stations (retail outlets) sellingXTRAPREMIUM and/or XTRAMILE and/or Autogas and is valid from 1st February to 30th April 2009. Being an SMS-based scheme, the basic steps for customers to participate in the campaign are given below: Purchase XTRAPREMIUM or XTRAMILE or Autogas, worth Rs 300/- SMS ‘IOC Bill No.’ (Bill of purchase of XP/XM/Autogas) to 53636 Winners to be selected through a system-based random process Customers may ensure that the SMS sent should have the keyword correctly keyed in. E.g., if the bill no. is 1234 he/she should SMS ‘IOC 1234’ (The space between IOC and 1234 should be maintained. Also, there should not be any space before IOC).The cost of each SMS varies from 80p to Rs 3/-.

Prizes:

Maruti Suzuki SX4 - 01 Nos. Maruti Suzuki A-Star – 04 Nos. Maruti Suzuki M 800 Duo - 08 Nos. iPod or equivalent – 500 Nos. XP/XM/Autogas Rs 500 gift voucher – 1000 Nos

Terms & Conditions of the "Car in a Tan" offer – 2009 Employees of IndianOil and their families, IndianOil Dealers & Distributors, employees of Advertising Agencies of IndianOil, other Channel partners/Service providers/Event managers etc. associated with this offer, are not eligible to take part. Participation in this offer is deemed acceptance of these Terms and Conditions. Offer commences on 1st February 2009 and closes at 12.00 pm IST (midnight) on 30th April 2009 - ("Offer Period"). Any entries received after 12.00 midnight, on the 30th April 2009 will not be considered. Entry to this offer shall be treated as void wherever such offers are prohibited under local laws. By entering this offer, you agree that the information provided by you may be used by IndianOil for the administration of the draw. We may also use the information to carry out research about this offer or communicate future promotions to you. This offer is open to Indian Citizens aged 18 or over, as on 1st February 2008, residing in India only. Only those customers who purchase Rs. 300 or above worth branded fuels XTRAPREMIUM or XTRAMILE or Autogas are eligible to participate in the offer. This offer is applicable for purchase of XTRAPREMIUM/ XTRAMILE/ Autogas at any IndianOil, IBP or Assam Oil Division retail outlets only. A customer purchasing branded fuel XTRAPREMIUM/ XTRAMILE/ Autogas worth Rs 300 or more, should SMS ‘IOC Bill No.’ to the short code 53636. Here the ‘Bill No.’ is the number of the ‘bill of purchase’ issued by the fuel station for the purchase of XTRAPREMIUM/ XTRAMILE/ Autogas worth Rs 300 or more. The space between IOC and the bill number has to be maintained if not an error message will be received by the customer. For Eg: If the bill no is 2345 the customer has to SMS, IOC 2345 to the number 53636. If the bill no is 6 the customer has to SMS,IOC 6 to 53636. The SMS facility is available through all service providers including the majors like BSNL/MTNL/ Vodafone(Hutch)/Airtel/Reliance/Idea/ BPL etc. The premium rates as applicable would be charged for the SMS being sent to take part in the offer. A customer can make multiple entries for repeat purchases however each SMS should have a separate bill no. Multiple entries using the same bill number will be considered invalid. The prizes on offer are 1st Prize - Maruti Suzuki SX4 – 1 Nos. 2nd Prize - Maruti Suzuki A-Star – 4 Nos. 3rd Prize - Maruti Suzuki 800 Duo – 8 Nos. 4th Prize - iPod or equivalent – 500 Nos. Consolation Prizes - XP/XM/Autogas Rs 500 gift vouchers – 1000 Nos. The customer is required to preserve the original Cash/Credit memo of the purchase of XTRAPREMIUM/XTRAMILE based on which the customer has entered the offer for claiming the prize, if any, won by him/her. Loss/mutilation of the original Cash/Credit memo would disqualify the customer. No photocopies of cash/credit memos will be accepted. The prizes would be decided based on a system based random process that would select the winning Mobile Number and the corresponding bill of purchase, from a dump of valid entries (SMSes) received. This process would be conducted in the presence of an independent third-party auditor and winners declared within 6 weeks of the close of the offer or within such period as the Corporation may deem fit. The list of winners would be displayed on the IndianOil website, www.iocl.com The list of winners would be displayed on the IndianOil website for a period of one month after the prize winners are declared. The decision of the Corporation shall be final and no communication in this regard will be entertained. The selected Mobile Numbers would be contacted by our back-end operator for further processing. In case the mobile number has been changed/terminated/blocked/out of reach etc. IndianOil will not be held liable for not being able to communicate/handover prizes to the winners. No queries/clarifications/suggestions will be entertained on the modality of selection or the selection process which would be entirely the discretion of IndianOil. All statutory levies including taxes, duties, octroi etc., applicable on the prizes would have to be borne by the prizewinners. Any other costs including insurance, registration etc of the Car prizes given would have to borne by the prizewinners. Winner have to provide the following documents before receiving the car prize from M/s Maruti – A) Proof of Tax Paid/Copy of Tax Paid counterfoil (paid at any State Bank). The amount of Tax to be determined on the basis of the car won and the state/area where the winner is. B) Copy of Pan Card of the winner. C) Indemnity bond from the winner on stamp paper declaring that the tax paid is from his income under Section 194B of the Income Tax act. D) DD/Cheque/cash for insurance charges, RTO charges and handling charges E) any other statutory requirement as applicable. All winnings shall be liable for withholding and other taxes and the winner shall become entitled to get the prize only after all the taxes are paid. The car would be delivered ex-showroom of the nearest convenient Maruti Dealership once the above formalities are completed. The car prize winner would be given a maximum of 6 weeks to complete the above formalities. If the prize winner is not able to complete the above formalities, including payment of taxes etc., within this period of 6 weeks he shall forfeit the same. Travel arrangements, boarding and lodging if any for availing the Prizes under this offer shall not be the responsibility of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. Prize winners have to make their own arrangements to reach the venue. The offer is not transferable and cannot be exchanged/redeemed for cash. No cash claim shall be entertained in lieu of the offer. This offer may not be combined with other IOCL Promotional or Discount Offer. Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever that may be suffered as a result of participating in the offer or enjoying the prizes. The decision of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. is final and binding and is non-contestable. Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. reserves the right to withdraw and/or alter any of the terms and conditions of this offer at any time without prior notice. No correspondence would be entertained on this account. IOCL reserves the right to audit all claims/winning entries to ensure that the Terms and Conditions of the promotion have been met; and to request additional information regarding any and all claims and supporting documents. Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., and its partners shall not be liable for any loss or damage theft or any other mishap whatsoever, that may be suffered as a result of participating in the scheme or enjoying the prizes. Apart from the entitlement to the prizes, the winner or his/her legal heirs will have no rights or claims against IndianOil or its partners. 30. As a general rule no correspondence will be entered into. Any correspondence would be at the discretion of IndianOil. The submission of false, incorrect, misleading or fraudulent documentation may result in disqualification from this promotion and from future IOCL promotions. The submission of false, misleading or fraudulent information may result in the claimant being subject to civil or criminal liability. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Mumbai.

Ensuring energy independence and security

Nice Article.. Must read it...

Source : http://www.commodityonline.com/ndtv/commodities/commoditynewsdetails.php?id=14613&cat=8&cont=2

By Praful Patel 
The ongoing global crisis has brought out into the open an important point, that the world is one boat, and we are all passengers. Our chance of achieving a peaceful and prosperous future depends upon our realizing that if that boat start taking in water, it doesn’t matter which end of the boat we are in. Today we can’t separate our fate from the fate of others, and we invite catastrophe if we attempt to go it alone. This situation is true whether one is speaking of country-specific energy independence or more recognized global security. 

For instance, the growth of India’s Aviation sector is linked to energy security. Only a few months back India’s booming aviation sector, which was hoping for massive expansion, witnessed a slowdown. The global economic slowdown coupled with the steady rise in the prices of aviation fuel since March 2008 led to a hike in fares, and slowing down passenger traffic, drastically impacting the industry’s growth plans. 

Therefore, in this increasingly interdependent world we rely on each other for energy security, i.e., energy independence which include not merely to the assurance of energy supplies in ample quantities but supply of good quality energy at affordable prices, which helps in creation of wealth for all. 

Energy is the lifeblood of our economies. Affordable, available energy is at the heart of our competitiveness and our standard of living. Energy is essential to fulfill the aspirational goals of our society. Next to water, energy and climate change have emerged as two most important issues for global security and development. 

In the Civil Aviation sector – be it the construction and modernisation of airports or the establishment of new airlines – all of them showcase the dynamism of India’s growth story. Thus, if India’s growth has to be sustained, there is need for more trade and travel, people need to go to far out lands and visitors from all corners of the world need to come here. And to achieve this is required first-rate infrastructure driven by smooth flow of energy. 

However, oil & gas reserves in India are quite limited though there is always scope for discovery of new reserves through exploration. At the rate by which things are growing the import bill for crude oil will put a major burden on the economy and thus these facts require new strategies to deal with the rising energy demand. 

Therefore, there is need of a new paradigm of energy independence to address the development needs. This paradigm would have to focus on several issues like: 
• A less-energy intensive path of development. 
• An increasing use of non-conventional and renewable energy sources, also aimed at reducing carbon emissions, and 
• Improving efficiency in production and consumption. 

Such a strategy needs to be based on coordinated development and judicious use of domestic as well as global resources. The integrated energy policy developed under the leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, intends to expand the existing energy resource base and hunt for new and emerging energy sources. Enhancing energy supply and access is, therefore, a key component of the national development strategy. 

Meeting this vision not only means developing an energy mix but most importantly, to focus on technologies that maximize energy efficiency, demand side management and conservation. The government is committed to the development of nuclear energy. As for solar energy, India is blessed with an abundance of this source and it could be a major energy resource in the years to come. However, commercialization of solar energy requires huge investment in terms of R&D efforts. 

The main goal today is to work towards responsible growth that reconciles economic development with environmental protection. Achieving this will require careful and meticulous planning on the part of industry in consultation with the Government, inter-Governmental institutions and civil society. 

The future of energy independence is in technology – for oil, for natural gas, for alternative energy and for automation industry, be it venicular population or jet-speed Boeings. A technology lens provides a vision and, this path emphasizes three priorities: 
• Diversification through innovation, 
• Mutual interdependence, and 
• Human resources 

Of late, independent oil producing companies are re-fashioning themselves as producers of energy. This trend of vigorous pursuit of all forms of energy is a step towards turning insecurity of supply and demand into security of supply and demand. Coal, gas, oil, hydro and nuclear along with renewals such as wind and solar power, all these forms of energy are under focus. While there is a competition for the energy sources in the world. It can only be addressed by enhanced cooperation in technology research, development, deployment and transfer. 

Further on, in the future, energy and climate change are increasingly becoming vital factors in driving energy prices higher. They are spurring competition for resources; igniting public and private investment in alternative energies and challenging the relentless growth of energy demand, particularly in emerging economies like India. 

In order to mitigate climate change, the dispersal and proliferation of clean energy technologies cannot be left to market forces and commercial interest alone. Otherwise, clean technologies will not be affordable or accessible to those countries which need energy most and are the fastest growing. 

Another challenge for us is that climate change monitors expect developing countries to de-couple energy consumption and growth. But developing countries like India want mechanisms that will help them shape economies that are emissions-free without at the same time hampering their development and poverty-reduction goals. This would entail vast investments technology, as well as of funding to seed alternative energy initiatives. 

It would also require establishing an innovative financial tool that could leverage funds for adoption of clean energy projects, and that is where India needs global cooperation. Therefore the greatest challenge for the global community is to foster understanding between and among energy producers and consumers. And this understanding must be built on the premise that mutual inter-dependence should be at the heart of the new global energy dynamic. 

To wean the global economy from oil, gas and coal, two generation of talent and technology will be needed. One way or other, though, new demand patterns and alternative and renewable sources will eventually come to reign. In practice, a ‘license to operate’ will go to those who develop the next generation of clean applications – including oil, coal, and gas. The paramount challenge is how to arrive there safely without a turmoil in international affairs and in the energy markets. 

On the human resource front, India reinforce its competitive advantage by training the next generation of energy workers. The average age of workers in the energy industry is in the range of 46 to 49, full 10 years older than in most other industries – and the majority of the skilled workers will retire within the next decade. This will create an enormous knowledge gap and therefore collective efforts are required to replenish the pool of skilled energy workers. 

Ultimately, the way forward for both producers and consumers of energy must be mutual interdependence. The challenge of change, created by the convergence of climate change and energy independence is upon all the global players. The key is creating the framework for understanding that sets out the balance of interests that translate into mutual inter-dependence and trust. 

We require common development through sharing of cleaner technologies. Developed countries should contribute to sustainable development by providing the requisite funding support for development of cleaner technologies in the public domain, for adoption in developing countries. 

The nature of energy business is such that we are not talking of tomorrow, or the next month, or even the next year. Large investments can take decades to bear fruit reductions in greenhouse gases will change nothing overnight. But that doesn’t change the fact that the energy we use currently is difficult and unsustainable one. Energy independence will come only through multi-lateral agreements, multiple cooperation across borders and the commitment of the scientific community. All efforts must accompany the action to create a global blueprint of energy security for all. 
(Courtesy: Press Information Bureau) 

The long wait and after...

I am herewith reproducing the good article which appeared on hindu today... Must read it...

The long wait and after

For the second time in less than two months, the government has reduced the retail prices of petrol and diesel, and the margin is the same as on the previous occasion — Rs.5 and Rs.2 a litre respectively. The price of cooking gas, which was left untouched in the revision made on December 5, 2008, has been cut by Rs.25 a cylinder. The successive reductions were not unexpected given the sharp fall in the international oil prices to less than a third of their peak level of around $147 a barrel touched in June-July 2008. The price of India’s average crude basket, currently around $44 a barrel, has come a long way from its unprecedented high of above $140 that prevailed just seven months ago. With petroleum prices hovering just above $40, the public sector companies have not been complaining about “under-recoveries,” a term loosely interpreted as revenue loss arising out of selling products below their cost. After incurring combined losses of Rs.14,431 crore during the first half of the year, they have now bounced back, reporting a positive margin of Rs.20-25 crore a day. Their under-recoveries from LPG and kerosene are being offset by profits from the sale of petrol and diesel.

The recent price revisions will necessitate a relook at those calculations, but the price cuts could not have been postponed indefinitely. Oil prices, having touched the bottom are firming up, although no one is sure which way they will move over the medium-term. The under-recoveries on account of petroleum products may turn out to be less than half the original estimate, but the government still needs to bear a burden of approximately Rs.20,000 crore. That would increase the size of the Central government’s fiscal deficit, which the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council has recently estimated at 8.0 per cent of the GDP for 2008-09. Besides, the economic slowdown has already resulted in lower tax collections. Instead of resorting to ad hoc price revisions, the government would do well to grab the opportunity presented by the unexpected fall in oil prices to put in place a rational system of petroleum pricing with open and transparent cross subsidisation of petrol, kerosene and cooking gas as warranted. In August last year, when the oil prices were high, B.K.Chaturvedi committee had made far-reaching recommendations, which if implemented would pave the way for an equitable methodology of pricing petroleum products. The report has greater relevance now than when it was presented and, one hopes, the government will draw up an action plan based on its recommendations.

© Copyright 2000 - 2008 The Hindu

Notice Regarding Amendments in Appointment of LPG Distributors

Please download the document form the link below:

http://www.iocl.com/Talktous/NOTICE_REGARDING_AMENDMENTS_IN_APPOINTMENT_OF_LPG_DISTRIBUTORS.pdf

Solar Eclipse on Jan 26 and July 22 2009

A partial solar eclipse, Surya Grahan, will be visible in southeastIndiaon January 26, 2009. According to NASA, the solar eclipse on January 26 is an Annular Eclipse. A partial eclipse will be seen in southern third of Africa, Madagascar, Australia, Southeast India, Southeast Asia and Indonesia. In India it will be visible from 10:26 hrs to 16:31 hrs (Indian Standard Time) on January 26, 2009. As per traditional Hindu calendar, January 26 is an Amavasi Day.

In India, Partial Solar Eclipse will be visible in Kerala, parts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, parts of Jharkhand, West Bengal and northeastern states. At Chennai, the Surya Grahan will begin at 14:28 hrs. The greatest phase will be at 15:19 hrs and it will end at 16:05 hrs

All Hindu temples remain closed during Surya Grahan and will reopen only after the Grahan after conducting special pujas and rituals. On the day, Hindus also take holy dip in River Ganga and Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra.

Usually, religious Hindus do not perform any work during Surya Grahan and they purify themselves by taking a bath and chants the Ashtakshara Mantra dedicated to Shri Krishna. Ashtakshara mantra is ‘Shri Krishna ha sharnam mama.’

There is also a Total Solar Eclipse on July 22, 2009.

Caution: During Surya Grahan, there are also some elements in society who take undue advantage of innocent Hindus in the name of astrology. Ancient Hindu saints only talk about the physical harm Surya Grahanam can create on human beings. Put the thinking cap and keep out unwanted elements who try to take undue advantage during such occasions. The only aim of such people is money.

( Image Taken from NASA's Web Site)

Effects of Solar Eclipse

The Surya Grahan (Solar Eclipse) that is going to take place on January 26, 2009 is being considered as bad for India by several astrologers. Many astrologers are of the opinion that the Suryagrahan will have a negative impact on the political setup inIndia and it might give rise to instability on the economic front. Nothing good is being predicted. All astrological predictions are talking about ill effects. The Surya Grahan will coincide with Mauni Amavasya (No moon day in Magh Month as per traditional calendar Hindu followed in North India).

Some astrologers are also opinion that there might be earth quakes, attacks, violence etc as the result of the Surya Grahan.

To make things worse, there is a Chandra Grahan on February 9, 2009.

According to many astrologers, Surya entered the Makara (Capricorn) on January 14 during Makar Sankranti. Rahu, Budh and Brihaspati are also currently residing in the Makar. And Rahu and Brihaspati are in a moving in a direction opposite to that of the Earth and this will result in Guru Chandal Yog.

This is not a healthy sign because it results in unrest, violence and instability. The position will also cause economic hardships.

The bad effect of the Surya Grahan will last for six months.

The Surya Grahan is occurring in the midst of Amavasya and Magh Snan bathing after a gap of more than two decades.

There are numerous recording of Surya Grahan, or Solar Eclipse, in Hindu scriptures. The most famous being the Suryagrahan during the famous Mahabharata war. Usually, Hindus do not perform any work during Surya Grahan and they purify themselves by taking a bath and chant mantras. A complete fast is undertaken by many Hindus during the period. In Hindu religion, taking a holy dip at sacred rivers and tirths on the Surya Grahan day is considered highly auspicious.

The next Surya Grahan is on January 26, 2009 from from 10:26 hrs to 16:30 hrs (Indian Standard Time).

Ancient sages and texts like Brahman Siddhanta restrict viewing the eclipse – one should look at an eclipse through a cloth or a reflection of it. A pregnant woman should never look directly at an eclipse.

Mantras Chanted during Surya Grahan

Some of the important mantras that are chanted during the Surya Grahan include:

Gayatri Mantra

Ashtakshara Mantra dedicated to Shri Krishna. Ashtakshara mantra is ‘Shri Krishna ha sharnam mama.’ Astakshari Mantra is also taken as ‘Om Namoh Narayan Na Yah.’

Mahamrityunjay Mantra is also chanted during eclipse.

Other mantras chanted are Surya Kavach Strotra and Aditya Hridaya Strotram

It is important that one chants mantra or remember god in any form at this time to keep calm and the aura clean.

Hindu Temples Remain Closed

All Hindu Temples remain closed during Surya Grahan. Temples open only after proper rituals are performed to get rid of the ill effects of the Surya Grahan. However, some Lord Shiva temples remain open during Surya Grahan as Lord Shiva is considered as ‘Layakara,’ who Himself is an embodiment of darkness.

Fasting During Surya Grahan

Adult Hindus stop eating 12 hours before a solar eclipse. Children, old people and those who are ill stop eating 3 hours before the beginning of a solar eclipse. If the solar eclipse ends after sunset, then people fast during night and consume food only next day morning.

One should not take food at the time of Grahan because it is said that at this time the most harmful rays from the sun can be seen and absorbed.

* Note : All the material are taken from hindu-blog.com. For further information, Please do visit the same.

Petrol may cost Rs 10 less

Retail prices of petrol and diesel may come down by up to Rs 10 and Rs 3-Rs 4 per litre respectively. This will have a positive impact on the economy - lower inflation, lower interest rates and increased consumer demand.

A note forwarded by the ministry of petroleum and natural gas to the Planning Commission and the ministry of finance, a copy of which is with HT, proposes to free the pricing of petrol and diesel from government control. International crude oil prices, which are ruling at four-year lows (of about $40 a barrel), will make it possible for domestic oil marketing companies (OMCs) to effect such large cuts in retail prices.

The official announcement is expected shortly before the Lok Sabha polls are notified. Further, a cut of Rs 25 per cylinder of cooking gas (LPG) is on the anvil, though LPG and kerosene will continue to be subsidised.

"Pricing of petrol and diesel may be de-controlled," the note says. "OMCs may price the two products on trade parity basis in tandem with international oil prices.

Under-recoveries on PDS kerosene and domestic LPG to be met through oil bonds." Such cuts in retail fuel prices will result in a dramatic drop in the wholesale price index-based inflation rate, which is currently ruling at 5.6 per cent.

This will give the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) sufficient headroom to cut the repo rate (the rate at which it lends short-term money to banks) and the reverse repo rate (the rate at which the RBI borrows short-term money from banks). These are currently at 5.5 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively.

Since lending and deposit rates are linked to these two rates, any significant fall in the repo and reverse repo rates will put pressure on commercial banks to lower lending rates on home and other loans. This will provide a fillip to consumption demand and help kick-start the faltering economy.

The administered price mechanism, under which the government fixed the retail prices of fuels, was officially dismantled in April 2002. There was a proposal then to revise retail prices at regular 15-day intervals.

This practice, however, was discontinued after a few months.

Operation of Retail Outlets of OMC's on COCO Basis

1. If any dealer is interested in operating COCO, please download the following document...

http://petroleum.nic.in/omccoco.pdf

2. Those dealers who are interested to know more about the commision and indicators of oil sector, please dwonload the following documen...

http://petroleum.nic.in/petstat.pdf

The price of OPEC basket of twelve crudes stood at 39.54 dollars a barrel on Wednesday 21/1/09, compared with $39.34 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations. 152nd OPEC meeting will be conducted on 15th March 2009, at vienna, Austria. We need to see, whether the OPEC members are going for further cut in thier productions to boost the demand. Earlier production cuts did not affect much as OPEC anticipated. The main reason is due to low demand from developed conuntries and slow economic activity from developing countries.

IndianOil unveil India`s first H-CNG fuelled vehicle

Myself, Mr. Phaniraj (Ravi Oil Trading Co, Dhone) & Lalswamy (Indian Oil Dealer, Panyam & Kurnool) attended the "PETROTECH 2009". Fortunately, we came across next generation fuel - H-CNG (Hydrogen-Compressed Natural Gas), on which research is going on at Panipat Refinery of Indian Oil Corporation Limited.  Details of HCNG follows:

IndianOil unveil India`s first H-CNG fuelled vehicle

Mr.Dinsha Patel, Minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas, took the first test drive of India`s first vehicle fuelled on H-CNG, during PETROTECH-2009 event. He applauded the efforts of IndianOil, the nodal agency of the country, to usher in hydrogen as future transport fuel. 
 
IndianOil-R&D had set up the country`s first H-CNG dispensing station in the year 2005 for conducting emission and performance characteristics studies on three and four-wheelers vehicles using various blends of hydrogen in CNG. The thorough research being conducted by the team of scientists at IndianOil has shown that the blend of Hydrogen-CNG is feasible and safe. It also will lead to an improved engine performance and reduce emissions to the extent of 30-35% in Hydrocarbons and Carbon monoxide and about 10-12% in  oxides of nitrogen.
 
IndianOil is currently engaged in deep research on the `applications and safety aspects` of hydrogen as auto fuel whilst other institutions and industries have been entrusted to investigate and develop appropriate infrastructure for effective utilisation of hydrogen fuel.

Vehicles fueled by hydrogen should and will be the future of India's transportation system. The long-term goal is to produce this hydrogen from renewable sources. Until then, India can begin reaping the benefits of hydrogen by reforming natural gas. 

The similarities between hydrogen and natural gas provide a bridge to help shorten the distance to a zero-emissions alternative fuel. Both natural gas and hydrogen can fuel internal combustion engines. Hydrogen fuel storage, fuel, compression and dispensing systems are based on existing CNG technology. Natural gas fueling stations up and running today can be used, with minimal retrofitting, to fuel vehicles that operate on hydrogen, natural gas, or a blend of both.

Every natural gas fueling site offers the potential to become a future hydrogen fueling site, with relatively minimal requirements to make the transition. The engineers, mechanics, inspectors, and other professionals with expertise in natural gas can also transition that expertise to hydrogen. This is how the natural gas of today becomes the hydrogen of tomorrow.

Any one intersted in more details can download the following document

http://www.consenseus.org/downloads/pages/CONSENSEUS-Solutions.pdf

Fuel price may be cut in Feb, post-deregulation

Fuel price may be cut in Feb, post-deregulation

Rajeev Jayaswal NEW DELHI

 FURTHER cuts in petrol and diesel prices may happen only in February with the government planning to link those with an imminent deregulation of retail fuel prices, said people familiar with the matter.

  The finance ministry and the Planning Commission have opposed the petroleum ministry’s plan to cut retail fuel prices further, arguing that this is the right time for the government to end its control over retail sale prices of petrol and diesel, a government official, who asked not to be named, told ET.

    Earlier this month, petroleum minister Murli Deora had said that the retail price of petrol would soon be reduced by Rs 5 a litre, diesel by Rs 2 a litre, and cooking gas by Rs 25 per cylinder. If the prices of petrol and diesel are freed from government control and linked with market, petrol price could be reduced by about Rs 7 a litre, and diesel by about Rs 2.5 a litre, provided duties on the two products do not change, the official said.

    “The fuel price cut is expected to be a result of proposed deregulation of petrol and diesel prices. It (deregulation) was proposed in the last Cabinet meeting held on December 10, 2008. But, it would depend on devising a formula to compensate public sector oil companies for their underrecoveries (losses for selling fuels below the cost) for selling kerosene and cooking gas at subsidised rates,” another government official, who requested anonymity, said.

    The government has made it clear that it will continue to control the retail prices of cooking gas and kerosene.

    A finance ministry official, who didn’t want to be identified, told ET that deregulation and consequent cuts in prices of petrol and diesel is expected in the second week of February. “It may happen before the ensuing Parliamentary session or after it,” he said. The session is expected from February 12-26.

    An official in Indian Oil Corp (IOC), who didn’t want to be named, told ET that his firm was currently making a profit of Rs 7.40 per litre of petrol. For diesel, the figure stood at Rs 2.50. But the company was losing Rs 12.20 on the sale of every litre of kerosene and Rs 33 on the sale of a 14.2 kg cooking gas cylinder, he said. The finance ministry official also told ET that his department was in favour of reimposing Re 1-a-litre excise duty on unbranded petrol and diesel as international crude oil prices have dropped significantly to around $40 a barrel.
    rajeev.jayaswal@timesgroup.com