Feedback to NITI Aayog on draft National Energy Policy (NEP) - July 2017
The National Energy Policy has become critical for any country. The initiative by NITI Aayog to prepare a draft NEP (DNEP) is wholly welcome, as it comes at a critical juncture in India’s post-independence era. DNEP considers the energy scenario by 2040 whereas Integrated Energy Policy (IEP) of 2011 had done so for year 2031-32. Whereas DNEP has many good points and recommendations, it can be improved considerably through the feedback from the larger civil society and the domain experts. In a nutshell it can be said that the draft would have become vastly more credible from the overall perspective of nation’s welfare objectives if it were to consider the issues impacting the demand and supply of energy from social and environmental (Climate Change) perspective. It is fondly hoped that the vast number of recommendations/comments to be received from the individuals and the CSOs will be positively considered by the NITI Aayog, and a much more inclusive energy policy will emerge from a diligent review.