Latest news with #ShripadNaik
News18
5 days ago
- Business
- News18
Flue gas desulphurization systems installed at 57 thermal power units so far
New Delhi, Aug 11 (PTI) As many as 57 thermal power units have installed flue gas desulphurization (FGD) systems while others are in process to set up the technology, Parliament was informed on Monday. FGD systems are installed at coal-fired plants to reduce sulphur sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions from them, in line with environmental regulations. In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Power Shripad Naik said Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) notified emission standards, including SO2 for coal/lignite based thermal power plants vide its notification dated December 7, 2015. The MoEF&CC vide a notification dated September 5, 2022 has categorized thermal power plants (TPPs) as Category-A, B and C for compliance of SO2 emission norms along with timelines for each category, Naik said. 'To meet the SO2 emission norms, FGD system is being installed in coal/lignite based TPPs. So far, a total of 57 FGD (i.e. 17 units in category-A, 4 Units in category B and 36 units in category C have been installed," the minister said. On exemptions for installing FGD systems, Naik said MoEF&CC issued a notification on July 11, 2025 regarding applicability of SO2 emission standards for TPPs along with timelines post review of its 2015 notification by the central government. The Centre had received various representations regarding exemption or relaxation in timelines of these standards due to limited availability of technology providers, its techno-economic feasibility, impact of COVID-19 pandemic on supply chain, price escalation due to high demand and low supplies, low SO2 concentration in ambient air and heavy burden on consumers due to increase in electricity price etc. Besides, the scientific studies conducted by independent research institutions regarding effectiveness and rationale behind these standards and its role in overall ambient air pollution of the region were also considered to evaluate the need of universal applicability and enforcement of these standards. In view of above, MoEF&CC issued a notification on July 11, 2025 regarding applicability of SO2 emission standards for TPPs along with timelines. TPPs declared to retire before December 31, 2030 shall not be required to meet specified standards for SO2 emissions in case such plants submit an undertaking to Central Pollution Control Board and Central Electricity Authority for exemption on ground of retirement of such plant. The existing and under commissioning Category A thermal power plants shall comply with SO2 emission standards by December 31, 2027. Other Category A plants to be commissioned after December 2027 will operate only after ensuring compliance of these standards. For all category B plants or units, whether existing or upcoming, the applicability of SO2 emission standards, shall be decided by the Central Government based upon recommendations of the Expert Appraisal Committee in charge of thermal Power Projects as per the procedure laid in the notification dated July 11, 2025. The SO2 emission standards shall not be applicable to all Category-C thermal power plants subject to compliance of stack height criteria notified by MoEF&CC on August 30, 1990 and timeline for compliance of stack height criteria is December 31, 2029. As per official data, there are 191 TPPs having 600 units with 2,11,519.5 MW capacity under the three categories. In a separate reply, the Minister said till date, a total of 3.78 crore smart meters have been installed under various schemes including the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS). One of the primary advantages of smart meters is their ability to provide accurate billing information. Smart meters eliminate inaccuracies due to manual reading by automatically recording and communicating the consumption data to the billing system of distribution utility, he said. PTI ABI ANU (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: August 11, 2025, 17:45 IST News agency-feeds Flue gas desulphurization systems installed at 57 thermal power units so far Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Govt finalising legislation to protect power systems from cyber attacks: MoS Shripad Naik
New Delhi: To protect India's power systems from cyber attacks, the government is in process of finalising regulations to ensure that energy-related information is not compromised, Parliament was informed on Monday. The Central Electricity Authority is in the process of finalizing the Central Electricity Authority (Cyber Security in Power Sector) Regulations, the Minister of State (MoS) for Power Shripad Naik said in a reply to the Rajya Sabha. These regulations will ensure that the control and operation of power system elements including solar inverters, as well as the exchange of related information, including real-time data, will remain within national boundaries, he said. In addition to this, Naik said, his ministry has also mandated that IT equipment and services, as may be identified in due course, to be used in the power sector shall be cleared through the Trusted Telecom Portal operated by National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) prior to their supply, with effect from January 1, 2026. In the power sector, periodic third-party cybersecurity audits have been advised vide the Central Electricity Authority (Cyber Security in Power Sector) Guidelines, 2021. As per the provisions laid down in the guidelines, power sector utilities have been advised to conduct annual audit of their Operational Technology (OT) infrastructure and biannual audit of their Information Technology (IT) infrastructure through auditors empaneled by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In). Naik further said that to enhance the effectiveness of these audits, Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT-Power) has issued guidelines on "Scope of Cyber Security Audit in the Power Sector" defining the areas to be covered during such audits.
Time of India
07-08-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Centre got no request from Pb over BBMB water distribution: Union min
Bathinda: The Union govt has not received any representation from Punjab regarding the distribution of its waters. Also, the Union govt has no direct role in the distribution of water by Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) among the partner states, Union MoS (power) Shripad Naik informed the Lok Sabha Thursday in response to a question from MP (Bathinda) Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Naik, in a written reply, also stated that the Punjab and Haryana high court, vide its order on May 26, 2025, dismissed Punjab's plea to recall its order regarding the release of additional water to Haryana from BBMB. The distribution of water among the partner states in BBMB is being done by the technical committee chaired by the chairman of BBMB, with chief engineers of the partner states and the chief engineer of the Central Water Commission as members. On the basis of the availability of water and the requirement of the states, the technical committee ensures a fair and transparent distribution of water, he added. Harsimrat Kaur Badal asked whether the govt is aware that the Punjab and Haryana HC dismissed Punjab's plea to recall its order regarding the release of additional water to Haryana from BBMB, the details thereof; the steps being taken by the govt to ensure compliance with the HC order and to resolve the ongoing water-sharing dispute between Punjab and Haryana; whether the govt has received any representations from Punjab regarding alleged concealment of facts by BBMB or concerns about the process followed during the May 2, 2025 meeting; and the action taken/to be taken by the govt to address these concerns and to ensure transparency and fairness in interstate water allocation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like They were so beautiful before; look at them now; number 10 will Surprise you Undo Hearing a plea filed by BBMB in the Punjab and Haryana HC, the bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel had on May 6, 2025, observed that the court deemed it appropriate to dispose of all these petitions on the terms that Punjab and any of its functionaries, including police personnel, are restrained from interfering in the day-to-day functioning, operation, and regulation of the Bhakra Nangal dam and Lohand control room water regulation offices managed by BBMB. However, the state of Punjab is always free to extend security to the Bhakra Nangal dam and the personnel of BBMB as per law. Punjab is directed to abide by the decision of the meeting held on May 2, 2025, under the chairmanship of the home secretary to the Govt of India. In case the state of Punjab is not agreeable to any decision taken by the BBMB, then it is free to invoke Explanation-II to Rule 7 of the 1974 Rules by making a representation to the Centre through the chairman of BBMB, which, if made, shall be decided by the Centre expeditiously. Punjab filed a civil miscellaneous application seeking the recalling/modification of the final order of the high court of May 6, 2025, to the extent of seeking deletion of paragraph 8, which read as "State of Punjab is directed to abide by the decision of the meeting held on May 2, 2025, under the chairmanship of the Home Secretary to the Government of India." The prayer for recalling/modification was primarily based on the premise that the said direction is an outcome of the concealment of material facts by BBMB, the state of Haryana, and the Union of India. The recalling/modification is sought essentially on the grounds of concealment of material facts by BBMB in as much as non-disclosure of the letter of April 29, 2025, of Haryana requesting the chairman, BBMB, to refer the matter to the Centre under Explanation-II to Rule 7 of BBMB Rules, 1974; This court, in the order under recalling/modification, erroneously held that jurisdiction to decide the water dispute between two or more states is governed by the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, and 1974 Rules, whereas such dispute falls within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, promulgated pursuant to Article 262 of the Constitution of India; BBMB was incompetent to decide the issue under Rule 7 of 1974 Rules, once the matter was referred to the Govt of India. The court dismissed this petition on May 26. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and s ilver prices in your area.
Time of India
28-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Parliament watch: FDI to unlock insurance potential; finance ministry talks about GST plans
100% FDI to unlock insurance potential: FM Nirmala Sitharaman Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday told the Lok Sabha that allowing 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in insurance would unlock the full potential of the Indian insurance sector and enhance coverage. "With the increase in FDI limit from 74% to 100% for insurance companies, the government aims to unlock the full potential of the sector, which is projected to grow at 7.1% annually over the next five years, outpacing global and emerging market growth," she said in a written reply. In the February Budget, the government had announced the FDI limit would be raised to 100% for companies that invest the entire premium in India. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category others Degree Design Thinking Finance MBA Product Management Management Technology Public Policy healthcare Operations Management MCA Healthcare Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Leadership Data Science PGDM Digital Marketing Data Science Data Analytics CXO Others Project Management Skills you'll gain: Duration: 16 Weeks Indian School of Business CERT - ISB Cybersecurity for Leaders Program India Starts on undefined Get Details "This is an enabling provision that will allow interested insurers to explore hiking the FDI percentage," she said, adding it would eliminate the need for foreign players to find Indian partners for the remaining 26%, thereby easing entry and boosting insurer numbers. "Removing the FDI cap will attract stable and sustained foreign investment, enhance competition, facilitate technology transfer, and improve insurance penetration," she added. Smart meters for electricity installed Maharashtra, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh are among the top states in smart meter installations, with over 20 lakh meters installed under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), Minister of State for Power Shripad Naik told the Rajya Sabha. Six states, including Delhi, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, have not reported any installations under the scheme. Of the 20.33 crore sanctioned smart meters under RDSS, 2.44 crore have been installed. Live Events No plan to revise 30% crypto tax The government has no plan to revise the 30% tax on crypto gains or the 1% tax deducted at source on all crypto transactions, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary told the Lok Sabha on Monday. In a written reply, he also ruled out any plan to introduce Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) for virtual digital assets to integrate them into the mainstream financial ecosystem. Rs 1,678 cr released under ADP till February The finance ministry on Monday told Parliament that ₹1,678.04 crore has been released so far under the Aspirational Districts Programme till February 2025. Jharkhand received the highest allocation of ₹220 crore, followed by Bihar with ₹202 crore and Uttar Pradesh with ₹176 crore. No GST rate cut on flex-fuel vehicles The finance ministry on Monday informed Parliament that the GST Council had discussed a proposal to cut the tax rate on flex-fuel vehicles at its 52nd meeting, but no change was recommended. Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has urged all states and union territories to consider exempting or reducing road tax on flex-fuel vehicles to incentivise adoption. Rely on quarterly GST numbers for economic indicator The finance ministry told Parliament that quarterly comparison of net GST collections is a more accurate economic indicator than monthly comparisons, as it smooths short-term fluctuations. GST collections in June stood at ₹1.84 lakh crore, up 6.2% year-on-year. Gujarat's 800 MW thermal plant likely by FY30 Gujarat's 800 MW Ukai thermal power project is expected to be commissioned by FY30, Minister of State for Power Shripad Naik told the Rajya Sabha. Around 328 GVA of additional transformation capacity-192 GVA under inter-state and 136 GVA under intra-state systems-is targeted by FY35. About 44,000 circuit km of transmission lines are also planned by the same period. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
First phase of green energy corridor project facing delays due to multiple reasons: Naik
New Delhi: The phase-I of Green Energy Corridor , a Rs 10,141.68-crore initiative focused on developing infrastructure of integration of renewable generation capacity, is facing delays on account of multiple reasons, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. The scheme was introduced by the government for development of Intra-State Transmission System (InSTS) in eight states. Out of the eight states, four have completed all the projects, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, Minister of State (MoS) of New and Renewable Energy Shripad Naik said in a reply to Rajya Sabha. "The phase-I of Green Energy Corridor has been delayed in remaining four states (Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh) due to reasons such as Right of Way (RoW) issues, court cases including Great Indian Bustard matter and forest clearances," Naik, who is also MoS Power, said. The GEC-I scheme aims setting up around 9,700 circuit (ckm) transmission lines and 22,600 megavolt ampere (MVA) substations in order to facilitate integration of about 24 GW of renewable generation capacity. The total project cost is Rs 10,141.68 crore with funding mechanism consisting of 40 per cent Central Financial Assistance from MNRE (Rs 4,056.67 crore), 40 per cent loan from KfW Germany (EUR 500 million) and 20 per cent equity from State Transmission Utilities (STUs). The phase II of GEC scheme is under implementation in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh at a cost of Rs 12,031.33 crore. Further, the states have been advised to prepare respective plans for InSTS with a 10-year horizon, Naik said. On Monday, the minister said a 340 Giga Watt (GW) Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) network has been planned to evacuate 230 GW of solar and wind power connected to ISTS. "As of now, out of the total planned capacity, 48 GW has been completed, 159 GW is under construction, 21 GW is under bidding, and 112 GW is under planning," he had informed the upper house. PTI
