World Bank is preparing a private infrastructure framework (PIF) for India which will identify existing constraints and make recommendations for further policy, regulatory and financial reforms to facilitate processing and financing of private infrastructure projects. The PIF exercise was in response to a request from the government, the Bank said in its latest report on Global Development Finance. Many of the programmes the bank supports in agriculture, infrastructure, energy and social sectors increasingly rely on the private sector to deliver services.

NPC mulls export of power tech

The first stage of India's nuclear power programme has matured as a safe and economical option for not only meeting the country's power demands and now the nation can embark on exporting the technology, Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC) CMD Y S R Prasad said. Speaking at a seminar on `Nuclear power in 21st century: challenges and opportunities'at the BARC, hesaid that India's nuclear power expertise was poised technologically for an accelerated pace of growth. for long term energy security, nuclear power using closed cycle is a viable option for meeting the energy needs of the country. India has embarked on a mission to produce 20,000 mega-watt by 2020.

Karnataka power scenario looks up

The power scenario in Karnataka is looking up with the recent commissioning of the fifth unit of the Raichur Thermal Power Station (RTPS), which augumented the state power grid by 210 mw, chief minister J H Patel has said. The improvement was not only due to the addition of 210 mw but more so because the unit, commissioned on April 11, was made operational eight months ahead of the scheduled period of 36 months, he said in an article `Power scenario in Karnataka.' Lauding the progress made by Karantaka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) in construction of power projects, he said the sixth unit of the RTPS would be commissioned by June.

Plan for small hydelprojects

The government is preparing an actionplan to speed up development of small hydel power projects in the country, including a shelf of it ready along with necessary clearances to offer to investors and developers. The plan is being prepared by the ministry of non-conventional energy sources (MNES) following government's decision to transfer small hydel units with capacity between 3 mw and 25 mw from the ministry of power to the MNES."Surveys and investigations are now proposed to be undertaken on an area-based, cluster approach rather than the current site-based approach," according to the MNES annual report 1998-99.

ONGC strikes oil in east Godavari

ONGC has discovered oil in two wells situated in the eastern and western parts of Kesanapalli area in east Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh this month. The well, drilled in the western side, was estimated to produce about 200 cubic metre (1500 barrels) of oil per day while the one in eastern side would produce 60 cubic metre of oilalong with natural gas, I B Raina, group general manager of Krishna Godavari project, ONGC, told PTI. ONGC has taken up drilling of another well in Kesanapalli west area so as to delineate the oil-filed area.

NTPC western region gets ISO-9002

All units of the NTPC under its western region headquarter in Nagpur, were granted the ISO-9002 certification. These include the Korba super thermal power station near Bilaspur in Madhya Pradesh, which was the first power station to get ISO-9002 certification in the country, Vindhyachal, Kawas, Gandhar and the Balco Captive Power Plant (BCCP) set up and managed by NTPC for Bharat Alumnium near Korba.

Gujarat to develop Tuna, Satsaida as satellite ports

The Kandla Port Trust (KPT) and Gujarat Maritime Board have jointly undertaken a programme to develop two islands, Tuna and Satsaida, as satellite ports. Tuna, which is 15 nautical miles away from Kandala Free Port, would be developed at a cost of Rs 600 crore, while Satsaida, with facilities tohandle chemicals, would be developed with private participation, the vice-chairman of KPT, Vipul Mitra, said.