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The VIF held a Round Table Discussion (RTD) on ‘Energy Security for India’, on 14 & 15 May 2015. An astute panel of policy experts and stakeholders, comprising, among others, Shri GB Pradhan, Chairman, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, Shri B.K.Chaturvedi, former Cabinet Secretary and Member Planning Commission, Shri R.V.Shahi, former Secretary (Power), and Dr. Ajay Mathur, Director General, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), along with a select group of officials representing the Ministry of Power, discussed a broad range of policy options and strategies to ramp up India’s energy security. The discussions were held largely against the backdrop of the ambitious target set by the Ministry of Power to generate 1, 75,000 MW green power by 2022 and bring last mile connectivity across India within the stipulated timeframe. An energy deficient country, India faces the twin challenge of maintaining a moderate to high growth rate while reducing it’s over dependence on imports to meet its energy requirements. However, it is imperative that India not only has uninterrupted access to energy resources and relevant technologies at affordable prices, but it also need to have access to cleaner sources of energy. Underlining the growing need the world over to homogenize energy with environment, Piyush Goyal, the honourable Minister of State (I/C), Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy said in his keynote address, ‘India needs to dovetail its energy security, with our consciousness for the environment’.

The deliberations by experts over four sessions helped to a large extent identify gaps and bring out a number of workable solutions towards India’s energy security. It was decided by consensus that instead of compiling the proceedings into a large report, only four or five recommendations from a list of priorities be sent to the ministry for its consideration. It was also agreed by the house to have a follow up session after a gap of five to six months to review progress on the recommendations.