International Energy Agency urges India to adopt NITI Aayog’s National Energy Policy
The International Energy Agency has suggested India should adopt the National Energy Policy, which has been in works for several years, besides integrating research and development priorities with broader energy policy goals for better coordination among different stakeholder ministries
“The draft National Energy Policy by NITI Aayog, currently under consultation, is an excellent framework and should be adopted swiftly to guide policy making, implementation and enforcement across central and state governments,” IEA said in its India Report 2020 released on Friday.
“As energy policies become more intertwined, it is becoming increasingly desirable to strengthen co-ordination and develop a framework for the government’s long-term energy agenda,” it said, adding this is particularly needed to create visibility for all stakeholders in the energy sector.
According to IEA, energy research, development and deployment (RD&D) can be a strong enabler of India’s energy policy goals while also contributing to broader national priorities such as the “Make in India” manufacturing initiative.
“It would also support the engagement of private and public industry actors. Such an endeavour would benefit from the consistent collection and monitoring of energy RD&D data,” it said.
This is first in-depth review of India’s energy policies by IEA in collaboration with NITI Aayog. The aim is to assist the government in meeting its energy policy objectives by setting out a range of recommendations in each area, with a focus on energy system transformation, energy security and energy affordability.
Emphasizing on the need for a good quality and timely energy data, IEA said it is vital for monitoring, reviewing progress and enforcing the implementation of energy policies.
