Page 8 - Hardeep Singh Puri

Puri releases guidelines for ranking cities based on financial performance

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri released on Wednesday draft guidelines for a new ranking system of cities based on financial performance and beautification. "India has embarked on the most ambitious plan for urban rejuvenation undertaken anywhere in the world. A healthy sense of competition gives the best performing cities a sense of pride," he said at the launch event. City Finance Rankings 2022 aim to evaluate, recognise and reward urban local bodies (ULBs) on the basis of their strength across three financial parameters -- resource mobilisation, expenditure performance and fiscal governance systems. According to Manoj Joshi, Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, it is also an effort to analyse and help the ULBs in identifying areas in their financial performance where they can make further improvements, to be able to deliver quality infrastructure and services, and hence a good quality of life to its citizens. "The city finance ..

India will contribute 10% of incremental global petchem demand growth: Puri

India, whose per capita consumption is significantly lower than that of developed economies, will contribute 10 per cent of the incremental growth of global petrochemical demand, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said. Petrochemicals, which turn oil and gas into all sorts of daily products -- such as plastics, fertilisers, packaging, clothing, digital devices, medical equipment, detergents or tyres -- are rapidly becoming the largest driver of global oil consumption. They are set to account for more than a third of the growth in oil demand by 2030, and nearly half by 2050, ahead of trucks, aviation and shipping, according to IEA. India is poised to grow strongly from its current level of only 4 per cent of global capacity to satisfy increasing domestic demand. "Petrochemical market size is currently in India about USD 190 billion, whereas the per capita consumption of petrochemical segments is significantly lower, compared to that in developed economies. And this gap offers ...

India preparing to launch 20% ethanol with gasoline: Hardeep Puri

India is preparing to launch sales of 20% ethanol with gasoline and will look to gradually raise its share of the cleaner fuel in its energy mix, the country's oil minister Hardeep Singh Puri said

Six non-BJP ruled states have not reduced VAT on petroleum products: Puri

Six non-BJP ruled states -- West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Kerala and Jharkhand -- have not reduced the VAT on petroleum products, leading to higher prices of petrol and diesel there, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday. Puri said in Lok Sabha that the central government has reduced excise duty on petroleum products and some other states, following cues, reduced their Value Added Tax (VAT). Six states -- West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Kerala and Jharkhand -- have not reduced the VAT, he said amidst vocal protests by the opposition members. "Some of them are charging VAT at the rate of Rs 17 and other non-BJP states are charging at Rs 32. So, there is a differential. When the member was saying that today the cost of petrol is Rs 100 per litre in some places -- in some places which are non-BJP states -- and in other states, it is Rs 8-10 cheaper," he said. The minister said, currently the petrol price in India is one of the

Six non-BJP ruled states have not reduced VAT on petroleum products: Govt

Six non-BJP ruled states West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Kerala and Jharkhand have not reduced the VAT on petroleum products, leading to higher prices of petrol and diesel there, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday. Puri said in Lok Sabha that the central government has reduced excise duty on petroleum products and some other states, following cues, and reduced their Value Added Tax (VAT). Six states West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Kerala and Jharkhand have not reduced the VAT, he said amidst vocal protests by the opposition members. The minister said, currently the petrol price in India is one of the lowest. He said the oil marketing companies together suffered losses of Rs 27,276 crore due to high prices of crude in international markets. I suggest MPs from the opposition impress upon their state governments to reduce the VAT so that they can also join the celebrations, he said. Puri said India imports more than 85 p

LPG connections up to 325 million: Union minister Puri tells Lok Sabha

Number of LPG connections increased from 14 crore in 2014 to 32.5 crore this year. Of these, 9.6 crore connections were provided under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri told the Lok Sabha on Thursday. To create awareness and improve LPG usage among PMUY beneficiaries, the government and Oil Marketing Companies organised LPG panchayats, social media campaigns and public events across the country, the minister for petroleum and natural gas said during the Question Hour. Highlighting the steps taken by the government to encourage LPG consumption, Puri said a subsidy of Rs 200 on 14.2 kg refill up to 12 refills per year had been given for 2022-23, in addition to the options of 5 kg Double Bottle Connection and swap from 14.2 kg to 5 Kg, upto three free refills under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package from April to December 2020. The PMUY was launched in 2016. Despite rise in international prices, he said, the government maintained a lower gas ..

Delhi municipal corporation polls: Campaign for elections to end today

The campaign for the high-profile MCD elections will come end on Friday, with top campaigners, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Union ministers like Piyush Goyal and Hardeep Singh Puri, reaching out to voters in full swing through public meetings and roadshows. The voting for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls will be held on Sunday and counting will take place on December 7. The BJP will be holding 210 programmes on Friday and the party's senior ministers Puri, Goyal and Anurag Thakur along with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Deputy Chief Minister of UP Keshav Prasad Maurya will be holding roadshows to woo the voters. Earlier, Kejriwal attacked the BJP over their power-packed campaign saying they have invited seven of its chief ministers, one of its deputy chief ministers, and 17 Union ministers to campaign in the MCD elections and to attack an ''aam aadmi'' like him. The Aam Aadmi Party, on the other hand, has also witnessed its star campaigners, .

Construction tech key for India to achieve zero emissions by 2070: H S Puri

The minister notes that the built environment generates significant carbon emissions accounting for almost 39% of gross carbon emissions worldwide

Domestic LPG cylinders to come with QR codes: Check benefits, other details

"All domestic gas cylinders will have QR code in the next three months", said IOCL chairman Shrikant Madhav

No anxiety over proposed cap on Russian crude by West: Hardeep Singh Puri

"I have no anxiety on that. Market forces will deal with that. We will act according to the situation," Puri said on being asked about the proposed cap on Russian crude

Future strategy must be to prioritise energy-efficient infrastructure: Puri

Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said the strategy for the future must be to prioritise sustainable and energy-efficient infrastructure to advance the pace of development. Speaking at the 63rd foundation day of the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC), Puri said the company has made a name for itself as a trusted partner of the government to resolve difficult projects such as the stalled Amrapali project in Noida. Looking forward to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'India@100' in this 'Amrit Kaal' of India's development, it is imperative that organisations such as NBCC adopt the latest construction standards to create sustainable and inclusive infrastructure, Puri said in a statement. Founded in 1960 as the government's civil engineering enterprise, NBCC with its headquarters in Delhi celebrated its foundation day, the ministry said, adding that HUA secretary Manoj Joshi and other senior officials were present at the ...

Hardeep Singh Puri NBCC to equip itself to maximise its opportunities

Puri has urged public sector construction company NBCC to equip itself to maximise its opportunities by building the appropriate capacities, and bidding and winning contracts on its own merit

Centre ready to bring petrol and diesel under GST: Hardeep Singh Puri

The Centre is ready for bringing petrol and diesel under the GST regime but it is unlikely that the states will agree to such a move, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Monday. For bringing the petrol and diesel under the GST, the states have to agree. If the states make the move, we are ready. We have been ready all along. That's my understanding. It is another issue how to implement it. That question should be addressed to the finance minister, Puri told reporters here. The minister, however, pointed out that it is unlikely that the states will agree to such a move as liquor and energy are revenue generating items for them. It is not difficult to understand, they (states) get revenue out of this. One who is getting revenue, why would he leave it? Liquor and energy are two things that generate revenue. It is only the Central government which is worried about inflation and other things, he added. The Union minister said the Kerala High Court had suggested

Free flats approved for 30 million underprivileged citizens: Hardeep Puri

He added that the government provided free ration to 7.4 million people in Delhi to deal with the food crisis during pandemic

India has fifth-largest metro network in the world: Hardeep Singh Puri

The Water Metro will also provide a cheaper and more sustainable alternative to daily commuters

Central Vista: New building work going on at fast pace, says Hardeep Puri

With less than a month to go for the November deadline, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday said construction work of the new Parliament building is going on at a very fast pace. The government has been maintaining that the project would be completed by November and the winter session would be held in the new building. On August 4, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore had told Lok Sabha that the physical progress of the new Parliament building is 70 per cent and the month of November is the deadline to complete the project. Addressing a press conference here after inaugurating '15th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference & Expo', Puri said there are over 4,000 people working round-the- clock on the project. Responding to PTI's question on whether the project would meet the deadline, he said, "I go there (construction site) every week. The work is going on at very fast pace. We have something 4,000 people working ...

PSU oil companies losing a net Rs 4 per litre on diesel: Hardeep Singh Puri

PSU oil companies are losing a net Rs 4 per litre on diesel while their margins have turned positive on petrol, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday on talks of a price reduction in the offing as international rates have softened. Puri said his ministry will seek assistance for the three fuel retailers - Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) for the losses they incurred on holding petrol and diesel prices since the Ukraine war to help the government fight inflation. "OMCs (oil marketing companies) still have under-recoveries on diesel," he told reporters when asked if there is a price reduction in the offing. The three firms held prices despite international oil prices shooting up to more than a decade high. The under-recovery - difference between the retail selling price and the international rate - currently is about Rs 27 per litre on diesel but the actual cash loss (the loss based on the

Emergency bid: GAIL inks agreement with ADNOC to secure LNG supply

Officials said the agreement represents a reworking of India's gas sourcing strategy as the country aims to aggressively source LNG from a wider list of nations

Environmental concerns, renewable energy key components of Modi govt: Puri

The need for addressing environmental concerns has been an integral part of Modi government's policy, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri has said. He was speaking at a summit 'The Leaders for Inclusive and Progressive Change' organised by ILead Global Foundation to celebrate Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav on Friday. Delegates from 11 countries, renowned think tanks, academic organisations and universities participated in the summit. "The need to address environmental concerns has been an integral part of govt policy. From announcing an International SolarAlliance in 2015 to the #PanchAmrit strategy in 2021, PM Modi Ji laid out a roadmap for India's energy transition from the day he assumed office," Puri later said on Twitter. Minister of State for Defence and Tourism Ajay Bhatt spoke on India, the Cultural Centre of the World. He also threw light on India's cultural and historical lineage and emphasized how the country propagates the concept of the whole world as a

Number of petrol pumps selling biofuels jumped threefold in 5 years: Puri

Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep S Puri on Wednesday said that the number of petrol pumps selling biofuels has increased threefold from 29,897 in 2016-17 to 67,641 in 2021-22. India's ethanol demand is poised to grow to 10.16 billion litres by 2025, he noted.The minister, who also has Housing and Urban Affairs portfolio, said India is ready from the supply side to launch E20."This target was advanced by five years from 2030 under the ethanol production goal of 1,000 crore litres to April 2023."He said that there is a need to massively upscale the production of flex-fuel engine vehicles in the country, according to an official statement.In the case of E20, 20 denotes the percentage of ethanol mixed with petrol. Essentially, the number signifies the percentage of ethanol in petrol.The minister was speaking at the plenary session on 'A giant leap for biofuels - Ethanol blending & SATAT Scheme' at Siam's International Conference on Biofuels - A Pathway Towards Sustainable Future in .