-The Economic Times The April 28, 2012, issue of The Economist has a story on India's solar power and mentions Charanka village in Patan district, Gujarat. Solar energy can be converted into electricity, using photovoltaics, or can be converted into heat. (There are other technologies too, but those aren't important yet.) So far, solar thermal, or heating, in India has essentially meant solar cookers and water heaters, though it needn't stay that...

-PTI   Spiralling international oil prices have put a strain on the country's import bill Stating that India faces "formidable" challenges on the energy front, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said spiralling international oil prices have put a strain on the country's import bill and domestic prices need to be rationalised. "With imports accounting for about 80% of our crude supplies, the spiralling prices of crude in the international market have put a...

-News on Air The government is considering to open Liquified Natural Gas, LPG distribution agencies in every block of the country to bring it within the reach of the common man. This was stated by the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Mr. RPN Singh in the Lok Sabha yesterday. He informed that during 2009-12, public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) commissioned 905 regular LPG distributorships and 1,026 Rajiv Gandhi...

-The Economic Times The Centre has assured Trinamool Congress that deregulation of diesel prices would not be carried out soon, advertising its lack of resolve for tough reform measures. A Trinamool Congress leader told ET that minister of state in the PMO V Narayansamy has conveyed to the party that de-regulation of diesel was not government's priority. State-controlled oil companies had lost Rs 80,000 crore in the year ended March 31 on...

-The Financial Express Food minister KV Thomas’ proposal of giving grain as part payment of wages under the MGNREGA stands to undo most of the progress the government has made in trying to curb leakages in distribution of subsidies. While close to half of food to be given through ration shops is believed to be making its way to the open market, the UIDAI-based system’s attempt is to give cash grants...