Sh. Suresh Prabhu, Member of Parliament and former Union Cabinet Minister addressed the Energy Think Tank (ETT) members on India’s Energy Security concerns at PetroFed Conference Hall, New Delhi on September 26, 2006.  Among the invitees were Sh,. Prabhat Kumar, former Cabinet Secretary and Sh. Shanti Narain former Member, Railway Board.

Sh. Suresh Prabhu, pointed out that energy continues to be a diffused and divided subject because various sources of energy were handled by different ministries in the Government.  He pointed out that we have a limited land mass and the same has to be utilised for food security for the increasing population as well as industrial development and energy generation.  There has to be a different approach to development which may require a different life style demanding lower energy inputs.

Sh. Prabhu emphasised on the need for environment-friendly technologies and reduction of green-house-gases.  He advocated rapid expansion in electricity generation including distributed generation and greater stress on renewable sources of energy. We can not lose sight of building a strategic reserve and overlook renewable forms like oceanic or geothermal energy, Sh. Prabhu added.

The presentation witnessed intense debate with participants seeking political and bureaucratic long term commitment towards strategic policies rather than adhocism associated with political and bureaucratic changes.

Sh. Suresh Prabhu was earlier welcomed by ETT convenor, Sh. J.S. Oberoi and felicitated by Chairman, ETT, Sh. TNR Rao, former secretary, MoP&NG.  A vote of thanks was proposed by Sh. A.K. Arora, Director General, PetroFed.