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Economic Survey: Reduce reliance on fossil fuels

India, which signed Paris Agreement on climate change in December 2015, will now shift its focus to implementing the pacts.

New Delhi: With a view on saving the environment, the Economic Survey on Tuesday asked the government to take steps to bring down the country’s reliance on fossil fuels below the level of other countries and continue to be a good global citizen on climate change.

On India’s fossil fuel use from long-term perspective, the Survey said that so far the country’s reliance on fossil fuels remains “well below” China and also below the US, the UK and Europe at comparable stages of development.

India, which signed Paris agreement on climate change in December 2015, will now shift its focus to implementing the pacts, the Economic Survey said. “Going forward, of course, India needs to bend the curve to ensure that its reliance on fossil fuels declines and keeping it below the level of other countries so that its good global citizenship on climate change can continue,” the Survey said. On pricing of carbon to tackle climate change, the Survey said since June 2014, when international oil prices started declining, India has increased its excise duties from Rs 15.5 per litre to Rs 22.7 per litre as of December 2016 for branded petrol and from Rs 5.8 per litre to Rs 19.7 per litre for branded diesel. When compared with other G-20 nations, the results are striking. The increase in petrol tax has been over 150 per cent in India, it said.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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