India to host South Asia energy dialogue

Energy is a high priority area for cooperation in SAARC. At the Thirteenth SAARC Summit held in Dhaka in November 2005, the Prime Minister of India proposed a South Asia Energy Dialogue, involving experts, academics, environmentalists, officials and NGOs, to recommend measures to tap vast and latent potential for cooperation. Inputs from this Energy Dialogue would be considered for furthering cooperation in the energy sector in SAARC.

The Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Power are jointly hosting the South Asia Energy Dialogue in New Delhi on 5th March, 2007. The following six themes have been identified for this Dialogue:

Reforms in energy sector in the region Promotion of various non-conventional sources of energy Approach and principle to facilitate development of grid connectivity and gas pipelines in the region Universal access to commercial energy Development of hydro potential in the region Energy efficiency measures and harmonization of standards Experts, academics and representatives of various organizations from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka would be participating in the Dialogue.

The Energy & Resource Institute (TERI) has been associated by the Ministry of Power for preparing base papers and also for assisting in conducting proceedings of the Dialogue.

Shri Sushilkumar Shinde, Union Minister of Power would be delivering the inaugural address in the Dialogue.

Source : Press Information Bureau

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