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Comprehensive efforts to boost reforms urged

Our Bureau

NEW DELHI, Nov. 22

PEOPLE-CENTRED energy goals should be fundamental to energy business in the 21st century, according to the Prime Minister, Mr A.B. Vajpayee.

Inaugurating the executive assembly of the World Energy Council (WEC) on Wednesday here, he called for comprehensive national, regional and global policy initiatives to encourage reforms, augmentation of infrastructure and upgradation of technologies.

The WEC was a non-government organisation comprising members from over 100 countries with a mission `to promote sustainable supply and use of energy for the greatest benefit of all.'

Speaking on the occasion to representatives from over 65 countries, Mr Vajpayee said that while developed nations were seized with environmental implications of energy concerns, developing nations were focussing on ensuring access to basic minimum tool f or securing livelihood, including access to energy supply.

``The role of a global agency like the WEC lies in promoting convergence and integration of the priorities of developing and developed countries,'' he said.

Elaborating on the global scenario, Mr Vajpayee said that with nearly half the world's population surviving on less than $2 a day and a third on less than $1 a day, access to availability of energy sources continued to elude many developing nations.

``Success in meeting the energy requirements of four billion people - two billion who do not have access to commercial energy right now and another two billion who are expected to come into the world in the next two decades - should be regarded as the fi rst test of the sustainability of our global energy development efforts,'' he said.

Pic.: The Prime Minister, Mr A.B. Vajpayee, lighting a lamp to inaugurate the executive assembly, World Energy Council, as the Chairman, Executive Assembly, Mr Jim Adam, and the Minister of State for Power, Ms Jayawanti Mehta applaud, in the Capital on W ednesday.

Picture by Kamal Narang