Odisha joins with UK to reduce Carbon Footprint

BHUBANESWAR: In the face of growing concerns over adverse environmental impact of rapid industrialisation, the UK is partnering with Odisha to ensure that by 2013 appropriate fiscal measures are adopted to facilitate reduction of carbon footprints along with mobilising low-carbon investment.The project __ Fiscal instruments for climate friendly industrial development __ under the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Offices (FCOs) Prosperity Fund covers the states of Odisha and West Bengal.The project aims at helping design fiscal measures as incentives and tax revisions to develop climate-friendly industrial policies.The initiative will help strengthen ties among key departments such as Commerce, Industries, Power, Environment, Finance and Non-Conventional Energy, for proper implementation of policies on reduction of carbon intensity, performachieve- trade scheme, National Solar Mission and State-level action plans on climate change.The Rs 1.22-crore project is being implemented by UKbased consultant Eunomia and CII.“We would be working closely with Ipicol to successfully implement the project.The Steering Committee meeting of the project would be held on December 9 in Bhubaneswar,” informed British Deputy High Commissioner to Eastern India Sanjay Wadhwani.He added that a delegation of 13 companies of UK would visit the State with an aim to improve ties further. The delegation would discuss a project on facilitating shift from high energy consuming streetlight system to low carbon energy efficient LED lights in urban areas of the State.“We look forward to working closely with the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and other key stakeholders for the large scale LED streetlight project worth Rs 63.84 lakh,” said Wadhwani.Taking part in a business seminar ‘UK and Orissa: In partnership’, organised by CII, the Deputy High Commissioner said the companies from UK are interested to do business in the fields of infrastructure, mining, mineral processing, climate change and low-carbon development, engineering and specialist services, education and skill development.Chairman and Managing Director, Idco, Priyabrata Patnaik assured the delegates and interested companies that the Government is putting in place all required systems for project and business facilitation.With a view to attract investments in infrastructure development, a policy for Facilitating PPP for Infrastructure Development in Odisha has been drafted and is likely to be notified soon, he said.Among others, Ipicol CMD C J Venugopal and former Chairman, CII Odisha, J B Pany were present.