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New Delhi [भारत]June 30 (ANI): India's ability to maintain normal life despite an "extraordinary" global energy crisis underlines a model of coordinated governance and digital delivery that will underpin future supply resilience, Amitabh Kant, former CEO of NITI Aayog and India's former G20 Sherpa, said in an exclusive conversation with ANI.

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Kant said, "India imports about 86 percent of its fossil fuels... and about 60 percent of its LPG. In any other country this would have led to chaos... the economy would have come to a complete standstill."

“In my view, India has handled it in an extraordinary manner, perhaps even better than Covid, because it has ensured that the lives of the common man and inflation... do not impact the common man at all.”

Government policies gave relief to the common man

Central to its success was early policy action. “India had implemented the LPG control order long ago,” he said, “which ensured availability while keeping prices stable.”

"While its cost was Rs 1,600, this Ujjwala was available to a common man for Rs 642 and to a common man for Rs 942," Kant said. "The rest of the cost was borne by the government," he added, adding that excise duty on petrol was "reduced from Rs 13 to Rs 3" and on diesel "from Rs 10 to zero", ensuring that "the burden does not fall on the common man."

Diplomacy and supply chain diversification

He said supplies were secured through diplomacy and diversification. "Despite the crisis, 12 Indian ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz... this was the result of excellent diplomacy," he said.

Procurement was expanded "from 27 countries to... 41 countries", creating a "broader base that helped India greatly." Domestically, "refineries were technologically transformed to produce LPG... India's LPG production actually increased significantly."

Digital technology stopped fraud

He said digital tools prevented leakages and the government used India's digital technology to ensure supplies went to the right person. "Aadhaar was used. Piped gas connections were used... time limits were fixed... no consumer was harassed," he said.

Excellent example of good governance and administration

He said the result was completely different from global trends. "In the rest of the world... there is chaos... inflation has increased. Every single citizen is affected. In the case of India, the government took responsibility."

Kant attributed this to "very co-ordinated inter-ministerial working". "India has done a great job during this period."

The episode, he said, "reflects good governance and excellent administration," in which foresight and coordination ensured that "life remains normal and... the normal life of the common citizen is not affected at all." (ANI)