ArrayThere is welcome Policy action in power. The Union Cabinet has approved an elaborate tariff policy that Seeks to boost efficiency, environmental sustainability and financial viability of the vexed state power utilities. However, continued Populism and politically mandated tariffs can verily Short circuit the system. And without clear-cut Political will for distribution reforms, so that consumers pay reasonable tariffs for Power drawn, the reforms would come to naught. The revised tariff policy for the power sector, so that power producers are able to rev up efficiency improvement in generation, reduce Carbon emissions and also foray into the domain of renewable energy What’s envisaged is faster diffusion nationally of smart tamper-proof digital meters (which are now inexpensive) to enable more accurate pricing of power. We do need ‘time of day’ tariffs to account for the dearer cost of power during the hours of peak load. The economic cost of peaking power is higher as it generally requires costlier fuel like natural gas. Also proposed is Stepped-up transmission capacity across India. In tandem, we need to mandate transparency for power distribution utilities, such as regular publication of quarterly accounts. The tariff policy now explicitly mandates that conventional thermal plants generate and procure renewal energy like solar power in the next few years, which is unexceptionable. The Power majors can and should foray into photovoltaic Solar thermal plantsw as brown field expansion. And for the latter route, it seems entirely possible to leverage currently available expertise, such as latest vintage supercritical and Ultra-supercritical boiler and turbines. However, the idea of nil interstate wheeline and transmission charges for Solar and wind Power needs to be reconsidered. It makes no sense to get renewable energy addicted to subsidy, especially when power needs to be reconsidered. It makes no sense to get renewable energy addicted to subsidy, especially when its costs are steadily coming down and subsidies have a habit of entrenching themselves deep, once introduced. Also welcome is the progress made in other areas, such as energy and climate change. France has pledged 300 million euros to the International Solar Alliance and partner India in its effort to enhance manufacturing. With this Republic Day visit, New Delhi has signaled its partnership with Paris is not limited to bilateral issues and interests but also the major challenges that confronts the globe. It is easy to pigeonhole the President of India as an office for formal rites, with no substantive role in running the country. When to office is occupied by as keen a politician as the present incumbent, ritual often gives way to real intervention. The Republic Day-eve address of the president has served up more than Platitudes. President Pranab Mukherjee has called upon the citizens to complain, demand and rebel apart from excoriating terror and calling upon the Opposition and ruling sides to reach accommodation on passing vital laws that the country needs. This is sensible and timely advice delivered at a Statemanly remove from the partisan battlefield that. Indian politics has become. The two +