Uploaded on 2017-03-12 by Rukmini Mukherjee

01. The dominant fuel is coal, of which 1/3 is imported and 2/3 is produced within the country. Oil is the second most used fossil fuel, where only a small fraction is produced within the country, and mostly imported. 02. Coal is used mostly as a source of electricity through thermal power plants, but a majority of it is lost through transmission and distribution (T&D), pilferage and other reasons. It is also abundantly used in production of iron and steel. Oil is used majorly in the transport sector, especially on roads, a small percentage consumed by residential use. 03. Policies proposed: a) The World Resources Institute estimates electricity T & D losses in India to be 27% - highest in the world, due to substantial energy sold at low voltage, sparsely distributed loads over large rural areas, inadequate investment in distribution system, improper billing and high pilferage. A major policy should be to improve transmission infrastructure, while ensuring proper metering and making stringent laws to stop pilferage. b) Encourage use of more local and sustainable materials in the building industry to reduce demand for steel. c) Invest majorly in public transportation and encouraging pedestrianization, through a change in planning norms, introducing MRT and light rail to connect large parts of the city, thereby reducing oil demand.