Govt aims speedy clearance of exploration activities

27 Jul 2021 CW Team

Petroleum Exploration License (PEL), Petroleum Mining Lease (PML), environmental clearances such as -- environment clearance, forest clearance, wildlife clearance and so on, clearances from the Ministry of Defence, clearance from the Department of Space, Consent to Establish (CTE), Consent to Operate (CTO), and many others are among the clearances and approvals.

Delays in acquiring such clearances and approvals have an impact on the overall timelines and progress of exploration and production projects.

The government has made various efforts in this regard, including:

The Cabinet Secretary has established the Empowered Coordination Committee (ECC) to streamline and accelerate clearance and approvals.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) approved self-certification processes for Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) in an OM dated February 28, 2020. There are 22 processes where Contractor documents are accepted without approval on a self-certification basis.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has launched PARIVESH, a web-based, role-based workflow application designed for online submission and monitoring of proposals submitted by proponents seeking clearances from Central, State, and District authorities for the environment, forest, wildlife, and CRZ.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Defence/Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) developed and implemented e-submission of all applications for MOD-related vessel clearance and MHA-related expat clearance for Exploration and Production operations.

Regular meetings with officials from the MoPNG, DGH, and state governments are held to discuss pending unresolved issues related to the grant of licences or clearances by respective states.

DGH recently launched the web-based interactive portal URJA PRAGATI (Upstream Response by Joint Action for Proactive Governance and Timely Implementation) to prioritise and flag long-pending issues involving various stakeholders in the upstream hydrocarbon sector, including operators, central ministries, and state governments.

Image Source

Also read: TN reveals Rs 1,700 cr infra investment plan for city gas distribution

In a written response to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Rameshwar Teli mentioned that before beginning exploration and production activities, contractors or operators of oil and gas blocks must get statutory permits and approvals from various State and central government bodies. Petroleum Exploration License (PEL), Petroleum Mining Lease (PML), environmental clearances such as -- environment clearance, forest clearance, wildlife clearance and so on, clearances from the Ministry of Defence, clearance from the Department of Space, Consent to Establish (CTE), Consent to Operate (CTO), and many others are among the clearances and approvals. Delays in acquiring such clearances and approvals have an impact on the overall timelines and progress of exploration and production projects. The government has made various efforts in this regard, including: The Cabinet Secretary has established the Empowered Coordination Committee (ECC) to streamline and accelerate clearance and approvals. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) approved self-certification processes for Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) in an OM dated February 28, 2020. There are 22 processes where Contractor documents are accepted without approval on a self-certification basis. The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has launched PARIVESH, a web-based, role-based workflow application designed for online submission and monitoring of proposals submitted by proponents seeking clearances from Central, State, and District authorities for the environment, forest, wildlife, and CRZ. In collaboration with the Ministry of Defence/Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) developed and implemented e-submission of all applications for MOD-related vessel clearance and MHA-related expat clearance for Exploration and Production operations. Regular meetings with officials from the MoPNG, DGH, and state governments are held to discuss pending unresolved issues related to the grant of licences or clearances by respective states. DGH recently launched the web-based interactive portal URJA PRAGATI (Upstream Response by Joint Action for Proactive Governance and Timely Implementation) to prioritise and flag long-pending issues involving various stakeholders in the upstream hydrocarbon sector, including operators, central ministries, and state governments. Image Source Also read: TN reveals Rs 1,700 cr infra investment plan for city gas distribution

Infrastructure Urban

11 Mar 2026

India Expands Semiconductor Training To 500 Institutions

Under the Chips to Startups programme of the India Semiconductor Mission, the Union minister responsible for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and IT reported notable progress in talent development. He indicated that over the past four years substantial steps have been taken towards a 10-year target of training 85,000 engineers in semiconductor design. World-class EDA tools have been deployed in 315 academic institutions across the country to provide students with practical exposure to chip design. These EDA tools are supported by leading global firms and are accessible t..

Infrastructure Urban

11 Mar 2026

Delhi Institutions Support India Semiconductor Mission

The Government of India has prioritised talent development through training, upskilling and workforce development under the Chips to Startups initiative of the India Semiconductor Mission, with officials noting progress in four years towards a 10-year target of training 85,000 engineers in semiconductor design. Electronic design automation tools provided by Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens, Renesas, Ansys and AMD have been deployed in 315 academic institutions, enabling students to gain practical chip design experience. Chips have been fabricated and tested at the Semiconductor Laboratory, Mohali, a..

Infrastructure Urban

11 Mar 2026

NHA Announces Winners Of NHCX Hackathon At IIT Hyderabad

The National Health Authority (NHA) has concluded the NHCX Hackathon under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) to stimulate innovation around the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX). The winning teams presented their solutions at the NHCX Innovation Meet held at IIT Hyderabad during a two-day event in March 2026 that also served as the hackathon grand finale. The hackathon itself ran from 22 to 28 February 2026 and aimed to accelerate paperless, transparent claims processing across India. The event was organised with a range of ecosystem partners, including the Insurance Regulatory a..