Page 150 - DGH_Annual_Report

150 INDIA'S HYDROCARBON OUTLOOK 2024-2025

• Operational Impact and Benefits are often time-consuming, risk-based
assessment protocols have been adopted.
Shortened Clearance Timelines: Empowering These are increasingly supported by geo-
regional and state-level entities enables faster tagged photographic evidence, drone
scrutiny and reduces the administrative load footage, and remote sensing data, reducing
on the central ministry, accelerating project the need for repeated field visits and
initiation. expediting appraisal timelines.

Improved Inter-Agency Coordination: IROs 2. Comprehensive Digitization and
function as localized hubs, facilitating better Process Automation: Statutory clearance
coordination between the MoEF&CC, State mechanisms have undergone end-to-end
Forest Departments, Pollution Control Boards, digital transformation, especially across
and project proponents. EC and FC workflows. The integration

Context-Specific Appraisal: Regional offices of platforms such as PARIVESH 2.0, Gati
are better positioned to understand the ground Shakti, and the Forest Survey of India
realities, local biodiversity considerations, and (FSI) database enables real-time tracking,
socio-environmental sensitivities, resulting in document management, and inter-agency
more contextually informed decision-making. coordination. Automation of proposal
routing, status updates, and alerts ensures
Support for Strategic and Remote Regions: minimal human intervention and reduced
This delegation is especially impactful in processing delays.
areas like the North-East, Western Offshore,
and other ecologically sensitive zones where 3. Time-Bound Grievance Redressal and
timely mobilization is critical for exploration Escalation Protocols: MoEF&CC and
and production (E&P) operations. State Environmental Impact Assessment
Authorities (SEIAAs) have institutionalized
By decentralizing authority, MoEF&CC has structured grievance redressal mechanisms.
not only enhanced the responsiveness of the These are now governed by fixed timelines,
clearance system but has also reaffirmed its with clear escalation matrices embedded
commitment to balanced environmental into online systems. Project proponents can
stewardship in the facilitation of critical energy track responses, and seek timely resolution
infrastructure. through dedicated helpdesks, ensuring
greater accountability and reduced
8.3.4 Ease of Doing Business Reforms in uncertainty in the clearance process.
Statutory Clearance Processes
Collectively, these reforms mark a paradigm
In line with the Government of India’s broader shift from reactive compliance to proactive
agenda to improve the ease of doing business, facilitation, reinforcing India’s commitment
especially in strategic sectors like oil and to sustainable industrial development. For
gas, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and the oil and gas industry in particular, these
Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has implemented measures translate into faster project initiation,
a series of procedural reforms to make the lower administrative overheads, and a more
statutory clearance ecosystem more efficient, predictable regulatory environment, all of which
transparent, and investor-friendly. These are critical for attracting long-term capital and
reforms aim to minimize bureaucratic hurdles, ensuring energy security.
accelerate timelines, and integrate technological
advancements without compromising on 8.3.5 Policy-Level Relaxations
environmental safeguards.
In recent years, a slew of initiatives has been
• Key Reforms Benefiting the Oil & Gas undertaken by the Directorate General of
Sector Hydrocarbons (DGH), in collaboration with the
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
1. Streamlining Documentation and Change (MoEF&CC), to streamline and expedite
Inspections: Redundant documentation the grant of statutory environmental clearances.
requirements have been systematically These efforts have resulted in several significant
removed, and standardized templates for policy reforms and procedural relaxations
proposal submissions have been introduced. tailored to the unique operational needs of the
In place of traditional site inspections which Exploration & Production (E&P) segment of the