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Journalism of Courage
Farooq Abdullah has made it to the Union cabinet,but on what terms,asks Kashmir. Dubbing new and renewable energy an insignificant gobar gas ministry,they speculate that this has to do with the National Conferences lukewarm chemistry with the Congress or with Abdullahs own political reputation.
Disruptive technologies will doubtless emerge,but Abdullahs role is vital if they are to reach into the real economy. Changing regulation so that people and companies have an interest in clean energy is the great task of governance. Its all very well to talk up R&D in new energy technologies,but without a parallel development of,say,smart grids or the introduction of hybrid or flexi-fuel vehicles,these innovations will not impact our collective behaviour. After all,a ministry is what you make of it,and renewable energy can be viewed in S,M,L and XL ways. As Thomas Friedman put it,green could also imply geostrategic,geoeconomic,capitalistic and patriotic that is,a lead in clean innovation would win India global respect and security. It is the great global industry of the future,and the country to dominate this field will call the shots in coming decades. Abdullah could either coast on this soft bigotry of low expectations for his job,or he could seize his chance to outline a grand,forward-looking agenda.
