New Delhi, Jan 18 (IANS): Calling for a drastic change in the country's energy policies, Greenpeace Tuesday appealed to the government to levy additional taxes on the telecom service providers to recover losses from diesel subsidies indirectly availed by the sector.
In their submission to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherkjee during the pre-budget consultation, Greenpeace called for increased allocation of funds for renewable energy.
The NGO urged the government to introduce a levy of one percent of the gross revenue of telecom service providers. Telecom sector, the second largest diesel consumer after the railways, eats up Rs.2,600 crores of subsidies.
"It is absolutely necessary that our government adopts a systematic approach that guarantees sustainability in progress in the long run," said Samit Aich, executive director, Greenpeace India.
It also called for a separate budgetary allocation of at least 25 percent of the subsidies on the chemical fertilizers, for ecological fertilisation in the Union budget 2012-13.