Chhattisgarh has bagged a National Award as the best performing State by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Renewable Energy segment. Chhattisgarh Principal Secretary, Energy Department Aman Kumar Singh received the award from the Prime Minister during the Renewable Energy Global Investors Meet (RE-Invest) held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on Sunday.
Chief Minister Raman Singh expressed happiness on the State receiving the award and said that it is a matter of pride for the citizens of Chhattisgarh. He congratulated the officers and employees of Chhattisgarh State Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA) for the achievement. "Chhattisgarh has been doing commendable work in renewable energy sector. We are generating 45 MW off grid solar power and 260 MW through rice husk," Singh said after receiving the award.
The State was adjudged for the award on the basis of criteria fixed by 13th Finance Commission. He said that solar power is being used in 600 primary health centres, 100 community health centres, 350 police stations, 1800 tribal hostels, 27 collectorates and 1,700 villages of the State. In addition, various villages are using 3,000 solar power pumps for drinking water and 1,500 for irrigation purpose, he said.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Coal, Power and New & Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman and experts working in the field of solar energy and industrialists from country and abroad were present on the occasion.
The alternative sources of energy are being promoted by CREDA. The State was awarded earlier also for these projects, he said. Besides this, as many as 1,700 villages in far flung areas have also been electrified. In these villages 3,000 drinking water pumps and 1,500 irrigation pumps operated by solar energy have been installed, officials stated.