Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has said that country can be developed only through self-dependence in energy. India has witnessed green and white revolutions. Now saffron revolution is needed. Energy is of saffron colour. He said that the Central Government should formulate a comprehensive energy policy.
Narendra Modi was dedicating country’s largest solar energy plant at village Bhagwanpur (Deken) in Neemuch district on Wednesday. Presiding over the function, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that Madhya Pradesh will be made number one State in country. Public Relations, Energy, New and Renewable Energy Minister Rajendra Shukla and Minister of State for School Education Deepak Joshi were present on the occasion.
Showering praise on Madhya Pradesh, Modi said that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has done a great service not only to Madhya Pradesh, but entire country by changing this once sick state into a developing one. Yesterday, he had linked Narmada with Kshipra and today earth and sky to tap solar energy through this plant. He said that power plants of upto 20 thousand MW capacity are lying shut mainly due to unavailability of coal. If such indifference towards energy continues then dreams of development cannot be fulfilled. India will have to work in mission mode to make the country strong and chalk out new policies.
Modi said that development should be environment-friendly. He said that immense natural resources for energy are available in different parts of the country. Eastern India is heaven for hydro power generation, Western seashore area is best for wind energy and Gujarat and Rajasthan’s plain desert areas for solar energy. If a policy is chalked out to tap these energies, neither coal nor petroleum import be required. Modi had special words of praise for Madhya Pradesh for agriculture sector growth.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that this is a historic day for state’s development. Madhya Pradesh has registered 3 major achievements during last three days. On the first, foundation stone for Infosys campus was laid at Indore, on the second day Narmada was linked with Kshipra and on the third day country’s largest solar energy plant has been inaugurated. Chouhan said that there is no shortage of power in Madhya Pradesh. At present, 11 thousand 600 MW power is available in the state. It will be increased to 14 thousand MW next year and 20 thousand MW in next 5 years. In the years to come, 2500 MW solar and wind energy will be generated. Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor will change state’s scenario. State is number one in the country in agricultural production. Madhya Pradesh is going to leave Punjab and Haryana behind in wheat production.
Chouhan said that state government has changed policies in the interest of farmers. Provision for compensation has been made for loss of Isabgol crops in Neemuch area. The Chief Minister said that adequate assistance will be given to farmers whose crops have suffered damage due to rains and hailstorm recently.
Modi and Chouhan also inspected the solar plant. Country’s largest solar power plant has been completed in a short of span on only 8 months. Additional Chief Secretary Renewable Energy SR Mohanty welcomed the guests and informed that Madhya Pradesh is becoming new power hub of the country. Rajya Sabha member Raghunandan Sharma, MlAs Omprakash Sakhlecha, Kailash Chawla, Rajendra Pandey, Dilip Singh Parihar, Yashpal Singh Sidodiya, Rajesh Yadav and Vice-Chairman of State Planning Commission Babulal Jain were also present on the occasion.