Stressing on the importance of green energy, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said that his government was seriously working to promote solar energy in the state so it could meet the target to give quality power to the people by 2016.
“Even though we have budgetary limitations, we are working towards the development of solar and other renewable energy resources. The government has given industry status to the solar energy producing units,” Akhilesh said while addressing the 8th regional interactive meeting here on Friday.
Stressing the utility of solar energy, the Chief Minister said that the government had so far given 24 hours’ electricity only to two villages in Kannauj region. “If the budget allows, we will be doing it for other villages too,” he pointed out.
Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), along with Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UP-NEDA), organised the 8th regional interactive meeting with the state governments of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand here on Friday.
Potential investors, project developers, banks and financial institutions were also invited for the meet. The idea behind the meet was to sensitise potential investors about the upcoming projects and achievements of NEDA.
Akhilesh, while addressing the gathering, said: “UP has the growth rate more than the average growth rate of India. Being such a large state, UP has a large market potential.
In his address, Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan said: “There are so many innovative and ambitious schemes. One such scheme is to provide RO water facility to school children through solar panel. Others scheme is lohia Awas solar packs.”
Joint secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Tarun Kapur, while appreciating the initiative of UP government, said: “Government of India has decided to producing about one lakh megawatt of solar energy by 2022 and UP alone must produce 10,000 megawatt of energy. And looking at the pace this state is growing, I can say it will surpass the limit easily. UP has not only got innovative project but has also got innovative ways of financing and planning them.”
Director of UP-NEDA, while addressing investors, said: “UP has a lot of potential in every field of non-conventional energy and we are trying in full swing to exploit it. There have been so many successful projects which have come up recently and are affecting people in the most positive ways. Further, the budget of UP-NEDA has been increased three folds. And a lot more can be done if we get proper investment.”
The meet was inaugurated by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav while others speakers included Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan, Minister of State of External Aided Project Madhukar Jaitely, Principal Secretary, Energy, Sanjay Agarwal, joint secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Tarun Kapur, Principal Secretary, Information, Navneet Sehgal, president of UP-NEDA Jiya Khan, Political Pension Minister Rajendra Chaudhary.