Energy Minister DK Shivakumar held a review meeting of Karnataka’s power situation on Thursday at Vidhana Soudha. The meeting comes at a significant time as the failure of the monsoon has led to a deficit in electric production in Karnataka.
Shivakumar said that Karnataka aims to complete 100% electrification in the next 8-10 months and remaining 36 villages, which are mostly in Uttara Kannada district will be electrified soon.
“Asia’s largest solar park of 2000 MW in Pavagada, Tumkur is being expedited. Bids for construction of the solar park will be called after Land Document verification is done. DCs have been instructed to fix the land lease rate soon”, Shivakumar said.
He along with Union Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goyal stressed the need to achieve energy efficiency by incentivizing LED bulbs, especially in urban areas. Goyal promised all possible help from the central government to help solve the crisis due to deficit monsoon. Some Transmission grid issues were also discussed during the review meeting in which all senior officers from both Karnataka and Union Ministry attended.
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Government of India will replace all street lights of the country with LED bulbs in next 24 months. This is in line with the Ministry’s motto of providing energy efficiency and dependable energy in the country. Under Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme efforts are being made to replace all domestic bulbs into LED said Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal and Renewable Energy. Addressing the first Foundation Day Celebrations of the Association of Renewable Energy Agencies of the States (AREAS) in Bengaluru on Thursday Piyush Goyal said that Karnataka should join hands with the Central government in its energy efficiency programmes.
Solar Roof Top programme introduced by Government of Karnataka is a learning programme for other states the Minister said. The central government expects Karnataka to be in top five in the implementation of new and renewable energy programmes the minister added. India has the target of producing 1,75,000 MW and Renewable energy in next five years. The government also launched Solar Mission to generate 1 lakh MW solar power in the country. Similarly wind mission targeted at 75,000 MW power generations.
The government has taken this programme as nation’s mission. 125 crore people of India should work as ‘Team India’ in making this programme as a reality the minister said. The minister assured that the Central government will extend all possible help to Karnataka in its ongoing new and renewable energy projects the minister added.
Addressing the meet State Energy Minister D K Shivkumar said that Karnataka has huge potential for hydro projects but water conflicts between states are hindering the developments of these projects. The minister said that the central government should interfere in this issue and help getting clearance for hydro projects for the growth of New and Renewable energy sector.
