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Sunday, Aug 21, 2005

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Double power capacity: Manmohan

Special Correspondent

Bid to popularise non-conventional energy; target of adding 1,50,000 MW in 10 years

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday set an ambitious target of adding 1,50,000 MW in the next 10 years to tide over the acute shortage of power in the country. With an installed generating capacity of 1,27,000 mw, the country currently faces a peak energy shortage of about 47 per cent.

"I expect an addition of 150,000 MW of electricity generation in the next 10 years through coal and hydroelectric power," Dr. Singh said in his bid to popularise the use of non-conventional energy sources at a function here to mark the 61st birth anniversary of the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, the day being observed as `Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Diwas.'

Underscoring the need to utilise renewable energy sources, Dr. Singh said ways and means would be explored to ensure that at least one community biomass plant was installed in each village for generating electricity as also for providing cooking gas to the rural folks.

Alongside, small hydel power projects would also be encouraged in the hilly areas, he said, while stressing on the use of bio-fuels.

Speaking on the occasion, National Advisory Council (NAC) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said the people should rise above political interest to achieve energy independence by encouraging the use of renewable energy sources.

Noting that Rajiv Gandhi used to lay great emphasis on the promotion of non-conventional energy sources, Ms Gandhi said this should imbibed by the country's youth.

Earlier, Ms Gandhi administered the `Akshay Urja Pledge' to hundreds of school children. The pledge called for "consciously avoiding excessive consumption of energy derived from conventional sources and increased use of renewable energy."

It urged children to persuade their family members and the society at large to promote the use of renewable energy.

Minister for Non-Conventional Energy Sources Vilas Muttemwar said the Government was striving to provide power to all villages by 2012.

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