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India's first 2-mega watt solar power plant inaugurated in Amritsar | Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday inaugurated country's first commercial 2 mega watt Solar Power Plant in Punjab's Amritsar District. The plant is proposed
to be further expanded to 5 MW. Set up by a U.S. Company Azure Power in IPP Mode
in the sleepy village Awan 45 KM away from here, the solar power plant was inaugurated
by Dr. Farooq Abdullah in the presence of Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir
Singh Badal and local MP Navjot Singh Sidhu. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Abdullah
said that this was first important step taken by Punjab Government in fulfilling
the Union Government target of producing 20,000 MW solar power by the year 2020
under its solar mission. Speaking about the seriousness of rising pollution and
worldwide outcry on cutting emissions, as being presently discussed in Copenhagen
Summit, Dr. Abdullah said that this plant shows the seriousness of the Government
to produce clean and emission free power, to save the planet from the ill effects
of global warming. Drawing lessons from ancient Indian history when five natural
elements including sun, wind, fire, earth and water were known as life elements
of the planet earth, Dr. Abdullah said that his Ministry has now launched a campaign
to draw clean energy from all these five elements in a unique way. Speaking about
future plans in the new energy sector, Dr. Abdullah said that the task of the
Independent Power Producers was being facilitated by single window service in
the Ministry. Dr. Abdullah said that his Ministry was targeting too produce 1300
MW power from new energy sector within next three years. He also assured positive
response to the demand of Deputy Chief Minister to enhance subsidy of Solar Tube
wells for Punjab. Welcoming the Union Minister, Punjab's Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh
Badal assured him that this experiment of Awan would be soon replicated in total
border belt of Punjab with three Solar Power Plants of 10 MW each in every border
district. Badal informed that Punjab has already achieved 282 MW in Renewable
Power Sector and was aiming to increase it to 700 MW by the year 2011. He said
that State had an ambitious programme to produce 300 MW power from 20 million
tonnes rice husk, through 28 biomass plants being set up in Punjab. Demanding
restoration of enhanced subsidy on solar tubewells to the previous rate of Rs.
1.80 lac instead of present rate of Rs. 50,000, Badal said that Punjab farmers
despite 50 percent deficient rains in Punjab have produced record 150 lac tonnes
paddy for the national pool, spending over additional Rs. 3,000 crores on diesel.
Badal said that as Punjab farmers were performing the national duty and the New
Energy Ministry should immediately sanction enhanced subsidy of Rs.1.80 lac for
new 10,000 tubewell connections in Punjab. Congratulating Dr. Abdullah and Mr.
Badal, local MP, Mr. Navjot Singh Sidhu said that a vision of Deputy Chief Minister
to make Punjab power surplus by generating 5000 MW power in next two and half
year was getting fructified. Earlier, Vishavjit Khanna, Secretary, Science Technology
and Enviroment informed that PEDA was performing pioneering role in attracting
entrepreneurs in clean power sector. He said that PEDA has come out with zero
cost models to provide efficient street lights in all urban areas of Punjab. |
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