Maharashtra Government To Promote Generation Of Renewable Energy: Dr Nitin Raut

Mumbai, January 28, 2021: The Mahavikas Aghadi Government was committed to generating 40 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030 by encouraging the public-private partnership, said Energy Minister Dr Nitin Raut today while delivering a keynote address at a webinar organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FICCI).

Dr Raut said production of Solar Energy compared to conventional energy had become much cheaper due to technological advances. The clean energy was environment friendly and would help in pollution reduction.

He informed that the newly formed Renewable Energy Policy by the state government would attract investment worth Rs 75 thousand crores. Those desirous to invest in RE projects would be provided with all kinds of support and would be given clearances for RE projects at the earliest. This would help in generating employment, he added.

This new Policy aimed to promote private and public participation in this sector. Solar projects of 17385 MW capacity would be commissioned in the next five years as a part of the new RE policy, he informed.

He said Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (MEDA) was appointed as the nodal agency for the implementation of the RE policy. All non-conventional energy generation projects would be registered with MEDA. The grid-connected solar power projects would be implemented by the MSEDCL while off-grid projects would be implemented by the MEDA.

He said care was taken that the permits, approvals, consent etc. pertaining to various administrative departments of the State Government were issued through a single-window system by the MEDA on the fast track

Considering the potential of renewable energy generation in the state, the Mahavikas Aghadi Government had set a target of generation of 25000 MW power from non-conventional sources by the year 2025, he informed.

He said the applicants would be issued documents and certificates through a single-window system after they unloaded the relevant documents. For the mega projects, MEDA would appoint a dedicated liaisoning officer for the investors investing an amount of Rs 1500 crore or more.

Due to technological advancement, renewable energy power was becoming cheaper and cheaper, he said and added that due to the burden of cross-subsidy industrial power tariffs were much higher in the state which had become a major hindrance for the development of industries. However, renewable energy would help to reduce the cross-subsidy burden-reducing the tariff rates. Hence the state government was committed for the implementation of the RE policy.

The principal secretary of energy and CMD of MSEDCL Aseem Gupta, Chairman of FICCI Ranjit Gupta, general secretary Dilip Chenoy and other participants from various parts of the country participated in the webinar.