An appeal was sent on behalf of Clean Energy Access Network (CLEAN), which is an all-India representative organization with a mandate to improve rural livelihoods and promote economic growth and jobs through the deployment of decentralized renewable energy.
A total of 160 private companies and NGOs on Monday made an appeal to all political parties to include decentralized renewable energy solutions in their manifestos for the general elections.
The appeal was signed by Panasonic India, Barefoot Power, CSIR-NEERI, Observer Research Foundation, Prayas Energy Group and several others.
CLEAN has called upon political parties to take heed of the global movement in which school students and ordinary citizens are calling on their governments to take rapid action.
In its appeal, CLEAN outlined six specific points that political parties could include in their manifestos.
The appeal calls upon political parties
- to recognize decentralized renewable energy as an integral part of India’s energy planning,
- to promote investment in renewables,
- to create rural renewable based jobs,
- to reduce carbon emissions,
- expanding on clean cooking mission,
- and to resolve regulatory issues of mini-grids.
The appeal also says that mini-grids not only ensure 100 per cent reliable, quality energy access, but also solve issues of last-mile connectivity while addressing energy security in India.
A fillip was provided to the segment with the issuance of the Draft National Mini-grids Policy in June 2016. However, this policy has not been finalized nearly three years later.
Reference- Business Standard, IANS News-Feed