Punjab State Energy Action Plan launched for energy efficiency
Darpan News Desk IANS, 10 May, 2023 02:02 PM
Chandigarh, May 10 (IANS) The Punjab New and Renewable Energy Sources Department on Wednesday launched Punjab State Energy Action Plan to ensure promotion of energy efficiency in buildings, industries, municipalities, agriculture, transport and other sectors.
The action plan is aimed at assisting government departments and agencies to adopt the most sustainable, long-term and inter-sectoral renewable and clean energy plans.
Additional Chief Secretary A. Venu Prasad, Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) Chairman H.S. Hanspal and head of Indo-German Energy Programme GIZ, Winfried Damm, also launched decision support tool and Amritsar smart city portal and renewable purchase obligations (RPO) portal for the state.
Amritsar will be developed as solar city, Prasad said while adding the energy action plan will help achieving goals towards net zero in each sector.
PEDA signed a pact with GIZ's IGEN Access to Energy programme funded by the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany for seeking technical assistance with the help of experienced team of consultants and representatives of over 20 departments and organisations.
Emphasising on the need of fast-tracking implementation of the action plan and review the progress quarterly, Prasad asked all departments to come forward to equip their office buildings with solar panels to decarbonise the power sector, which will help in reducing power consumption charges to 25 to 30 per cent.
Hanspal said PEDA is the state designated agency of government for implementation of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001, and the vision of the PEDA to achieve net-zero goals by 2070.
Appreciating the efforts of PEDA for taking the lead to prepare this unique document, Indo-German Energy Programme GIZ head Damm explained the importance of long-term energy planning to meet India's ambition on achieving the net-zero goal.
He emphasised on the role of all government departments and citizens of the state in realising the targets set at international stage.
He also shared examples from different European nations and their sectoral initiatives to decarbonise their economy, mostly by 2050, Germany by 2045.
A Nigerian woman has been apprehended at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here by Customs officials with 1.2 kg of cocaine valued at Rs 18 crore, officials said on Friday. The official said that the accused Nigerian woman came from Addis Ababa.
The move will not only streamline the passport verification process but will also help for timely updation and issuance of the passports as all verifications will take five days now. The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday announced that it has introduced an 'mPassport Police App' to further streamline and expedite the passport issuance system.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday declared a cash reward of Rs 15 lakh on the head of Canada-based terrorist Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa, a prime accused in connection with the rocket launcher attack on Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in Mohali in May last year.
The personal search of the passenger resulted in recovery of two strips wrapped with white adhesive tape containing brown coloured paste in a transparent packing. He was hiding it in his underwear. After the extraction procedure four uneven rectangular shaped gold pieces collectively weighing 1760 grams worth Rs 90,29,680 were recovered.
The Telangana government has constructed small dams in villages for conserving the groundwater across the state, and he said as a result of this, the groundwater level has increased up to two metres in the villages.
The Chief Minister envisioned that the summit will go a long way in ensuring holistic industrial development of the state to propel it into the orbit of high growth trajectory. He asked Invest Punjab to make optimum use of this healthy platform to project Punjab as the preferred investment destination among the domestic and global investors.
