Govt says it work to add 13,000 MW of generating capacity

Outlining its coordinated action on the energy front, the government today said it would strive to added at least 13,000 mega watt of power generating capacity each year through a mix of nuclear, hydel, coal and renewable sources.

It said international civil nuclear agreements will be operationalised with various countries to augment availability of nuclear fuel.

President Pratibha Patil, who addressed the joint sitting of Parliament here, said the government would give highest priority to village and rural electrification projects and for reducing the aggregate technical and commercial losses during distribution.

"Competitiveness in the power sector will be enhanced through time-bound measures, including operationalising the provision of open access," she said.

Stating that the government would intensify the pace of oil and gas exploration, Patil said it would aggressively pursue oil diplomacy.

She said the reforms in the coal sector, for which a detailed blueprint has been prepared, will be pursued with urgency.

"The international civil nuclear agreements will be operationalised with various countries even as domestic sources of uranium are exploited and work continues on the indigenously designed fast breeder and thorium reactors," she said.

Patil said the government would ensure that India's space programme, which had achieved wide recognition, continued to bring rich dividends to the society in agriculture, tele-medicine, tele-education, and by bringing information to rural knowledge centres, besides contributing to telecommunication, television broadcasting and weather forecasting.

"Several innovative initiatives commenced by the government in the science and technology sector in the last five years and now under implementation would be further strengthened," she added.