Ensure fiscal steps to meet Climate Change targets: MPs to FM

Under the banner of 'Climate Parliament', the MPs have also emphasised that sufficient budget allocation is crucial for a time bound development of transmission network and grid infrastructure for renewable energy absorption and supply, in tandem with the renewable energy capacity addition plans in the country.

Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Sanjay Jaiswal (BJP), Jhansi Lakshmi Botcha, J D Seelam (Congress), Jayant Chaudhary (RLD) and Thomas Sangma (NCP) are among the Parliamentarians of the group.

The actual budget allocated to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in 2012-13 was only 50 per cent of the budget suggested by the Planning Commission and 25 per cent of the budget proposed by the Ministry, they said.

"Thus, some of the key programmes of the Ministry under the first phase of the National Solar Mission have faced serious setbacks due to lack of adequate budget," they said.

The MPs said there must be an adequate budget allocation to the Power Ministry, specifically for strengthening the transmission network for renewable energy in light of the report "Green Corridors" carried out by Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd where it estimates a requirement of Rs 42,000 crore for establishing the intra and interstate transmission for renewable energy.

They recalled their meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention to make renewable energy an important tool for advancing economic growth and the assurance given by him in this regard.