Scale up use of renewable energy in rural areas: MPs

To ensure better energy access and availability, a group of MPs working to prevent climate change today requested the Rural Development ministry to scale up use of renewable energy in rural areas.
The group also sought inclusion of use of renewable energy in the existing and new schemes, and demanded that the ministry should make a budgetary provision in this regard.
"Climate Parliament India has asked the Minister of Rural Development to scale up the use of renewable energy in rural areas to ensure energy access and availability," Sanjay Jaiswal, MP and Convenor of Climate Parliament India said in his letter to Rural Development Minister Choudhary Birender Singh.

Climate Parliament India is a multi-party group of Parliamentarians working to prevent climate change and promote renewable energy.
Jaiswal also suggested to establish a green or renewable energy cell in the Ministry to coordinate directly with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) for any potential integration of plans and policies.
"The MPs suggested that the Rural Development ministry should have a budgetary provision for renewable energy interventions in the existing and new schemes, starting with around 5 per cent of the ministry's total budget this year," a statement said.

According Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (MGNREGS), National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), Nirmal Bharat Abhiyaan (NBA), Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) and Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) are some of the important government programmes where renewable energy must be integrated, Jaiswal said.

"The MP also suggests that the Ministry should undertake a review of the existing programmes to assess the need and scope for specific renewable energy interventions to ensure successful on ground implementation and effective impact of the programme," he said.
Jaiswal suggested both the ministries should also work closely with various state governments for working out and introducing innovative models for promotion of renewable energy related initiatives and establish a support channel with local groups and NGOs in planning, implementing and monitoring integrated rural energy and rural development programmes.