To drive employment generation, and derive maximum benefit from the renewable energy drive Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that manufacturing of solar equipment should be given priority. PM Modi was chairing a review meeting in New Delhi to check the progress of key infrastructure sectors including petroleum and natural gas, power, renewable energy and housing. In the review meeting, he called for the establishment of some model solar cities, where the power requirement is fulfilled solely by solar energy. He added that a similar effort can be made to make certain localities kerosene-free.
The meeting was attended by top officials from PMO, NITI Aayog and all infrastructure ministries of the government. According to a presentation given by Niti Aayog in the meeting, remarkable progress has been made in several sectors, including generation of renewable energy, affordable and rural housing, LED bulbs etc. As per a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Modi while giving his inputs in the review meeting said that greater emphasis on ethanol blending and evolution of mechanisms is needed so that farmers can benefit the most from this process. In the last week of April also the government had reviewed the progress of connectivity-related infrastructure sectors.
