Rs. 1,000 Cr on energy efficient activities

Hyderabad, Aug 14 (INN): Andhra Pradesh Government will spend Rs 1,000 crore every year on energy efficiency activities in the State with the financial help of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a Government of India undertaking.

The State Government is taking several initiatives to achieve the vision to be amongst top 3 States in India by 2022 and top State by 2029 is laying a special focus on Energy Efficiency & Energy Conservation (EE&EC), that will lay the platform for a sustainable power sector ultimately leading top, an overall economic development in the State.

As part its initiatives, for the first time, the government has also decided to mention on Energy Efficiency programmes and its benefits in the Independence Day speech of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. Disclosing these details, Energy Principal Secretary Ajay Jain, who participated in the review meeting on the arrangements for the 70th Independence day celebrations, along with CMO Principal Secretary Sai Prasad and APTRANSCO CMD & APGENCO MD K.Vijayanand, said that the Chief Minister has issued clear cut instructions to the Energy Department to put up special focus on taking up energy efficiency and conservation activities in a big way and to further create more awareness among the public regarding the Energy Efficiency activities being taken up by the government and ensure that the fruits of these schemes reached every consumer.

The State Government has advised to utilize the opportunity of Krishna Pushkarams wherein Crores of pilgrims are pouring in, to give wide range of awareness to EE&EC programs under implementation, like LED bulb distribution to domestic consumers, installation of LED street lights in all 110 Nos ULBs (Urban Local Bodies) in the State and distribution of five-star rated fans on upfront/ installments basis etc.,

The Chief Minister has also directed the officials to disseminate information on the tips to be followed by common consumers to save energy and reduce their electricity bills and habituate energy conservation as part of their lifestyle, which aids the task of government's EE&EC policies for energy savings, reduction of pollution & protection of natural resources for posterity, said Ajay Jain.

Ajay Jain said necessary fool-proof arrangements have been taken by the Energy Dept., to provide all facilities for the pilgrims at the current Krishna Pushkarams by spending around Rs.120 Crores.

Apart from the above, for the welfare of the farmers, the old and obsolete pump sets will be replaced in a phased manner with Energy Efficient Agricultural pumpsets, which leads for 30% to 35% energy savings and facilitate more water flow, without a single rupee burden on the farmers as desired by the Chief Minister.