“Power is the fulcrum around which an ecosystem can be created to give better quality of life to every citizen of India”. While delivering the inaugural address at the two-day State Power Ministers’ Conference here today, Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Shri Piyush Goyal said that the objective of the conference is to review the work done in the sectors of power, coal, renewable energy and mining by State Governments/ Union Territories in last six months. Further, the conference intends to forge new policies for achieving the goal of providing 24×7 quality and affordable power for all in the stipulated time, upholding Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘New India’, Shri Goyal added.
Addressing the august gathering, the Minister stressed that this conference is an ‘Outcome focussed gathering’ while reiterating the resolution taken in last State Power Ministers’ conference in Vadodara to provide electricity to every household in the country by December 2018. He also noted that the challenges in achieving 24×7 Power for all are not over yet and in the next 3-4 months, a final push is needed to electrify remaining 4141 un-electrified villages in the country.
Talking about the transparency and accountability that a number of mobile apps and web portals have brought in the energy sector in India, Shri Goyal said that transparency has been a hallmark of this government. The Minister encouraged the esteemed gathering to put forward a collective, collaborative and cooperative approach of State and Central Government which will help in creating a corruption free power sector in the country.
The conference was attended by Ministers and senior government officers from 23 State/UT governments. Also present on the occasion were Shri P.K. Pujari, Secretary, Power, Shri Arun Kumar, Secretary, Mines, Shri Rajeev Kapoor, Secretary, New & renewable Energy along with senior officials of the Ministries and the CPSUs under them.
