Staff Reporter
Panaji
Power and New and Renewable Energy Minister Ramakrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar on Friday expressed confidence of Goa achieving its 500 GW of renewable energy target by 2029, a year ahead of the national deadline of 2030.
Speaking at a programme on the promotion of clean cooking held at the Secretariat in Porvorim, Dhavalikar said, “We expect to reach our target of making Goa self-sufficient in solar energy and reducing the dependence on fossil fuel as early as possible.”
The minister said the state government has started various activities with the support of central government projects under the renewable energy sector. To promote clean cooking, the state-designated agency, electricity department, held the programme for the distribution of induction cooktops to anganwadis in Goa.
In the first phase, 600 induction cooktops were distributed for six talukas of Quepem, Salcete, Sattari, Ponda, Bicholim and Bardez at the function held at the seminar hall of the Secretariat. The function was organised by the electricity department in association with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency.
A total of 1,261 numbers of induction cooktops will be distributed by the SDA to the anganwadis.
Mayur Hede, superintending engineer and nodal officer for the state-designated agency, said the agency has conducted programmes related to energy conservation and efficiency in the state in the last 15 years.