Prime Minister Narendra Modi
In his address, the prime minister said India has also achieved its goal of having 40 per cent of its installed power generation from non-fossil fuel-based sources nine years before the deadline
India’s forest cover had grown by over 20,000 sq km in the last eight years
New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Sunday that India has achieved the target of 10 per cent ethanol blending in petrol five months before deadline.
Making the announcement at a programme on the ‘Save Soil Movement’, which coincided with the World Environment Day, Modi cited a number of measures taken by his government to protect the environment, saying its efforts have been multi-dimensional despite the country having a negligible role in climate change.
The rise in ethanol blending in petrol from two per cent in 2014 to 10 per cent now has reduced carbon emission by 27 lakh tonnes and saved Rs 41,000 crore of forex reserve. This has also brought Rs 40,000 crore of income to farmers, he added.
In his address, the prime minister said India has also achieved its goal of having 40 per cent of its installed power generation from non-fossil fuel-based sources nine years before the deadline.
The ‘Save Soil Movement’ is a global initiative to increase awareness about deteriorating soil health and bring about a conscious response to improve it, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had said in a statement.
The movement was started in March by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, who embarked on a 100-day motorcycle journey passing through 27 countries, it said, adding that June 5 marks the 75th day of the journey.
Modi said India’s forest cover had grown by over 20,000 sq km in the last eight years, with wildlife numbers also seeing a record growth.
Meanwhile, Union Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Giriraj Singh on Sunday said India has set an ambitious target of meeting half of its energy needs from renewable resources by the decade-end and reach the net zero emission levels by 2070.
The minister said the word is facing consequences of developed nations’ exploitations of the nature.
Around 18 per cent of the world’s population lives in India on just 2.4 per cent of land, yet the country’s contribution to carbon emission is only 5 per cent, he said.
To combat the climate change, he said the country has adopted a five-point agenda, which includes meeting its 50 per cent of its energy demand every year, which is 500 GW, from renewable resources by 2030.
India will reduce carbon emissions by one billion tonnes a year till 2030, the minister said.
“By 2070, the country will achieve the target of net zero emissions,” Singh added.
The minister said there should be a discussion on environment in homes and village panchayats.
This year’s best panchayat award will be given to the one which has worked towards zero carbon footprint, he said addressing the Conference of Panchayats-2022 at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan here on World Environment Day.
“All panchayats should plant drumstick or moringa, peepal, neem and jamun trees to tackle carbon emissions,” he added.