Lok Sabha Question No. 861 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-07
Subject: Reduction in Consumption of Fuel and Energy
Ministry: NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
Asked by: Nihal Chand Chauhan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 861

ANSWERED ON 07/12/2023

## REDUCTION IN CONSUMPTION OF FUEL AND ENERGY

## 861. SHRI NIHAL CHAND

Will the Minister of NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY be pleased to state:

- (a) the comprehensive steps being taken by the Government to reduce/ limit the consumption of fuel and energy in the country;
- (b) whether any participation of States has been ensured by the Union Government and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to procure agricultural residue from farmers for use as fuel in energy production to check environment pollution; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, whether it is likely to be considered in future and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND POWER (SHRI R.K. SINGH)

(a) & (b) As per details provided by NITI Aayog, Long Term Low Emission/Carbon Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) submitted to UNFCCC outlines Government of India's approach towards low carbon development or reducing the use of fossil fuels in the country.

In-line with this above vision, Government of India has launched several measures which include:

- Specifying  the  minimum  share  of  consumption  of  non-fossil  resources  by  designated consumers, including Distribution Companies, up to 2029-30,
- Schemes  such  as  Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  Urja  Suraksha  evam  Utthaan  Mahabhiyan  (PMKUSUM), Solar Parks Scheme, Solar Rooftop Phase II, 12000 MW CPSU Scheme Phase II,
- Laying of new transmission lines and creating new sub-station capacity under the Green Energy Corridor Scheme for evacuation of renewable power,
- Notification of Promoting Renewable Energy through Green Energy Open Access Rules 2022.
- Green Term Ahead Market (GTAM) to facilitate sale of Renewable Energy Power through exchanges.
- Launch of National Green Hydrogen Mission with an aim inter alia to reduce the consumption of imported fossil fuels.
- Target of 20% ethanol blending in Petrol by 2025 was advanced by 4 years (from 2030 to 202526). In the 2023-24 Union Budget, Government has announced introduction of mandate of  5% Compressed Bio Gas to be utilized for all entities marketing natural and biogas in India.
- Further,  Bureau  of  Energy  Efficiency  (BEE)  has  undertaken  a  number  of  initiatives,  including Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) program, Standards and Labelling (S&L) scheme, and the provisions under the Energy Conservation Building Code, which enable reductions in consumption of fuel and energy in the country.
- (c) & (d) The Government has taken various steps to promote production of new and renewable energy resources from bioenergy sources, including from agricultural residue across the country. These steps, inter alia , includes the following:

(i)     Launch of the National Bioenergy Programme (NBP) in November, 2022 with budgetary outlay of Rs. 1715 Crore for a period 01.04.2021 to 31.03.2026 to be implemented in two phases. (iii)    Under  the  GOBARDHAN  scheme  implemented  by  Department  of  Drinking  Water  and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, a financial assistance upto Rs.50.00 lakh per district is available for setting up of community biogas plants in villages, blocks / district. (iv)  Ministry  of  Power  has  notified  SAMARTH Mission (National Mission on Use of Biomass in Thermal Power Plants) for promoting the blending of biomass in the existing coal powered thermal

- power plants.

(v) Central Pollution Control Board, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified guidelines to provide financial support for setting up of Biomass Pellet plants in the NCT of Delhi, states of Punjab and Haryana and NCR districts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. An initial corpus of Rs. 50crore has been earmarked for utilization through these guidelines.

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