Pitching for an increased focus on renewable energy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged Bengaluru’s famed startups to contribute in clean cooking management that can help women across the country.
Using solar energy as a medium, Bengaluru’s startups and youth involved in innovation can come up with cost effective cooking stoves, he said. “India offers a huge market and you will also get the blessings of mothers, who use them,” the Prime Minister said, participating at a mass chanting of Soundaryalahari and Dakshinamurthy Stotras of Sri Shankaracharya, an event organised by Vedanta Bharathi. “I invite the Bengaluru startups and youths to start a clean cooking movement.” The event drew thousands of women from across the State, who recited the stotras at Bengaluru Palace grounds.
Future is not with petrol or diesel, he said, but with renewable energy. “By 2030, 40 % of the country’s energy needs will be met through renewable energy. By 2022, the government target to produce 175 GW of renewable energy,” he said.
On the efforts of his government in promoting green energy, he said that 22,000 MW of power derived from renewable energy has been added to the national grid in the last three years while the previous government in its last three years of rule added 12,000 MW of power from renewable energy.
“In the last three years, we have spent close to ₹11,000 crore on the sector while the last three years of the previous government had spent ₹4,000 crore,” he added. The government’s intention to protect environment finds mention in every policy, Mr. Modi said, the country had for long been harmony with nature. “We respect and pray to nature. Answers to climate change issues are with renewable energy.”
Among others Sri Shankara Bharati Mahaswami, seer of Yadathore Sri Yoganandeshwara Saraswathi Mutt, K.R. Nagar in Mysuru, Union Ministers Ananth Kumar and D.V. Sadananda Gowda, and BJP State President B.S. Yeddyurappa were present.
