Launching state-level renewables project in India

Two Climate Parliament legislators have this month launched new initiatives to promote renewable energy in their respective constituencies, bringing a new local focus to India's renewable energy revolution. Mr Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo MP, who represents the Bolangir region of Odisha, and Mr Arvind Bellad MLA who represents Dharwad in Karnataka, both aim to provide their constituents with greener and more sustainable energy alternatives which will help to mitigate climate change. As immediate first steps, the two local initiatives being with studies to assess the potential of low carbon development and clean energy access in the two regions.

The studies are likely to provide key inputs for future development plans of the constituencies, and make up an integral part of a broader commitment on behalf of the two legislators to provide inclusive and sustainable development to the people by enhancing clean energy access at the local level. The studies aim to examine how best to implement, replicate and disseminate information about renewable energy and other low carbon initiatives at different levels and platforms; to promote suitable policy measures and other State and National initiatives for combating climate change; and to scale up low carbon inclusive growth.

According to Mr. Deo and Mr. Bellad, there is significant potential to promote renewable energy and other sustainable development practices in local constituencies through the use of MLALAD funds, MPLAD funds, Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana and several other Government schemes and innovative models. They also encouraged other legislators to come forward and take the lead in such initiatives in other individual constituencies.