‘Government Committed to Provide
Environmental Governance, Take Policy-Based Decisions’: Javadekar
‘We are Committed to Make India Energy
Efficient in a Sustainable Manner’: Piyush Goyal
International Conference on Rule of Law for
Supporting 2030 Development Agenda Concludes
The Government today reiterated its
commitment towards sustainable development through rule of law and to provide
environmental governance and take policy-based decisions. Delivering the
valedictory address at the conclusion of the three-day International Conference
on Rule of Law for Supporting 2030 Development Agenda here today, the Union
Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh, said that sustainable development is not
possible without rule of law and that peace and harmony are essential for
sustainable development. He said that the global community has noted the need
to reduce violence in all forms and promote rule of law at both, the national
and international level.
The Home Minister said that the United
Nations’ 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by more than
190 nations in September last year, are complex and enormous to achieve. Shri
Singh said that the world today feels the need for an ever more proactive,
responsive, innovative and inclusive approach towards development. He emphasized
that in a world where prosperity and material wealth is held by a small
minority, the SDGs should be more focused on reducing the gap between the haves
and have-nots.
Reiterating the government’s
commitment to provide environmental governance, Minister of State (Independent
Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar,
highlighted the need to take policy-based decisions and not indulging in
discrimination. He said that processes will be transparent and aimed at
ensuring compliance. The Minister said that the judiciary can be a guiding
force and can ensure compliance. He added that the executive and judiciary
must work together to ensure sustainable development. The Minister emphasized
that poverty eradication is the goal, both for the judiciary and the executive
and pointed out that the nation needs both – environmental protection, as well
as growth.
Highlighting the importance of coal
in meeting the nation’s energy requirements, Shri Javadekar said that India’s
coal consumption, in absolute terms, is nearly 50% of what the Western nations
consume.
The Environment Minister said that the
government will study the recommendations from the deliberations at the
conference, as the government believes in dialogue and different opinions.
Minister of State (Independent
Charge) of Coal, Power and Non Renewable Energy, Shri Piyush Goyal said that the
government remains committed towards making the nation energy-efficient in a
sustainable manner. He reiterated the government’s commitment to ensure safety
and protection of environment, even as the government moves towards ending
poverty and achieving 24x7 power for everyone. The Minister said that the cess
of Rs. 400 per tonne on clean coal is being used for ‘Namami Gange’ and for encouraging
the use of renewable energy.
Highlighting some of the initiatives of
his Ministry, Shri Goyal said that the government aims to provide 24x7
affordable energy for everyone by the year 2019. Recalling the Prime
Minister’s announcement on August 15, 2015 on setting the target of providing
electricity to 18,452 villages within 1000 days, Shri Goyal said that out
of this, 6,114 villages have received electricity. He added that work in
another 924 villages has been completed. He highlighted research on clean coal
technology and the target set by Prime Minister, of raising the target of
renewable energy output from 34 MW to 175 MW within seven years, as some of the
other key initiatives of the Ministry.
Justice J.S Khehar delivered the keynote
address, while Chairperson of National Green Tribunal, Justice Swatanter Kumar
welcomed the delegates at the valedictory session. Shri Ranjit Chatterjee, expert
member, NGT gave the vote of thanks.
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HK
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