The turnaround can be attributed to investor friendly policy, akin to the one that the Government of India took in 1991 with the New Economic Policy. The several steps that Telangana took includes: speedy clearance aided by a single window, 100 per cent refund on VAT and GST, refund on stamp duty, exemption from Land Ceiling Act, exemption from electricity wheeling charges and not running around to get approval from the State Pollution Control Board.
The most visible area of the state’s renewable energy push has been in public transport system. The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) for instance teamed up with TSREDCO to install solar rooftop systems on the bus stations, bus depots and workshops. In all, 97 bus depots and 364 bus stations have been covered and the savings are over Rs 2 crore per annum. What is more! It resulted in reduction in carbon emissions by 7,300 tonnes a year.
T P VENU
Practice before you preach is the saying and India may very well do the talking at the G20 Summit as it leads the war against climate change by doing all the right things. Sample this: India is the lowest emitter, US is the highest emitter. India’s per capita greenhouse gas emission is far below the global average of 6.3 tCO2e, according to a report released last year by the United Nations Environment Programme.
India is set to meet the international climate change target of 450 GW renewables and 500 GW non-fossil capacities by 2030. Experts opine it is within reach. As on February 28, 2023, India had a total renewable energy capacity of 169 GW, which included 65 GW solar power. India’s solar power capacity has increased several-fold in the last few years. It may be noted that India is among the top five globally in harnessing solar energy.
India is committed to low-carbon development path by championing initiative like International Solar Alliance. This is Indi’s best chance to prevail upon G20 countries which are responsible for 85 per cent of the world’s GDP and 80 per cent of the emissions but failed to come to an agreement and a consensus at the energy and climate ministers’ meeting in July on phasing down the use of fossil fuels, tripling renewable energy capacity to 11 terawatts by 2030 and provide low-cost finance to developing countries.
The challenge is to embrace the principles of equity and climate justice for which India has been in the forefront in all previous meetings. In New Delhi, it is India’s chance to once again urge developed nations to triple their renewable energy targets by phasing out fossil fuels, mainly oil, gas and coal. India will be pushing for technology, hydrogen, blue economy and circular economy.
India will be going all guns blazing to secure an agreement on equitably phasing out fossil fuels and for financing for developing countries so that the path ahead leading upto the COP28 would become meaningful.