India only country in G-20 which is moving fast towards achieving its climate goals: PM
New Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) India is the only country in the group of G-20 countries which is moving fast towards achieving its climate goals, Prime minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday, asserting that it is giving equal emphasis to environmental security as to national security.
Modi said India has also made a move towards electric mobility and the work on 100 per cent electrification of the railways is also progressing at a fast pace.
The Indian Railways has set a target of becoming Net Zero Carbon Emitter by 2030. Along with all these efforts, the country is also emphasising on Mission Circular Economy, he said.
“Our Vehicle Scrap Policy is a great example of this. Today, India is the only country in the group of G-20 countries which is moving fast towards achieving its climate goals,” the prime minister said in his Independence Day speech at the Red Fort.
India is a vocal voice in the area of environment security, Modi stressed.
“We are giving equal emphasis to environmental security as to national security. Be it biodiversity or land neutrality, climate change or waste recycling, organic farming, India is progressing in all these sectors,” he said.
“India has increased the forest area or the number of national parks, the number of tigers and the Asiatic lion and it is a matter of happiness for the people. At the same time, one also has to understand another truth that India is not energy independent today,” Modi said.
He said India spends more than Rs 12 lakh crore annually for energy imports.
For the country’s progress, India’s energy independence is the need of the hour, necessary to make a self-reliant India, he said.
“Therefore, today India has to make a resolution that we will make the country energy independent before the completion of 100 years of Independence and for this, our road map is very clear. Be it a gas based economy, a network of CNG, PNG across the country, a target of 20 percent ethanol blending, India is moving ahead with a set goal,” Modi said.
He added that India has set a target of 450 GW of renewable energy by the end of this decade and 450 GW by 2030.
“Out of this, the target of 100 GW has been achieved by India ahead of schedule. These efforts are also giving confidence to the world. The formation of the International Solar Alliance is a great example of this,” he pointed out.
“Whatever work India is doing today. There is the biggest goal which is going to give quantum jump to India in the field of climate, that is the area of ??Green Hydrogen,” Modi said.
To achieve this goal of Green Hydrogen, he also announced the National Hydrogen Mission.
“We have to make India a global hub for production and export of Green Hydrogen during the Amrit period. This will make India’s new progress in the field of energy self-reliant and will also become a new inspiration for clean energy transition all over the world. New opportunities from Green Growth to Green Job are knocking today for our start-ups for our youth,”
Modi said India will have to augment both its manufacturing and exports.
He said just a few days ago, India launched its first indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant for trial in the sea.
“Today India is making its own indigenous fighter aircraft, its own submarine. Gaganyaan is also slated to hoist India’s flag in space. This itself is evidential of our immense capabilities in indigenous manufacturing,” he said.
The prime minister said India will further accelerate its efforts towards the Blue Economy.
“The Deep Ocean Mission is the result of our ambition to explore the unlimited possibilities of the ocean. The mineral wealth which is hidden in the sea, the thermal energy which is in the sea water, can give new heights to the development of the country,” he said.
Highlights of PM Modi’s Independence Day speech
* In the near future, we are going to launch the national master plan of Prime Minister ‘Gati Shakti’. This scheme of more than Rs 100 lakh crore will result in new employment opportunities for lakhs of youth.
* It is a moment of pride for us that because of our scientists, we were able to develop two Make in India Covid vaccines and carry out the world’s largest vaccine drive. It was extremely difficult to get vaccines during such a major crisis, with the pandemic plaguing the entire world.
* India’s young generation has made our country proud at the Tokyo Olympics. All such athletes are amongst us today. They have not only won our hearts but also inspired our young generation.
* Today, I am requesting from the ramparts of the Red Fort that ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’ and now ‘Sabka Prayas’ is very important for the achievement of our goals.
* We have to ensure that we meet our goal of building an ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ when we celebrate 100 years of India’s Independence.
* We need to provide hand-holding to the backward categories and sectors. With the concern of fulfilling the basic needs, reservation is being ensured for the Dalits, Backward classes, Adivasis and the poor people from general category.
* The delimitation commission has been constituted in Jammu and Kashmir itself and preparations are also going on for the assembly elections.
* Whether east, northeast, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, the entire Himalayan region, our coastal belt or tribal region, these will become a big base for India’s development in the future.
* Today a new history of connectivity is being written in the northeast. This is a connectivity of both the hearts and the infrastructure. Very soon the work of connecting all the state capitals of the northeast with rail service is going to be completed. Under the Act-East Policy, today northeast, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Southeast Asia are also being connected.
* The government is now focusing on the welfare of small farmers. Ten crore farmer families have directly received over Rs 1.5 lakh crore in their bank accounts.
* To further increase our developmental progress, we have to focus on our manufacturing and export.
* I want to tell the manufacturers – Every product you make is a brand ambassador for India. As long as that product is in use, the buyer will say – yes this is Made in India.
* India will have to augment both its manufacturing and exports. You have witnessed, just a few days ago, India launched its first indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant for trial in the sea. Today India is making its own indigenous fighter aircraft, its own submarine. Gaganyaan is also slated to hoist India’s flag in space. This itself is evidential of our immense capabilities in indigenous manufacturing.
* We have to stop the over involvement of the government in the form of complex policies. Today, we have abolished over 15,000 unnecessary compliances. We have introduced tax reforms that will give impetus to Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business.
* India is not energy independent. It spends over Rs 12 lakh crores on importing energy. We have to ensure that India becomes ‘Atma Nirbhar’ in energy production too.
* We are giving equal emphasis to environmental security as to national security. Be it biodiversity or land neutrality, climate change or waste recycling, organic farming, India is progressing in all these sectors.
* Green Hydrogen is the future of the world. Today, I announce the setting up of the National Hydrogen Mission.
* India has also made a move towards electric mobility and the work on 100 per cent electrification of the railways is also progressing at a fast pace. Indian Railways has set a target of becoming Net Zero Carbon Emitter by 2030.
