Encouraging greater usage of solar pumps in the agriculture sector, scaling up of star-rated electrical appliances, and increasing the floor area ratio (FAR) of green buildings so that more such eco-friendly installations can come up in future, are some of the suggestions which have been presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the form of an action plan for conservation of energy in the long run by a group of secretaries.
The action plan submitted to the Prime Minister is likely to be inculcated in an overall model of good governance which the government plans to chart out so that better services can be provided to the common man. A group of secretaries on energy conservation — which is one of the eight such groups which the Prime Minister had formed on December 31, 2015 as part of his endeavour to seek inputs from top bureaucrats on good governance — submitted its action plan to him earlier this week, sources aware of the development told this newspaper.
The other groups too have submitted their reports to the Prime Minister. Sources added that the suggestions were given after extensive brainstorming among the secretaries, while keeping in mind the significance of bringing down emission levels and greater focus on renewable energy resources.
Though the bureau of energy of efficiency (BEE), an enterprise under the power ministry has introduced the star-rating system for domestic electronic appliances like geysers, air-conditioners, refrigerators etc., sources pointed out that the group of secretaries were of the view that this system should be extended to heavy duty electric appliances also, which are meant for industrial and commercial use.
Under the star-rating system, electric appliances are rated on a scale of five stars, and an equipment consuming minimum amount of energy is given a five-star rating.
An energy consuming appliance is given one or two-star rating under this scheme. Equipments carry stickers denoting the number of starts and customers find it easy to identify the most energy efficient product while making purchases.
In another suggestion made by the panel, it was advised that instead of relying too much on electric motor pumps (required for watering agricultural fields), Government should encourage solar power-based pumps, which would help cut expenses on electricity bills.
Also by increasing the FAR of energy efficient buildings, the panel observed that in future, more such buildings would come up and in the long run, help in creating an eco-friendly system to live in. The eight sub-groups formed by the Prime Minister and headed by secretaries of various ministries, included those on Swachchh Bharat, Ganga rejuvenation, innovative budgeting, good governance, employment generation, education and health, and farmer-centric initiatives, apart from the one on energy conservation.
In a 70-minute long meeting with Secretaries on December 31, 2015, the Prime Minister while appreciating the work done by various ministries over the past 18 months, had sought the collective wisdom of all the top bureaucrats to suggest a new thought process which would help improve the governance model at the Centre, and the formation of groups was a culmination of that process.
