Manohar Lal, Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs has called on states to intensify climate mitigation efforts through coordinated action involving governments, industries, institutions and citizens, stressing that climate action cannot succeed without mass public participation.
Highlighting India’s progress, Khattar said the country achieved 53.6 million tonnes of oil equivalent (MTOE) in energy savings during 2023–24. This included 321 billion units of electricity savings, resulting in nearly ₹2 lakh crore in annual monetary savings and a reduction of 321 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions. These outcomes, he said, would significantly accelerate India’s clean energy transition and support the long-term vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’.
The minister acknowledged the role played by states in advancing renewable energy and efficiency measures, with specific praise for Andhra Pradesh. He congratulated Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for signing multiple memoranda of understanding with central agencies, including Energy Efficiency Services Limited under the Ministry of Power.
The agreements cover a range of initiatives such as LED-based urban street lighting, energy efficiency programmes for MSMEs, eco-friendly tourism, deployment of geothermal technologies capable of reducing power consumption by 50–70 per cent, induction stoves for Anganwadis, and the ‘Urjaveer’ campaign promoting Bureau of Energy Efficiency star-rated appliances. Measures to facilitate access to star-rated products for beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana are also part of the programme.
Khattar said these initiatives reflect Andhra Pradesh’s emphasis on technology-driven sustainability and integrated climate action, adding that similar efforts across states would be critical to sustaining India’s energy transition momentum.
