Gujarat to set up energy conservation committee

Taking a pro-active step towards energy conservation in the state, the Gujarat government seems to be moving in the direction of setting up a committee to overlook the energy conservation job undertaken by the Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA).

GEDA is the nodal agency appointed by the Gujarat government to implement energy conversation projects in the state. GEDA tied up with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to implement the projects.

Speaking at a workshop 'Raising the Profile of Energy Efficiency Programs in Gujarat', Chief Secretary Manjula Subramaniam told reporters that the Gujarat Government was open to the idea of setting up a committee to monitor energy conservation work undertaken by GEDA. Director (EE&E) USAID Glenn Whaley had earlier suggested to the Government of Gujarat to set up such a committee.

Subramaniam added that a 'State Energy Conservation Committee' is likely to be constituted within a month.

The committee is likely to draw up action plans for energy conversation, monitor the functioning of agencies involved in energy conversation and solve problems relating to the implementation of energy conversation programmes.

The conservation programmes are vital to the state as in the past few years, Gujarat's energy consumption has increased from 30 billion units to 53 billion units. "

Meanwhile, the per capita consumption (PCC) of Gujarat state was 750 units for 2004, which was much more when compared to the national PCC of 400 units for the same period," Subramaniam said. In keeping with the economic growth of the state, the government expects the energy consumption to grow further.

According to Whaley, Gujarat needed a clear-cut strategy to create energy conservation and the USAID's principal focus will be on energy conservation in the state.