Terming innovation as key to "lasting and sustainable" way of development, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar today said that focus on "cleaner energy through a well defined roadmap" was the new mantra of the government.
He, however, rued that the country lacks in innovation and said that the system does not allow innovative brains to flourish despite having talent.
The environment minister said that the new dispensation has done many things to give real impetus to the solar, wind and clean energy sector in this year's budget.
"The lasting and sustainable way of development comes through innovation. The mantra for the new government is focused on cleaner energy through a well defined roadmap," he said.
"Unfortunately we lack in innovation...Our education, our system does not allow innovation or innovative brains to flourish. Yes we have great talents," he said after conferring the Climate Solver Awards 2013 organised by WWF-India and Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).
Laying stress on innovation, the minister mentioned a recent news about "Indians brains" constituting one-third of organisations like NASA and said that they got the finishing touch to their career in US as they "devised and decided" to grow on innovation.
"The material cost may not be more than Rs 2000. But that becomes Rs 20,000 and the additional 18,000 becomes innovation. That's how you get rich. Thats the sustainable way. Science, Technology and Innovation changed our lives permanently," he said.
Laying emphasis on innovation which "impacted the society in geometric proportions", Javadekar also quoted example of solar panels over canals in Gujarat and said that it was the innovative use of solar energy that gave three pronged benefits to the society.
"These included enhancement of energy efficiency, saving land resources and minimising evaporation of water due to placing of solar panels on the banks of irrigation canals in Gujarat," he said.
Javadekar also touched upon several key climate friendly initiatives that had been introduced in the Union Budget this year including increase in cess on coal from Rs 50 per ton to Rs 100 per ton, raising more revenue for clean energy and others. The minister also released a report on "Solar Air Conditioning and Solar Desalination in India".
