Says government is daydreaming on achieving 100% target

Margao: The Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao has lashed out at the state government saying it has failed to achieve its renewable energy target, including the solar and green energy sector-related.

Alemao was reacting to the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s statements that Goa would be a renewable energy hub by 2050 and that new jobs would be created in the process and pointed to responses provided in the assembly that Goa had only achieved 33.344 MW of solar power energy till November 2022-end out of the targeted 358 MW to achieve the national cumulative target of 175 GW.

“With dismal past record, it is better not to speak about achieving a 100% renewable energy target with 15,000 jobs by 2050. The BJP government is daydreaming when Goans are facing nightmares of frequent power cuts and (on top of it) hike in power tariff has been proposed. Facts and figures from my LAQ reply reveal that Goa achieved only 33.344 MW of solar power energy till November 30, 2022 out of the target of 358 MW to achieve national cumulative target of 175 GW. Now, Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant sets a new target of 150 MW in next two years with 500 jobs which is completely unrealistic,” said Alemao.

He added, “I suspect that the government has deliberately opted for ‘go slow’ approach on solar and renewable energy to facilitate the Tamnar project. If the government invests even half the funds of Tamnar project on renewable energy generation in Goa, it will help meet power consumption needs of the entire state. The government must prepare an action plan to achieve the target of solar and renewable energy generation in the state.”

On the stoppage of subsidy scheme for buying electric vehicles, Alemao said, “This act shows that they (the government) are not serious on green energy. If the government has money to spend on events, why can’t they give subsidy for electric vehicles?”