By Business India Editorial

India has achieved the target which was set for 2030, of making 40 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil energy, this year itself, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi after inaugurating and laying the foundation of various hydropower projects in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi earlier this week.

“India had set a target in 2016 to meet 40 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil energy sources by 2030. Today every Indian will be proud that India has achieved this goal in November this year itself,” Modi said.

“The whole world is praising India for accelerating its development while at the same time saving the environment. From solar power to hydropower, from wind power to green hydrogen, India is working continuously to make full use of every resource of renewable energy,” he added.

Earlier, the prime minister inaugurated various hydropower projects worth Rs11,000 crore.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Modi laid the foundation stone of the Renukaji Dam project, lying pending for around three decades. “Six states viz Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Delhi were brought together by the Centre for making the project possible,” said a press release from the PMO.

“The 40 MW project will be built at a cost of around Rs7,000 crore. It will prove to be immensely beneficial for Delhi, which will be able to receive around 500 million cubic metre water supply per year,” reads the official statement

The prime minister also laid the foundation stone of the Luhri Stage 1 Hydro Power Project. The 210 MW project will be built at a cost of over Rs1,800 crore. It will lead to the generation of over 750 million units of electricity per year. The modern and dependable grid support will prove beneficial to the surrounding states of the region as well.

The foundation stone of the Dhaulasidh Hydro Power Project was also laid by Modi. “This will be the first hydropower project of Hamirpur district. The 66 MW project will be built at a cost of over Rs680 crore. It will lead to the generation of over 300 million units of electricity per year,” said the release.

Prime Minister also inaugurated the Sawra-Kuddu Hydro Power Project. The 111 MW Project has been built at a cost of around Rs2,080 crore. It will lead to generation of over 380 million units of electricity per year, and help the state earn revenue worth over Rs120 crore annually.