Aiming for a 9–10% growth rate with adequate power: R.K. Singh

17 Oct 2023

Power minister RK Singh on Sunday said the ministry's aim is to provide enough electricity to power the country's growth even higher than the current levels.
"Our mission is to provide electricity so that the Indian economy is able to grow at around 9- 10%" he said while addressing the foundation day of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).The CEA is the planning cell of the power ministry.
Singh said the authority should look at the needs for reforms in the power sector.
The role of CEA is to look ahead and identify what are the systems and technologies which need to be put in place in the power sector, Singh said.
There is a need to increase the pace of addition of transmission and generation capacity, he said.
He emphasized on carrying out studies, identifying tradeoffs among policies, being abreast of the latest developments in technology and advising the government based on that.
Singh said that it is the job of the CEA officers to analyze and advice on matters like the mix of solar energy and wind energy targets.
"Scientific progress cannot be made on hunch, but on sound analysis. You need to communicate by your performance, that you are deservingly the primary advisors to the government in the power sector," he said.
The minister also stressed on the need to figure out how much power will be needed in 2050.
"Would we have enough land to meet the solar power we would need? Let us find that out and work out alternatives as may be needed," he said.
The focus of the body should also be on the need to prepare for catastrophic events like the one in Sikkim, he added.