TURA: The Director of Meghalaya New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (MNREDA) has written to the Secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in New Delhi requesting the promotion of renewable energy in the state of Meghalaya.
In his three page memorandum to the Ministry, the official put forward various initiatives that need to be taken for the promotion of renewable energy in the state.
Among others, the official urged that the earlier scheme of the MNRE which provides for the engagement of a Consultant is revived and its remuneration enhanced from the previous amount of Rs 50,000/-. The arrangement of training for officers and staff in a phase manner, in order to keep themselves updated with latest technologies of renewable energy, was also sought in the memorandum.
Informing that the Mahatma Gandhi Regional Training Institute (MGRTI) which was established in 1991 could not be made functional due to non availability of funds and proper guidance, the Director while reminding that the MNREDA Office is currently functioning from the same building, urged that the same is revived with the provision of financial and technical assistance from MNRE.
Other demands made in the memorandum included, enhancement in funding for installation of Solar Water Plants, sanctioning of schemes for Off-Grid Solar Projects to enable the initiation of preliminary work in advance, inclusion of Meghalaya in the scheme for distribution of solar lanterns in remote areas on 90:10 funding basis, the conduct of a study for installation of a 500 KW bamboo pellet gasification plant etc.