Focus on energy security to become self sustainable: Narendra Modi

By Newsgram Staff Writer

Talking on energy security, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India will have to be independent in this area and seek new avenues to replenish existing sources in a bid to serve the growing need of the people.

He called for enhancing domestic production to reduce the energy import burden of the country by at least 10 per cent, till 2022 – the occasion of the platinum jubilee of India's independence.

"We need to be independent when it comes to providing our people with energy," Modi said, while inaugurating the "Urja Sangam – 2015" conference on energy security at the Vigyan Bhavan exposition complex in Delhi.

He also asked people who are well off to surrender their fuel subsidy entitlement.

"People who don't need LPG subsidy and those who are capable of managing without it should give it up. I ask you to join this movement. Give up gas subsidy. Create a record. The subsidy that you will give up will go a long way in benefitting the poor people."

People are already giving up their subsidy, Modi said, and added that "over 2.8 lakh consumers have surrendered LPG subsidy, resulting in a saving of Rs.100 crore to the exchequer".

Modi said that the government aims to provide piped cooking gas, which currently serves 27 lakh households, to one crore households in the next four years. He also complimented ONGC Videsh Ltd, Engineers India Ltd, and Barauni Refinery, for their successful journey of five decades, and called upon India's energy sector to plan for the next five decades with a global perspective. He said India, with one-sixth of the world's population, should shoulder one-sixth of the world's energy responsibility, hence contributing to global prosperity.