India To Replace Diesel With Renewables To Achieve Target Of 'Diesel-Free' Agricultural Sector By 2024: Power Minister

India is planning to replace diesel with renewable energy in the Agriculture so as to make the sector diesel-free by 2024 as part of the country's fight against climate change and global warming.

Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy R K Singh on Friday (11 February) chaired a virtual meeting with the central as well as State and union teriritory officials to discuss the role of states and UTs towards energy transition goals of India.

The meeting was organised in line with the PM Modi's commitment at COP26, towards reducing the carbon intensity of India. The objective of this meeting was to ensure the state's participation in fulfilling the India’s climate commitments and each State and UT can be assigned energy saving targets, a Power Ministry release said.

Reiterating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to ramp up India's fight against climate change and global warming, the minister mphasised the need for collaboration between the centre and states to ensure energy transition in all potential sectors of the economy.

Addressing the meeting, Singh stressed the need for collaborative efforts between the Central and State governments towards the large-scale deployment of energy efficiency measures in potential sectors of the economy.

He emphasised the need to have state specific agency dedicated for energy efficiency and conservation. He urged that the states should develop action plan to achieve the assigned targets.

The minister further said, "We are working for a new and modern India, which cannot happen without modern power systems, and we look forward to working with all States and UTs to achieve this".

Singh stressed that India will replace diesel with renewables to achieve target of zero diesel use in agricultural sector by 2024, the ministry said.