New policy on development of solar energy announced

The Mission -- one of the eight key national missions which comprise India's national action plan on climate change -- has the twin objectives of contributing to India's long term energy security as well as its ecological security.

"This is a historic and transformational initiative of the UPA government and I am proud to have the privilege of being assigned the task of overseeing its implementation," Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah said in a statement in Parliament.

He said people are living in a world of rapidly depleting fossil fuel resources and acess to conventional energy resources such as oil, gas and coal is becoming increasingly constrained.

"The rapid development and deployment of renewable energy is imperative in this context and in view of high solar radiation over the country solar energy provides a long term sustainable solution," he said.