Renewable Energy Day held in Manipur

Imphal Aug 20: In commemoration of the birthday of the then Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi, today the Manipur Renewable Energy Agency (MANIREDA) organized and celebrated the day as the “Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Diwas”, means “Renewable Energy Day”, at Manipur Public School with the presence of Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh, Education minister M. Okendro Singh as chief guest and president respectively.
Speaking at the occasion, the chief minister said that the celebration of Renewable Energy Day is a tribute to Rajiv Gandhi’s vision of taking the country into the 21st century through application of modern science for mankind, he said.

The chief minister further said that the growing concern of global climate change and country’s energy security has posed huge challenge before us and all countries are trying to develop Renewable Energy as an alternative source of energy.
The Indian government too, is trying to deal with energy crisis through several measures and a separate Ministry for development of new renewable energy has been created, the chief minister added.
About the history of the Manipur Renewable Energy Agency (MANIREDA) Chief Minister said the agency was established in 1999 as an autonomous government agency for implementation of all Renewable projects/schemes in the state. It has significant contribution towards supplementing power shortage in the State particularly in remote areas. The agency has completed installation of more than 3 MW installed capacity of various source like solar, small hydel, wind, biomass etc.

Chief Minister Okram Ibobi speaks in the Renewable Energy Day observation function.

The chief minister also mentioned that more than 200 remote villages of the state were benefited with basic domestic lighting system from renewable energy systems, Installations of power back up system have been taken up at important locations like hospital, police stations, district administration offices and common service centre. The ongoing project for installation of 3340 numbers of solar heaters by the agency would relieve about 5 MW of connected load from the overburden state power grid, he added.

The Chief Minister appealed to all to use renewable energy as far as possible and to extend full co-operation to MANIREDA in their ongoing project grid.

While delivering the presidential speech M. Okendro also stated that a regular principal would be arranged for Manipur Public School, Koirengei, at the earliest and urged the people to have the habit of using energy/power wisely instead of the fossil fuel.

During the celebration, a documentary film on the activities of MANIREDA was also shown. And distribute Solar Home Light and certificated by the Chief Minister to 98 meritorious students under BSEM and CBSE.