Meghalaya secured second position in consecutive years for its efforts in promoting energy efficiency, reducing energy consumption and promoting sustainability.
The state was awarded the runners-up position in the Group-D category for the prestigious National Energy Conservation Award.
The award was organised by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Ministry of Power, government of India, recognising the state of Meghalaya’s commitment to achieving significant environmental impact through energy-saving initiatives.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Union Minister of State, Ministry of Power Shripad Naik presented the awards to the states recognised for their exemplary contributions towards energy efficiency.
In his address, the Vice President commended all the states for their exceptional contributions to national energy conservation goals and their unwavering commitment to sustainability.
Meghalaya Power Minister Abu Taher Mondal said that the government has initiated several energy-saving measures, including efforts such as reducing energy usage in manufacturing, investing in renewable energy, adopting energy-efficient technologies, and notifying policies related to energy efficiency, some of which are in the final stages of notification.
“These initiatives have contributed to a reduction in energy consumption, aligning with the government’s long-term goal of achieving carbon neutrality,” Mondal said.
He thanked Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma for his unwavering support to the Power department, while recognising the efforts of the consumers in taking up various energy conservation steps.
The power minister stated that the award is based on the indicators specified under the State Energy Efficiency Index, along with policies and activities related to energy conservation implemented across various sectors, such as industry, transport, municipalities, buildings, cross sector and MePDCL.
Furthermore, the Power Minister highlighted that the government had notified the Meghalaya Energy Conservation Regulation 2017, which aims to promote the use of BEE star-rated appliances in public procurement and bans the use of incandescent lamps and inefficient magnetic-wire chokes in tube lights.
According to Mondal, the government has constituted a state-level steering committee for the identification of key pillars of energy transition at the state level and to provide policy guidance and recommendations to achieve state-specific energy transition goals.
The government has also launched the Meghalaya Electric Vehicle Policy 2021, which envisions 15 per cent of the state’s motor vehicles being powered by electric batteries by 2025.
Commissioner and Secretary Sanjay Goyal said that the recognition is a testament to the state’s unwavering commitment to fostering a sustainable and resilient power infrastructure.
He said that the objective is not only to meet the energy requirements of the community but also to establish a foundation for enhanced service reliability and sustainable energy for overall progress in the region.
Goyal mentioned that a Demand Side Management Cell has also been established in MePDCL (Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Ltd) with the assistance of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, New Delhi, to formulate a suitable business model for adopting DSM activities.
He also informed that MePDCL has also taken various steps to reduce Transmission and distribution (T&D) losses, and presently the percentage of T&D losses is 17.53 per cent.
