Greenpeace delegates at the news meet in Patna on Tuesday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, Oct. 18: Greenpeace, an international NGO working towards promotion of renewable energy, today urged chief minister Nitish Kumar to demand a bigger share for decentralised renewable energy generation under Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) in the impending national development council meet.

Arpana Udupa, Greenpeace India campaigner and Ramapati, its campaign manager, said the solution to rural electrification lies in the development and expansion of renewable energy, particularly keeping in mind RGGVY’s failure to electrify villages. Hence, they said, the state government must raise the issue of renewable energy.

Stating that Bihar has a market share of Rs 5,000 crore in solar market, Udupa cited the success story of husk power system that has changed the rural scenario in that particular area and it could change the face of many villages if the state government pitches for more allocation for renewable energy during the national development council meeting on Saturday.

The NGO has recently come out with its social audit report, conducted in a few selected villages of Saran and Madhubani districts, which says that the scheme has miserably failed in its objective to illuminate rural areas. Under the scheme, the villages are electrified and poles are installed.

“The state received Rs 2,800 crore under RGGVY in 11th Five-Year Plan under which the renewable energy got a paltry sum,” Udupa said, adding that the government should decentralise the power generation to electrify the villages.

Given the energy crisis and problems associated with RGGVY in Bihar, the state government should take a more proactive stand in strengthening the scheme, the campaigner said.

“The NDC meeting is a good opportunity for Bihar to demand a bigger share for decentralised renewable energy generation under the scheme. It can play an important role in ensuring energy access and provide quality and reliable electricity to rural areas in Bihar,” said Ramapati.

She said the state government should advocate for allocation of 25 per cent for decentralised renewable energy under RGGVY to illuminate the villages in the country.