Govt prioritising renewable energy to protect environment: Amit

JASHORE, July 4 (BSS): State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit on Saturday said the government is placing special emphasis on solar power generation to protect environmental balance by expanding electricity production from renewable energy sources.
"The government has set a target to generate up to 10,000 megawatts of electricity from renewable sources within the next five years," he said while inaugurating a tree plantation programme and the foundation stone laying ceremony of a 10-storey academic building at Jashore Zila School ground.
As part of the Prime Minister's announcement nationwide programme to plant 25 crore trees, the Jashore Education Board inaugurated a campaign to plant 100,000 trees.
"In the past, our power plants were dependent on diesel and furnace oil. Later, they shifted to gas and coal. But these are harming nature. Therefore, the government is now moving towards environment-friendly energy," Amit said.
He said the government, in the current budget, has granted duty and tax exemptions on electric bikes until 2031. At the same time, a policy has been adopted to generate electricity from waste. Initiatives will be taken gradually to make waste from city corporations and municipalities suitable for electricity generation, he added.