'Super highway' of country's energy sector will pass through Rajasthan: Manohar Lal

Jaipur, Dec 10 (PTI) Union Power Minister Manohar Lal on Wednesday said that the 'super highway' of the country's energy sector will pass through Rajasthan.

Addressing a special session on battery energy storage at the Pravasi Rajasthani Divas event here, he said the Green Energy Corridor-III has received approval from the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

"A 115-GW central transmission network is being developed in Rajasthan, which indicates that the 'super highway' of the country's energy sector will pass through Rajasthan," he said.

He also expressed hope that a legal solution will soon be found for the expansion of transmission lines in western Rajasthan in connection with the conservation of the Great Indian Bustard.

The minister praised the state government's efforts to promote the solar energy sector in Rajasthan.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said Rajasthan is playing a leading role not only in the country but also on the global renewable energy map.

"The state ranks first in both solar energy capacity and overall renewable energy capacity in India, he said. The knowledge, capital and global network of overseas Rajasthanis are valuable assets in this transformation," he said.

Sharma said the state government is committed to making Rajasthan self-reliant in the energy sector.

"Several key decisions have been taken to transform the state from an energy-receiving region into an energy-supplying one. The government has allotted 23,386 hectares of land for renewable energy projects and parks, which will help develop around 10,202 MW of capacity," he said.

The CM said an additional 51,808 hectares has been allocated to the Renewable Energy Corporation and the Power Generation Corporation for solar parks with a projected capacity of 26,784 MW. PTI SDA AMJ AMJ