The Centre has begun studies to decide whether to include big hydro power plants under the ambit of renewable energy, Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy said on Friday.

“We are having a rethink of how we are treating big hydro power plants and whether we should include it in the ambit of renewable energy. We are studying what is the international pattern and then we will take a final call,” said Goyal while releasing a coffee-table book by NTPC on bio-diversity ahead of World Environment Day.

The Minister, who planted a sapling at NTPC Power Management Institute, also said that the government will aim to get the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill cleared in the next session of Parliament.

“The Bill got passed in Lok Sabha and we expect it to be passed in the Rajya Sabha in the next session…If we had support from the opposition four months could have been saved and more trees could have been planted,” said Goyal.

comment COMMENT NOW