India targeting 24X7 power by 2019: Piyush Goyal

Washington, Sep 24: The government is aiming to provide 24x7 power across India by 2019 by creating cost effective infrastructure which will be sustainable and inclusive of clean energy solutions, Power Minister Piyush Goyal has said.

Addressing a India-US Ministerial energy dialogue here, he emphasised that India was committed to pursue a green path to growth, an official statement said on Wednesday.

During the dialogue, Goyal reviewed the progress made by the six working groups of the energy dialogue and identified new areas for cooperation.

"They also reviewed various energy related issues agreed in the India-US joint statement during President (Barack) Obama's visit to India in January 2015," the statement said.

The six working groups include groups on coal, new technology and renewable energy, petroleum and natural gas, power and energy efficiency, sustainable development and the partnership to advance clean energy - research (PACE-R).

At the energy dialogue, Goyal also elaborated on India's plans for deploying 175 gigawatts (GW) of renewable power capacities by 2022, including 100 GW of solar and 60 GW of wind, which could require investment of around $150 billion in the next seven years.

IANS