NEW DELHI: The food processing industry should make the maximum use of solar energy for manufacturing purpose as it is more environment friendly, Minister of State for Food Processing Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti said today. 

 

The growth of this industry is very essential for farmers and therefore it also plays very important role in rural development, she said at an event organised by the Assocham here. 

 

"The food processing industry needs to maximise the use of solar energy for their production and other operations as it is more environment friendly. Our ministry is also discussing this with various industries," she said. 

 

There is need to promote renewable source of energy especially in the rural areas as there is more scope for that in those areas, the minister added. 

 

National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) CMD K M Singh, who was also present at the event, said India's total capacity of power generation is about 2.88 lakh mega watt, out of which 70 per cent is thermal, followed by hydro with 15 per cent and remaining 15 per cent comes from renewable and nuclear sources.

 

"So there is need to shift our dependence on hydro power which is environmentally, economically and socially more sustainable," Singh added. 

 

He also added that developmental activities cannot be viewed in isolation, rather it calls for greater empathy towards issues relating to conservation of nature and natural resources and public concerns.