Governor of Gujarat, Shri Acharya Devvrat Ji; the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel; the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Chandrababu Naidu Ji; the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Shri Bhajan Lal Sharma Ji; the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Mohan Yadav Ji are present here today. The Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh and the Chief Minister of Goa are also present here. Additionally, I see the Energy Ministers from various states. Similarly, we have distinguished guests from abroad, including the Economic Cooperation Minister of Germany and the Industry Business Minister of Denmark, along with my cabinet colleagues, Pralhad Joshi and Shripad Naik Ji, and delegates from several countries, ladies and gentlemen!
I would like to extend a warm welcome to all our guests who are here from different countries of the world. This is the fourth edition of the RE-Invest conference, and I am confident that over the next three days, there will be in-depth discussions on the future of energy, technology, and policies. Many of our most senior Chief Ministers, with extensive experience in this sector, are also with us, and I am sure we will benefit from their valuable insights during these discussions. The knowledge we exchange here will contribute to the betterment of humanity as a whole. My best wishes are with all of you.
Friends,
As you are aware, the people of Bharat have, for the first time in 60 years, elected a government to a third consecutive term. The tremendous aspirations of Bharat are behind this historic decision. Today, 140 crore Indians—especially the youth and women—are confident that the wings given to their aspirations over the past ten years will soar even higher in this third term. The poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed across the country believe that our third term will ensure them a dignified life.
Bharat's 140 crore citizens are united in their resolve to propel the nation into the top three global economies. Thus, today's event is not an isolated occurrence; it is part of a grand vision and a significant mission. It forms a key element of our action plan to make Bharat a developed nation by 2047. The early signs of our progress are already evident in the decisions we have made within the first hundred days of this third term.
Friends,
In the first 100 days, our priorities have become clear, and our pace and scale are evident. During this time, we have focused on every sector and every aspect necessary for Bharat's rapid development. Within these 100 days, we have made significant decisions to expand both physical and social infrastructure. Our international guests may be surprised to learn that we are building 70 million, or 7 crore houses in Bharat—more than the population of many countries. During our government's first two terms, we constructed 40 million, or 4 crore of these homes. Now, in our third term, we have commenced the construction of an additional 30 million, or 3 crore, homes. In the last 100 days, we have approved the development of 12 new industrial cities in Bharat. During this period, 8 high-speed road corridor projects have also been approved. Additionally, more than 15 new Made-in-India semi-high-speed Vande Bharat trains have been launched. We have established a research fund of one trillion rupees to promote research & innovation, and several initiatives have been announced to boost electric mobility. Our goal is to advance high-performance biomanufacturing, which will play a key role in the future. For this, the BioE3 Policy has been approved.
Friends,
In the past hundred days, we have taken many major decisions to advance green energy. We have introduced the Viability Gap Funding Scheme for offshore wind energy projects, with plans to invest over Rs 7,000 crore. Bharat is also working towards generating 31,000 megawatts of hydroelectric power in the near future, for which the government has approved an outlay of more than Rs 12,000 crore.
Friends,
Bharat's diversity, scale, capacity, potential, and performance are all exceptional. This is why I say: Indian solutions for global application. The world is beginning to understand this well. Today, not only Indians but the entire world views Bharat as the most promising opportunity of the 21st century. Consider the recent Global Fintech Fest held earlier this month. Following that, participants from across the globe attended the first Solar International Festival. Then, people from all corners of the world came to Bharat for the Global Semiconductor Summit. During this period, Bharat also took on the responsibility of hosting the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Civil Aviation. And now, today, we are gathered to discuss the future of green energy.
Friends,
It is a great coincidence for me that this grand event is being held in Gujarat, the land where the White Revolution, or Milk Revolution, took place, where the Sweet Revolution, the honey initiative, was launched, and where the Solar Revolution began. Gujarat is the state that first introduced a solar power policy in Bharat. It all started here in Gujarat, and then we progressed at the national level. As Bhupendra Bhai mentioned, Gujarat was also one of the first in the world to create a separate ministry for climate. At a time when solar power was not widely discussed in Bharat, hundreds of megawatts of solar plants were being established in Gujarat.
Friends,
You may have noticed that this venue is named after Mahatma Gandhi—Mahatma Mandir. Long before the issue of climate change had even surfaced globally, Mahatma Gandhi had warned the world. If you look at his life, you will see that he lived with a minimal carbon footprint, in harmony with nature. He famously said, "The Earth has enough resources to meet our needs, but not our greed." This vision of Mahatma Gandhi is rooted in Bharat's great tradition. For us, concepts like a green future and net zero are not just fancy terms; they are essential for Bharat. They reflect the commitment of Bharat and all its state governments. Even as a developing economy, we could have had a valid excuse to avoid these commitments. We could have told the world that we had no role in causing the damage, but we didn’t. Instead, we took responsible actions and set an example for the world, driven by our concern for the brighter future of humanity.
Bharat today is not just laying the groundwork for the present but for the next thousand years. Our goal is not merely to reach the top; we are preparing to stay there. Bharat fully understands its energy needs and what is required to become a developed nation by 2047. We also know that we lack our own oil and gas reserves and are not energy independent. Therefore, we have chosen to build our future on solar power, wind power, nuclear power, and hydropower.
Friends,
Bharat is the first G-20 nation to meet its climate commitments set in the Paris Agreement, achieving them nine years ahead of schedule. We are the only country in the G-20 group to do so. What developed nations have not accomplished, a developing nation like Bharat has achieved for the world. Now, to reach our target of 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030, we are working at multiple levels. We are turning the green transition into a people's movement. As you saw in the video, I encourage you to study our PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijlee Yojana. This unique initiative for rooftop solar systems offers financial support to families for setting up and installing solar panels. With this scheme, every household in Bharat can become a power producer. So far, more than 13 million, or 1 crore 30 lakh, families have registered for this scheme, and installation has been completed in 3.25 lakh homes under this scheme.
Friends,
The results of the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijlee Yojana that are beginning to emerge are truly remarkable. Take, for example, a small family that consumes 250 units of electricity per month. If they generate 100 units of electricity and sell it back to the grid, they will save around Rs 25,000 per year. This means that the combined savings on their electricity bill and the income they earn will amount to approximately 25,000 rupees annually. Now, if they were to invest this money in a Public Provident Fund (PPF) and, say, they have a newborn daughter, by the time she turns 20, they would have accumulated more than 10-12 lakh rupees. Just imagine how useful this money would be for everything from her education to her marriage.
Friends,
There are two other significant benefits from this scheme. In addition to saving on electricity costs, the scheme is also becoming a driver of employment generation and environmental protection. Green jobs are set to grow rapidly, requiring thousands of vendors and lakhs of installers. This scheme will generate around two million, or 20 lakh, jobs. Under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Scheme, the goal is to train 3 lakh youngsters as skilled manpower, with 1 lakh of them becoming Solar PV Technicians. Moreover, every 3 kilowatts of solar electricity generated will prevent the emission of 50-60 tonnes of carbon dioxide. This means that every family participating in the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijlee Yojana will make a significant contribution to combating climate change.
Friends,
When the history of the 21st century is written, Bharat's Solar Revolution will be inscribed in golden letters.
Friends,
I would like to inform our international guests about a very special village located just 100 kilometres from here—Modhera. This village is home to a centuries-old Sun Temple, and it is also Bharat's first solar-powered village, where all the energy needs are met by solar power. Today, we are working to create many more solar-powered villages like this across the country.
Friends,
I recently visited the exhibition being held here, and I strongly encourage all of you to take the time to see it. You are all familiar with Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Rama. Lord Rama belonged to the Suryavanshi lineage, and when I was visiting the exhibition, I saw a stall from Uttar Pradesh. As the Member of Parliament for Kashi, I naturally felt inclined to visit the Uttar Pradesh stall. I was delighted to learn that one of my wishes has been fulfilled. While a grand temple dedicated to Lord Rama has been constructed, I want to tell the world that we are now aiming to make Ayodhya—a city associated with Lord Rama, the Suryavanshi—a model solar city. The work is almost complete. Our goal is to ensure that every home, every office, and every service in Ayodhya runs on solar power. I am pleased to share that we have already connected many homes and facilities in Ayodhya to solar energy. You can see a large number of solar-powered street lights, intersections, boats, water ATMs, and buildings in Ayodhya.
We have identified 17 cities across Bharat that we intend to develop into solar cities in a similar manner. We are also empowering our agricultural sector, farms, and farmers through solar power generation. Farmers are now receiving assistance to install solar pumps and small solar plants for irrigation. Bharat is advancing rapidly and on a large scale in every sector related to renewable energy. In the past decade, we have increased electricity generation from nuclear energy by 35%. Additionally, Bharat is striving to become a global leader in green hydrogen, having launched the Green Hydrogen Mission with an investment of approximately Rs 20,000 crore. A major waste-to-energy campaign is also underway in Bharat, and we are promoting a circular approach to address challenges related to critical minerals. We are supporting start-ups that are developing improved technologies for reuse and recycling.
Friends,
The principle of Pro-Planet People is our commitment. This is why Bharat has presented the world with the vision of Mission LiFE—Lifestyle for Environment. Bharat has connected hundreds of countries through its initiative of the International Solar Alliance. During Bharat's G-20 Presidency, we placed significant emphasis on green transition, and we launched the Global Biofuel Alliance during the G-20 Summit. Bharat has also set the ambitious goal of making its railways net zero by the end of this decade. Some may wonder what net-zero railways mean in Bharat. Let me explain: our railway network is vast, with about 1-1.5 crore passengers travelling on trains daily. We are going to make this entire network net zero. Additionally, we have decided to achieve 20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025. Across Bharat, the people have built thousands of Amrit Sarovars in villages for water conservation. These days, you might notice a trend in Bharat where people are planting trees in honour of their mothers, under the initiative 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' (A Tree for Mother). I would urge all of you, as well as every global citizen, to join this campaign.
Friends,
The demand for renewable energy in Bharat is rising, and the government is creating new policies to meet this demand, offering support in every possible way. This means that there are opportunities not only in energy generation but also in manufacturing. Bharat’s efforts are fully focused on Made-in-India solutions, creating numerous possibilities for all of you. Bharat is truly a land of expansion and better returns, and I hope you will take part in this journey. There is no better place for investment in this sector, and no better place for innovation. Sometimes I think about the gossip columns in the media, which are often quite spicy and interesting. However, they have overlooked one thing that I’m sure they will notice after today. Pralhad Joshi, who just delivered a speech here, is our Minister of Renewable Energy. But in my previous government, he was the Minister of Coal. So, even my ministers have made the transition from coal to renewable energy!
I once again invite all of you to invest in Bharat’s green transition. I sincerely thank you for coming here in such large numbers. Being born in this land, Gujarat has taught me a great deal. Therefore, along with the Chief Minister of Gujarat, I feel it is my duty to express my heartfelt gratitude and welcome to all of you. I also thank the state governments for their participation, and extend special thanks to the Chief Ministers who have joined us here. I am confident that this summit, and the dialogues that will take place, will unite us all in our pursuit of a brighter future for the generations to come.
I recall an instance when President Obama was on a visit to Bharat for bilateral discussions. During a press conference in Delhi, a journalist asked me a question. At the time, many countries were announcing ambitious targets for various global issues. The journalist asked if I felt any pressure because of that. I responded by saying, "Modi is here... there is no external pressure here." But I did add that there is indeed one pressure I feel—the pressure of responsibility towards the future generations, the children who are yet to be born, whose bright future I am deeply concerned about. That is the pressure I carry, and it is why I am committed to working for the welfare of the coming generations. Even today, this summit will serve as a guarantee of a bright future for the second, third, and even fourth generations after us. You have all gathered here to accomplish something truly significant, and you have come to this Mahatma Mandir, built in honour of Mahatma Gandhi. Once again, I offer my heartfelt thanks to all of you.
Namaskar!
