PM Modi highlights Kerala’s potential in floating solar power sector to enhance clean energy and infrastructure development

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Kerala has tremendous potential to leverage the solar energy sector floating on water bodies.

Inaugurating a series of projects in Kerala on Wednesday, Mr Modi said the country needed more green and clean energy to meet its infrastructure development needs.

“India has become one of the best countries in the world in terms of solar energy. Kerala will also move further in solar power generation. The 50 MW floating solar power project, whose foundation stone was laid in West Kallada on Wednesday, was a step in this direction,” he said.

The polypropylene unit at the Kochi Refinery, the foundation of which has been laid, will produce approximately 400 thousand tons of polypropylene annually. He said the facility will support many industries, including packaging, textiles, automobiles and medical devices, through the production of polypropylene.

This year’s budget of the Union allocated a record amount of funds for infrastructure. Kerala has also benefited greatly from infrastructure investment. Railway stations at Shoranur Junction, Kuttipuram and Changanassery have been modernized. Electrification of a major section of the Shoranur-Nilambur railway line has also been completed. He said that Palakkad-Pollachi train services have also started, which will provide greater convenience to the people of both Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Mr Modi said the six-lane road will improve connectivity to Azheekkal port. The six-lane Kozhikode bypass will reduce traffic congestion and save travel time significantly. All these projects will benefit farmers in Kerala and boost tourism and other industries. These projects will provide new employment opportunities to thousands of youth in Kerala and play a vital role in fulfilling the promise of an “improved Keralam”, he said.

Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Union Ministers Suresh Gopi and George Kurien, Hibi Eden, MP and State BJP president Rajeev Chandrashekhar were also among those present.