Consider solar power for Parliament, speaker says to Farooq Abdullah

Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar today asked minister of new and renewable energy Farooq Abdullah to consider provision of solar energy to Parliament, a proposal which he readily agreed to look into.
   
"I hope you will also look into providing solar energy to Parliament," Kumar told Abdullah during Question Hour.
   
Her suggestion was welcomed with applause by the House.
   
Abdullah promised that he would consider the matter at the earliest.
   
Earlier, Abdullah said his ministry was committed to providing solar power to religious places like the Shirdi shrine. This would also make the common man and the poor aware of the benefits of solar power, he said.
   
Abdullah praised West Bengal governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi for using solar energy in the Raj Bhavan and wished other governors would follow his example.
   
He said state governments should take the initiative and send demands for solar energy as the Central government could not take steps "unilaterally".
   
Abdullah did not even spare the Jammu and Kashmir government, headed by his son Omar, for failing to send its demands.
   
In reply to another question, Abdullah said Rs4,337 crore has been earmarked for Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission till March 2013.