PM to visit poll-bound Karnataka, inaugurate various projects

New Delhi, Feb 4 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate India Energy Week (IEW) 2023, dedicate HAL helicopter factory to the nation and also lay the foundation stones for various development initiatives during his upcoming visit to poll-bound Karnataka on February 6.

The Prime Minister will inaugurate the IEW, 2023 in Bengaluru. Being held from February 6-8, it is aimed to showcase country’s rising prowess as an energy transition powerhouse. The event will bring together leaders from the traditional and non-traditional energy industry, governments, and academia to discuss the challenges and opportunities that a responsible energy transition presents.

In line with the ethanol blending roadmap, the Prime Minister will launch E20 fuel at 84 retail outlets of Oil Marketing Companies in 11 States/UTs. E20 is a blend of 20 per cent ethanol with petrol. The government aims to achieve a complete 20 per cent blending of ethanol by 2025, and oil marketing companies are setting up 2G-3G ethanol plants that will facilitate the progress.

The Prime Minister will also flag off the Green Mobility Rally. The rally will witness participation of vehicles running on green energy sources and will help create public awareness for the green fuels.

The Prime Minister will launch the uniforms under the ‘Unbottled’ initiative of Indian Oil. Guided by the vision of the Prime Minister to phase out single-use plastic, IndianOil has adopted uniforms for retail customer attendants and LPG delivery personnel made from recycled polyester (rPET) & cotton.

The Prime Minister will also dedicate the twin-cooktop model of the IndianOil’s Indoor Solar Cooking System and flag-off its commercial roll-out. IndianOil had earlier developed an innovative and patented Indoor Solar Cooking System with a single cooktop. On the basis of feedback received, a twin-cooktop Indoor Solar Cooking system has been designed offering more flexibility and ease to the users.

In yet another step towards ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in the defence sector, the Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation the HAL Helicopter Factory in Tumakuru. Its foundation stone was also laid by the Prime Minister in 2016. It is a dedicated new greenfield helicopter factory which will enhance capacity and ecosystem to build helicopters.

This helicopter factory is Asia’s largest helicopter manufacturing facility and will initially produce the Light Utility Helicopters (LUH). LUH is an indigenously designed and developed 3-tonne class, single engine multipurpose utility helicopter with unique feature of high manoeuvrability.

The factory will be expanded to manufacture other helicopters such as Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and Indian Multirole Helicopter (IMRH) as well as for repair and overhaul of LCH, LUH, Civil ALH and IMRH in the future. The factory also has the potential for exporting the Civil LUHs in future.

The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of Tumakuru Industrial Township. Under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme, development of the Industrial Township spread across 8,484 acre in three phases in Tumakuru has been taken up as part of Chennai Bengaluru Industrial Corridor.

–IANS

kvm/svn/