Cabinet approves raising solar power to 100,000 MW

New Delhi, June 17: In a major decision to boost use of clean energy in India, the union cabinet on Wednesday decided to quintuple solar energy capacity under the National Solar Mission towards achieving 100,000 MW by 2022. "In an important decision, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) decided that solar power capacity in the country is to go up five times to 1 lakh megawatt by 2022," Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here while briefing them on the cabinet meeting. "This is a giant step and India will become the biggest producer of solar power in the world," he added. Describing how the ambitious project had elements like many solar projects and grid-connectivity for roof-top solar power, Prasad said an investment of Rs.600,000 crore is being envisaged till 2022.