In politics, people should have courage to tell truth: PM

New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that in politics, people should have the courage to tell the truth but some states try to avoid it.

The Prime Minister made the remarks after launching the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme virtually here. He also dedicated and laid the foundation stone of various green energy projects of NTPC, and launched the National Solar Rooftop portal.

PM Modi noted that with the passage of time, "a serious disorder has come into our politics".

"In politics, people should have the courage to tell the truth, but we see that some states try to avoid it. This strategy may sound like good politics in the short term. But it is like postponing today's truth, today's challenges, for tomorrow, for our children, and for our future generations. This thinking of avoiding solutions to today's problems and leaving them for the future is not good for the country," he said, adding: "This thought process has pushed the power sector in many states into huge problems."

The Prime Minister said losses in our distribution sector are in double digits. He said there is a lack of investment in reducing distribution and transmission losses in many states.

The Prime Minister remarked that people will be surprised to know that different states have outstanding dues of more than Rs 1 lakh crore. "They have to give this money to power generation companies. Power distribution companies are owed more than Rs 60 thousand crore from many government departments, and local bodies," the PM said adding that these companies are not able to get even the money that has been committed for subsidy on electricity in different states on time and in full and this arrear is also more than Rs 75,000 crore.

The Prime Minister requested the states whose dues are pending, to clear them as soon as possible.

"Also, honestly consider the reasons that even when the countrymen pay their electricity bills honestly, why do some states have arrears again and again? He said this is not a matter of 'Rajniti' (politics) but pertains to 'Rashtra Niti' and nation building," he said

The Prime Minister said awe had resolved to create 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by the completion of 75 years of independence.

Today we have come close to this goal. So far, about 170 GW capacity has been installed from non-fossil sources, he added.

The Prime Minister said that along with increasing the production of electricity, the emphasis of the government is also on saving electricity.