PANJIM: The responsibility for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is on every citizen and not just the political class, Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral said on Thursday.

Addressing the inaugural event of the first ‘International Environment and Sustainability Summit’ in Goa, Cabral pointed out the lack of response to the Solar Rooftop Policy introduced by him during his tenure as Power Minister.

“I had introduced the scheme with 50 per cent subsidy for generating solar power but it did not get a good response from the people. At the same time, there is also opposition over development projects, including laying power grid infrastructure,” Minister said referring to the opposition to Tamnar power project.

“There is demand for 24 hours electricity supply, while, at the same time, there is also demand for ban on generating electricity using coal,” he said.

“When we are faced with such a situation, we need to find out how to move forward. The responsibility of sustainable development goals is of each one of us and not just the political class,” Cabral said.

The three-day long summit is organised by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB).

Cabral hailed the Union Budget which has laid focus on “Green Growth” with initiatives related to green fuel, green farming, green mobility, green buildings, and green equipment.

Cabral said that in order to encourage behavioural change, Union Budget has proposed Green Credit Programme that will be notified under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. This, he said, will incentivise environmentally sustainable and responsive actions by companies, individuals, and local bodies.

“Goa, being a small state should take the maximum benefit and be a role model for other States by introducing new initiatives in green growth. We need to ensure maximum participation in achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of moving towards zero carbon emissions,” he said.