Assam: Rooftop solar power picks up pace; 2.78 lakh applications submitted in state

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The people of the state have evinced more interests in roof-top solar (RTS) power against the backdrop of erratic power supply in the state. The government has already instructed all departments to solarise rooftops of their buildings.

Around 2.80 lakh power consumers in the state applied for roof-top solar power installation under the PM-Surya Ghar Scheme in the state, so far. Around 1,800 power consumers have already installed RTS power atop their roofs, and around 20,000 more such installations are expected by March 2025.

The PM-Surya Ghar Scheme provides subsidies both from the centre and the state government. And that has made people rush to grab the offer as early as possible. The scheme has the provision of households selling their surplus power to DISCOM so as to earn an additional income.

Launched in February 2024 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as many as 17.79 lakh power consumers have already registered their names under the PM-Surya Ghar Scheme in the state. And out of them, around 48,700 consumers have selected vendors, and 3,490 consumers have signed agreements with the vendors for the installation of rooftop solar power in Assam. So far, the centre has released Rs 4.10 crore to the beneficiaries in Assam as subsidies under the PM-Surya Ghar Scheme. This is not all. The state government has also released Rs 1.44 crore for the beneficiaries under this scheme.

According to official sources, all government departments have been communicated to prepare DPRs (Detailed Project Reports) for implementation of rooftop solar power on CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) mode in government buildings under their jurisdiction. APDCL will assist in the preparation of the estimate by government departments.

This scheme also has the provision to declare a model solar village in each district. The power department has already sought the names of probable solar villages from the MLAs from their respective districts. Each of the selected model solar villages shall be eligible for a grant of Rs 1 crore as central financial assistance from the Government of India.

According to official sources, APDCL has taken a few reformative measures to promote the installation of rooftop solar power, like the waiver of technical approvals for installation up to 10 KW rooftop solar capacity, commissioning of RTS plants within seven days after completion of installation, and providing smart meters free of charge to PM Surya Ghar beneficiaries without any additional charge.

After the release of central subsidies to the beneficiaries, state subsidies have been released from APDCL's own fund to promote the scheme's adoption among households in the state.

 Also Read: Assam: Asian Development Bank Approves Rs 3,648 Crore to Boost Solar Power in State

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