Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday announced plans to bolster the state's solar power infrastructure. Mr Sarma said solar energy is a key sector in India's quest to become a global powerhouse in green energy.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed on solar power. Under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijlee Yojna, the Central government will provide subsidy to everyone who applies for solar panels," Chief Minister Sarma said.
The Assam Chief Minister said that for every 1 KW of solar panel installation, the Central government will provide a subsidy of Rs 30,000, supplemented by an additional Rs 15,000 subsidy from the Assam government, while the applicant contributes Rs 5,000. Scaling up, for 2 KW and 3 KW installations, the subsidies rise correspondingly, making solar power accessible and affordable for citizens across income brackets, he added.
Currently, Assam requires 2,200 MW of power to meet household electricity needs, a challenge that solar energy initiatives aim to address.
The groundwork for Assam's solar revolution was laid in 2017 with the formulation of a solar policy, setting ambitious targets for energy generation within a timeframe. This policy gave birth to the region's first floating solar power plant in Thanagarh village in Morigaon district, boasting a capacity of 10.50 JW.
The Assam government plans to replicate such initiatives across multiple wetlands, capitalising on Assam's natural resources to enhance electricity generation capacity.
The inauguration of the largest solar power plant in the region, with a capacity of 70 MW and located in Amguri town in Sivsagar district is another milestone.
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