Mere 2 percent of 9.6 lakh hopefuls in Tamil Nadu set up solar panels under PM's scheme
According to Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Shripad Naik, as many as 9.65 lakh consumers in Tamil Nadu had registered under the PM Solar Scheme
CHENNAI: Only less than two per cent of the 9.65 lakh consumers who registered for the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (rooftop solar scheme) in Tamil Nadu have managed to install solar panels on their roofs. The central scheme provides subsidies to provide free power to households, reduce the government's electricity costs, and increase the use of renewable energy.
According to Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Shripad Naik, as many as 9.65 lakh consumers in Tamil Nadu had registered under the PM Solar Scheme. Of them, 74,364 filled in applications and 19,255 got the solar panels installed.
The scheme, launched by PM Modi in February this year, aims at setting up solar panels in one crore households across the country at an outlay of Rs 75,021 crore. Under the scheme, the consumers would get a subsidy of Rs 30,000 per kilowatt up to two kW and Rs 78,000 for capacities of three kW and above.
Tangedco has set an ambitious target of achieving installation of rooftop solar plants in 25 lakh households in the State in one year which is nearly one-fourth of the country’s target.
A senior official of the Tamil Nadu Green Energy Corporation Ltd blamed the glitches on the national portal for the delay in the commissioning of the rooftop solar projects. “After the registration, the consumer has to select a vendor and pay fees, after which the solar panels would be installed and connected to the grid,” the official added.
Shripad Naik said around 1.45 crore people registered for the PM Solar Scheme and 6.34 lakh installations have been completed. A total of 1.45 crore registrations, 26.38 lakh applications and 6.34 lakh rooftop solar installations have been reported on the national portal, he said.
The subsidy has been released to 3.66 lakh applicants and it is getting released regularly within 15-21 days, the minister said. As per official data, Gujarat has seen the maximum solar installations under the scheme at 2,86,545, followed by Maharashtra with 1,26,344 installations and Uttar Pradesh at 53,423.
OFF THE ROOF IN TN
Across India
Total registrations: 1.45 crore
Applns submitted: 26.38 lakh
Installations done: 6.34 lakh
Tamil Nadu
Total registrations: 9.65 lakh
Applns submitted: 74,364
Installations done: 19,255
Toppers in installations:
Gujarat - 2,86,545
Maharashtra - 1,26,344
Uttar Pradesh - 53,423
