Latest news with #MuftBijliYojana
Hans India
12 hours ago
- Business
- Hans India
Kuppam set to become fully solar-powered under new green energy push
Tirupati: As part of promoting green energy, the Andhra Pradesh government has completed a pilot solar power project in Nadimur village of Kuppam constituency, represented by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Following its success, plans are underway to expand the initiative across the entire constituency, covering households, agricultural connections, and government buildings. The pilot, launched on January 6, 2025, was implemented under the Central government's PM Surya Ghar – Muft Bijli Yojana scheme in collaboration with APSPDCL and Kuppam RESCO. As part of the project, rooftop solar panels were installed on 100 houses in Nadimuru. Officials estimate that the village is now generating around 15,000 units of electricity, with excess power being fed back into the grid through bi-directional meters. Building on this model, authorities are now extending the solar service to 7,489 identified SC/ST connections across the constituency, for which tenders have already been invited. These beneficiaries will receive connections free of cost. In addition, solarisation of 34,000 agricultural service connections falling under 126 rural feeders is also in progress. The initiative also covers around 43,000 service connections belonging to BC, OBC, and OC categories. The government has announced subsidies of Rs 30,000 for 1 KW systems, Rs 60,000 for 2 KW, and RS 78,000 for 3 KW rooftop solar panels. For the remaining cost, financial assistance will be provided through the Velugu project and bank loans. For instance, the consumer contribution of Rs 40,000 for a 1 KW system can be split into Rs 20,000 from a bank loan and Rs 20,000 from women's self-help group loans. The system uses two-way meters to measure both consumption and excess generation. Any unused power is transferred back to the RESCO, and the consumer receives billing credits accordingly. A 1 KW system is expected to generate about 120 units of electricity per month, which could reduce a typical electricity bill from RS 1,000 to Rs 338, resulting in annual savings of approximately Rs 8,000. To facilitate the expansion, the government has begun collecting consent forms from households in all four mandals of Kuppam. Each mandal is targeting 600 homes in the initial phase. The consent process is being supported by 5,661 women self-help groups under the Velugu programme, involving over 56,000 members. Village Organisation leaders and community coordinators are creating awareness and encouraging residents to adopt solar power. Officials noted that while the high upfront cost of rooftop systems has made some households hesitant, the combination of subsidies and financing options is expected to improve participation. The project aims to reduce dependence on conventional energy sources while offering long-term savings for residents. Authorities said they are working to implement the Chief Minister's vision of making Kuppam a fully solar-powered constituency.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Chandigarh power utility told to curb outages, ramp up response
The Chandigarh Administration has asked Chandigarh Power Distribution Limited (CPDL) to bring down power outages and improve service reliability, as the city grapples with repeated supply disruptions barely five months after the private company took over electricity distribution. At a review meeting on Wednesday, Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma pulled up CPDL over a recent seven-hour blackout that hit multiple sectors after moisture caused a busbar flash at the Sector 56 substation. Officials admitted that the anti-hygroscopic paint applied ahead of the monsoon had failed and said dehumidifiers would now be deployed to prevent similar breakdowns. The meeting, attended by Secretary (engineering) Prerna Puri, Chief Engineer C B Ojha, senior CPDL executives and administration officials, also took stock of measures to strengthen the city's power infrastructure. CPDL reported that it had installed three 20 MVA power transformers and replaced 28 distribution transformers, unlocking an additional 59 MVA capacity. These measures enabled the utility to meet Chandigarh's highest-ever peak demand of 465 MW. Officials said the utility had expanded its 24×7 call centre, scaling manpower from 17 to 52, and increasing phone lines fivefold to handle consumer complaints. Fault response capacity was augmented with 100 outsourced technicians, 80 in-house technical staff and 20 support assistants, helping restore 95 per cent of outages within two hours in July. The administration also reviewed progress under the PM Surya Ghar–Muft Bijli Yojana and CPDL's manpower integration, with 72 employees transferred from the UT promoted on a current duty charge basis. The performance review comes amid public concern over the frequency of power cuts this monsoon and the transition from the erstwhile electricity department to CPDL. The administration is banking on the private operator to modernise a network long dogged by capacity constraints and ageing equipment, with consumer expectations of faster response and more reliable supply running high. CPDL, which took charge on February 1, flagged areas where it required the administration's support to speed up its upgrade plans. The roadmap ahead, including measures to strengthen field response and grievance redressal, was also discussed at the meeting.
Hans India
23-07-2025
- Business
- Hans India
15.45 lakh households benefit from rooftop solar installation: Union Minister in LS
New Delhi: A total of 15.45 lakh households in the country and 5.23 lakh households in Gujarat have benefitted from rooftop solar installation, including that of rural areas (as of July 14), the Parliament was informed on Wednesday. One of the components of the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, launched in February 2024, is the development of Model Solar Village in each district of the country. "An amount of Rs 800 crore has been allocated for this component with a provision of central financial assistance of Rs one crore per model village," Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State for Power and New and Renewable Energy, informed in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. In addition, under the component 'Incentives to Local Bodies', the scheme has provision of providing an incentive at Rs 1,000 per rooftop solar installation in the respective jurisdiction of the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs) at the Gram Panchayat level, he informed. The scheme targets to achieve rooftop solar installations in one crore households in the residential sector by providing central financial assistance. It is demand-driven, wherein all residential consumers in the country, including those in rural areas having a grid-connected electricity connection of the local DISCOM, can avail the benefits by applying on the National Portal of the scheme, said the minister. The government has taken several measures to make the scheme more effective, like online process from registration to disbursal of subsidy directly in to the bank account of the residential consumer through National Portal, availability of collateral free loan from nationalised banks at concessional interest rate of repo-rate plus 50 bps -- 6 per cent per annum for the present with tenure of 10 years -- and simplified regulatory approval process by waiving technical feasibility requirement and introducing auto load enhancement up to 10 kW. The scheme aims to bring solar power to one crore households by March 2027.
Deccan Herald
21-07-2025
- Business
- Deccan Herald
PM Modi, Sitharaman term Meghalaya 'blueprint for resilient, self-reliant India'
Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman highlights Meghalaya's remarkable transformation driven by tourism, youth empowerment, women-led SHGs, initiatives like the PM Suryaghar Muft Bijli Yojana, the Vibrant Village Programme and more. With strong government support and vibrant…
New Indian Express
19-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
BSES hits 10,000 rooftop solar mark, saves Delhiites Rs 160 crore a year
NEW DELHI: In a major green milestone, BSEShas energised over 10,000 rooftop solar net metering connections, with a combined sanctioned load of approximately 220 MWp across South, West, East, and Central Delhi. This shift is not just helping curb pollution, but also powering consumer savings of nearly Rs 160 crore annually. The initiative has seen an overwhelming response, particularly from the residential sector—around 6,900 homes have adopted solar, followed by commercial (1,771), educational (981), industrial (163), and other establishments (236). While the domestic segment has the most connections, the commercial sector accounts for the highest energised load at 81 MWp. This solar momentum has been driven by the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana and Delhi's Solar Policy, which offer up to Rs 1.08 lakh in subsidies, low-interest loans, and attractive generation-based incentives. Consumers can choose between the Capex model, where they own the system, and the Hybrid RESCO model, which involves zero upfront cost. A typical 10 kW domestic rooftop system can help save up to Rs 86,400 annually. Consumers can also earn by feeding surplus electricity back into the grid. Over 125 residential societies have adopted this model, contributing more than 5.5 MWp of clean energy. BSES' Solar City Initiative is driving awareness, quality compliance, and long-term sustainability. Rooftop systems generate 100–120 units per kW each month, with cost recovery achievable in 3–4 years. Other benefits include reducing total billed consumption, potentially qualifying consumers for Delhi Government's power subsidy. Currently, the RESCO to Capex ratio among BSES consumers is about 10% to 90%, reflecting a strong preference for ownership and long-term gains.
