Dainik Nation News Portal
DAINIK NATION BUREAU/DEHRADUN
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has inaugurated the Saur Kauthig in Rangers’ Ground, Dehradun on Monday. This first-of-its-kind initiative in Uttarakhand aims to promote solar energy adoption, energy security and environmental conservation while driving the state towards sustainable development.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister dedicated the PM Suryaghar Yojna and Mukhyamantri Saur Swarojgar Yojna, distributed cheques to beneficiaries of the Solar Water Heater Yojna, and unveiled a mural art depicting solar energy at the UPCL headquarters. He also flagged off a solar awareness van that will travel across the state over the next 100 days to educate people about solar energy and its applications.
The Chief Minister visited various stalls at the fair to review innovative experiments and technologies in the solar energy sector. Addressing the gathering, he emphasized the importance of solar energy in achieving energy self-reliance and environmental sustainability. He expressed hope that the fair would raise awareness about government schemes, benefits, and available solar products, encouraging citizens to adopt solar energy and contribute to making Uttarakhand self-reliant in the energy sector.
Highlighting the need for renewable energy, Chief Minister Dhami noted that fossil fuels are not only limited but also harmful to the environment, whereas solar energy is unlimited, sustainable, and eco-friendly. He commended Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for spearheading the promotion of solar energy with ambitious targets, including generating 100 GW of solar energy by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2070.
The Chief Minister outlined the state’s initiatives under the new solar energy policy, which aims to establish Uttarakhand as a leader in renewable energy. Key initiatives include:
• Solar Projects on Administrative Premises: Solar power plants are being installed across all administrative buildings in the state.
• Subsidies for Rooftop Solar Plants: A 70% subsidy is provided jointly by the central and state governments. Over 11,000 beneficiaries have already received ₹90 crores under the PM Suryaghar Yojna.
• Support for Solar Water Heaters: Household and non-household consumers receive grants of 30% to 50% for installing solar water heating systems.
• Employment Opportunities: The Mukhyamantri Saur Swarojgar Yojna has created jobs for permanent residents of Uttarakhand.
The state government has set ambitious targets of installing 250 MW of solar capacity in the housing sector and 2,500 MW in large-scale projects by 2027. Over the last seven months, the state has successfully added 23 MW of solar capacity.
To simplify the adoption of solar energy, the government has increased the number of solar vendors to 365 and exempted systems up to 10 kilowatts from technical evaluation.
Chief Minister Dhami expressed confidence that Saur Kauthig would serve as a significant step towards accelerating Uttarakhand’s solar energy development and supporting India’s carbon neutrality goals.
The event was attended by Cabinet Minister Shri Prem Chand Agarwal, MLAs Khajan Das, Brijbhushan Gairola, Savita Kapoor, Vishwas Dabar, Padma Bhushan Dr. Anil Prakash Joshi, Secretary Dr. R. Meenakshi Sundaram, Principal Secretary Shrimati Ranjana Rajguru, MD UPCL Anil Kumar, MD UJVNL Sandeep Singhal, and MD PTCUL P.C. Dhyani.
