India subsidizes solar power usage in villages

The government of India is subsidising the solar power technology and is encouraging people to get into using the solar energy equipment. In rural areas, the

India's village pradhans who are willing to set up a solar power plant will begiven 50 per cent subsidy by the government, for up to 200 Mw.

“We are working to bring this cost down,” said Tiwari. GoI has launched the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) as a major initiative to promote ecologically sustainable growth while addressing country’s energy security challenges.

The immediate focus of the mission is to set up an enabling environment for solar energy penetration in the country through a multi-agency approach for centralised and decentralised applications of solar energy. To cut the costs, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, GoI, has introduced a scheme to promote commercial marketing of solar energy systems and devices by extending capital and interest subsidy on loans availed from financial institutions by the target clientele.

UPNEDA is making efforts to promote use of solar energy systems and devices in the state. “Solar water heaters are being provided in Kasturba Gandhi hostels in the state,” said Arun Kumar Srivastava, publicity officer, UPNEDA. Besides, in many of the primary health centres, refrigerators are working on solar power to store medicines under certain temperature.