Uttarakhand CM launches ‘Saur Samriddh Uttarakhand’ campaign to promote rooftop solar in the state
Uttarakhand CM launches ‘Saur Samriddh Uttarakhand’ campaign to promote rooftop solar in the state
Dehradun, Dec 16
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the ‘Saur Samriddh Uttarakhand’ campaign, which underlines the transformative potential of rooftop solar energy in the state’s energy transition. Addressing the inaugural ceremony, he highlighted the economic and environmental benefits of rooftop solar systems, and mentioned its potential to improve energy access, savings and local employment generation.
Chief Minister said, “Under the Uttarakhand Solar Policy 2023, we have set an ambitious target of installing 2500 MW solar capacity by the year 2027. In this, 1400 MW capacity is to come from distributed solar systems. We are ahead of this year’s target in installing rooftop solar under the “PM Surya Ghar Yojana” in the state. By December, we have installed about 10500 rooftop solar systems in the state.”
The Energy Department of the Uttarakhand Government is running this campaign in collaboration with Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) and Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency (UREDA) as a knowledge partner. The leading think tank Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) is supporting the programme in the state . One of the main attractions of this program was the inauguration of a mobile solar van, which will travel around Dehradun and other cities and demonstrate rooftop solar systems. The van will answer consumer queries on the technology and its financing (subsidies and bank loans etc.) and also demonstrate the simple application process.
The “Solar Samridh Uttarakhand Abhiyan” aims to bring rooftop solar into the mainstream by showcasing the convenience and savings it offers to homes and businesses. The campaign was launched at a two-day “Solar Kauthig” held at Rangers Ground, Dehradun. Cabinet Minister Prem Chandra Agarwal, MLA Doiwala Brij Bhushan Gairola, MLA Rajpur Khajan Das and MLA Cantt Savita Kapoor were present on this occasion. Renowned environmentalist Padma Shri Dr. Anil Prakash Joshi also addressed the inaugural ceremony of the “Solar Kauthig” .
R Meenakshi Sundaram, Energy Secretary, Government of Uttarakhand, in his welcome address said, “There is abundant potential for rooftop solar in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand. We have given priority to distributed solar energy in the solar energy policy. For this, additional subsidies are also being given at the state level by the Centre and the processes have also been simplified. To make this scheme to more and more people,”Solar Samriddh Uttarakhand Abhiyan” has also been started. We hope that with public cooperation, the state will be able to achieve its goal of clean energy.”
The vote of thanks was given by Additional Secretary Energy and Director UREDA Ranjana Rajguru in the program. Managing Director UPCL Anil Kumar, Managing Director UJVNL Sandeep Singhal, Managing Director Pitkul PC Dhyani, Chief Engineer Solar Cell Ashish Arora and Chief Project Officer UREDA Manoj Kumar along with various officers and employees of the three corporations and UREDA were present.
Karthik Ganeshan, Fellow and Director, CEEWA said, “Solar energy is present everywhere, and even in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand, where it is commercially viable to install solar systems to meet the energy needs of highly scattered settlements. Through initiatives like “Saur Samriddh Uttarakhand”, we aim to help the state accelerate the adoption of rooftop solar systems by simplifying the adoption process and empower citizens by reducing their electricity costs while contributing to a sustainable energy future.”
The tagline of the campaign “Plant Rooftop Solar in PM Surya Ghar Yojna, Save Electricity Bill” reflects its focus on simplifying the adoption of solar energy through user-friendly processes and financial benefits of clean energy production. The inaugural event saw panel discussions on two key themes “Accelerating Uttarakhand’s Energy Transition: Unlocking the Potential of Rooftop Solar for Economic and Climate Resilience” and “Greening the Rural Economy through Solarisation”. In these discussions, the views of energy sector experts and policy makers, Additional Secretary Energy and Director UREDA, Ranjana Rajguru, Managing Director UPCL Anil Kumar Yadav were centered on the role of solar energy in promoting sustainable economic development and meeting the diverse geographical and energy needs of Uttarakhand.
“Solar Kauthig” has worked to bring together policy makers, solar developers, manufacturers, discoms and financial institutions, so that consumers can get complete information about adopting solar energy. It has highlighted the various benefits of rooftop solar system.
