Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday engaged with developers of the Chief Minister Solar Self-Employment scheme during the Mukhya Sevak Samvad program held at his official residence.
Announcing a new identity for women participants in the scheme, Dhami said these women would be known as Solar Sakhi. He added that special camps will be organized across development blocks to widely promote the Chief Minister Solar Self-Employment scheme along with other self-employment initiatives.
The Chief Minister emphasized training programs in every district focused on solar plant maintenance, noting that the scheme has already achieved a target of 250 MW in the state.
“Work is being done towards further expanding this scheme. The source of solar energy is unlimited as well as environment-friendly. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is constantly trying to promote the use of solar energy on a wide scale through various schemes,” Dhami said.
Highlighting national efforts, he referred to schemes like Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Yojana and PM Kusum, and praised India’s leadership in the International Solar Alliance. “The Prime Minister has set a target of generating 500 GW of electricity through solar energy by the year 2030. He has also set a target of making the country carbon neutral by 2070,” he added.
Dhami announced that a new solar energy policy has been implemented in Uttarakhand with the goal of reaching 2,500 MW solar capacity by 2027. “Special subsidy is being provided to promote rooftop solar plants in the state. It is also being given to beneficiaries for setting up solar power plants through PM Suryaghar Yojana. Under the Chief Minister Solar Self-Employment Scheme, a subsidy of 20 to 50 percent is being given for setting up projects ranging from 20 to 200 kilowatts,” he said.
He further stated that an additional 5 percent subsidy is provided to women, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe categories, and Divyangjans. The scheme also offers a 4 percent subsidy on loans for plant setup. UPCL has ensured a guaranteed power purchase by signing 25-year contracts through Power Purchase Agreements.
To ensure transparency and efficiency, the entire application-to-allocation process has been streamlined through an online portal. Dhami praised the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, saying, “India is moving rapidly towards becoming a developed and self-reliant nation. Today, India has established itself as the fourth largest economy in the world with an economy of more than 4 trillion dollars. Through initiatives like 'Vocal for Local', 'Make in India' and 'Startup India', the country is moving at a rapid pace towards becoming self-reliant.”
The Chief Minister also mentioned that the state government is implementing several important schemes aimed at stopping migration from mountainous regions while promoting the local economy and tourism.