Bhubaneswar: Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister, KV Singh Deo, has expressed concerns over the slow implementation of the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana in the state.
Despite receiving over 1 lakh applications, only 20,000 connections have been provided, far short of the central government’s target of 3 lakh household connections for Odisha.
The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, a flagship program of the central government, offers special incentives for consumers to generate 1 to 3 KW of solar electricity.
“During my recent Delhi visit, the scheme’s implementation was reviewed, which revealed that it has slowed down in Odisha and other states. Out of 1 lakh applications, only 20,000 connections have been given, lagging behind the 3 lakh household connections target set by the Central Government for Odisha. The Central Government has directed Energy Ministers to expedite the scheme in the states, and the status is reviewed on a monthly basis,” Singh Deo said.
Singh Deo attributed the slow progress to consumers not paying their share of the costs and urged distribution companies to counsel applicants and distribute leaflets highlighting the scheme’s benefits.
He assured that the process would speed up now that vendor selection has been completed and promised to review the scheme’s implementation with the four DISCOMs on a monthly basis.
