PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Bageshwar
Solar energy is all set to open a new avenue for self-employment in Okhalson village with a 200-kilowatt solar power plant being set up here under the Chief Minister’s Solar Self-Employment Scheme. This project, costing approximately Rs 1 crore, is expected to create new sources of income locally, arresting the trend of migration.
Notably, to integrate solar energy projects into the rural economy, the government is providing a 50 per cent subsidy on the project cost.
Informing this, the government officers said that those interested might apply online through the Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency (UREDA) office to benefit from the scheme. After technical scrutiny is done, the application is sent to the Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL). Based on the recommendation from UPCL, UREDA approves the project on a first-come, first-served basis.
Upon receiving the approval, the beneficiary applies for a loan from a bank. Once the loan is approved, an MOU is signed with UPCL. Then an agreement is signed with a registered company and the land- related procedures are completed to pave the way for the establishment of the solar plant.
Many plants are already running in the district under the same scheme and they include one 250-kilowatt solar plant, five 200-kilowatt solar plants, one 100-kilowatt solar plant and one 25-kilowatt solar plant. These projects are generating approximately 5,600 units of electricity per day. UPCL is purchasing the generated electricity at a rate of Rs 4.64 per unit.
UPCL sources said that a 25-year power purchase agreement has been signed. This is expected to provide a stable source of income for the beneficiaries over a long period of time.
The district magistrate Apurva Pandey said that through solar energy projects, the district’s youth are being encouraged to create long-term self-employment and income-generating opportunities inside their villages. “This scheme could also prove crucial in reducing migration and strengthening the rural economy by harnessing the potential of solar energy in mountainous areas,” the DM added.
