Govt to make 100% of tribal villages self-sufficient with renewable energy

Srinagar, Aug 03: Commissioner Secretary, Science & Technology (S&T) Department, Saurabh Bhagat on Saturday chaired a meeting at the Civil Secretariat to discuss the action plan under the Tribal Sub-Plan (2024-25) for identifying and providing 100% coverage of 100 tribal villages with renewable energy.
The meeting was attended by the Deputy Commissioners, Chief Executive Officer of JAKEDA, officers from the Science & Technology Department, and JAKEDA.
The meeting was held against the backdrop of the 3rd National Conference of Chief Secretaries of all States/UTs, where the Prime Minister suggested that states/UTs should take up the challenge of having 100 villages in each state/UT powered 100% renewable energy. The scheme aims to extend benefits such as access to electricity, improved quality of life, economic empowerment, and environmental sustainability to tribal communities.
Addressing the officers, the Commissioner Secretary highlighted that achieving 100% renewable energy coverage in tribal villages will bring significant benefits, including access to electricity, improved quality of life, health and safety, economic empowerment, and environmental sustainability. He called on the officers to work in mission mode for the successful implementation of this scheme and achieve 100% saturation.
The Commissioner Secretary advised all Deputy Commissioners to fully utilize the current Swachata Pakhwada by distributing Solar Home Lights and Biomass Cookstoves free of cost and to aim to saturate one tribal village with renewable energy intervention in their respective districts.
During the meeting, the Commissioner Secretary informed that JAKEDA and the S&T Department plan to provide Biomass Portable Cookstoves and Solar Home Lighting Systems to tribal families free of cost, fully funded by JAKEDA. He added that under a partially funded scheme, JAKEDA will also provide Solar Agriculture Pumping Systems under the PM-KUSUM Component-B scheme of MNRE, GoI, which entails an 80% subsidy with the beneficiary covering 20% of the cost.
The solarization of existing Agriculture Pumping Systems under PM-KUSUM Component-C also includes an 80% subsidy, as well as Solar Rooftop Power Plants under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojna, which offers a subsidy of Rs 94,800 up to 3 kW and Bio-Gas Plants with a subsidy of Rs 22,000 per plant.
It was also noted in the meeting that, under contribution funding, JAKEDA will install Solar Street Lighting Systems in these villages identified by the district administration.