Haryana plans 93 MW solar power capacity

The Indian State of Haryana has focused on solar power in its budget for the year 2021-22.

Presenting the budget, chief minister Manohar Lal said the Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL) would develop 77 MW solar power plants on HPGCL land and 16 MW on land owned by village councils (panchayats).

Further, Panchkula will be developed as a solar city with a target of meeting its 20% energy requirement from solar/renewable energy sources.

The last budget had announced a scheme to install 50,000 off-grid solar pumps of 3 HP to 10 HP capacity in the State, under which 15,000 solar pumps were to be installed in the first phase and 35,000 in the second phase. The minister said the State government has started implementing the programme with a 75% subsidy, of which 30% subsidy is provided as central financial assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Surksha Evam Utthan Mahabhiyaan (PM-KUSUM) Scheme and 45% from the State.

Further, the State government has planned to install a cumulative solar capacity of 1991 KW for 330 Gaushalas (cow shelters) in the State. During 2020-21, plants of about 420 KW capacity are being installed in 80 cow shelters. Another 1200 KW capacity is planned for 2021-22.

To promote micro irrigation and utilize the treated waste water from 35 existing sewage treatment plants, a project for installing community-based solar-/grid-powered integrated micro-irrigation infrastructure has also been approved under the Micro Irrigation Fund of NABARD.

The minister said the state government is making concerted efforts to reduce aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses by the DISCOMs. During the last five years, AT&C losses were reduced from 30.02% in 2015-16 to 17.17% in 2019-20.