5,400 households receive zero electricity bills under PM Surya Ghar Scheme
Jammu, Nov 10: Chief Secretary AtalDulloo chaired a comprehensive review meeting to assess the progress of the PM Surya GharMuftBijliYojana across J&K.
The meeting deliberated on the district-wise performance, challenges, and strategies to accelerate the implementation of this flagship rooftop solar (RTS) initiative aimed at promoting sustainable and affordable household energy solutions.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Power Development Department (PDD), Shailendra Kumar; Principal Secretary, Finance; Commissioner Secretary, Industries & Commerce; Secretary, Science & Technology (S&T); Director General, Budget; Managing Directors of JPDCL, KPDCL, and JAKEDA, besides other senior officers. All Deputy Commissioners joined the meeting through video conferencing.
At the outset, it was informed that 5,413 consumers out of the total 13,579 rooftop solar installations under the scheme have already received zero electricity bills, reflecting tangible progress on the ground, said an official press release.
The CS underscored the importance of the scheme in transforming the energy landscape of J&K, noting that as an energy-deficit region, the Union Territory stands to benefit immensely from the adoption of clean and reliable solar power. He called upon the Divisional and District Administrations to ensure smooth and time-bound implementation of the scheme in every district.
Speaking on the occasion, ACS PDD, Shailendra Kumar, highlighted the need for enhanced coordination between banks, vendors, and district administrations, urging financial institutions to actively publicize the lowest interest rates and subsidies available under the scheme. He stressed on maintaining transparency in vendor selection and prompt signing of consumer agreements.
He also called for stringent monitoring of call centre performance and consumer feedback mechanisms, besides taking corrective action against underperforming vendors. He directed that the ongoing IEC campaign be further intensified across districts to generate awareness about the scheme’s economic and environmental benefits.
About its implementation the Secretary, Science & Technology, DrShahidIqbalChoudhary, apprised the meeting that J&K has made notable strides in the solarization of government infrastructure, with 6,716 buildings already solarized out of the 22,494 proposed, achieving a total installed capacity of 64.67 MW.
