Shimla, Dec 20 – The Himachal Pradesh government is planning to amend the power policy to promote the use and production of green energy to make the state self reliant, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu said on Tuesday.
Replying to a short duration debate in the state assembly, Sukhu said along with the changes in energy policy, the government aims to harness 500 MW of solar energy by December next year.
Earlier, Rajesh Dharmani, minister without portfolio said the state should also work to develop own solar energy as during lean season Himachal needs to buy thermal power from the other states.
Mr Sukhu said that in the next four months, the state’s largest solar power plant of 32 MW will be established in Pekhuwala.
He said that the government aims to make Himachal a green energy state by 2026. For this purpose, solar energy is being increasingly exploited. Also, the government is giving 50 percent subsidy on the purchase of electric vehicles.
He said that under the Rajiv Gandhi Startup Scheme, 50 percent subsidy will be given to the youth to buy e-taxis. So far 582 youth have applied to buy vehicles under the scheme. He said that the government is also moving towards exploitation of phosphorus energy.
He said that an agreement has been signed with a private company for this purpose. The company is setting up a project in Himachal at a cost of Rs 50 crore. Tenders will be invited for this project soon.
During the reply to the discussion, the Chief Minister accused the BJP of ignoring the interests of the state. He said that the BJP government gave Luhri-Sunni and Dhaula Siddh projects to SJVN on easy terms.
But now the government would either withdraw these projects or hand them over to SJVN on its own terms. He said that the Central Government also created hurdles in the recovery of water cess in Himachal. He said that Himachal BJP leaders should raise this issue in Delhi.
