To give a flip to green energy the Himachal government is working to change the power policy
The State Government is going to amend the power policy to promote the use and production of green energy to make the state self-reliant.
This was stated by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu while replying to a short-duration debate in the state brought by Chetyana Sharma of Gagret to renewable vision on the green energy policy to make Himachal self-reliant.
He said that along with the changes in energy policy, the government aims to harness 500 MW of solar energy by December next year.
Mr Thakur who also hold the portfolio of Power that though the state has surplus power in the peak summer and rainy season it have to buy power for domestic need from the neighboring states at expensive rates.
The government could save Rs 1000 Cr per annum by achieving the focused target of solar energy production.
Earlier this Rajesh Dharmani minister without portfolio said that the state should also work to develop its solar energy as during lean season the state has to buy thermal power from the other states however during peak hours state provides green energy in the form of Hydropower to outside the state.
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 the state a green energy state by 2026. For this purpose, solar energy is being increasingly exploited. Also, the government is giving a 50 percent subsidy on the purchase of electric vehicles.
He said that under the Rajiv Gandhi Startup Scheme, a 50 percent subsidy will be given to the youth to buy e-taxi. So far 582 youth have applied to buy vehicles under the scheme. He said that the government is also moving towards the 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 for 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 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 talk on this issue in Delhi.
The opposition members were stunned by the Chief Minister’s remarks on the Central Government. Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur said in the House that the Chief Minister is making wrong statements in the House on the issue of water cess.
Even in Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir, water cess is not being collected from central equipment. The letter from the Central Government is for all the states, not just for Himachal.
Earlier, Congress member Chaitanya Sharma, raising the issue under Rule 63, said that the vision presented by the Chief Minister to make Himachal a green state and promote renewable energy would lead to a plan to promote electric vehicles.
I have also brought it to the ground. He said that the Sukhu government is an action-oriented government and the e-taxi scheme launched for the unemployed is proof of this. He said that today it is necessary to make the youth self-reliant and for this, it is necessary to further expand the e-taxi scheme.
He said that it is necessary for the educational institutions of the state, especially the universities, to have affiliation with foreign universities to make the youth aware of the innovations taking place in this field in the country and the world.
MLA Hoshiar Singh stressed completely stopping the export of wood from the state and using it as biomass in the state. He also expressed the need to exploit geothermal, biogas, and wind power on a large scale in the state.
MLA Anil Sharma said that there is a need to promote solar energy on a large scale on barren lands in the state so that the youth get employment at their doorstep and electricity production also increases.
Cabinet Minister Rajesh Dharmani said that the state needs to be so dependent on the energy sector that the state does not need to buy electricity from outside in winter.
MLA Trilok Janwal opposed the cancellation of 800 MW Jangi Thopan power projects by the government and said that it is wrong to impose water cess on those who had signed MoUs for these projects years ago.
He said that as long as there is an atmosphere of uncertainty in the state, no one would want to invest in the state. He also opposed the high prices of electric vehicles and said that we should create infrastructure before making any policy.
MLA JR Katwal said that there have been shortcomings in the policies made for renewable and green energy in the state. He said that Himachal could be made a green state only by promoting hydel projects in the state.
BJP member Dr. Hansraj said that we are discussing renewable energy because we have failed to exploit energy production properly. He said that when we have immense potential for hydroelectric power generation, then why is there discussion of energy generation from other sources.
He said that we are talking about solar energy, but there are many problems in this also. He asked how its scrap waste would be disposed of after 20 years. He said that hydroelectric power could be produced by setting up small projects of two and four megawatts.
