Chandigarh's top bureaucrat has issued a stern directive to accelerate the city's sluggish adoption of a central government solar power scheme, calling for a 'quantum jump' in registrations rather than incremental growth.
Chief Secretary Flags Poor Public Response
Expressing serious concern over the underwhelming public uptake, Chandigarh Chief Secretary H Rajesh Prasad has instructed the Science and Technology department and officials from CREST (Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science & Technology Promotion Society) to immediately eliminate bureaucratic obstacles. The directions were issued during a high-level review meeting of the S&T department earlier this week.
An official familiar with the proceedings stated that Prasad pointed out the city was falling behind in enrolment numbers for the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. He identified key bottlenecks causing the delay, including slow subsidy release and complexities in linking power consumption with the accrued benefits for homeowners.
Focus on Simplification and Awareness
To reverse the trend, the Chief Secretary has mandated a simplification of all application and approval processes. A special emphasis was placed on encouraging owners of 10-marla houses to take advantage of the scheme's benefits. Prasad stressed the urgent need for more proactive engagement with all stakeholders and residents to boost awareness about the scheme's advantages.
He has also instituted a strict monitoring mechanism, ordering officials to submit regular progress reports. Prasad announced he would personally review the scheme's status every two weeks to ensure targets are met.
Low Numbers Despite Mandates and Notices
The official data reveals a stark picture. Since its launch in February 2024, the scheme has garnered only about 900 enrolments in the Union Territory. The response has been poor even in housing categories where the installation of rooftop solar systems is mandatory. Officials, however, claim to have achieved 100% saturation in government buildings.
The administration's previous efforts, including issuing resumption notices to over 4,000 homeowners last year, have failed to generate significant interest among the general public. In a related directive, the Chief Secretary also called for CREST to become financially self-sustainable in its operations moving forward.
