A significant stakeholders' meeting for the central government's flagship solar power initiative, the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, was convened in Chandigarh on Monday. The gathering took place at the Sangam Auditorium within the MGSIPA complex in Sector 26.
Key Officials and Participants Engage in Dialogue
The session was chaired by Saurabh Kumar, the Secretary for Science & Technology and Renewable Energy. He was joined by a panel including Navneet Kumar Srivastava, Director of S&T&RE, and Arun Verma, Director of CPDL. The meeting saw robust participation from civil society, with 80 members of various Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and representatives from two major federations—FOSWAC and CRAWEFED—in attendance.
Scheme Benefits and Simplified Processes Presented
Detailed presentations were made by the Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science & Technology Promotion Society (CREST) and the Chandigarh Power Department Limited (CPDL). They elaborated on the financial and consumer advantages of installing rooftop solar systems under the scheme.
Officials shared compelling data, revealing that 148 out of 673 beneficiaries in Chandigarh have already achieved zero electricity bills within the first nine months of the current year. Key insights provided to the attendees included:
- A promising payback period of less than five years, leading to long-term monetary savings.
- Transparent and time-bound application processing via the National Portal.
- The mechanism of negative billing and direct bank settlement for surplus units.
- Waiver of meter testing fees for consumers.
- Digitalisation of the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) signing process.
- Streamlined inspection schedules and enhanced consumer service protocols.
Emphasis was placed on measures introduced to simplify the procedure and expedite the release of subsidies to beneficiaries.
Civil Society Raises Critical Implementation Hurdles
While appreciating the scheme's benefits, RWA members brought pressing ground-level challenges to the fore. A primary concern was the roof-right issue pertaining to Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) flats. This policy restriction currently hinders the adoption of rooftop solar panels in approximately 60,000 CHB households, and stakeholders sought urgent intervention to resolve this barrier.
Additional operational concerns were also raised, including the need for clarity on the acceptance of documents like power of attorney for obtaining installation approvals, which affects residents who may not be the primary leaseholders.
The meeting served as a crucial platform for direct feedback between implementing agencies and end-user communities, highlighting both the progress made and the policy adjustments required to accelerate solar adoption in the city.
