Karimnagar SHG members to get subsidized solar power units

District Rural Development Agency has decided to sanction solar power generation units to members of SHGs

Karimnagar: In order to reduce the burden of power bills on women members of self-help groups in the district, the District Rural Development Agency has decided to sanction solar power generation units to members of SHGs. The solar units will be sanctioned under the Sthree Nidhi Credit Cooperative Federation on subsidy.

The DRDA, which fixed a target to sanction 500 solar units this financial year, has started educating SHG members on the benefits of solar power. So far, 50 women have come forward to establish solar units. Initially, officials are planning to establish 30 units in each mandal.

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Arrangements were also being made to set up units in rural and urban areas simultaneously with the help of the TS Renewable Energy Development Corporation (TSREDCO).

To encourage people to utilize renewable energy instead of traditional power, the government is sanctioning solar power units with attractive subsidies.

As a part of it, solar units are being established in government offices and schools as well. It is as part of this that the DRDA took up a programme to sanction solar units to SHG members and designed two schemes for 2kv and 3kv power generation units. Per day, 8 and 12 units of power would be produced by the 2kv and 3kv units respectively.

The cost of a 2kv solar unit is Rs.1,42,200, with the government to provide a subsidy of Rs.39,200 subsidy and Sthree Nidhi to sanction a loan of Rs.1 lakh. The customer’s initial share would be Rs.3,000 with monthly installments of Rs 2,243 to repay the loan.

The cost of a 3kv solar unit is Rs.1,92,360, with Sthree Nidhi to provide a loan of Rs.1.25 lakh and the government subsidy to be Rs.57,360. Customers, who have to contribute Rs.10,000 for the scheme, can clear the loan by paying Rs.2,803 a month.

A reinforced cement concrete building wiht 160-200 square feet is required to establish the solar units. Besides saving power bills, consumers can supply excess power to the grid.

Speaking to Telangana Today, TSREDCO district manager V Paramachary said they had organised meetings with district collectors and officials of DRDA in Jagtial and Sircilla districts to explain the scheme.

The scheme was taken up by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, he said, adding that there was a possibility of getting 35 to 40 percent subsidy if proposals were submitted before the end of this financial year since the Centre was planning to change the rates. The solar panels would be installed by empaneled vendors, who will maintain panels for up to five years, he added.