Poor response to rooftop solar units in Karimnagar despite attractive subsidies

Officials attribute the lack of interest, particularly in rural areas, to low awareness and inadequate publicity about the procedure

Karimnagar: Despite government subsidies, there has been a poor response to the installation of rooftop solar power units on houses, offices, and commercial establishments in the Karimnagar district.

Officials attribute the lack of interest, particularly in rural areas, to low awareness and inadequate publicity about the procedure. The central and state governments have been promoting solar power to reduce pollution and meet growing electricity demands, discouraging reliance on thermal and other conventional energy sources.

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Under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, the union government offers substantial subsidies to encourage solar power adoption. For instance, a 1 kV unit, which costs about Rs. 70,000, comes with a Rs. 30,000 subsidy. A 2 kV unit gets Rs. 60,000, while a 3 kV or higher capacity unit, costing around Rs. 2.10 lakh, receives a Rs. 78,000 subsidy.

However, public response remains tepid. As of April 30, officials received 465 applications targeting a combined capacity of 589.4 MW. Of these, only 131 applicants paid for the equipment, and just 109 went on to install rooftop units, contributing 134.7 MW of solar capacity.

Previously, TSREDCO was responsible for overseeing the installation of solar units, but the responsibility has since been handed over to the NPDCL.

Sources said that while urban residents are showing some interest, response from rural areas remains weak. They stressed the need to raise awareness in rural regions to boost the adoption of solar energy.