Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday directed energy department officials to formulate guidelines for the solar energy scheme at the earliest.
Presiding over a meeting of the energy department, he said the present state government has announced to provide a 40 per cent subsidy to the youth of the state on the installation of solar projects capacity ranging from 100 KW to 1 MW and the department should implement this scheme and prepare the complete outline of the scheme.
Besides providing self-employment opportunities to the youth, the scheme will also go a long way in strengthening the efforts of the state government to make Himachal Pradesh a green energy state by March 31, 2026, he said in a statement issued here.
He reiterated that the government will purchase electricity for 25 years from the units established under this scheme, which will provide a stable source of income to the youth.
The chief minister said the state government is promoting the exploitation of solar energy, and a target has been set to produce 500 MW of solar energy in 2023-24.
He said the government was working with commitment to environmental conservation, and various steps were being taken in this regard.
Production of solar energy is an important step in making Himachal Pradesh a green energy state and meeting its power needs, he said, adding that e-vehicles are also being promoted in the state, which would increase the demand for electricity in coming times.
-With PTI Input
