Continuing the state's thrust towards revolutionary green energy, the Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today inaugurated solar power project with a total capacity of 31.5 MW at village Lakhmirwala in Mansa district. With this, Punjab's shift to green revolution to the green power revolution has moved into the next orbit with total solar power installation already touching 210 mw and poised to touch 541mw by March next.Extending congratulations to Essel Group for investing Rs 259 crore in a solar power project here, Mr. Badal said the augmentation of these projects reflected that Punjab was set to jump from a meager 9 MW solar power capacity in 2012 to more than 500 mw this year. He also lauded Renewable Energy Minister Punjab Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia for taking Punjab to higher scales of solar energy by getting status of No. 1 state for Punjab by winning prestigious Solar Power Capacity Addition award conferred by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi.
Badal said Punjab had fixed a target of 2000 MW by 2017-18 with a proposed investment of Rs. 4000 crore out of which works on investments worth Rs. 1500 were under process with sanctioning of 29 projects. He said 40 projects with Rs. 2500 crore investments to generate 331 MW solar power were also going on and Punjab would have 541 MW power by March 2017. He also announced that various welfare schemes were on the cards and Punjab Government would announce a series of such schemes within two months.Earlier addressing the gathering New and Renewable Energy Minister Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia thanked and congratulated Essel Group for installing Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant in the state. He said Punjab had created history in Solar Energy having india's largest rooftop plant of 7.50 MW in Amritsar district.
He said the State will become World's largest rooftop pant with an expanded 31.5 MW capacity. He said Solar Power was the need of the hour with a view to protect future of coming generations by protecting the environment.Briefing about the Solar Policy of the state, Mr. Majithia said the farmers as well as entrepreneurs could benefit and farmers could become developers by giving their lands on long term lease. He said the lease from Rs. 45000 to Rs. 55000 with assured annual 5 percent increase could make farmers emerging entrepreneurs. He also appreciated the farmers of Punjab, who have offered 6000 acres of land for future projects to be allocated. He said that the solar policy of the state could boost rural economy of the state besides supplementing income, specially of farm lands which were barren, partially water logged, low yielding and in the interiors.
He said one of the State’s biggest achievements was the creation of the world’s largest 7.5 MW single rooftop solar project at Radha Soami Satsang, Beas and this project was being enlarged further with a capacity of 31.5 MW which would make it world's largest rooftop PV plant. He added that the State had allocated four roof top projects with capacity of 64 MW.Describing wide network of irrigation canals another potential for solar expansion Mr. Majithia said Punjab has more than 5000 kms canal lengths and it has decided to harness this potential by initially floating a tender for 20 MW capacity generation on canal tops.Prominent among other present on the occasion Member Rajya Sabha Balwinder Singh Bhundar, Chatin Singh Samao and Prem Mittal (both MLAs), Director PEDA Balour Singh besides CEO Essel Infra Ashok Agarwal.