A review meeting on the progress of the Green Panchayat Scheme was held today under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania. The meeting reviewed the progress of solar power plants being established in various panchayats, electricity generation and upcoming projects under the scheme in detail.
The Deputy Chief Whip said that, under the guidance of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the state government was making concerted efforts to make every panchayat self-reliant through solar energy. He stated that, in addition to connecting panchayats with clean and green energy through the Green Panchayat Scheme, electric vehicle charging infrastructure was also being developed in a phased manner to promote green transportation in rural areas.
He added that the scheme would enhance the income of panchayats, create employment opportunities at the local level and help every panchayat move towards economic self-reliance. Under the Green Panchayat Scheme, HIMURJA has selected 24 panchayats for the installation of solar power projects.
So far, electricity generation has successfully commenced from 500kW solar power plants in four panchayats. These include Mamlig in Solan district, Pashmi in Sirmaur district and Parali and Dharech in Shimla district.
Kewal Singh Pathania further stated that the solar power project in Pargod Panchayat of the Shahpur assembly constituency has been completed. The matter of grid connectivity has been taken up with the department of Energy, and after obtaining the necessary approvals, electricity generation is expected to begin in the first week of July.
He said that each 500kW solar power project was expected to generate approximately 8,00,000 units of electricity annually, resulting in an estimated annual income of Rs. 28 lakh. Under the revenue-sharing model, 25 percent of the total revenue generated from the project would be allocated to the concerned Gram Panchayat, 25 percent for the welfare of orphans and widows, 20 percent to the state government, 10 percent to HIMURJA, and the remaining 20 percent to HIMURJA for the operation and maintenance of the project.
He said that this initiative would serve as a significant step towards environmental conservation while also promoting rural development and ensuring the economic prosperity of local communities. The meeting was attended by Chief Executive Officer of HIMURJA Kamal Kant Saroch, Project Director Narendra Chauhan and other senior officers of the HIMURJA.