Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has put on hold the implementation of the Delhi government’s solar policy announced in January, AAP sources said on Wednesday. This came a month after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal vowed that the policy would eliminate electricity bills in the capital city.
Under the Delhi Solar Policy 2024, people installing rooftop solar panels at home were supposed to get generation-based incentives. Last month, Kejriwal announced this policy, saying that consumers would be paid for solar power generation.
LG seeks clarification
Denying these reports of suspension, LG sources accused the Kejriwal government of habitual lying, asserting that its office has not halted the solar policy. They said the policy lacks provisions to reduce electricity bills to zero; instead, it includes a provision that favours private power companies. Sources said LG seeks clarification on this and whether the policy aligns with the capital subsidy from the Indian government.
#WATCH | Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal says, “Delhi government has released a new solar policy, Solar Policy 2024. Till now the policy of 2016 was in force, it was the most progressive policy in the country… Electricity is free up to 200 units in Delhi, half up to 400 units and… pic.twitter.com/lbASGdNbd1— ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2024
Under the policy, all government buildings having an area of 500 square metres would have to mandatorily install rooftop solar panels in the next three years, Kejriwal had said. Earlier, Delhi Power Minister Atishi said the solar policy was approved by the Cabinet two days back and it would be notified within 10 days. The 2016 policy of the Delhi government enabled the deployment of over 250 MW of rooftop solar plants within the city and around 1,250 MW of utility-scale solar plants, totaling 1,500 MW. This meets 7.2 percent of Delhi’s annual electricity demand.
Last month, Kejriwal said the Delhi government gives 200 units of electricity free to residents and gives a subsidy of 50 percent to those residential consumers who consume 201 units to 400 units a month and for those with consumption above 400 units a month, there is no subsidy. “Electricity bills of all residential consumers who install solar panels on their rooftops by opting for this policy will be zero, no matter how much electricity they consume. That is the most important takeaway of the policy,” he had said.
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