Agartala: Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New & Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, commended the progress in the renewable energy sector during his two-day visit to Tripura.
Addressing the media on December 29, the Minister highlighted that Tripura has achieved a tenfold increase in solar energy generation, growing from 2.5 MW to over 20.5 MW within the last six and a half years.
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During his visit from December 28 to 29, Minister Joshi participated in several programs and reviewed the implementation of central schemes. On the morning of December 29, he visited the Maa Tripura Sundari temple for a divine darshan, followed by attending Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat broadcast at Chandrapur Colony Higher Secondary School in Matabari, Gomati district.
Later, the Minister toured Charilam village in Sepahijala district to inspect a centrally sponsored renewable energy project implemented by the Tripura Renewable Energy Development Agency (TREDA). He also reviewed various schemes under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
Minister Joshi noted that under the PM-KUSUM Scheme (Component B), 27 SPV pumps covering 54 acres of agricultural land have been installed, along with 35 LED-based SPV street lighting systems under MNRE initiatives.
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The Minister said India has made significant progress in ensuring food security. Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, free food grains are being provided to 81 crore beneficiaries, equivalent to twice the population of the European Union. In Tripura, over the last five years, 1.2 lakh metric tons of rice worth ?360 crore have been procured under the Decentralized Procurement mode, directly benefiting 94,000 farmers.
On renewable energy, Minister Joshi emphasized India’s ambitious goal of achieving 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. With the current installed capacity at 214 GW, initiatives such as the National Green Hydrogen Mission, PM-KUSUM, PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, and the PLI scheme for solar PV modules are driving this progress.
In Tripura, the Minister urged efforts to raise public awareness about the PM Surya Ghar Yojana, which offers significant benefits for domestic electricity consumers. He explained that with the MNRE subsidy and a concessional loan at 7% interest, consumers could immediately start saving on their electricity bills, with the tariff for usage above 200 units currently set at around ?5 per unit.
Tripura’s reliance on gas-based power plants results in higher costs, making solar energy a sustainable and economical alternative. “The adoption of solar energy will reduce power purchase costs for the state DISCOM and help meet Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO),” Minister Joshi remarked.
He lauded the state government’s efforts under the BJP-led administration, which has spearheaded the impressive growth in solar energy generation. “From merely 2.5 MW before 2018 to over 20.5 MW now, Tripura’s strides in renewable energy are commendable,” he said.