Lok Sabha Question No. 1781 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-28
Subject: Solar Street Light Project
Ministry: NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
Asked by: Supriya Sadanand Sule, Sukhbir Singh Jaunapuria, Mohanbhai Kalyanji Kundariya, A.K.P. Chinraj, Sunil Dattatray Tatkare, Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Amol Ramsing Kolhe

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

## LOKSABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 1781

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28/11/2019

## SOLAR STREET LIGHT PROJECT

1781. SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE SHRI SUKHBIR SINGH JAUNAPURIA SHRI MOHANBHAI KALYANJI KUNDARIYA SHRI A.K.P. CHINRAJ SHRI SUNIL DATTATRAY TATKARE DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE

## Will the Minister of NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  status  of  the  solar  street  light  project  that  provides  off-grid  electricity  in  most  of  the remote villages and tribal areas;
- (b) the list of number of villages and most backward tribal areas covered fully or partially with solar  street  lights  throughout  the  country  under  off-grid  programme  till  now  and  the  problem faced by the Government in this regard, State/UT-wise including Rajasthan and Haryana;
- (c)  the  details  of  Central  Financial  Assistance  (CFA)  provided  to  the  States  for  solar  off-grid applications including solar street lights during the last three years and the current year;
- (d) whether any shortcoming have been reported by the States with regard to implementation of solar street light projects and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (e)  the  details  of  CFA  provided  by  the  Government  on  various  promotional  activities  to  the States;
- (f) whether the Government proposes to support LED-based solar street lights in order to bring in more efficiency and Lithium Ferro Phosphate battery in order to provide long maintenance free service and if so, the details thereof; and
- (g)  whether  the  Government  is  implementing  the  programme  on  information  and  public awareness to generate awareness in the public for utilisation of renewable energy sources and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE (I/C) FOR NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY,  POWER and MoS for  SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

(SHRI R. K. SINGH)

- (a)  &  (b)  The  Ministry  of  New  &  Renewable  Energy  (MNRE)  is  presently  implementing  the following Schemes for installation of solar street lights (SSLs) in the country:
- (i) Off-grid and Decentralised Solar PV Applications Programme  Phase-III; and
- (ii) Atal Jyoti Yojana (AJAY) Phase-II

Under Off-grid and Decentralised Solar PV Applications Programme Phase-III of MNRE, solar street  lights  (SSLs)  are  allocated  to  various  States/UTs  based  on  their  demand  and  capacity available under the Scheme. Further allocation of SSLs to different areas of States/UTs including the remote villages and tribal areas is done by the respective State Renewable Energy  Nodal Agencies  being State Implementing  Agencies. Under  this Programme  Central  Financial Assistance is made available up to 30% of the benchmark cost for General Category States and up to 90% of the benchmark cost for Special Category States.

Atal Jyoti Yojana (AJAY) Phase-II provides for installation of SSLs in selected Parliamentary Constituencies of the country. Under the Scheme, 75% cost of the SSLs is provided by MNRE and balance 25% is met from concerned Member of Parliament's MP Local Area Development Scheme  (MPLADS)  Fund.  The  Scheme  provides  for  installation  of  SSLs  at  the  locations suggested  by  Hon'ble  MP  including  remote  villages  and  tribal  areas  of  the  Parliamentary Constituencies.

The numbers of solar street lights installed State-UT-wise, under MNRE schemes till 31.10.2019 are placed at Annexure-I.

The problems reported by states in implementation of SSLs programme include difficult terrain and tough weather conditions in some of the remote areas and also maintenance of SSLs after warrantee period.

- (c) Central Financial Assistance (CFA) released for off-grid solar applications including for solar street lights during last three years and current year till 31.10.2019 are placed at Annexure-II.
- (d) The shortcomings reported by states in implementation of SSLs programme includes higher cost  and  long  duration  in  completion  of  projects  due  to  difficult  terrain  and  tough  weather conditions in some of the remote areas and also maintenance of SSLs after warrantee period.
- (e)  Under  Off-grid  and  Decentralised  Solar  PV  Applications  Programme  Phase-III,  service charges at the rate of 3% of the eligible CFA are being provided to Implementing Agencies in the states.  This  fund  is  also used  for  identification  of  beneficiaries,  creating  awareness campaigns, etc.
- (f) Under Off-grid and Decentralised Solar PV Applications Programme Phase-III and Atal Jyoti Yojana Phase-II Schemes, Government has introduced solar street lights with 12 W LED lights and Lithium Ferro Phosphate batteries to increase illumination intensity and longer maintenance free battery life.
- (g)  The  Ministry  of  New  &  Renewable  Energy  (MNRE)  is  implementing  'Information  and Public  Awareness  (I&PA)  Programme'  to  generate  awareness  in  the  public  for  utilization  of renewable energy sources through electronic, print and outdoor media, exhibitions, seminars and symposia, etc.

*****

## DETAILS OF SOLAR STREET LIGHTS INSTALLED TILL 31.10.2019

| S.no.   | State                             |   Solar Street Light (Nos) |
|---------|-----------------------------------|----------------------------|
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh                    |                       8992 |
| 2       | Arunachal Pradesh                 |                       5008 |
| 3       | Assam                             |                       9554 |
| 4       | Bihar                             |                      33609 |
| 5       | Chhattisgarh                      |                       2042 |
| 6       | Delhi                             |                        301 |
| 7       | Goa                               |                        707 |
| 8       | Gujarat                           |                       2004 |
| 9       | Haryana                           |                      34625 |
| 10      | Himachal Pradesh                  |                      78000 |
| 11      | Jammu &Kashmir (including Ladakh) |                      14156 |
| 12      | Jharkhand                         |                      12148 |
| 13      | Karnataka                         |                       2694 |
| 14      | Kerala                            |                       1735 |
| 15      | Madhya Pradesh                    |                      11496 |
| 16      | Maharashtra                       |                      10420 |
| 17      | Manipur                           |                      11205 |
| 18      | Meghalaya                         |                       5800 |
| 19      | Mizoram                           |                       5325 |
| 20      | Nagaland                          |                       6235 |
| 21      | Odisha                            |                      16361 |
| 22      | Punjab                            |                      42758 |
| 23      | Rajasthan                         |                       7114 |
| 24      | Sikkim                            |                        504 |
| 25      | Tamil Nadu                        |                      39419 |
| 26      | Telangana                         |                       1220 |
| 27      | Tripura                           |                       1199 |
| 28      | Uttar Pradesh                     |                     263817 |
| 29      | Uttarakhand                       |                      23879 |
| 30      | West Bengal                       |                       8726 |
| 31      | Andaman &Nicobar                  |                        390 |
| 32      | Chandigarh                        |                        898 |
| 33      | Lakshadweep                       |                       2465 |
| 34      | Puducherry                        |                        417 |
| 35      | Others                            |                       9150 |
|         | Total                             |                     674373 |

## Annexure-II referred to in reply to part (c)  of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1781 for reply on 28.11.2019

## DETAILS OF FUNDS RELEASED UNDER SOLAR OFF-GRID PROGRAMME

| Year    | Funds Released (Rs. Crore)   |
|---------|------------------------------|
| 2016-17 | 550.65                       |
| 2017-18 | 884.25                       |
| 2018-19 | 603.93                       |
| 2019-20 | 190.68*                      |