Lok Sabha Question No. 3534 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-24
Subject: Installation of Solar Power Plants by PSUs
Ministry: NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
Asked by: Debasree Chaudhuri, Poonam (Mahajan) Vajendla Rao

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3534 ANSWERED ON 24.03.2022

## INSTALLATION OF SOLAR POWER PLANTS BY PSUS

## 3534. MS. DEBASREE CHAUDHURI SHRIMATI POONAM MAHAJAN

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

- (a) whether it is a fact that the Union Government has encouraged various Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) to install solar power plants during the last three years and the current year;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, PSU-wise;
- (c) whether it is also a fact that setting up of new and renewable energy projects is included in their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) portfolio or it is entirely for lowering their costs and get a reliable power supply;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the details of new and renewable energy projects that are being set up by CSR funds particularly in the State of Maharashtra?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND POWER (SHRI R.K. SINGH)

(a) The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has brought out the following schemes for encouraging Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) to install solar power plants in the country.

- I. Scheme for 1000 MW Grid Connected Solar projects by Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) and Government organizations with Viability Gap Funding (VGF) was launched in January 2015. About 882 MW solar PV power projects have been installed under this Scheme upto 28.02.2022. This scheme is now closed for new sanctions;
- II. Scheme for setting up of 12000 MW of Grid Connected Solar projects by Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) with Viability Gap Funding (VGF) support [CPSU scheme Phase-II (Govt. Producer scheme)] has been launched in March 2019.
3. (b) Details of capacities installed under 1000 MW CPSU scheme are given at Annexure-I. Details of projects awarded under CPSU Scheme Phase-II are at Annexure-II.

(c)&(d) Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013 enumerates the activities that can be undertaken by companies under their CSR policies. These areas/ subjects are broad based and intended to cover wide range of activities. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs vide General Circular no. 21/2014 dated 18.06.2014 has clarified the CSR activities enumerated in Schedule VII of the Act must be interpreted liberally. S. No. 16 of the annexure to the said General Circular mentions illustrative list of activities and states that 'Renewable Energy  Projects'  may  be  covered  under  item  no.  (iv)  of  Schedule  VII  i.e.,  'ensuring  environmental sustainability, ecological balance, protection of flora and fauna, animal welfare, agro forestry, conservation of natural resources and maintaining quality of soil, air and water including contribution to the 'Clean Ganga Fund' set-up by the Central Government for rejuvenation of river Ganga';

More than 100 GW capacity of renewable energy projects have been installed in the country as it affords multiple benefits including lower tariff.

(e) Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), a CPSE under MNRE, as part of its CSR initiative, has sanctioned an amount of ₹ 17.00 lakhs for setting up 8000 LPD Solar Water Heating System at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Sindhudurg, Maharashtra during the financial year 2018-19.

Annexure-I referred to in reply to part (b) of Lok Sabha unstarred question no. 3534 to be answered on 24.03.2022

## List of projects commissioned under 1000 MW CPSU scheme

| Sl. No.   | Name of PSU/ Govt. Organisation         |   Capacity Commissioned (MW) |
|-----------|-----------------------------------------|------------------------------|
| 1         | NTPC Limited                            |                       659.5  |
| 2         | BHEL                                    |                        21.5  |
| 3         | Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd.              |                         5    |
| 4         | NHPC Limited                            |                        50    |
| 5         | ONGC                                    |                         6    |
| 6         | GAIL                                    |                         5.76 |
| 7         | Scooters India Ltd.                     |                         1    |
| 8         | Dadra & Nagar Haveli Power Distribution |                         3    |
| 9         | Corporation Ltd. NLC India Ltd.         |                       130    |
|           | TOTAL                                   |                       881.76 |

Annexure-II

Annexure -II referred to in reply to part (b) of Lok Sabha unstarred question no. 3534 to be answered on 24.03.2022

List of capacities allotted under 12000 MW CPSU Scheme Phase-II

-  Tranche-I:
-  Tranche-II:
-  Tranche-III:

*25 MW capacity allotted to NHDC Ltd. has been cancelled

| Sl. No.   | Name of PSU/ Govt. Organisation          |   Capacity allotted (MW) |
|-----------|------------------------------------------|--------------------------|
| 1         | NHDC Limited*                            |                       25 |
| 2         | The Singareni Collieries Company Limited |                       90 |
| 3         | Assam Power Distribution Company Limited |                       30 |
| 4         | Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited     |                        3 |
| 5         | Nalanda University                       |                        5 |
| 6         | NTPC Limited                             |                      769 |
|           | Total                                    |                      922 |

| Sl. No.   | Name of PSU/ Govt. Organisation          |   Capacity allotted (MW) |
|-----------|------------------------------------------|--------------------------|
| 1         | The Singareni Collieries Company Limited |                       81 |
| 2         | Indore Municipal Corporation             |                      100 |
| 3         | NTPC Limited                             |                      923 |
|           | Total                                    |                     1104 |

| Sl. No.   | Name of PSU/ Govt. Organisation                  |   Capacity allotted (MW) |
|-----------|--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------|
| 1         | SJVN Limited                                     |                     1000 |
| 2         | NLC India Limited                                |                      510 |
| 3         | NHPC Limited                                     |                     1000 |
| 4         | IRCON International Limited                      |                      500 |
| 5         | NTPC Limited                                     |                     1990 |
| 6         | Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) |                     1200 |
|           | Total                                            |                     6200 |