Lok Sabha Question No. 5214 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-02
Subject: Renewable Energy Projects in Assam
Ministry: NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
Asked by: Shri Amarsing Tisso

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5214

ANSWERED ON 02/04/2025

## RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS IN ASSAM

## 5214. SHRI AMARSING TISSO:

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

- (a) the details of ongoing and proposed renewable energy projects in Assam particularly in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts;
- (b) whether the Government has any specific schemes to promote solar, wind and small hydropower projects in the North Eastern Region especially in remote tribal areas;
- (c) the funds allocated and utilized for renewable energy development in Assam during the last three years;
- (d) whether the Government is providing any financial or technical assistance to local entrepreneurs and startups for setting up renewable energy projects in the region; and
- (e) the steps taken to ensure off-grid and mini-grid renewable energy solutions for rural electrification in remote parts of Assam?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF  STATE  FOR NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND POWER

## (SHRI SHRIPAD YESSO NAIK)

- (a) The detail of ongoing and sanctioned renewable energy projects in Assam also available for Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts is placed at Annexure-I
- (b)  The  Ministry  of  New  and  Renewable  Energy  (MNRE)  is  implementing  various  schemes  for promotion of Solar Energy in the country including in the North Eastern Region. The detail of these schemes is given at Annexure-II .  Presently, there is no specific scheme on Wind and Small Hydro Power.
- (c) MNRE has released Rs. 35.40 Cr under various renewable energy schemes in Assam during the last three years (i.e. FY 2021-22 to 2023-24).
- (d)  The  local  entrepreneurs  and  startups  are  also  allowed  for  participating  in  the  schemes  and programmes being implemented by the MNRE. However, there is no separate provision of financial assistance for them.
- The  local  entrepreneurs  and  startups  can  also  participate  in  the  Ministry's  Human  Resource Development (HRD) programme for developing their skills in the renewable energy sector.
- (e) To encourage off-grid and mini-grid renewable energy solutions for rural and remote areas including in the state of Assam, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is implementing following schemes:
- (i) PM KUSUM Component-B for installation of standalone solar pumps for irrigation.
- (ii) New Solar Power Scheme (for Tribal and PVTG Habitations/Villages) for electrification of households  (through  standalone  solar  home  lighting  systems  or  solar  microgrids)  and solarisation  of  Multi-Purpose  Centres  &  Public  Institutions  in  identified  PVTG  and  Tribal Areas.
- (iii) National  Bioenergy  Programme covering biomass, waste to energy and biogas components including decentralised mode of operation.

*****

Details of ongoing and sanctioned renewable energy projects in Assam also applicable for Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts

## PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (as on 28.03.2025)

| No. of applications received on National Portal        | 308,949   |
|--------------------------------------------------------|-----------|
| Households benefitted by installation of rooftop solar | 11,179    |

## PM KUSUM:

| Capacity of Solar Plants capacity sanctioned under component-A (MW)   |    2 |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|------|
| Standalone Solar Water Pumps sanctioned under Component-B (Nos)       | 4000 |

## Biogas Programme:

Annual target of Forest Development Agency (Social Forestry) for FY 2024-25

63 nos.

Annexure- II referred to part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no. 5214 By Shri Shri Amarsing Tisso, to be answered on 02.04.2025 on 'Renewable Energy Projects in Assam'

## Detail of the major ongoing schemes to promote solar energy in the North East region including Assam

## (i) PM-KUSUM Scheme:

PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) scheme is a flagship program to promote small Grid-Connected Solar Power Plants (Component A), installation of standalone  solar-powered  agricultural  pumps  (Component B)  and  solarisation  of  existing  grid-connected agricultural pumps including feeder-level solarisation (Component C).

## For the North Eastern States, the CFA/incentives are as follows : -

- i. Under Component A: Procurement Based Incentives (PBI) @ Rs. 0.40 per unit for five years will  be  provided  to  DISCOMs  for  setting  up  of  Decentralized  Ground/Stilt  Mounted  Solar Power Plants on barren/fallow/pasture/marshy land of farmers. Such plants can be installed by individual  farmer,  Solar  Power  Developer, Cooperatives, Panchayats  and  Farmers  Producer Organisations.  The  PBI  is  given  to  the  DISCOMs  for  a  period  of  five  years  from  the Commercial Operation Date of the plant. Therefore, the total PBI that payable to DISCOMs is upto Rs. 33 Lakh per MW
- ii. CFA is provided for all the individual farmers installing/solarising the agriculture pumps in NER/Hilly/Islands up to 7.5HP capacity under both the Component-B and Component-C and are provided with Central Financial Assistance (CFA) of 50% of the benchmark cost or the tender cost, whichever is lower. Further, the CFA will be available for pump capacity up to 15 HP, however, it will be restricted to 10% of total installations in the state.
- iii. Under Feeder Level Solarisation under component C, CFA is calculated considering the cost of  the  solar  power  plant  as  Rs.  3.5  Crore/  MW.  Therefore,  the  CFA  of  1.75cr/MW  can  be provided to States.

## (ii) PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana:

Rooftop solar projects in residential sector are being supported under the Scheme. The scheme provides central financial assistance (CFA) as under :

|   S. No. | Type of Residential Segment                                               | CFA in NER        |
|----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------|
|        1 | Residential Sector (first 2kW p )                                         | Rs 33,000/kWp     |
|        2 | Residential Sector (additional 1 kW p )                                   | Rs 19,800/kWp     |
|        3 | Residential Sector (above 3 kWp)                                          | No additional CFA |
|        4 | GHS/RWA etc, for common facilities for up to 500 kW p (@3 kW p per house) | Rs 19,800/kWp     |

In addition, support is also available as incentives to DISCOMs/Local Bodies, development of Model Solar  Village,  innovative  projects,  payment  security  mechanism,  capacity  building,  awareness  and outreach, etc.

## (iii) Solar Park:

Under the Solar Park Scheme support is provided for preparation of DPR (upto Rs. 25 lakh per Solar Park) and development of infrastructure (up to 20 Lakh per MW or 30% of the project cost, whichever is lower).

## (iv) New Solar Power Scheme (for Tribal and PVTG Habitations/Villages) under Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) and Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan ( DA JGUA):

The Scheme will cover electrification of One Lakh un-electrified households (HHs) in Tribal and PVTG areas  identified  by  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  (MoTA)  by  provision  of  off-grid  solar  systems.  The scheme includes a provision for providing off-grid solar lighting in 1500 Multi-Purpose Centres (MPCs) in PVTG areas as approved under PM JANMAN. Similarly, the scheme also includes provision for solarisation of 2000 public institutions through off-grid solar systems as approved under DA JGUA. The off-grid solar systems shall be provided only where electricity supply through grid is not technoeconomically feasible.  The  financial  outlay  approved for  the scheme  under  PM  JANMAN  and  DA JGUA is given below:

|   S. No. | Components                                                                 | Central Share (100%)                   |   Approved Financial Outlay (in Rs. Crore) | Timeline                 |
|----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|--------------------------|
|        1 | Provision of 0.3 kW Solar offgrid system for 1 lakh Tribal and PVTG HHs    | Rs. 50,000 per HHor as per actual cost |                                        500 | FY 2023-24 to            |
|        2 | Solar street lighting and provision of lighting in 1500 MPCs of PVTG areas | Rs. 1 lakh per MPC                     |                                         15 | FY 2025-26               |
|        3 | Solarisation of 2000 public institutions through off-grid solar systems    | Rs 1 lakh per kW                       |                                        400 | FY 2024-25 to FY 2028-29 |