Lok Sabha Question No. 662 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-03
Subject: Installation of Solar Mini-grids in Tribal Areas
Ministry: NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
Asked by: Shri Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 662

ANSWERED ON 03.12.2025

## INSTALLATION OF SOLAR MINI-GRIDS IN TRIBAL AREAS

## 662. SHRI SUKANTA KUMAR PANIGRAHI

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

- (a) the steps taken by the Government to expand renewable energy access and installation of solar mini-grids, micro-hydel systems and off-grid power solutions in tribal and remote districts of Odisha particularly Kandhamal, Boudh, Rayagada and other scheduled areas;
- (b) the progress of tribal-focused renewable energy schemes such as household solarisation, solar streetlights, solar study lamps, distributed livelihood equipment, solar cold storage units and  other  Decentralized  Renewable  Energy  (DRE)  based  interventions  supported  by  the Ministry in the said State;
- (c)  the  achievements  and  funds  released  to  Odisha  under  Pradhan  Mantri-Krishi  Urja Suraksha  evam  Utthaan  Mahaabhiyan  (PM-KUSUM)  Rooftop  Solar  Programme,  Solar Pumping, Biomass and Biogas programmes during the last three years especially in tribal areas; and
- (d)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  establish  Renewable  Energy  Clusters  or  Solar Livelihood Hubs in tribal  districts  of  Odisha  to  support  agriculture,  rural  enterprises  and community livelihoods and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI SHRIPAD YESSO NAIK)

- (a) Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is implementing the New Solar Power Scheme (for Tribal and PVTG Habitations/Villages) under Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) and Dharti Aabha Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA JGUA). Under the scheme, off-grid systems (Solar Home Lighting Systems/Solar Mini Grids)  are  provided  to  tribal  and  PVTG  households,  multi-purpose  centers  and  public institutions  in Tribal  and  PVTG  areas  where  grid-connected  electrification  is  not  technoeconomically feasible.

Under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana ( DDUGJY) scheme, Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA) had installed total 64 nos. of solar mini-grids having cumulative capacity of 1229 kW. The district wise distribution is given below.

|   Sl. No | District   |   Nos of Villages |   Mini Grid capacity (in kW) |   Nos of Households electrified |
|----------|------------|-------------------|------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|        1 | Gajapati   |                 8 |                          135 |                             469 |
|        2 | Ganjam     |                28 |                          428 |                            1288 |
|        3 | Keonjhar   |                 3 |                           77 |                             333 |
|        4 | Koraput    |                14 |                          245 |                             790 |
|        5 | Mayurbhanj |                 2 |                           65 |                             215 |
|        6 | Raygada    |                 4 |                          226 |                             734 |

| 7   | Koraput   |   5 |   53 |   184 |
|-----|-----------|-----|------|-------|
|     | Total     |  64 | 1229 |  4013 |

- (b) & (c) As per information received from Government of Odisha, the OREDA has installed 28 nos.  of solar cold storages across the state. Also, under PM JANMAN and DA-JGUA, DISCOMs of the state has electrified 8,359 nos. of unelectrified tribal households through off-grid solar systems and 2,364 nos. of unelectrified tribal households have been connected through micro-grids.

The achievements and funds released to Odisha under Pradhan Mantri-Krishi Urja Suraksha evam  Utthaan  Mahaabhiyan  (PM-KUSUM),  Rooftop  Solar  Programme  and  Biogas Programme of the Ministry during the FY 2022-23 to 2024-25 are as follows:

|   Sl. No. | Schemes                 | Systems                                     |   Installed (Nos.) | CFA Released in (Rs.)   |
|-----------|-------------------------|---------------------------------------------|--------------------|-------------------------|
|         1 | PMKUSUM                 | Standalone Off-Grid Solar Agriculture Pumps |               4925 | 3,44,00,000             |
|         2 | Rooftop Solar Programme | Rooftop Solar Plants                        |               3844 | 28,97,13,569            |
|         3 | Biogas Programme        | Biogas Plants                               |                241 | 40,64,550               |

- (d) No such programme is being taken up.

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