By TC News Desk
Agartala, 6th January 2025: Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Monday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foresight in recognizing the impending depletion of resources like coal and gas for electricity production. Nath emphasized that PM Modi’s decision to launch the PM-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana scheme was aimed at encouraging people to rely on solar energy for electricity generation. The scheme’s goal is to make electricity almost free of charge for the public and promote the generation of surplus electricity for revenue.
Nath cited an example to illustrate the scheme’s benefits: “If an individual decides to install a plant generating one kilowatt of electricity, the central government will provide a subsidy of Rs 33,000. For two kilowatts, the subsidy is Rs 66,000, and for three kilowatts, it is Rs 85,000. The individual will need to spend Rs 60,000 to Rs 65,000 for installing a one-kilowatt solar plant. If they cannot bear the entire expense, banks will offer loans at a 7% interest rate without requiring security or guarantees. Vendors will also be available to install the plants at homes or businesses.”
Nath shared a success story of a TSECL employee who installed a solar plant at his home. Previously, his monthly electricity bill was Rs 2700, but after installing the plant, it dropped to Rs 12. After a year, he will generate revenue by selling surplus power. The connection is integrated with the power grid, allowing solar plants to generate electricity during the day and utilize grid power at night.
The Power Minister announced a camp for the PM-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana at the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) head office. Camps will also be set up in Mohanpur, Jirania, and other areas to raise awareness and provide benefits of the scheme. Nath expressed his vision for Tripura to become the first state in the North Eastern Region to fully utilize the scheme’s benefits, aiming for an “Atmanirbhar Tripura” where individuals generate their own electricity and sell any surplus.
The camp saw participation from Power Department Secretary Abhishek Singh, TSECL Managing Director Biswajit Basu, DGM (C&T) Sujata Sarkar, corporators from Agartala Municipal Corporation, TSECL officials, employees, and the general public.
