Anakapalli to create five solar-powered model villages

Visakhapatnam: The Collector of Anakapalli District, Vijaya Krishnan, announced plans to transform five selected villages into fully solar-powered model villages. She instructed officials to install solar units in newly constructed village secretariat buildings and encouraged the identification of eligible households for solar installations. Additionally, she advocated for solar setups in housing complexes, hospitals, and commercial areas, emphasizing that only high-quality products with warranties should be sourced from solar companies.

During a district-level committee meeting at the collector's office on Tuesday, she underscored the significance of the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar scheme (Muft Bijli Yojana), which offers subsidies for solar power units. She urged all households in the district to take advantage of this initiative.

The meeting's agenda focused on the goal of promoting solar energy. The collector highlighted the necessity for awareness campaigns led by the electricity department to educate residents about the benefits of solar energy. She stated, "We should promote the fact that we use the electricity generated by setting up a solar unit, and the rest will generate income for the people."

S.E. G. Prasad from the Department of Electricity elaborated on the scheme's objectives, noting its aim to enhance renewable energy usage and lower carbon emissions. The district has set an ambitious target of installing 30,000 solar units. Consumers can apply for installations of up to 10 kilowatts after paying a processing fee of 1,300 rupees.

He also mentioned significant government subsidies, up to 30,000 rupees for one kilowatt, 60,000 rupees for two kilowatts, and 78,000 rupees for three kilowatts, with payments to sellers processed within 45 days. Furthermore, bank loans are available to assist with installation costs, with expected returns on investment within three to four years.

Despite these incentives, he pointed out that progress has been slow, out of 1,677 applicants in the district, only 288 have completed the processing fee payment.