The ₹2.4 lakh crore spent by Indian states each year on electricity सब्सिडी is a growing concern for the Union and state budgets. In an interview with The Hindu, Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), highlighted that the Centre’s सोलर कार्यक्रम are being designed not only to add clean‑energy capacity but also to persuade states that the subsidy burden can be reduced over time.
मुख्य विकास
- States allocate varying amounts for electricity सब्सिडी, creating a heterogeneous fiscal impact across the country.
- The push for फार्म सोलराइज़ेशन and रूफ़टॉप सोलराइज़ेशन is expected to curtail the subsidy outgo.
- The Centre is linking renewable‑energy incentives to the reduction of state‑level electricity subsidies, signalling a policy shift from pure capacity addition to fiscal rationalisation.
महत्वपूर्ण तथ्य
- Annual electricity subsidy bill: ₹2.4 lakh crore.
- States’ subsidy amounts differ, reflecting diverse consumption patterns and tariff structures.
- Solar capacity targets under the national mission remain unchanged, but the emphasis on सोलर कार्यक्रम now includes subsidy‑reduction objectives.
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