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Poonch, October 11 (IANS) An awareness program under ‘PM Surya Ghar: Free Electricity Scheme’ was organized on Saturday at Government Boys Higher Secondary School in Mendhar, border area of Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The objective of the event was to inform residents about the government’s solar energy initiative and encourage them to avail its benefits.
During the program, officials of the concerned departments said that this scheme is especially beneficial for the people living in rural and border areas. Eligible households are being allowed to get free electricity through solar energy, which will enable them to reduce their electricity bills while contributing to environmental protection.
According to departmental data, around 50 registrations have already been completed in Mendhar and nearby border villages. Officials expressed hope that spread of awareness will lead to a significant increase in the number of participants in the coming days.
Residents appreciated the government for launching such a progressive scheme. Many highlighted that people in border areas often face problems like power cuts and high electricity bills. The scheme offers a much-needed solution and is a major step towards energy self-reliance, he said.
“This scheme will send a strong and positive message to the society. It will greatly benefit the people here,” a resident told IANS.
PM Surya Ghar: Free Power Scheme is the world’s largest household rooftop solar initiative and is reshaping India’s energy landscape. The scheme, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2024, aims to supply solar energy to one crore homes by March 2027. The target is to supply solar energy to more than 10 lakh homes by March 2025, 20 lakh by October 2025, 40 lakh by March 2026 and finally one crore homes by March 2027.
Under the scheme, households are eligible for subsidies of up to 40 percent, making clean and renewable energy more affordable and accessible. In just nine months, 6.3 lakh rooftop installations have been completed, with the current monthly installation rate at 70,000 – ten times higher than the rate before the scheme was launched. This initiative is also expected to save the government Rs 75,000 crore annually in electricity subsidy.
The program is empowering millions of citizens to adopt clean energy, strengthening India’s commitment to sustainable development and green innovation.
Many states and union territories have shown excellent progress. Chandigarh and Daman and Diu have already achieved 100 per cent of their rooftop solar target for government buildings. States like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are also leading in implementation. The Central Government is closely monitoring the state-wise progress to ensure smooth implementation of the scheme and timely achievement of targets.
–IANS
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