Raj Bhavan to run fully on solar power soon: Governor
2
Bhubaneswar: The Raj Bhavan will be fully solar soon with plans to install a solar power plant of 400 kW. "It already has a 150 kW plant," governor
Hari Babu Kambhampati
said here on Saturday.
"This should happen within the next three to four months. Raj Bhavan's electricity bill would drop to zero from the current Rs 3 lakh per month," he told media persons, adding this would be a significant step towards making the governor's house a net-zero energy campus.
Highlighting his commitment to the green mission, Kambhampati said a fleet of Made-in-India electric vehicles has been introduced in the Raj Bhavan. These include four official cars in his fleet besides two-wheelers for staff members.
The governor appealed to people to opt for solar energy by taking benefits of central schemes such as PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana through rooftop solar installations and PM KUSUM Yojana meant for farmers to install solar pump sets for tubewells used in irrigation.
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Under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, beneficiaries can get a maximum Rs 1.38 lakh subsidy for a 3 kW solar system. The central govt extends a subsidy of Rs 30,000 each for the first and second kilowatt and Rs 18,000 for the third. To make solar power acceptable among people, the state govt provides an additional subsidy of Rs 25,000 each for the first and second kW and Rs 10,000 for the third.
A BTech in electronics and communication engineering, Kambhampati championed renewable energy in Parliament as a Lok Sabha member in 2014. Replying to a budget discussion, Kambhampati underscored the importance of reducing dependence on fossil fuel and the gradual shift to renewable energy.
The governor, who has been touring various districts and reviewing the performance of govt departments, said he has been assessing the reach of various central and state govt schemes.
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