Latest news with #BijliYojana
New Indian Express
21-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Centre praises Meghalaya model for self-reliant India
GUWAHATI: The Centre has heaped praise on Meghalaya for its sterling performance in some key areas. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the state's transformative journey, calling it a 'blueprint for a resilient and self-reliant India.' Responding to an article written by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighting Meghalaya's progress, Modi noted the key drivers of the state's transformation – from community-led tourism and youth empowerment to women-led self-help groups (SHGs). 'Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman highlights Meghalaya's remarkable transformation driven by tourism, youth empowerment, women-led SHGs, initiatives like the PM Suryaghar Muft Bijli Yojana, the Vibrant Village Programme and more. 'With strong government support and vibrant community spirit, the state stands as a blueprint for a resilient and self-reliant India,' the PM wrote. Sitharaman was in Meghalaya from July 10 to 13 during which she visited various places including the famous living root bridges.
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Narendra Modi, Nirmala Sitharaman term Meghalaya 'blueprint for resilient, self-reliant India'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has heaped praises on Meghalaya's development model, describing the state as a "blueprint for a resilient and self-reliant India ". His remarks came in response to a post by Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on X, where she highlighted Meghalaya progress following her four-day visit to the state from July 10 to 13. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category MCA Technology Product Management Data Science Digital Marketing Data Science PGDM CXO Healthcare Design Thinking Project Management MBA others Leadership Cybersecurity Public Policy healthcare Finance Artificial Intelligence Management Data Analytics Operations Management Others Degree Skills you'll gain: Programming Proficiency Data Handling & Analysis Cybersecurity Awareness & Skills Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT Master of Computer Applications Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details "Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman highlights Meghalaya's remarkable transformation driven by tourism, youth empowerment , women-led SHGs , initiatives like the PM Suryaghar Muft Bijli Yojana , the Vibrant Village Programme and more. With strong government support and vibrant community spirit, the state stands as a blueprint for a resilient and self-reliant India," the Prime Minister's Office posted on X on Sunday. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Outdoor Clothing | Designed to Perform. Built to Endure. Trek Kit India Shop Now Undo In an article published in a national daily, Sitharaman lauded the state's inclusive and sustainable development initiatives, noting the role of community participation , youth engagement, and women's empowerment in driving change. "Throughout this journey, I was moved by the determination, optimism, and harmony with nature that define the people of Meghalaya. With government support and community spirit aligned, Meghalaya today offers a blueprint for a vibrant, confident, and self-reliant India. Till next time, Khublei Shibun and Mithela Meghalaya!" she wrote. Live Events Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma , whose government has targeted to increase the state's economy USD 1 billion by 2028, reposted the tweets.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Green goals: Chandigarh Eyes 1.26Cr Tonne CO2 Drop by 2030
1 2 3 Chandigarh: In a powerful push toward sustainability, the Chandigarh Administration has unveiled an ambitious roadmap to slash carbon dioxide emissions by over 1.2 crore tonnes by the year 2030. This green mission is part of the newly launched State Action Plan for Climate Change 2.0 (SAPCC), approved by the Centre. At the heart of the plan is a vision to decarbonise the city's power consumption, complete electrification of public and commercial transport, and ensuring all new commercial buildings are net-zero buildings. The State Action Plan for Climate Change 2.0 (SAPCC), which was recently unveiled after approval from the Centre, outlines the road map to achieve this ambitious target. Under the plan, the main strategies will include making the city a Model Solar City by 2030 by implementing various solar rooftop programmes, including PM Suryaghar Muft Bijli Yojana, and sourcing the balance power needs from non-fossil energy sources such as hydro, solar, wind, and nuclear. "Installation of 224 MW through various solar rooftop programmes is planned. An annual emission reduction of about 2,68,000 tCO2e by 2030 is estimated. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Top 25 Most Beautiful Women In The World Articles Vally Undo Currently, the city is producing around 90 MW through solar energy," said a UT official. In the transport sector, in addition to providing greater incentives under the Chandigarh Electric Vehicle Policy, the UT will convert its entire bus fleet to electric buses within the SAPCC plan period. It also aims to achieve the highest penetration of Zero Emission Vehicles among all Indian cities by the end of the policy period by providing incentives, promoting environment-friendly commute systems (including converting all buses to electric buses), building EV charging infrastructure, introducing an integrated transport management system (ITMS), and creating public awareness. "In 2024, EVs accounted for 15.26% of total vehicle registration, which is targeted to be increased to 70%," states the plan. To reduce the carbon footprint of the city, the UT also aims to make a big push for energy efficiency in the building sector. The administration is planning to retrofit existing buildings to meet improved energy standards. "The administration aims to adopt the concept of ECBC norms in all newly constructed govt buildings by 2030. Similarly, green building standards and certification will be promoted, and net-zero emissions buildings will be introduced and promoted in the city," states the plan. More focus is being given towards implementing various systems to consolidate existing operations and deriving energy from solid waste in terms of overall energy generation. The city also plans to establish an Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) system. "Implementing various municipal waste processing systems to consolidate existing operations is needed, and deriving energy from solid waste can benefit the system in terms of overall energy generation," states the plan.
The Hindu
01-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Billed in lakhs, rooftop solar consumers supporting green energy in Puducherry are left in lurch
Brahmanand Mohanty was one of the first to install Rooftop Solar (RTS) at his house in the Zamindar Garden in the Boulevard in 2001. A retired professor with Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Bangkok, Mr. Mohanty, known as a pioneer of clean energy in the city had built his house powered by solar energy. Over the years, several residents inspired by Mr. Mohanty installed RTS in their houses hoping to reduce their electricity bills and sell extra units to the grid to earn money and reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. However, most of the residents who opted for RTS are a disappointed lot now and struggle with basic billing issues. The launch It was in February 2024, that the Union Government unveiled its ambitious Prime Minister Suryaghar Muft Bijli Yojana. This flagship national scheme has set a target of 1 crore RTS installations across the country. While States like Gujarat and Union Territories like Lakshadweep and Ladakh lead the way accounting for over 40% of installations due to proactive policies, efficient administration, and effective awareness campaigns, the performance of Puducherry leaves much to be desired. 'Puducherry aims to solarise 13,000 households by March 2027 under the scheme. Despite over 20,000 households registering for RTS, only about 1,000 have installed RTS systems and availed of subsidies. This reflects lack of institutional will, administrative inertia, and poor awareness drives,' said a prosumer. Billed in thousands to lakhs of rupees The Puducherry Electricity Department (PED) has repeatedly failed to implement net metering regulations notified back in 2015. Consumers are often billed thousands to lakhs of rupees arbitrarily, instead of receiving compensation for the excess clean energy they feed back to the grid, rue residents. For instance, a teacher who installed solar in August 2024 spent months getting her bills corrected. Instead of receiving ₹6,722 credit for export of surplus power to the grid, she was shocked to get a bill of ₹98,139 this June. 'The installation went smoothly, but the billing has been a nightmare from day one. Despite submitting our meter readings every month, without fail, they're never considered. Each bill is a struggle to correct. I love the idea of going green, but after this painful experience, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone,' she said. Similar is the case of S.P. Subramanian, 84, a retired police officer. He was flabbergasted to receive a bill of ₹1.34 lakh for June. 'I was hesitant to invest in solar from my dwindling savings after retirement, but Professor Mohanty encouraged me, assuring it would benefit me in the long run. I regret that decision now.' 'Every month, I am stressed by wrong bills. The vendor has been supportive in dealing with PED, but I was expecting more than ₹5,000 for my surplus electricity last year - instead, I got a bill for ₹1.34 lakh. I wrote to the Head of PED two weeks ago, but there has been no response,' he said. Similarly, a businessman who installed solar in July 2022, despite having a surplus credit of 1,502 units last month received a bill for a whopping ₹5.24 lakh, wiping out his solar earnings. After fighting for three years to get his bills corrected, the resident has now lost hope. 'We're losing trust. Puducherry's potential for solar success is shining, but the administration needs to flip the switch on progress,' he said. Endless visits for correction The anomalies in billing, has left consumers fuming, forcing them to visit PED offices repeatedly to correct erroneous bills. Complaints to the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum and even the Ombudsman of the regulator have yielded no systematic solution. Mr. Mohanty, the first RTS adopter in Puducherry, has spent over a decade advocating for billing reforms. His repeated appeals to PED and the government remain unanswered. 'With such poor accountability, how will Puducherry achieve its solar target?' he asks. If PED fails to resolve these issues urgently, Puducherry risks missing out on the immense economic and environmental benefits of rooftop solar and leaving its citizens disillusioned in India's clean energy transition, Mr. Mohanty added. When contacted, a senior Government official said that there was no issue with the billing software and the PED would look into it.
Mint
27-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Sitharaman asks banks to step up lending as interest rates fall
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has asked public sector banks to step up lending after Reserve Bank of India cut key policy rates early this month and contribute to the growth of the economy. The RBI cut its key repo rate by a larger-than-expected 50 basis points, as muted inflation gave policymakers room to prioritise growth amid global economic uncertainty. The finance minister also urged banks to boost lending to micro, small and medium enterprises, improve deposit mobilisation, while also instructing financial institutions to scale up efforts under key financial inclusion schemes, including PM MUDRA Yojana, PM Vishwakarma, PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, PM Vidyalaxmi, and the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme. Sitharaman chaired a high-level meeting in Delhi on Friday to review the performance of public sector banks (PSBs) on financial parameters, credit offtake, financial inclusion, customer service, grievance redressal, digital banking, and cybersecurity. The meeting was also attended by Union minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary; Secretary, department of financial services (DFS), M. Nagaraju; MDs of PSBs; and senior officials of the DFS. During the meeting, the finance minister acknowledged the strong financial performance of PSBs in recent years, and particularly in FY25. From FY23 to FY25, the total business of PSBs rose from ₹ 203 trillion to ₹ 251 trillion, net NPAs declined from 1.24% to 0.52%, net profit rose from ₹ 1.04 trillion to ₹ 1.78 trillion, and dividend payouts grew from ₹ 20,964 crore to ₹ 34,990 crore, according to a government statement. The finance minister was also informed that the PSBs are adequately capitalised, with their risk buffer (capital to risk-weighted assets ratio) standing at 16.15% as of March. Sitharaman emphasised the need for sustained efforts to improve deposit mobilisation to support ongoing credit growth. PSBs were advised to undertake special drives, effectively use their branch networks, and deepen outreach in semi-urban and rural areas. She urged PSBs to proactively identify emerging commercial growth areas for the next decade, which can aid their profitability and growth. She stressed deepening corporate lending in productive sectors, with a strong focus on maintaining robust underwriting and risk management standards. More so in renewable and sustainable energy areas, as advancing India's green growth agenda was a national priority. Banks were also advised to develop credit models to support the development of indigenously designed small modular nuclear reactors. As announced in the Union Budget 2025-26, PSBs were encouraged to focus on agri credit in the 100 low-crop productivity districts to be identified under the PM Dhan Dhanya Yojana. Banks were instructed to tailor special credit products to enhance agricultural productivity and unlock local economic potential by identifying and supporting farm products that can be developed in these particular districts. Banks were also advised to expand their presence in GIFT City to support India's aspirations in international financial services, tap into emerging global opportunities, and increase participation in the India International Bullion Exchange. To enhance customer experience, Sitharaman directed banks to ensure faster grievance redressal, offer simplified digital platforms, and provide multilingual services both online and offline. That includes maintaining clean, customer-friendly physical branches and expanding in metro and urban centres to keep pace with urbanisation. The finance minister directed the PSBs to participate actively in the upcoming three-month financial inclusion saturation campaign, beginning 1 July, covering 270,000 gram panchayats and urban local bodies. This campaign would also focus on assisting the citizens on know-your-customer (KYC) compliance, re-KYC and unclaimed deposits. Banks were directed to ensure focused outreach, adequate manpower deployment, and effective publicity of this special campaign to further deepen financial inclusion under schemes such as PM Jan Dhan Yojana, PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima and PM Suraksha Bima Yojana. Sitharaman was apprised of the progress under the new credit assessment model for MSMEs, launched on 6 March, with 1.97 lakh MSME loans amounting to ₹ 60,000 crore already sanctioned. Banks were directed to strengthen the model's implementation to broaden access to capital and expedite credit flow to small and medium businesses. The review noted that under the Stand Up India scheme, 228,000 loans worth ₹ 51,192 crore have been sanctioned. Similarly, under the PM Vidya Lakshmi scheme, 6,682 applications have been sanctioned, amounting to ₹ 1,751 crore. Given the government's commitment to supporting entrepreneurship and higher education through targeted credit initiatives, banks were directed to give greater focus to these schemes. Sitharaman said all existing and arising vacancies must be filled as soon as possible to deliver better service. Banks were encouraged to scale up branch expansion in underserved areas like the Northeast. The finance minister underlined the need to strengthen the business correspondent (BC) network to ensure last-mile access to banking services, particularly in rural and remote areas. An official said banks were also advised to check mis-selling of insurance products.
