Date:27/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/03/27/stories/2006032701450500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

State fails to give funds for solar lighting project

Anil Kumar Sastry

Karnataka was to provide only 10 per cent of the project cost of Rs. 41.45 crores

The scheme would have benefited 1,000 hamlets
Each house was to get two 9W lamps

One more project for 100 villages not allocated funds

BANGALORE: Over 1,000 hamlets in the State will continue to remain in darkness as the State Government has failed to allocate funds for a solar lighting project.

To be taken up on a cost-sharing basis at an estimated cost of Rs. 41.45 crores, Karnataka needed to invest a mere 10 per cent of the cost or Rs. 4.15 crores. The Centre will bear the rest of the cost.

The Union Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy had proposed to take up the project under "Remote village electrification by solar photovoltaic system." The scheme was to be implemented through Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd., (KREDL) — the nodal agency for renewable energy in the State.

Apart from providing Rs. 70 lakhs for the recurring expenditure of KREDL, no allocation has been made either for taking up new projects or for promoting non-conventional energy.

Under the 1,000 villages scheme, each village would have got two solar powered streetlights and each house would have got two 9 watt lamps with necessary solar panels, charge controllers, and batteries.

Implementation of the scheme would have provided employment to one person in each village for the maintenance of the project.

Another scheme partially being sponsored by the Union Government for the benefit of 100 villages already connected with conventional electricity also did not get any budgetary support.

The Ministry had offered to provide solar lighting for houses and streets in 100 villages with around 100 houses at a cost of Rs. 11 crores.

While the Centre would have provided 30 per cent of the cost, the State Government was supposed to pool in the rest. The scheme would have offered two solar lights for every house and 10 solar streetlights with necessary equipment.

Implementation of the scheme would have saved at least 1,700 units of power every month.

It would have provided employment to two persons in every village in the form of maintenance work.

Even Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had concurred with the proposals and sent a note to the Finance Minister in this regard.

When contacted, KREDL Managing Director B. Shivalingaiah told The Hindu that they were hopeful of getting required funds from the Government even without budgetary allocation because the State Government is serious in its effort to promote non-conventional energy.

KREDL will be in a position to electrify only a few villages if no support is forthcoming from the Government, he added.