Centre nudges States to view farm solarisation as a route to wiping off ₹2.4 lakh crore subsidy bill

Indian States collectively spend nearly ₹2.4 lakh crore a year on subsidising electricity for agricultural and domestic consumers, Ministry for New and Renewable Energy Secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi said, adding that the Centre’s solar programmes are increasingly designed not just to add clean energy capacity but to persuade States that this subsidy bill can be eliminated over time.

“Different States have different amounts which they give. So to that extent they will save on this huge subsidy outgo once they adopt more and more farm solarisation and more and more rooftop solarisation,” Mr. Sarangi told The Hindu in an interview.