In a bid to promote generation of electricity through solar power, the Chandigarh Administration is mulling offering an additional subsidy of atleast 10 per cent to marla houses to install rooftop solar power plants.

At present, the Government of India is providing upto 40 per cent subsidy for installation of rooftop solar plants upto 3 kW capacity and upto 20 per cent subsidy for above 3 kW to 10 kW. Besides, upto 20 per cent subsidy is offered to group housing society for installation of upto 500 kW rooftop solar power plant.

In Chandigarh, it is mandatory for the residential houses above 500 sq. yards to install rooftop solar power plants. The deadline for the mandatory installation is ending on September 30.

“The UT Administration has planned to promote the usage of solar energy in small private houses. We have planned to offer an additional subsidy of atleast 10 per cent for installation of 1 kWp solar power plant in marla houses in the city. This subsidy would be provided by the Administration,” said a senior officer of the UT Administration while talking to The Pioneer.

He said the Administration will send a proposal in this regard to the Centre for approval.

The UT officer said Chandigarh has to achieve a target of generating 69 MW in solar power generation by 2022. To achieve this target, the Administration will be focusing on installation of rooftop solar power plants in both residential and Government buildings, he said.

From 2015 to 2018, a target of 17 MW was achieved and we are likely to increase to 31 MW by the end of 2019, the senior officer added.

The SPV power plant installed at the rooftop in the government buildings are interactive with the grid system so that the extra power supply could be transferred to the main grid system of the city. Notably, the solar power projects are being executed here under the model solar city project. The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had chosen Chandigarh in 2008 for developing it into a “model solar city”.