After a long stalemate, the Government has cleared the revised rate on which the Jharkhand Bijli Vitaran Nigam limited (JBVNl) would ink power purchase agreements (PPA) with solar power companies. Besides the PPA, term of the agreement signed has also been reduced.
Informing about the decision made by the Cabinet on Tuesday, Additional Chief Secretary SKG Rahate said that the revised rate is lower than the earlier agreed rate reached between the qualified companies and JBVNl.
“In order to generate solar power in the State the companies qualified through bidding process had to sign PPA at Rs 4.99 per unit with JBVNl. Whereas considering the rates prevailing in other states, the Cabinet has revised it to Rs 4.95 for every unit on which the PPA now would be singed. Term of the PPA has also been reduced from existing 35 years to 25 years,” said Rahate.
The Government under Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s initiative had invited solar majors from across the country to set up solar-based power plants and is eyeing to generate 684 MW of clean power. Nevertheless the JBVNl later expressed reservations over rate quoted by the firms which varied between Rs 4.99 to Rs 5.20 per unit. While the rate has seen new low in the states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan but those Governments are extending land for free to set up plants which was not the case with Jharkhand.
In another major decision, the Cabinet has identified 1400 Government buildings where grid connected solar rooftop plants would be installed. “The list includes 187 community health centers, 329 primary health centers, 203 KGBVs, 400 police stations, 16 jails, 20 Paharia Residential Schools and host of DC, SDO offices, district courts etc. This would cost Rs 257 crore and generate total 20 MW of solar power which can be transferred to the grid in case of surplus,” added the official.
This apart, the Cabinet in order to conduct a study about prey bases, their conservation and expansion for tigers residing in the Betla Tiger Reserve has appointed Dehradun based Wildlife Institute of India on nomination basis. The study would be mainly focused on stabilising and raising number of the big cats into the national forest reserve.
“The Government has also approved a proposal to conduct geo-mapping of public and community toilets in the State. Quality Council of India would do the task which would be app based and any user can search locations of the toilets for his convenience,” said Rahate.
The Cabinet has also approved the proposal to remove 20 services from the list of services under the Service Guarantee Act and added 109 new services under it. This takes total number of services covered under the Act from 200 to 289.
Under Prime Minister maternity benefits programme, Rs 63.34 crore for the year 2017-18 has been sanctioned by the Cabinet which would be used for incentives given against early registration, anti natal care, vaccination etc.
“The Cabinet has also approved 78 rural drinking water schemes worth Rs 1000 crore. Rs 734 crore for 57 schemes would be under the State plan while the rest Rs 346 crore would be sourced from DMFT for Dhanbad, Bokaro, West Singhbhum and Chatra,” he informed further.
Decision to sanction Rs 185.59 crore for setting up Electronic Manufacturing Cluster on 233.38 acre land of Integrated Industrial Estate at Adityapur has been taken. The Cabinet also released Rs 59.99 crore as State grant for this purpose.
A major change has been proposed into labour Union Rules, 1926 through an Ordinance which would revise current 10 per cent employees of an industry as members to get recognition to 30 per cent.