Chief Secretary Gokul Chandra Pati has laid stress on solar energy projects in Government, private and business establishments and suggested measures for recharging underground water.
He has suggested the Department of Science and Technology to constitute a committee to study rules in this regard. He has emphasised on the need to make people aware about the Government’s incentives to set up such facilities and asked the officials to take necessary steps.
Pati’s directives came during a review of meeting on Thursday at the State Secretariat where he instructed the Development Authorities to act against those flouting the rules.
Notably, the rules of Development Authorities stipulate creating projects and water harvesting structures during approval of plans for buildings. The rules also stipulate subsidies for such structures on buildings.
Private buildings will get a subsidy ranging from 15 per cent to 30 per cent for setting up solar power units of up to 1 KW. Nearly four units of power can be harvested through such units.
Similarly, nearly half of the investment or up to Rs 45,000 would be given as subsidy for water harvesting structures. Houses with roof sizes of 2,150 square feet would be entitled for the subsidy, officials said. The owners of houses can apply for the subsidy in prescribed forms.
The Department of Water Resources has appointed more than 40 consultants for setting up rainwater harvesting structures, the sources said.