Tripura achieves 10 times growth in solar energy generation over 6.5 years: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi

Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and New & Renewable Energy  Pralhad today said that Tripura has made good progress in the renewable energy sector as the state which produced a total of 2.5 MW of electricity was generated through solar energy has increased the generation 10 times to more than 20.5 MW now in the last 6.5 years.
 

Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and New & Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi visited Agartala from 28th to 29th December 2024 to attend multiple programs. His visit to Agartala has been a fruitful one.


Today, on 29th morning Union Minister Joshi paid a divine Darshan of Maa Tripura Sundari, and thereafter he listened to PM Modi Ji's Mann ki Baat program at Chandrapur Colony higher secondary school at Chandrapur under Matabari in Gomati district. 

Later in the day, the Minister visited Charilam village under Sepahaijala District to oversee a centrally sponsored renewable energy project taken up by the Tripura Renewable Energy Development Agency (TREDA) for the farmers and also reviewed the implementation of MNRE schemes.
During the review of MNRE activities in the area, the Minister said 27 SPV Pumps covering 54 acres of land under PM- KUSUM Scheme (Component B) and 35 LED based SPV Street Lighting Systems under MNRE Scheme have been installed. 


The Union Minister said that India is providing free food grains to 81 crore people under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, which is twice the population of the European Union. 


“Under the scheme rice, wheat and coarse grains are being provided at free of cost to state identified beneficiaries as per local need. Modi government has extended this free ration scheme till December 31, 2028. In the last 5-years under Decentralised Procurement mode, around 1.2 lakh MT Rice of MSP value Rs 360 cr has been procured in Tripura state benefitting around 94,000 farmers”, said the Union Minister.


Referring to the achievements in Renewable energy sector, the Minister said India has reached a significant milestone, with the country's total renewable energy capacity reaching 214 GW. 


“India is on-track to achieve 500 GW capacity by 2030 with initiatives like National Green Hydrogen Mission, PM-KUSUM PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, and PLI schemes for solar PV modules”, he said.
Minister Joshi also urged to undertake initiatives to spread public awareness about PM Surya Ghar Yojana. 
He said the electricity tariff for domestic consumers in Tripura is around Rs. 5 per unit for usage above 200 units. With the MNRE subsidy and a concessional loan at 7%, consumers can start saving money immediately.
“The cost of power purchase for Tripura DISCOM exceeds Rs. 5 per unit, as most of the power comes from gas-based plants. Installing solar power will reduce reliance on this high-cost energy and also help meet the RPO”, he said.


Joshi has lauded initiatives of the state government in the sector, saying that Tripura has made good progress in the renewable energy sector. Before 2018, a total of 2.5 MW of electricity was generated through solar energy. In the last 6.5 years, the BJP-led govt in Tripura has increased the generation 10 times to more than 20.5 MW now