Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated a 25 MW generation capacity solar power project at Lalpul in Udalguri district. The project is part of the effort to make the state self-reliant on green energy.
The project is built at a Rs 300 crore budget and is expected to benefit around 65,000 in the district, reported NDTV It is established under the Assam Solar Energy Policy 2017.
The CM said he has committed to taking the development of Assam to new heights by driving the state power generation towards non-conventional energy sources in the next five years. He claimed that 50% of the state's power demand will be met through solar energy over this period.
Sarma announced that Assam will become a key solar power-producing state in India by 2026. He added that solar power generation will reach 215 MW in the next two months.
Speaking about the importance of sustainable energy, the CM said climate change is one of the biggest problems the world is facing. He noted that the Assam government has decided to strike a balance between development and nature.
The Assam government has plans to generate 1,000 MW of solar power with an investment of Rs 5,000 crores. "Steps are being taken to reap the benefits of renewable sources of energy. Assam will mitigate the results of environmental pollution in the next five years."
On May 31, he inaugurated another solar power project at Amguri in the Sivasagar district. It had a power generation capacity of 70 MW which makes it northeast India's biggest solar power project.