New Delhi,/Jammu, February 01 (Scoop News) – Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah has sanctioned over Rs. 30 crores to the Jammu & Kashmir Police to install over 500 solar photovoltaic power plants at training centres, battalion headquarters, SDPOs offices and even police stations and border police posts. This is the fifth major solar energy initiative supported by MNRE in the State in the current year.
The proposal by the J&K Police envisages setting up of 523 solar photovoltaic power plants with an aggregate capacity of 1.4 MW at various establishments of the J&K Police spread throughout the State. The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 38 crores. 90 percent of this would be contributed by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy as Central Finance Assistance (CFA).
The project is expected to be completed in a year’s time. The installations of these power plants will enable uninterrupted power supply to the various police installations. In particular, reliable power supply to far-flung and remote police stations and out posts will ensure regular connectivity and quicker action in both routine law & order and anti-terrorist activities.
Last year, over Rs. 30 crores were sanctioned by the Ministry for setting up of over 65 power plants in the major health centres of the State with an aggregate capacity of over 1 MW. Over 20,000 solar home lights were also sanctioned for distribution in the far-flung areas of the State at a total project cost of Rs. 23 crores.
Earlier this year, the Ministry had sanctioned power plants for various installations including the Islamic University in Srinagar and the Government Polytechnic, Srinagar. It has also given support for bringing mobile connectivity to far-flung areas of Kishtwar district by sanctioning over Rs. 35 lakhs for solarisation of telecom towers in that area.