KD NEWS SERVICE
SRINAGAR, Oct 3: Jammu and Kashmir is poised for a significant expansion in rooftop solar power, with Union Power Secretary Pankaj Aggarwal describing the Union Territory as being at the “take-off stage” under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.
Aggarwal made the remarks during a visit to the Seva Setu Abhiyan Camp at Jogger’s Park, Rajbagh, Srinagar, where he reviewed the implementation of the rooftop solar initiative and interacted with beneficiaries.
The Power Secretary said J&K had made a positive beginning under the flagship rooftop solar programme but would require sustained efforts to build greater momentum and expand adoption among households.
He said his visit to the Union Territory was intended to assess developments in the power sector, particularly the work being undertaken under the Centre’s Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) and the PM Surya Ghar programme.
“There is a lot of work happening in J&K under the central government scheme of RDSS and, again, today what we are witnessing is the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. It is quite encouraging,” Aggarwal said.
He added that a detailed review of the ongoing initiatives would provide a clearer picture of the progress achieved so far and the areas requiring further attention.
The implementation of rooftop solar also came under discussion during his interaction with beneficiaries, particularly the issue of subsidy payments.
Aggarwal said the central subsidy mechanism under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy was portal-based and had been streamlined, with payments being transferred directly to eligible beneficiaries.
“So far as we understand, the MNRE subsidy disbursement system is totally portal-driven and it has been quite well streamlined. The flow of subsidy from the central government is quite smooth and it is directly to the beneficiaries,” he said.
The possibility of providing additional financial support by the J&K administration was also raised during the interaction. Aggarwal said the issue of a higher Union Territory-level top-up subsidy could be taken up with the Chief Secretary.
“One gentleman suggested that if the UT top-up subsidy could be better, and we will have a discussion with the Chief Secretary when we meet him,” he said.
Aggarwal also highlighted the changing landscape of solar power generation across the country, noting that a substantial portion of India’s installed solar capacity is based on large ground-mounted projects.
He said ground-mounted solar had expanded considerably in states including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, where large tracts of land have enabled utility-scale projects.
For J&K, however, he indicated that the rooftop model could assume greater importance because of the Union Territory’s distinct geographical and land-use characteristics.
He said rooftop solar could enable households to become electricity producers while also helping reduce dependence on conventional power sources and supporting the broader clean-energy transition.
Aggarwal expressed confidence that the initial response to PM Surya Ghar in J&K would translate into faster adoption as awareness increases and more households come forward to install rooftop solar systems.
“J&K has made a good start in PM Surya Ghar and it takes time to build momentum in the state. Now we are in the take-off stage and it will do very well,” he said.
The emphasis on rooftop solar comes at a time when the Union Territory is simultaneously undertaking major reforms and infrastructure upgrades in its power distribution system under RDSS. Together, the initiatives are aimed at improving the reliability of electricity supply while encouraging greater participation of consumers in renewable energy generation.
