Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy under its scheme “Development of Solar Cities” has approved/sanctioned 60 Cities including 13 Pilot and 5 Model Cities up to 12th Five-year Plan period.
In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on February 6, 2018, Minister of State (IC) for Power & New and Renewable Energy R K Singh informed that the master plans of 49 Solar Cities have been prepared. Stakeholders Committees have been constituted in 21 Cities and Solar City Cells have been created in 37 Solar Cities. Solar PV projects with aggregate capacity of 8,069.16 kWP and Solar Water Heating System with aggregate capacity of 7,894 meter square collector area have been sanctioned under the programme. While Rs 101.64 crore has been sanctioned, Rs 25.92 crore has been released under “Development of Solar Cities” so far.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has accorded sanction for preparation of Master Plan for development of 52 Green Campus up to 12th Five year Plan period. The Ministry provides Central Financial support up to Rs 5 lakh for preparing Master Plan for development of green campus in the educational institutions, office complexes, residential and commercial complexes etc. An amount of Rs 2.59 crore has been sanctioned and an amount of Rs 1.02 crore has been released till January 31, 2018, for this purpose, according to a PIB release.