On January 1st, 2024, the Himachal Pradesh government announced the start of the second phase of ‘The Rajiv Gandhi Swarozgaar Start-Up Yojana’. Under the scheme, the state will help youth in setting up solar power plants on their idle/barren lands and earn an income by selling the generated energy to the grid.
“The scheme focuses on the installation of SPPs with capacities ranging from 100 kW (kilowatts) to 500 kW, thereby contributing substantially to the State’s renewable energy targets. This will not only provide self-employment opportunities but will also stimulate economic growth amongst the youth in times to come,” states the official document.
People aged 21-45 can benefit from the Yojana. To set up a solar plant, the beneficiary will have to pay 10% of the amount as a security deposit. The government will help facilitate a bank loan for 70% of the value and also provide an additional 30% equity.
As per the government statement, participants with three bighas of land can set up a 100kW solar plant and earn a monthly income of around ₹20,000 for 25 years. This income can be scaled up to ₹40,000 and ₹1 lakh per month with solar plants of 200kW and 500kW capacity.
This scheme aims to help the unemployed youth of the state generate a steady income and increase the solar energy capacity of the state. The Rajiv Gandhi Swarozgaar Start-Up Yojana is also in effect in Uttrakhand.
Despite the challenging terrain in Himachal, the state government is making dedicated efforts to tap into its full solar potential. In April 2023, Himachal Pradesh signed an agreement with Oil India to develop floating solar and ground-mounted solar projects.
In September 2023, Himachal also announced plans to solarize 24 green panchayats in the state.
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Resource: The Hindu
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