Climate concerns reflect in solar scheme

The government’s keenness to promote rooftop solar installations comes through in the interim budget. Addressing a press conference after the budget, union finance secretary T.V. Somanathan said: "There is a provision of ₹10,000 crore for rooftop solar in the budget."

- Rituraj Baruah

The move is expected to boost the ambitious goal of 500 gigawatts (GW) renewable capacity by 2030. With a target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, India is positioning itself as a front-runner in fighting climate change.

Although the modalities of the scheme have not yet been announced, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman told the media after presenting the budget: "Rooftop solar for at least 300 units of power generation every month, which will be ‘muft bijli’ (free electricity) for the households. There will be some assistance and some kind of a funding which will be extended."