‘340 houses to be solarised by April 20’
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Apr 7: Three hundred forty houses in Palli Panchayat of Samba district of Jammu region will get the gift of solar energy during Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s visit to Jammu on April 24 to mark the Panchayati Raj Day celebrations where a 500 KWP Ground Mounted Solar Power (GMSP) Plant is being installed in the record time of 20 days by Central Electronics Limited (CEL), a CPSE under Department of Scientific Industrial Research (DSIR).
Disclosing this to Excelsior, Union Minister in PMO with independent charge of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Ministry, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the work on the project is going on at pace to install the solar energy plant in the village by April 20. He said the Science and Technology Ministry is going to create a world record for lighting the Palli Panchayat with solar energy within 20 days.
The initiative of installing the solar plant in the village has been taken on his directions. He said the PV array of 500 KWP solar power plants is being installed in a total area of 6408 sq meter at the Palli Panchayat. The approximate expenditure for Supply, Installation, Testing & Commissioning (SITC) including five years annual maintenance is approximately Rs 2.75 crore.
Dr Jitendra Singh said the average daily electricity generation from this 500 KWP Solar Power Plant is expected to be around 2000 – 2050 units against the average daily requirement of 2000 units.
He said approximately 340 households would be the direct beneficiary from this 500 KWP Solar Power Plant and their consumption would be net zero making Palli Panchayat as the India’s first carbon neutral Panchayat under Gram Urja Swaraj Programme (GUSP).
He said CEL is India’s most trusted Solar Solutions Provider manufacturing Solar PV Panel with lifespan of more than 25 years in the field. CEL pioneered Solar PV Cells and Panels in the country (First Solar PV Cell made in 1977 and First Solar PV Panel made in 1978)
The village will become the first village of its kind in J&K to be fully illuminated with solar energy before the Prime Minister’s visit on April 24, Dr Jitendra Singh added.
The Union Minister said that farmers will be exposed to the modern techniques of farming along with the use of drones in the Farming Sector during the visit of Prime Minister, in the Palli Panchayat.
Though in normal times the project takes about 90 days for completion but the team of Central Electronic Limited which has been entrusted the job are working round the clock and would complete the project by April 20, he said. The work on the project was started on March 31 and 10 Kanals of land were allotted for the purpose by the J&K Government. The team of Central Electronics Limited (CEL) which arrived from Delhi is in action mood to achieve the target by April 20, Dr Jitendra Singh said, adding their men are on the job 24×7 to convert the project into the reality. He said a 630 KV transformer will be installed for the generation of 500 KV energy.
The Minister said that a team from his Ministry also visited the Palli village and inspected the work of solar plants being installed by Central Electronics Limited there. He said earlier it was decided to hold the Panchayati Raj Day celebrations in Karnataka and later the venue was shifted to J&K.
The Union Minister said that eight Ministries are integrating in celebrations of the Panchayti Raj Diwas which included Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Atomic Energy & Space and Earth Sciences, Bio Technology, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj showcasing latest technology applicable in agriculture farming and Panchayati and Rural Raj Development. These Ministries played an important role in rural development and are also working closely on this project.
Maintaining that visit of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi will be of great benefit for the people of UT, he said during PM’s visit to Palli village, farmers would be made aware about the innovation and new experiments in the Agriculture Sector for modern farming.
The other modern weapons of agriculture will also be displayed and like village Palli action will be taken to take advantage of new technology in other villages of the UT and work is also being done to take the broad band to every Panchayat and use of drone for agriculture and farming.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that the review meetings are being held every Saturday and Sunday by him and Giriraj, Union Minister of Panchayati Raj which is joined by the Commissioner Secretary Rural Development of J&K as well to monitor the work and preparations for PM’s visit.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) to Dr Jitendra Singh, Sanjeev Sharma also visited the village to update the Ministry about the progress of work.
The officials engaged in installation of solar panels and transformer at Palli village said that their focus is how to finish the work before stipulated time frame which is a big challenge to them. However, they are confident that they will accomplish it with ease.
Meanwhile Union Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh held a review meeting virtually with senior party leaders including BJP UT president, Ravinder Raina, MP Jugal Kishore Sharma former Deputy Chief Ministers, Dr Nirmal Singh and Kavinder Gupta, party general secretary (org), Ashok Kaul and other leaders regarding the preparations of the programme about PM’s forthcoming visit.
Dr Jitendra Singh, who is visiting Jammu tomorrow will also hold meeting with administration in the evening here to review the arrangements and preparations for PM’s April 24 visit as well as solarisation of Palli village.
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