Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, reaffirmed India’s position as a global leader in renewable energy at the Regional Review Meeting on Renewable Energy held in Jaipur on Tuesday. The Minister emphasized the country’s readiness to exceed its ambitious target of 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.
Addressing representatives from Northern Region states, including Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, the Minister called for renewable energy to play a more significant role in meeting India’s growing power demand, which is expected to double by 2032.
The Central Government has allocated an additional 5,000 MW to Rajasthan under the PM Kusum Scheme in January 2025 as requested by the state. The recent inauguration of four solar power projects in Jaisalmer, totaling 1,200 MW.
Continuous state-level reviews have been held in various regions, including Gandhinagar, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, and Mumbai, with plans for future meetings in Visakhapatnam, Varanasi, and Guwahati to further strengthen the sector’s progress. Ongoing engagement of Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy(MNRE) with industry stakeholders to address challenges and expectations in the renewable energy sector.
Incentive Amounts:
- Incentive amounts to Discoms for promoting Rooftop Solar were disbursed to various Discoms by Union Minister Joshi during the review meeting.
- The incentives pertained to the financial years FY 20, FY 21, FY 22 and FY 23. Jodhpur and Ajmer Discoms of Rajasthan state were provided with incentive amounts of Rs. 39.43 crores and Rs. 17.59 crores respectively pertaining to Financial Years 21, 22, 23 and 24.
- Dakshin Haryana and Uttar Haryana Discoms were provided with incentive amounts of Rs. 42.68 crores and Rs. 22.43 crores respectively pertaining to Financial Years 20, 21, 22 and 23.
- Punjab Discom (PSPCL) received an amount of Rs.11.39 crores pertaining to FY 23.
- Uttarakhand received Rs.9.48 crore as incentive for Financial Years 20, 21, 22 and 23.
- For Uttar Pradesh, Madhyanchal Discom received Rs.9.51 crores as incentive for Financial Years 21, 22 and 23.
Key Highlights from the Meeting
National Progress and Investments
India has already surpassed 200 GW in renewable energy capacity, with solar power leading at 97 GW, followed by wind power at 48 GW and hydroelectric power at 52 GW. The nation’s commitment to achieving 500 GW by 2030 and an ambitious 1,800 GW by 2047 remains strong. Recent investments totaling ₹32 lakh crore underline the government’s focus on a sustainable and energy-secure future.
Regional Focus: Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh
Satish Misra, Minister for Science & Technology in Jammu & Kashmir, shared insights into the state’s renewable energy progress, including the installation of over 35 MW of solar power in the domestic sector and the deployment of 3,000 solar pumps. He emphasized J&K’s potential in solar, small hydroelectric, and wind energy, while also stressing the importance of hosting a regional workshop in the state to address its unique challenges in energy development.
In Himachal Pradesh, Rajesh Dharmani, Minister for Town and Country Planning, outlined the state’s green energy initiatives, including the establishment of a 1 MW green hydrogen plant, over 75% green energy in its energy portfolio, and a target of 100% non-fossil fuel energy by 2026. He emphasized the need for collaboration and knowledge sharing to accelerate green energy adoption across states.
Leadership in Renewable Energy: Rajasthan and Haryana
Heeralal Nagar, Hon’ble Minister of Energy in Rajasthan, discussed the state’s significant progress in the RE sector, including the installation of a 2000 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and the implementation of over 5000 MW under the PM KUSUM scheme. Rajasthan is a leader in solar, wind, and BESS, and the state is committed to meeting its target of 125 GW of renewable energy by 2030.
Anil Vij, Hon’ble Minister for Energy, Transport & Labour in Haryana, also spoke about the state’s growing investment in renewable energy infrastructure and its commitment to achieving green energy goals.
Towards a Sustainable Future
Minister Joshi highlighted India’s leading role in green hydrogen production and its commitment to the Panchamrit initiative from COP26. He emphasized the need for innovative thinking and global partnerships to achieve sustainability targets, including scaling battery storage and distributed energy technologies.
