The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has received the President of India's nod for a new solar energy scheme targeting the electrification of 100,000 unelectrified households in tribal regions with off-grid solar.
The new scheme for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) Habitations/Villages has been devised under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN). The off-grid solar solution could be through solar home lighting systems (SHLS) or solar mini-grids, based on the results of field surveys.
The total budget allocated for the scheme at INR 5.15 billion ($62 million) will be released over a 3-year period of 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26. MNRE said a separate budget line PM JANMAN has been opened for this purpose.
Off-grid solar systems will be made available for target households in regions where grid electricity supply is not feasible on a techno-economic basis. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) has identified beneficiary households in 18 states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal, along with the Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
The central government will cover 100% cost of 0.3 kW solar off-grid system for all 100,000 households, fixed at INR 50,000 ($602)/household.
Additionally, under the scheme, solar lighting will be provided for 1,500 multi-purpose centers (MOC) in PVTG areas that are off the grid with the central government bearing 100% cost of INR 100,000 ($1,203)/MPC.
Respective discoms in the PVTG area will be the implementing agencies for this scheme. They will also issue open tenders for all components.
According to the MNRE, India's total off-grid solar capacity was 2.75 GW as of December 31, 2023.