J&K inks MoU for 7,500 MW solar power generation

Agreement was signed at a high-level meeting of senior officers of the state government and MNRE, chaired by Farooq Abdullah

The Jammu and Kashmir government today signed an MoU with the Ministry for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India, for implementation of solar power projects of the capacity of 7,500 MW.

The agreement was signed at a high-level meeting of the senior officers of the state government and MNRE, chaired by the Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Farooq Abdullah here today.

Under the MoU Solar Projects of the capacity of 5,000 MW in Ladakh and 2,500 MW in Kargil possessing tremendous potential for new and renewable energy would be taken up for implementation.

The Union Joint Secretary, MNRE, Tarun Kapoor and Jammu and Kashmir State Commissioner Secretary, Science and Technology Bipul Pathak signed the MoU on behalf of the duo governments.

The Union Minister, while highlighting the importance of the MoU between the state and the Central Government for harnessing of green energy from the Ladakh area, said this area possesses vast potential of solar power.

He said the agreement for its harnessing is an important landmark and the initiative would catapult the energy sector in Jammu and Kashmir besides bringing in economic revolution.

Ladakh possesses the potential of 30,000 MW of solar energy and today's signing of MoU would be a vanguard step towards harnessing this potential, he added.

Abdullah said his Ministry has initiated various projects in Jammu and Kashmir to help the state to generate power from non-conventional resources available here.

He said the Government of India has flagged generation of new and renewable energy as an important sector and a target of producing 1,00,000 MW of power through non-conventional resources of energy in the country by 2022.

The Minister of State for Power Vikar Rasool Wani expressed gratitude to Abdullah for the lot of help and assistance extended by his Ministry to Jammu and Kashmir for strengthening the energy sector and generating solar energy.

He spoke about the help provided by MNRE for installation of Solar Power Plants in hospitals, educational institutions, ITIs and other institutions besides providing solar lights to the people in rural and far-flung areas.