Renewable energy projects exempted from CLU, EDC in Punjab

Punjab government today announced to exempt renewable energy power projects from change of land use (CLU) and external development charges (EDC) to promote setting up of renewable energy projects.
This decision in the regard was taken by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal here today.
Badal while reviewing the ongoing power projects with Panchayats and Rural Development Minister Sikandar Singh Maluka and Renewable Energy Minister Bikram Singh Majithia asked the housing and urban development department to immediately issue a notification to exempt solar energy projects being developed by the PEDA under built, operate and own (BOO) basis from CLU and EDC charges.

Solar power projects were also exempted from obtaining any NOC from Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), said an official release.
Badal said Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) has recently handed over approval letters for 250 MW Solar power projects with investment of Rs 2,500-3,000 crore.
He informed that various power projects having capacity of 250 MW would be commissioned by January 31, 2015.
Deputy CM while deliberating upon the state gram panchayats land lease policy directed that rural land price fixation committee headed by concerned Deputy Commissioner would fix the lease rates keeping in view the nature of land and prevailing contract prices of concerned agricultural or barren land.

It was also decided in the meeting to give a hike of six per cent to gram panchayats over and above contracted price for the land given for the projects.