MP plays safe with safeguard duty for solar tender, revises conditions

With the safeguard duty recommended on July 16, the state had to push its bid submission date from July 19 to August 23.

In what could set the template for other state governments that find themselves facing the hump of safeguard duty on solar gear, the Madhya Pradesh government has revised the conditions for its rooftop solar tender.

The state was in the middle of a tender when the Centre on July 30 notified a safeguard duty ranging from 15-25 per cent on solar cells and panel. The state has amended Clause 3.29 of the request for proposal (RFP), dealing with tax and duties, through a corrigendum to the tender. The Madhya Pradesh government had floated a tender to put up 28