Bhubaneswar, 08 July (H.S.): Odisha Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo on Wednesday announced that the PM-Surya Ghar Yojana will be integrated with various state housing schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (PMAY), to ensure wider access to rooftop solar power among beneficiaries.

The announcement was made during a high-level review meeting chaired by the Deputy Chief Minister on power sector reforms, safety measures and the implementation of central and state government schemes.

The meeting was attended by Housing and Urban Development Minister Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik, Additional Chief Secretary (Energy) Vishal Kumar Dev, CMD of Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL) Bhaskar Jyoti Sarma, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department S.N. Girish, along with senior officials of the Energy Department and DISCOMs.

Highlighting the government’s focus on renewable energy and affordable housing, Singh Deo said the integration of PM-Surya Ghar with housing schemes will provide beneficiaries with an option to adopt solar power solutions.

“Our aim is to ensure that every beneficiary under PMAY and other housing schemes also gets the benefit of solar energy. By linking PM-Surya Ghar with state housing programmes, we will provide clean, affordable and reliable electricity while helping people reduce their power bills,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.

Under the scheme, beneficiaries in urban areas will receive a central subsidy of ₹30,000 and a state subsidy of ₹25,000 for the installation of a 1 KW rooftop solar system. The beneficiary contribution for a 1 KW solar panel installation will be ₹1,875.

Focus on Power Safety and Infrastructure Development

During the meeting, the Deputy Chief Minister directed distribution companies (DISCOMs) to prioritise public safety measures across urban and rural areas.

Several key decisions were taken, including the implementation of an ₹3,708 crore underground cabling project across all four DISCOMs to replace overhead power lines. Officials were also instructed to prepare a comprehensive safety Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Odisha DISCOMs.

The government will also undertake measures such as shifting low-hanging electric wires, replacing bare conductors with insulated conductors, installing fencing at distribution substations, constructing boundary walls around power substations, and providing cradle and guard wires for low-tension (LT) line protection.

The meeting also discussed the development of a utility shifting portal/application and an LTDB system to strengthen safety mechanisms for LT infrastructure.

The Deputy Chief Minister reviewed the progress of the PM-SGMBY and ULA Model for urban and rural electrification, including installation of poles, wiring systems and street lighting facilities.

Singh Deo emphasised that the state government is committed to providing safe, reliable and sustainable power supply to every household in Odisha. He directed officials to ensure time-bound implementation of all infrastructure and safety-related projects.

He further stressed the need for coordination among all concerned departments to ensure efficient service delivery and strengthen the state’s power infrastructure.

Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda