Tamil Nadu gives big push to solar power

CHENNAI, INDIA: The Tamil Nadu government plans to give a big thrust to solar power with its plans to energise street lights and houses with power from the sun and also setting up a 50 MW solar park in public-private-partnership (PPP) mode.

Presenting the AIADMK government's first budget Thursday, Finance Minister O. Pannerselvam said the government plans to energise 20,000 street lights in 200 villages at a cost of Rs.49.60 crore.

He said the subsidy from the central government will be Rs.11.20 crore and the balance will be funded by the state government.

Referring to the government's plan to build 60,000 green houses this fiscal, he said Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA) will take up the energisation of the houses with solar power at an outlay of around Rs.180 crore.

Pannerselvam said the central government subsidy will be Rs.48.60 crore and the balance will be met by the state government.

"As a part of the government's commitment towards green energy, it is proposed to establish initially a 50 MW solar park in PPP (public-private-partnership) mode through competitive bidding process," Pannerselvam said.