The UT administration plans to extend solar plant installation deadline, ending on March 31, by six to nine months.
Sources said, “The administration is contemplating extending the deadline till September-end or December-end. The final decision will be taken by UT administrator VP Singh Badnore.”
The last deadline had ended on March 31, 2020. As lockdown was is in force, the UT had decided not to impose any penalty on residents, and extended the deadline till March 31, 2021.
“The issue will be discussed next month when senior UT officials and the Chandigarh Renewal Energy, Science and Technology Promotion Society (Crest) will hold a meeting. The administration plans to extend the last date because of many reasons like people could not install solar plants due to national lockdown and coronavirus; shortage of manpower with companies for setting up of the plants on residential houses; and concern of residents on allowing people to enter their houses for installation of plants due to coronavirus, among others,” sources added.
The Union government last year had notified the new subsidy scheme for the rooftop solar units. Under it, the subsidy amount has been raised from 30% to 40% for panels up to 3 kWp capacity. For solar units from 4 kWp to 10 kWp, the subsidy will be 20%. The same has been adopted by the UT administration. There will be no subsidy for plants above 10kWp. Earlier, 30% subsidy was given to all applicants irrespective of the capacity of the plant.
The administration in a notification issued on May 18, 2016, had made installation of rooftop solar power plants mandatory in residential houses measuring 500 square yard and above and group housing societies. There are around 10,000 such houses in different parts of the city, including sectors 8 (417 houses), 11 (493 houses), 33 (643 houses), 35 (419 houses) and 36 (417 houses).
