Says no work had been done on this front during the last five years
(Party says canal top solar energy project first laid in Punjab by Renewable Energy ministry under Bikram Majithia)
Chandigarh – The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today said Punjab had become a laggard in generating solar energy after achieving the distinction of establishing 1,000 mega watt renewable energy projects in the State during the erstwhile SAD led government.
Asserting that no work had been done on this front during the last five years, former minister Maheshinder Singh Grewal said an impression was being given by Renewable Energy minister Aman Arora that canal top solar energy projects were being brought into Punjab for the first time. “The fact is that former Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal headed this initiative and it was Bikram Singh Majithia who implemented the solar push in Punjab by bringing in investment of Rs 200 crore in 2012 for the 5 megawatt canal top solar project near Ludhiana.”.
Maheshinder Grewal said the Renewable Energy ministry was able to attract an investment of nearly Rs 3,500 crore under the leadership of Bikram Majithia. “The highlights included the inauguration of the country’s largest single rooftop 2 MW project at a cost of Rs 70 crore”. He said Punjab became the most preferred State for investment in solar energy during the erstwhile SAD government even as practically no investment happened in its neighbouring State”.
Grewal asked the AAP government to come up with a transparent policy to boost renewable energy, saying “till now we have only seen announcements being made with nothing happening at the ground level. The government should also commit itself to disclosing the results of its announcements which remain on paper only till now”, he added.
