New Delhi: Under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and the guidance of Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan and Principal Secretary (Energy) Dr. R. Meenakshi Sundaram, Uttarakhand has achieved outstanding national recognition under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, bagging four awards simultaneously.
At a ceremony held at the Atal Akshay Urja Bhawan in New Delhi to mark the successful completion of two years of the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, Uttarakhand was felicitated by Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
On behalf of the state, the awards were received by Shri G. S. Budiyal, Managing Director of Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL).
At the award ceremony organized by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Uttarakhand was awarded the first prize across four vital operational segments under the ‘Low Consumer Base States’ category. This top national ranking comes as a direct result of the state government’s continuous sustainability efforts and citizen-centric policies in the renewable energy sector.
Uttarakhand secured the first prize in the following four categories:
Maximum Consumer Applications
Maximum Solar Installations
Maximum DISCOM Inspections
Maximum Vendor Registrations
This prestigious recognition stands as a testament to Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited’s (UPCL) excellence in ensuring effective implementation, driving consumer awareness, speeding up service delivery, and maintaining transparent processes.
To maximize consumer enrollment, UPCL launched extensive public awareness campaigns, organized local camps, utilized digital media, and executed targeted grassroot initiatives across the state. Furthermore, the corporation streamlined and expedited the entire pipeline—from application approvals and technical inspections to net metering and rooftop solar installations—ensuring that the benefits reached ordinary citizens in a time-bound manner.
Under the scheme, eligible consumers receive lucrative financial subsidies from the Central Government to install rooftop solar power plants. This has led to a significant reduction in household electricity bills while actively promoting clean and green energy. The surging public interest in the scheme across Uttarakhand serves as a positive indicator toward the state’s energy self-reliance and environmental conservation goals.
The event was attended by representatives from various states alongside senior officials, including Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE); Jitendra Srivastava, Chairman and Managing Director, REC Limited; Saurabh Jain, Executive Director (ED), PFC; Dr. Arunabha Ghosh, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), CEEW; Pankaj Kargeti, Engagement Lead, CEEW; and Akhilesh Sharma, Deputy Chief Project Officer (CPO), UREDA.
