(a) whether the Government proposes to give certain financial
incentives to people belonging to economically marginalized sections
of society for purchase of renewable energy equipments;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the incentives given by the Government to the manufactures
of solar equipments ; and
(d) the other measures being taken by the Government to popularize
the renewable sources of energy?
THE MINISTER OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
(DR. FAROOQ ABDULLAH)
(a): The Government is already providing Central Financial Assistance
(CFA) / Incentives ranging between 30 to 100% of costs of deployment/
purchase of various types of renewable equipment to people, including
those belonging to economically marginalized sections of society,
depending on location and user category.
(b): Details of the CFA/ incentives being provided for various off-grid/
decentralized renewable energy systems/ devices are given in Annexure.
(c): Incentive of excise duty exemption is available to manufactures of
solar equipments. Benefit of nil/ concessional customs duty on import of
some of the equipment, raw materials, components and products used in
manufacture of solar energy equipment is also available.
(d): The Government has taken several measures to popularize use of
renewable sources of energy in the country. These include:
# Provision of fiscal and financial incentives, such as, capital/ interest
subsidy, accelerated depreciation, nil/ concessional excise and customs duties.
# Encouraging private investment in renewable power projects through additional
measures like Generation Based Incentives, Renewable Power Purchase Obligations
and Preferential Tariffs in most potential States; etc.
# Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission initiated in January 2010 to promote
large scale deployment of solar energy systems.
# Supporting sector specific seminars/ workshops/ training programmes.
# Extensive publicity and awareness on the use of renewable energy systems/ devices
through print, postal and electronic media.