Solar energy to ‘power’ Panchayat offices in Karnataka

Udupi, Jan 12, 2021: Power cuts resulting in frequent obstruction and delay in providing services at the Gram Panchayat offices may shortly be history as the state government has come out with a plan for uninterrupted green energy.

While the government is planning to provide most of the documents at the village level through Panchayats, the power outage, especially during monsoon is one of the major problems of rural areas.

But now the state government has plans to ‘power,’ all the Gram Panchayats with solar energy.

The state government has finalized the tenders for this ₹300 crore project of solar energy solutions to Gram Panchayat offices throughout the state.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department minister K S Eshwarappa told reporters at Udupi today that his department has consulted experts in the renewable energy field to formulate guidelines.

The project may cost and investment of ₹ 3 to 4 lakh. The implementing agency will have to maintain it for five years. The Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) can choose the implementing agency for their district from the empaneled agencies listed by the state government.

Speaking about the project, Eshwarappa said that it would help in easing out the burden on the Panchayats as the electric charge was one of the major drains for the village panchayats. Also, the uninterrupted power supply will help in increasing the efficiency of the Panchayats.