Andhra Pradesh Minister Gottipati Ravikumar has highlighted the state’s focus on energy conservation, following directives from Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. He noted that the Chief Minister has urged households to generate and use solar power on their rooftops during the day.
The minister announced the launch of the “Surya Ghar” initiative, aiming to provide 600,000 free 2-kilowatt solar connections to the poor — an unprecedented scale nationwide. While the central government aims for 10 million connections across India, Andhra Pradesh has set a target of 2 million.
He emphasised the importance of alternative energy sources, pointing out India’s reliance on importing fossil fuels. The government offers subsidies of ₹60,000 for 2-kilowatt and ₹78,000 for 3-kilowatt systems, with an additional ₹20,000 supplement for households. Beneficiaries from SC and ST communities can avail a total subsidy of ₹125,000.
The minister stated that the government is installing solar panels on public offices, schools, and hospitals to generate electricity without burdening the public financially. Over the past two years, the government has absorbed costs amounting to ₹5,000 crore, preventing tariff hikes.
He called for collective efforts in adhering to government guidelines, criticising previous administrations for imposing excessive charges. The coalition government has already reduced electricity tariffs and aims to further lower them, ensuring quality power supply without financial strain on citizens.
Minister Ravikumar reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing clean energy and reducing reliance on external fuel imports, working in line with the directives of the Chief Minister to ensure sustainable development.
