Shimla: Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu virtually inaugurated a 500-kilowatt ground-mounted solar power project in Gram Panchayat Mamlig of Solan district under the Green Panchayat Scheme, from Shimla today.
Built at a cost of Rs. 2 crore, the construction of the project began on 23 December, 2024 and it was connected to the electricity grid on 24 February, 2026. The Chief Minister said the project was currently generating around 3,000 units of clean electricity every day and was expected to produce nearly eight lakh units annually. Under the power purchase agreement, the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited would purchase the electricity at Rs. 3.50 per unit, providing the state with clean energy as well as a stable source of long-term revenue.
He said the project’s biggest strength was its people-centric revenue-sharing model. 25 percent of the income generated under this project would be used for development works in the gram panchayat, another 25 percent on the welfare of orphans and widows, 20 per cent would go to the state government while 20 percent to HIMURJA and the remaining 10 percent would be used for the operation and maintenance of the project. The Gram Panchayat is expected to earn around Rs. 14 lakh every year from the project.
Sukhu said the solar power plant, which has a lifespan of 25 years, was an excellent example of clean energy generation, environmental protection, rural development and social welfare. He said the initiative would support the state’s sustainable development goals while helping make village panchayats more self-reliant.
The Chief Minister said the state government was working to strengthen the rural economy and setting up solar power projects in panchayats was an important step in that direction. The state government was providing a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for naturally grown farm produce and the highest support price for milk in the country. The government aims that the people living in villages also enjoy facilities similar to those available in towns and cities.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil, who attended the event in Mamlig, thanked the Chief Minister for the project. He said the government had introduced significant improvements in the education and healthcare sectors under the leadership of Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
Dr. Shandil said that, due to the Chief Minister’s efforts, more than 80 percent of doctor’s posts in government health institutions had now been filled up. The vacancies for paramedical-staff and technicians had also been addressed. He said that government hospitals in the state now offer advanced healthcare services such as MRI, 3-Tesla MRI scanners and robotic surgery, that were previously available only in major cities and big hospitals.
He said the state government had launched a major campaign against drug abuse and appealed to people from all sections of society to support the initiative and help make Himachal Pradesh free from the menace of ‘chitta’. Speaker, HP Vidhan Sabha Kuldeep Singh Pathania was also present in Shimla during the virtual inauguration.
