The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — The Administrative Council (AC) of Jammu & Kashmir, chaired by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday, has approved notable initiatives to enhance the UT’s infrastructure and educational framework.

In a crucial decision, the AC greenlit the solarization of all government buildings in Jammu & Kashmir, targeting an aggregate capacity of 270 MW. The project, estimated to cost Rs 400 crore, will be executed in both Capex and RESCO modes.

Managed by the Jammu & Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JKEDA), the initiative aims to leverage the vast rooftop spaces of government establishments for solar energy generation.

The plan includes installing Grid-Tied Rooftop solar power systems with bi-directional smart meters and Virtual Net Metering (VNM) benefits, enabling efficient energy adjustment across various government buildings.

The project, expected to be completed by December 2025, is projected to create over 10,800 jobs across highly skilled, skilled, and unskilled sectors. Additionally, the installation of 270 MW solar power plants is anticipated to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 8.3 million tons over 25 years.

The AC meeting, attended by Advisor to LG Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, and Principal Secretary to LG Mandeep K Bhandari, stressed accelerating the deployment of rooftop solar projects across all government-owned buildings in the UT.

In another key decision, the AC approved the continued affiliation of government polytechnics and Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in Leh and Kargil with the J&K Board of Technical Education.

This decision, requested by the Union Territory of Ladakh, aims to benefit the students of the region by ensuring a smooth admission process and timely conduct of examinations. The affiliation will extend until the end of the academic session 2025-26 or until Ladakh establishes its own Board of Technical Education.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — The Jammu and Kashmir Government has initiated multiple projects to install rooftop solar power plants in over 40,000 buildings in the Union territory, both government and residential, by the end of 2025, officials told the news agency KNO.

The new initiative has the potential to generate an additional 270 MW of solar energy in the Union territory by December 2025. It would cover 20,000 households and at least 22,494 government structures.

Currently, 3,800 residential and 3,825 government buildings in J&K have been solarised, with a total capacity of 60 MW. The Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA) is the primary executing department.

Notably, as part of the clean energy goal, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has set a target for the J&K Government to generate 500 MW of solar energy in the area by 2030. Furthermore, the UT must generate 1500 MW of solar energy by 2047.

In the budget released earlier this week, the Centre proposed Rs 150 crore for the installation of solar rooftops and solar pumps in Union territory. It also proposed to replace 4,000 AC agriculture pumps with solar pumps under the PM-KUSUM scheme.

“Around 4 MW rooftop solar power plants to be installed on the government buildings. Nearly 22,494 government buildings will be 100% solarised in a phased manner,” as per the Union budget.

In addition to the solar power plants, 5,000 improved biomass cookstoves will be provided in the tribal areas to reduce indoor air pollution and fuel use. Besides, solarization of all routes and camps of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra would be achieved.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse