20-kilowatt solar panels to be installed in panchayats

Patna, November 6: (ABN) Chief Minister Smriti Choudhary has issued important directives to promote alternative sources of energy in the state's panchayats, ordering the installation of 20-kilowatt capacity solar panels on water towers instead of the proposed 5-kilowatt ones. She stated that this would benefit people in rural areas the most and also lead to savings in electricity costs. Chief Minister Smriti Choudhary gave these directives while presiding over the review meeting of the Panchayati Raj Department on Friday at the Lok Seva Awas located in the 'Sankalp' Auditorium. During the meeting, the department's Secretary Manoj Kumar presented a detailed presentation on the proposed schemes and their implementation. The presentation informed the Chief Minister about the proposal to install off-grid solar panels on water towers under the 'Chief Minister Rural Drinking Water Scheme'. During this, details regarding the annual electricity bill expenses for each scheme, financial arrangements, installation and maintenance of solar panels, monitoring, and the role of BREADA (Patna) in implementation were also presented. In addition, light was shed on the financial savings from the scheme and the possibilities of utilizing that amount. In the review meeting, the Chief Minister directed to expedite the construction work of Panchayat Sargra Bhavans, stating that an effective system for proper maintenance and regular monitoring of these buildings should be established. She clarified that the contractors constructing the Panchayat Sargra Bhavans should also be given the responsibility of their upkeep, and their accountability in this regard should be fixed. She also directed to include the installation of solar systems in Panchayat Sargra Bhavans in the construction estimates. At the same time, she emphasized linking this work with the 15th Finance Commission and the 7th State Finance Commission to ensure timely availability of funds. The Chief Minister also directed the formation of a specific team to regularly convey information regarding electricity supply in panchayats to public representatives. This team will provide information about the timing of electricity supply on their mobile phones to all relevant public representatives, including the Panchayat Mukhiya, Members of the Assembly, and Members of Parliament. She told officers that implementation should be carried out in such a way that basic amenities are promoted in panchayats, energy savings are ensured, and better services can be provided to the rural population. Present at the meeting were Panchayati Raj Minister Deepak Prakash, Chief Secretary Pratyush Amrit, Principal Secretary of the Finance Department Vinay Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary of the Planning and Development Department Dr. N. Vijay Lakshmi, Chief Minister's Secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh, Secretary of the Energy Department Ajay Yadav, Sanjay Kumar Singh, Secretary of the Buildings Department Prano Kumar, and Secretary of the Panchayati Raj Department Manoj Kumar, along with several senior officers.