GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 419
TO BE ANSWERED ON NOVEMBER 26, 2012

QUESTION
Status of Implementation of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM)

419. SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR:

 Will the Minister of NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY be pleased to state:

 (a)   whether it is a fact that Government is implementing the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) in the country;

(b)   if so, the salient features of JNNSM;

(c)    whether Government is implementing a Generation Based Incentive Scheme to attract private investment in solar power generation in the country;

(d)   if so, the details thereof; and

(e)   what is the present status of implementation of JNNSM and the Generation Based Incentive Scheme in Karnataka?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
(DR. FAROOQ ABDULLAH)

(a): Yes, Sir. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) is being implemented by the Government since January, 2010 when it was launched.

(b): The salient features of the Mission are as under:

• Deployment of:

- 20,000 MW of grid connected solar power by 2022,

- 2,000 MW of off-grid solar applications including 20 million solar lights by 2022,

- 20 million sq. m. solar thermal collector area,

• Creation of favorable conditions for developing solar manufacturing capability in the country; and
• Supporting R&D and capacity building activities to achieve grid parity by 2022.

The Mission is to be implemented in three phases: 2010-2013, 2013-2017 and 2017-2022.

(c) : The Government is implementing through IREDA a Generation Based Incentive Scheme under Rooftop and other Small Solar Power Generation Programme (RPSSGP) covering solar power projects connected to distribution network at voltage level below 33 kV envisaged under the JNNSM.

(d): The RPSSGP scheme was initiated in June 2010 limited to a total capacity of 100 MW, 20 MW per State and 2 MW per project. The projects were registered with IREDA through a web-based process, and 78 projects with 98 MW aggregate capacity were selected from 12 States. A fixed Generation Based Incentive (GBI) is provided to the developers of the eligible projects through concerned State utilities at a rate equal to the difference between the CERC tariff for 2010-11 (Rs. 17.91/unit) or SERC tariff, whichever is lower and a reference rate of Rs. 5.50/unit, with annual escalation @ 3%, for 25 years.

(e):  There is no project in Karnataka under the GBI scheme. However, a 5 MW project has been commissioned in the State under another scheme of first phase of JNNSM being implemented through NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited.