New Delhi: Union Minister of Power Sh. R.K. Singh said in the Rajya Sabha that, A number of steps taken to make India self-reliant in solar PV module manufacturing as well as their exports. The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India, has been consistently bringing out policies for developing and facilitating domestic solar module manufacturing in the country. Some of the recent initiatives, inter-alia, include:
Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for High-Efficiency Solar PV Modules: The Government of India is implementing the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme under the National Programme on High-Efficiency Solar PV Modules, for achieving domestic manufacturing capacity of Giga Watt (GW) scale in High-Efficiency Solar PV modules, with an outlay of Rs. 24,000 crore. This Scheme has a provision for Production Linked Incentive (PLI) to the selected solar PV module manufacturers for five years post commissioning, on the manufacture and sale of High-Efficiency Solar PV modules.
Domestic Content Requirement (DCR): Under some of the current schemes of the MNRE, namely CPSU Scheme Phase-II, PM-KUSUM Component B, and Grid-connected Rooftop Solar Programme Phase-II, wherein government subsidy is given, it has been mandated to source solar PV cells and modules from domestic sources.
Preference to ‘Make in India’ in Public Procurement: Through the implementation of the ‘Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order’, procurement and use of domestically manufactured solar PV modules and domestically manufactured solar inverters has been mandated for Government/ Government entities.
Imposition of Basic Customs Duty on import of solar PV cells & modules: The Government has imposed Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on the import of solar PV cells and modules, with effect from 01.04.2022.
Discontinuation of Customs Duty Concessions: MNRE has discontinued the issuance of Customs Duty Concession Certificates for the import of material /equipment for the initial setting up of solar PV power projects with effect from 02.02.2021.
The above-mentioned steps are aimed at making India self-reliant in solar PV module manufacturing as well as at enabling India to cater to the export market for solar PV modules for solar power installations in foreign countries.
In order to address the challenges related to land acquisition for setting up renewable power projects, MNRE has several steps, which inter-alia, include:
MNRE is implementing Scheme for the Development of Solar Parks and Ultra-Mega Solar Power Projects, under which, the infrastructure such as land, roads, transmission system (internal and external), pooling stations, etc. is developed with all statutory clearances/approvals. Thus, the solar project developers have plug and play benefit.
Under the Mode 8 of the Solar Park Scheme, a facilitation charge of Rs. 0.05/unit of power being generated from the projects in the parks is provided to the States in order to encourage the State Governments to provide necessary assistance to the Solar Power Park Developers (SPPDs) in identification & acquisition of land, to facilitate in obtaining all required statutory clearances, etc.
Further, MNRE has written to State Government for easing out and facilitating the renewable power projects with respect to land related issues.
