Dy CM Bhatti Vikramarka: Rs 80,000 crore invested in Telangana's green power policy

Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu has said that the Telangana government has implemented a comprehensive ‘Green Power Policy’ to provide cheaper and pollution-free energy in the State.

The Green Power policy introduced by the State Government attracted several investors who came forward to invest Rs 80,000 crore to Rs 1 lakh crore in this sector and some companies already entered MoUs, he said.

Green power by 2040

Though several changes had taken place throughout the world in the energy sector, no policy was formulated in this sector in the last 10 years, Bhatti Vikramarka explained.

The State Government is going ahead with the objective of generating 20,000 MW of green power by 2030 and 40,000 MW by 2040.

Answering questions raised on Green Energy policy in the Legislative Council on Monday by MLCs Balmuru Venkat, Mahesh Kumar Goud, Kalvakuntla Kavitha and Bhanu Prasad, Vikramarka said that plans have been formulated to generate green power through solar, wind, green hydrogen and other categories.

Green power using vacant govt lands

The government is giving approvals through a single window system to encourage investments in green energy besides reimbursing stamp duty and facilitating liberalised NALA conversion.

Noting that the demand for power is increasing day by day, the deputy CM said that the government accordingly made plans to generate green power by utilising vacant lands under the government, under the Endowment department and also in the Irrigation department through solar and floating solar power systems to meet the demand.

An MoU was reached between the Women self-help groups and the GENCO for the generation of 1,000 MW of solar power, Bhatti Vikramarka, who is also the energy minister, said.

Women SHGs and youth to lead mission

He said that the government was giving government vacant lands on lease to SHG women to become industrialists. The state government will buy back the solar power generated by the Women SHGs. Youth will be encouraged in these sectors, he added.

Those who did not get government jobs can generate green power with the cooperation of Banks.

The government has been trying to access green power not only in the State but wherever possible in the country. As part of this, an agreement was reached recently with the Rajasthan government for the generation of solar power.

Bhatti Vikramarka said that the tax on the registration of electric vehicles has been waived to increase the utilisation of electric vehicles and as a result, their sales have been increased in the State.

After the visit of chief minister A Revanth Reddy and Industries Minister Sridhar Babu to Davos, investors from across the world came to the State. They have commenced their field-level surveys and after that, they will submit a report to the State Government.

At present 8,938 MW of green power is being generated in the State and by 2040, it will touch 40,000 MW.

If anyone came forward to set up electrical charging stations keeping those long-distance travellers in mind, the State government will give all permissions.

Green power to tackle pollution in Hyderabad

In Delhi, people are migrating for three months in a year to other places because of severe environmental pollution. To prevent such a situation in Hyderabad, the State government has been introducing electrical, battery-based buses and shifting diesel buses to other areas in the State. No new permissions are given to diesel auto rickshaws in Hyderabad and battery-based auto rickshaws are being encouraged. He said the government was thinking of shifting all pollution-causing vehicles away from the city to outside the ORR.

The Deputy CM said that if MLAs and MLCs are interested, a special meeting on Green power policy will be organised. Full information on the newly introduced Green Energy policy is available online, he said.