Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has directed officials to raise the proposed capacity of solar panels on rural water towers from 5 kilowatts to 20 kilowatts, linking the expansion to improved panchayat services, energy savings and more reliable basic infrastructure.
Choudhary issued the instructions while chairing a review meeting of the panchayati raj department at the Sankalp auditorium in Lok Sevak Awas. He asked officials to install the higher-capacity panels in a way that allows panchayats to derive greater benefits from the solarisation of rural water infrastructure.
The original proposal presented at the meeting involved installing 5-kilowatt off-grid solar panels on water towers under the Chief Minister Gramin Peyjal Nishchay Yojana. Panchayati raj department secretary Manoj Kumar briefed the chief minister on the proposed scheme, its implementation procedures, annual electricity expenditure and the department’s responsibilities.
The revised 20-kilowatt capacity is intended to support basic facilities in panchayats while reducing energy consumption and expenditure. The meeting also discussed how savings generated through solarisation could be used, although the department’s presentation did not specify the amount of savings expected or the facilities that would receive the funds.
Choudhary asked officials to make the solarisation of Panchayat Sarkar buildings an integral part of construction estimates. He also directed the department to link the work to funds from the 15th Finance Commission and the 7th State Finance Commission to ensure timely availability of funds and faster implementation.
The plan will involve the Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency, or BREDA. The department said BREDA’s role would cover implementation, financial management, maintenance and monitoring of the solar panels. An implementation and coordination committee is also proposed to oversee the programme.
The review meeting additionally focused on monitoring electricity supply in panchayats. Choudhary ordered officials to regularly share information on the number of hours of power supply received by each panchayat with public representatives. A dedicated team is to be set up to send daily updates to the designated mobile numbers of panchayat mukhiyas, MLAs and MPs.
The electricity-monitoring mechanism would create a regular flow of information on local power availability, but the department’s presentation did not state when the updates would begin or identify the system that would be used to collect and verify the data.
Choudhary also directed officials to accelerate construction of Panchayat Sarkar buildings and ensure their maintenance and regular upkeep. He said contractors responsible for constructing the buildings should also be held accountable for maintenance through a mechanism that clearly defines their responsibilities and liability.
The next steps are the preparation of implementation arrangements for the higher-capacity solar panels, coordination with BREDA and the identification of financing through the two Finance Commission funds. Officials are also expected to establish the team responsible for daily electricity-supply updates and clarify maintenance responsibilities for Panchayat Sarkar buildings.
