Chandigarh will soon come up as a model solar/green city and will receive a subsidy of 50 percent from the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) on all of its renewable energy projects, an official from the MNRE told Governance Now.

A solar or green city is one which reduces the electricity and fossil fuel consumption by ten percent through use of renewable energy and energy-efficiency measures. “A solar/green city has a mix of all types of renewable energies like solar, wind, biogas, waste to energy, recycling of waste and water etc. The combination of different types of renewable energy is determined by the location of the city,” Arun K Tripathi, a director with the MNRE said.

The ministry's Development of Solar City Programme has a target of developing 60 cities from all over the country as solar/green cities under the 11th Plan. Tripathi said that the implementation of this scheme in various towns and cities will be done through their respective municipal corporations. “We have already given in-principle approval to around 37 cities under this scheme on the proposals received by them,” he added.

Tripathi said that out of these 37 cities, 14 cities have already received sanctions towards preparation of master plans. “The MNRE will provide financial support of upto Rs 10 lakh to every city for preparation of master plan and 14 cities have already received 50 percent of this amount and are finalising their master plans,” he added.

The director also said that another Rs 40 lakhs will be alloted to these cities for overseeing of the implementation, setting up of Solar Cell in the city and organizing promotional activities. “The initial ‘software costs’ will be funded completely by MNRE. The amount will be a maximum of Rs 50 lakhs for each city,” Tripathi added.

He said that once the master plan and the solar cell were in place, the subsidies for other cities would also be decided.