India’s Maharashtra funds solar panels for low-income homes
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The state of Maharashtra, India approved a program to install rooftop solar panels on 211,206 low-income homes.
To qualify, households must be classified as Below Poverty Line or members of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities and use less than 100 units of electricity monthly. The project will provide one kilowatt of power per household under ideal conditions and aims to lower energy costs and reduce air pollution.
The state and central governments will fund the majority of the 959.93 crore rupee ($100 million) project. Central Financial Assistance will cover 30,000 rupees ($330) per home, with an additional 30 to 35 percent coming from the state government. Families will contribute between 2,500 to 5,000 rupees ($27.50 to $55.00) depending on their specific classification. Officials designed the program to make renewable energy accessible to households that often cannot afford the upfront costs of solar installation.
By reducing monthly energy bills, the initiative intends to free up funds for other necessities and decrease dependence on fossil fuels. Other regions are also expanding access to rooftop solar, including California, Georgia, and Colorado.
