Karnataka to come out with solar energy policy soon

The Karnataka Government will come out with a solar energy policy soon, according to D K Shivkumar, Karnataka Power Minister.

Addressing presspersons here on Sunday, he said the Government would encourage people to take up rooftop solar energy production under this policy.

If they have excess power after generating power through rooftop solar system, they can supply it to the State grid.

Such people will be given a good price for the power they sold to the grid, he said.

Added to this, the Government would ask new building owners to have provisions for producing solar energy on the rooftop.

The proposed policy will be placed before the Cabinet soon.

Considering the demand for power in the State, the Government will sign an agreement with Damodar Valley Corporation on March 4. Under this, Karnataka would buy 400 MW of power from the corporation.

On the power scarcity in rural areas, he said the Government has asked all the electricity supply companies in the State to supply a minimum of seven hours of three-phase electricity to farmers in rural areas.

Chief electrical inspectorate Shivkumar said the Government would set up the chief electrical inspectorate in Mangalore soon, catering to the requirements of four districts in the region.

With this, the consumers need not go to Bangalore to get electrical clearance for major commercial establishments, apartments and other major buildings, he said.