Delhi Govt comes up with ‘Green Budget’ to Focus on EVs, Solar Energy

Delhi to raise power generation from renewable sources

The AAP government presented a Rs 53,000 crore budget for 2018-19 fiscal, and is the first ‘Green budget’ of the government aimed at effective containment of pollution in the city.

In a first, the budget presented by the AAP government in the Delhi Assembly has given thrust on “green” initiatives by laying emphasis on environment, health and education sectors.

The AAP government presented a Rs 53,000 crore budget for 2018-19 fiscal, and is the first ‘Green budget’ of the government aimed at effective containment of pollution in the city.

Government would purchase 1,000 MW of Green Power from the solar and wind-based generators in 2018-19. It promised a subsidy of Rs 30,000 to firms and establishments for switch over from diesel generator sets of 10 KVA or more capacity to clean fuel-based electric generator sets.

The total capacity of renewable energy in Delhi until February 2018 was 133.13 MW, which included 81.13 MW of solar power and 52 MW of electricity generated from waste-to-energy plants.

The government will pilot a scheme named agriculture-cum-solar farm scheme to incentivise installation of solar panels on raised structures without affecting farming activities, Delhi, Finance Minister Minister Manish Sisodia said in his speech.

“In the budget, the government had taken care of all sections of society. There is a lot for poor people, women, middle class and students. It is a first of its kind Green Budget in the country. Besides education and health, we have focused on roads, sewer and water. We have also stressed on investment in these three areas,” Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said.

The government also plans to roll out 1,000 fully electric buses, “the highest fleet of electric buses in any city or state in India, and in fact, by any city in the world outside of China.”