Need for integrated policy and institutional framework for the implementation of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission in rural areas
The Nation Solar Mission is dependent the performance of its first phase and its later phases are contingent on the first phase outcomes. Certain portion of the subsidy is also contingent under a potential climate deal in future. There is thus an emergent need for accelerated progress for implementing the targets in the First Phase. Particularly, hurdles related to land availability and finance must be taken up not only by the Central Government but by the State Governments. Rural development institutes such as NABRAD should be integrated in the solar energy development. The Rural Electrification and Solar Lighting component of the NSM constitutes a very small component of the NSM only 2 GW till 2022 out of a total of 22 GW. There is a need to increase the total share of solar lighting and off-grid small scale solar energy development in the remote and inaccessible areas where grid connection is difficult and economically unviable.