Guwahati, Feb 4: Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared the government’s commitment to bringing household electricity bills down to zero during a visit to Assam on Sunday. Unveiling key projects in the state, he emphasized two primary strategies for achieving this goal: expanding electricity connections and promoting rooftop solar power generation.
Firstly, Modi highlighted the success of previous programs in electrifying every household in the country. Building upon this achievement, the government now aims to eliminate electricity bills. The key to this initiative lies in rooftop solar panels.
“In the budget, we have announced plans to put rooftop solar panels in 1 crore houses,” declared Modi at a public rally. “This will not only bring down the electricity bills to zero, but the people can have their electricity generation system in their homes. They can even sell the electricity generated through solar power rooftop systems to earn money.”
This ambitious plan aligns with the central government’s recent budget allocation of Rs 11 lakh crore for infrastructure development within the next year. This represents a significant increase compared to pre-2014 spending levels, where the government invested Rs 12 lakh crore in infrastructure over a decade.
Beyond addressing electricity bills, Modi also emphasized the economic empowerment of women. He reiterated his goal of creating 3 crore “Lakhpati Didis” (women earning Rs 1 lakh annually) across India, expanding upon last year’s target of 2 crore. He proudly acknowledged the presence of some of these Lakhpati Didis at the Assam rally.
In addition to infrastructure and economic initiatives, Modi addressed past development challenges. He acknowledged the poor state of roads in Assam prior to 2014, criticizing the previous government’s handling of the issue despite its connection to the state. He expressed confidence in the significant improvements made in recent years, envisioning Assam and the northeast region as future hubs of trade.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Assam highlighted the government’s focus on infrastructure development, renewable energy adoption, and women’s empowerment. His ambitious rooftop solar plan, if successfully implemented, could revolutionize how Indian households access and generate electricity.
