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MP govt approves domestic rooftop solar power policy

Now you can produce your own electricity through solar panels on rooftops to power your home. And if you manage to make more than you need at any time of the day, you can barter it to the the power grid in exchange for doscounts in your conventional electrcity bill.The Shivraj Singh Chouhan government on Friday approved the Madhya Pradesh Renewable Energy Policy 2016, with the slogan 'Har Chhat Par Muskurata Suraj (Smiling Sun on Every Rooftop)'. The notification will be out early next week."The government will provide 30% subsidy to domestic consumers to install solar panels on rooftops or in any space available on the ground. Government buildings will get 45% subsidy and certain government undertakings will get a subsidy of 50%. Colleges and educational institutions can also install solar power units wherever free space is available on the ground," principal secretary, renewable energy, Manu Shrivastava told reporters.

Shrivastava said that a domestic consumer can install a 3KW power unit on the rooftop for Rs 2.5 lakh. With 30% subsidy, it would cost Rs 1.75 lakh, which can be easly recovered through power savings. The unit will have a life of about 25 years and is expected to halve domestic electricity bills will. The only catch is that you have to buy made-in-India solar panels to get the subsidy.The state police HQ in the state capital installed a 100KW solar power unit last year at a cost of Rs 45 lakh.