Shillong, Jun 23: Penetration of the PM Surya Ghar Scheme into Meghalaya is experiencing challenges.
The scheme aims to provide substantial benefits to households in the state, offering free electricity through rooftop solar installations. Despite government subsidies that allow eligible households to receive financial assistance of up to ₹78,000, many still face high upfront costs, which hinder the attractiveness of this transition to solar energy.
These concerns were highlighted in a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday with officials from the Power Department, Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Limited (MePDCL), Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL), and other stakeholders.
Officials stated that one of the barriers to solar energy adoption in Meghalaya is the high upfront expenditure. While the central government’s subsidy reduces installation costs, households continue to encounter challenges such as transportation fees and the difficult terrain of the region.
The meeting discussed strategies to enhance the attractiveness of solar adoption, including accelerating participation from government institutions and exploring community involvement in awareness campaigns.
The chief minister emphasised developing a comprehensive roadmap to drive renewable energy adoption. This plan includes improving consumer benefits, optimising energy efficiency, and integrating battery storage solutions to maximise the advantages of rooftop solar systems.
Officials presented proposals to increase rooftop solar penetration through government institutions, schools, anganwadi centres, and other public facilities. The chief minister directed departments to identify opportunities for accelerating solar adoption across government infrastructure while leveraging available central assistance.
The chief minister also assessed issues relating to electricity supply and consumer grievances in regions managed by Sai Computers, under the distribution franchisee arrangement of the MEPDCL.
During the meeting, Sai Computers presented an overview of operations in its franchise areas, pointing out significant challenges inherited from prior operations. These challenges included a high percentage of defective meters, aging infrastructure, transformer failures, unmetered connections, and inadequacies in consumer data. This situation has particularly impacted consumers living below the poverty line, many of whom encountered non-functional meters when operations were handed over.
The chief minister expressed concern over public complaints about high electricity bills and irregular power supply. He emphasised that enhancing consumer confidence and service delivery should remain a top priority.
“Electricity is a sensitive public service that affects households monthly,” he said.
Acknowledging consumer concerns he said, “The public does not care who inherited the problem. They want better service. Therefore, the focus must first be on improving power supply, replacing transformers and meters, and strengthening infrastructure. Once people begin to see improvements, trust will be built.”
He directed Sai Computers and MEPDCL to implement a more consumer-centric approach, focusing on necessary reforms to improve service quality and infrastructure.
He further directed both entities to foster respectful communication with the public and to engage in outreach programmes to effectively explain the ongoing challenges and upcoming improvements. Regular feedback from consumers and comprehensive updates on infrastructure projects were also emphasised as essential for building trust.
“Our people are simple. If you speak to them respectfully, they will respond positively. If there is a communication gap, misunderstandings will grow. Building trust with consumers is the most important thing at this stage,” he said.
The chief minister reassured stakeholders that the government would persist in its support for investments in power infrastructure, reiterating the commitment to provide reliable and affordable electricity to all consumers.
