Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO has sought Viable Gap Funding (VGF) from the Union Government for the State so that the biomass power plants producing power using paddy straw can be encouraged in the State to check the practice of stubble burning by the farmers.

The Minister, participating in the Conference of Power and New and Renewable Energy Ministers in New Delhi, said that the total cost of conventional power with the cost of Renewable Energy Certificates for Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) compliance is much lower than the tariff of biomass power plants which is around Rs eight per kwh.

“VGF needed to be provided by GOI to Punjab in order to make procurement of power from biomass power plants competitive for distribution companies (DISCOMs),” he said.

The Minister also sought permission to use coal from the Pachhwara coal mine by private thermal plants of Punjab, contending that the permission should be granted as the entire cost of coal being received from the Pachhwara coal mine is being borne by the consumers of the state.

Raising another issue related to the state’s farmers, the Minister said that the provision of 30 percent subsidy on the irrigational solar pump is for pumps of 7.5 Horse Power (HP) only, whereas, in Punjab pumps of 15 HP and above are being used for irrigation. The current subsidy should be extended for irrigational solar pups of 15 HP or above to encourage the farmers to make maximum use of this renewable energy, he added.