India’s government is working hard to speed up the development of the country’s hydropower sector. Recently, the union cabinet announced changes to the budget support scheme to boost hydropower projects.
The government has set aside ₹12,461 crore to help build important infrastructure between 2024 and 2032. This includes supporting the construction of about 31 gigawatts (GW) of hydropower capacity, with 15 GW coming from Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs).
The Ministry of Power released a notice on September 30 that underlined these updates. The new rules will help build roads, bridges, transmission lines, and other infrastructure such as railway sidings and ropeways to support these power projects. Even older roads and bridges that lead to project sites can now receive help under this scheme.
This scheme will be available to all hydropower projects above 25 megawatts (MW), including private companies, that are approved fairly. It will also cover PSPs, which store energy by pumping water to a higher elevation and then releasing it to generate electricity when needed.
The government has set a limit on the amount of support that can be provided, with a cap of ₹1 crore per MW for smaller projects and ₹1.5 crore per MW for bigger projects. These steps are part of India’s larger plan to improve its clean energy goals and meet growing energy needs.
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