In an effort to promote use of electricity generated from renewable energy source to lighten the cities and public spaces, the government has released Rs 477.25 million to fund 584 solar street light projects in 121 municipalities across the country.

A secretary-level meeting held in the Capital on Thursday decided to distribute funds install 45,308 solar street lights in 121 municipalities this fiscal year.

Under the public participation-based solar street lamp programme, launched last year by the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MoFALD), the government has already released over Rs 1.4 billion

till date. “

“The municipalities who got their projects approved last fiscal year have been asked to complete installing the solar-powered lights within mid-November this year,” said Chiranjivi Timsina, under-secretary at the MoFALD. 

At a time when the country is facing acute energy crisis due to significant difference in supply and demand of electricity solely dependent on hydropower, the ministry along with other government entities like the Alternative Energy Promotion Center (AEPC) have made the effort to invest in promotion and use of clean and alternative energy technologies at household and commercial levels as well as the local and municipal authorities. 

Under the MoFALD’s programme, the government provides 65 percent subsidy on the total estimated funds for a project to each municipality while the remaining cost is borne by respective municipalities and consumers’ groups. According to Timsina, the municipalities are interested in solar street light programme and the government has asked the remaining municipalities to send their project details along with cost-estimation soon. “We want to reach out to all the 217 municipalities for the solar street lights programme,”

he said.

Besides, the solar street light programme, the AEPC is also working with concerned municipalities since 2014 to install solar street lights by providing subsidy up to 60 percent. The AEPC

has already signed agreements with around 50 municipalities.