Solar hesitation

Imkong WallingIs it that Nagas have done away with the penchant for subsidised state-sponsored schemes for good? Scrambling for a piece was the order of the day when any and every income generation initiative came with the offer of subsidy. Candidates pulled out all the stops quite literally. Fishery, piggery, husbandry, none was spared; while tangible results, if any, were hardly anyone's concern. With such a history, Nagaland ought to have eagerly embraced the Prime Minister-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana– a Government of India programme for promoting solar energy, while off-setting the dependence on high carbon footprint, conventional energy sources like hydel and thermal. But the state has been slow, rather reluctant, to warm up to the green initiative more than two years after it was nationally launched by New Delhi in February 2024. The household rooftop solar initiative came with a subsidy of up to Rs 85,000 per eligible household depending on the installed capacity. The Government of Nagaland went a step further, providing an additional subsidy, covering up to 80 percent of the total cost for systems ranging from 1-3 kW. Despite an unprecedented double-subsidy, Nagaland has yet to cover even 10 percent of the initial target of reaching 10,000 households.As of October 2026, only about 800 systems have been installed, one and a half years since the Central scheme was merged with the Nagaland Solar Mission in April 2025, per an official of the Department of Power Nagaland (DoPN) at a recent Seva Setu Abhiyan launch event. In comparison, the Assam state government has met its initial 1,00,000 target, already. The lacklustre public response, as told by the official, is likely driven by a long-standing culture of consumers, barring some, getting accustomed to paying minimum electricity charges for years. There is a bit of truth to the claim, however. For decades, before the advent of digital and now smart meters, the DoPN had largely relied on reading dead analogue meters, and generating average/minimum bills without taking on-spot reading of individual energy meters. One other factor is trust, or the lack thereof. Distrust between the DoPN and the populace is shared.  Another likely reason is the conditions that have come with the scheme. To qualify for the subsidy, a system has to be connected to the public grid. The scheme provides on-grid systems covering panels and inverters but without battery backup during grid outages. It also offers a hybrid system that comes with battery backup. The catch is that the beneficiary opting for the hybrid version has to pay for the battery. Whatever the reasons, one glaring gap is the lack of public awareness. Over and above the one-off state-sponsored publicity camps, it is high time the DoPN direct resources into sustained sensitisation campaigns, hire PR specialists, and take the campaign door-to-door. The message must spread that the solar energy initiative is not only to cut down consumer spending on electricity. The larger motive is cutting down carbon emissions, helping the transition to a sustainable future free from power outages. There is an oft repeated Hindustani saying, “Kuch paane ke liye kuch khona padta hai (You have to give up something, to gain something).” No sacrifice, no success. It applies both ways– to the consumers as well as the DoPN.The writer is a Principal Correspondent at The Morung Express. Comments can be sent to imkongwalls@gmail.com