Patna: CM Samrat Choudhary on Friday asked officials to increase the proposed capacity of solar panels on rural water towers from 5 kilowatts to 20 kilowatts, saying the enhanced capacity would help people in panchayats derive greater benefits from the arrangement.Choudhary issued the instructions while chairing a review meeting of the panchayati raj department at Sankalp auditorium in Lok Sevak Awas. He asked officials to ensure 20-kilowatt-capacity panels are installed in a manner that expands basic facilities in panchayats, saves energy and improves services for rural residents.He also asked officials to make solarisation of Panchayat Sarkar buildings an integral part of construction estimates. He said the work should be linked to funds from the 15th Finance Commission and the 7th State Finance Commission to ensure timely availability of funds and faster progress.He further ordered regular sharing of information on electricity supply in panchayats with public representatives. A dedicated team should be set up to send daily updates on the number of hours of power supply each panchayat receives to the designated mobile numbers of panchayat mukhiyas, MLAs and MPs, he said.Panchayati raj department secretary Manoj Kumar made a detailed presentation on proposed schemes and implementation issues. He briefed Choudhary on the plan to install 5-kilowatt off-grid solar panels on water towers under the Chief Minister Gramin Peyjal Nishchay Yojana. The presentation covered annual electricity bill expenditure for each scheme, proposed implementation procedures and the department’s role.Kumar also explained BREDA’s role in implementation, financial management, maintenance and monitoring of the panels, the implementation and coordination committee, and the benefits, including the use of money saved through solarisation.The CM asked officials to speed up the construction of Panchayat Sarkar buildings and ensure their maintenance and regular upkeep. He said contractors responsible for building the structures should also be made accountable for their maintenance, with an effective mechanism clearly defining their responsibilities and liability.
