The renewable energy ministry has scrapped the implementation of Phase 2 of solar street light scheme AJAY for the current financial year and the next due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Under Phase 2 of Ajay Jyoti Yojana (AJAY), solar street lights with LED capacity of 12W were being installed in parliamentary constituencies covered under the scheme.
The decision to close the scheme was taken by the ministry in view of the government's decision to make Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) non-operational for 2020-21 and 2021-22.
One fourth of the subsidy for AJAY was to come from MPLADS while the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) was to contribute three-fourth from its own budget.
"Due to outbreak of COVID-19, the government has decided not to operate MPLADS for two years--2020-21 and 2021-22. A circular in this regard was issued by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) on April 8, 2020. Accordingly the ministry (MNRE) has decided to close the PHASE-II of AJAY Scheme from April 1, 2020," an order said.
This order was issued by MNRE.
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AJAY Phase II was launched by MNRE on December 18, 2018, which was initially valid for a period of one year. MNRE later extended the implementation of the scheme till March 31, 2021.
Solar street lights for which sanction of providing funds from MPLADS have been issued prior to April 1, 2020 can be only installed under the scheme subject to confirmation from district authorities for the availability of MPLADS funds against these sanctions, the MNRE order stated.