Dr Anil Kakodkar, former Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission, is tipped to be appointed as the Chairman of National Solar Energy Company, a “Section 25” company, formed recently by the Government for the purpose of overseeing the implementation of the various solar power projects in the country. (A Section 25 company is one that is incorporated for not-for-profit purposes.)
All solar projects, be it off-grid or grid connected and whether under the National Solar Mission or otherwise, would be overseen by the company, sources said.
Efforts to elicit a comment from Mr Tarun Kapoor, Joint Secretary in charge of Solar energy in the Ministry of New and Renewable Resources, proved futile, but sources in the Ministry and the industry have confirmed to Business Line about both the company and Dr Kakodkar's imminent appointment.
The company, sources say, will drive the solar programme in India, a job that is today being done by the Ministry.
A company, with experts from industry, government and the academia as directors, driving the programme is believed to be better than the government doing it by itself.
When asked for a comment, Mr K. Subramanya, CEO of Tata BP Solar and the Chairman of the Solar Energy Task Force of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), told Business Line that the setting up of the company was a “very important development” which would ensure that the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission would be implemented better.
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