The Himachal Pradesh government will amend the energy policy to make the state self-reliant and a target to generate 500 MW solar energy by December 2024 has been fixed, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu informed the assembly on Tuesday.

Sukhu said Himachal Pradesh purchases power from other states during the winters at a higher rate and stopping purchase of power from other states would help the state save Rs 1,000 crore. Speaking on the discussion initiated by Congress leader Chetanya Sharma on "renewable energy vision for a sustainable future, empowering Himachal Pradesh", the chief minister said the government has set a target to make Himachal a "green state" by 2026 and with focus on solar energy, the "state's biggest 32 MW solar energy plant would come up at Pekhuwala in Una district in the next four months".

Sukhu added the government is giving 50 per cent subsidy on e-vehicles and the youth keen to purchase e-taxis are also being given 50 per cent subsidy, and 582 youth have so far applied for e-taxis.?Accusing the saffron party of neglecting the interests of the state, Sukhu said the previous BJP government allotted the Luhri and Dhaulasidh hydropower projects to Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam on very easy terms and the state government would either take back the projects or revise the terms and condition to secure the interests of Himachal Pradesh.

The BJP leaders expressed their ire when the chief minister blamed the Central government of obstructing the implementation of "water cess on hydropower projects". Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said the Union government has sent the letter to all the concerned states and pointed out that water cess was not being charged from central sector hydropower generating utilities by Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand governments.

Initiating the discussion, Chetanya Sharma said the chief minister has taken steps to implement the viewpoint on making Himachal Pradesh a green state by 2026 and the e-taxis start-up scheme for the youth has been implemented which proves he believes in action. BJP member Hansraj said that solar energy was being discussed as "we have failed to harness the hydropower potential to optimal level" and questioned how the waste generated by the solar projects would be disposed of after 20 years.

Independent MLA Hoshiyar Singh on his part suggested that geothermal, biogas and wind energy projects should be encouraged.BJP leader Anil Sharma said that setting up of solar energy projects on barren lands should be encouraged to increase energy generation and employment to the youth at their doorstep.Cabinet Minister Rajesh Dharmani stressed on making the state self-sufficient in energy so that there was no need to purchase power from other states.

BJP leader Trilok Jamwal said that the levy of water cess on projects for which MOUs had been signed long ago was wrong and cautioned that it would create an environment of uncertainty, which would affect investment in the state.