Chandigarh, Oct. 30 -- Amid a lukewarm public response to the rooftop solar initiative, the UT administration has proposed an additional subsidy of Rs.30,000 under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Yojana to encourage greater adoption of solar energy in Chandigarh. The proposal has been sent to the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) for approval. So far, solar power plants have been installed on only 928 out of 43,000 residential houses in the city, indicating a slow pace of implementation despite the existing central subsidy. Currently, under the central scheme, residents receive a Rs.78,000 subsidy for installing a 3-kilowatt (kW) rooftop solar plant, which costs around Rs.1.56 lakh. With the proposed additional subsidy from the UT administration, the total cost for residents would drop to around Rs.48,000, making solar adoption more affordable. The responsibility for implementing the rooftop solar initiative has recently shifted from the Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST) to the newly formed Chandigarh Power Distribution Limited (CPDL), which is now the nodal agency for installation and monitoring of solar systems. Officials said several states across the country were already offering Rs.30,000 to Rs.40,000 extra financial assistance, over and above the central government's subsidy. Since Chandigarh is a Union territory, it had not extended such an incentive earlier. Once approved, the scheme is expected to significantly accelerate rooftop solar installations across the city. According to the administration, the UT aims to install solar power plants on all private buildings by the end of 2026 and make Chandigarh India's first carbon-neutral city by 2030. The PM Surya Ghar Yojana is expected to play a crucial role in achieving this vision. Officials from CREST said if all private buildings adopted solar energy under the scheme, Chandigarh could generate up to 150 megawatts (MW) of electricity. "A 3-kilowatt solar plant can produce about 250-300 units of power per month, which can make homes nearly electricity-bill free," said a CREST official. Over the past decade, the city's solar power initiatives have helped reduce 1,79,455 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The administration has already installed solar systems on nearly all government buildings and residential quarters, many of which have managed to eliminate their electricity bills entirely by selling surplus power back to the grid....