To help support the power loom sector, the Government of India is formulating a solar energy program for decentralized power loom units in the country. The program will provide financial assistance and capital subsidies for the installation of solar in an effort to address power shortage issues faced by the decentralized power loom units in the country. The program is expected to become effective April 1, 2017.

Under the program, solar can be implemented as either an off-grid project or an on-grid project. Financial assistance will be provided at 50 percent, 75 percent and 90 percent of the basic cost of the project (cost of solar panel + inverter + batteries) for applicants of General, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories respectively, subject to a maximum ceiling of the subsidy.

The subsidy will be extended to both credit linked and non-credit linked solar projects. The subsidy will be applicable only for installation of a solar project for running power loom units and not for individual components, stated Shri Ajay Tamta, Minister for Textiles in the Lok Sabha.