Exclusive: Bengal’s ‘Aloshree’ Solar Project Shut Down, Centre’s ‘PM Suryaghar’ Scheme Launched Statewide*Headline: Exclusive: Bengal’s ‘Aloshree’ Solar Project Shut Down, Centre’s ‘PM Suryaghar’ Scheme Launched Statewide*
Headline: Exclusive: Bengal’s ‘Aloshree’ Solar Project Shut Down, Centre’s ‘PM Suryaghar’ Scheme Launched Statewide Kolkata: West Bengal’s state-run solar power initiative ‘Aloshree’ has been officially shut down. In its place, the Centre’s ambitious ‘PM Suryaghar: Muft Bijli Yojana’ is now being rolled out across the state. With this shift, the future of solar energy in Bengal has entered a new phase, sparking fresh political debate between the state and the Centre. *Why Was ‘Aloshree’ Closed?* Launched in 2018, ‘Aloshree’ aimed to bring solar power to rural Bengal. The goal was to light up remote villages using solar panels. However, sources in the Renewable Energy Department confirmed that the project had been struggling for the last two years. The main reasons: discontinuation of central funding and lack of maintenance. In many areas, solar panels were found lying defunct. The state has now decided to completely wind up the project this month. A department official, on c...