Over 1,100 solar plants established under MSSY, employing 3,500 people: Uttarakhand CM Dhami
Dehradun, August 10
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the "Mukhyamantri Saur Swarojgar Yojana" is an important initiative aimed at connecting the youth and residents of Uttarakhand with self-employment opportunities.
He said the state government is working to expand entrepreneurship and employment opportunities at the local level in sectors such as solar energy. The initiative is not only promoting green energy but also strengthening economic activity in the hilly regions and helping address migration from the mountains.
In this direction, the Mukhyamantri Saur Swarojgar Yojana (MSSY), launched with the objective of connecting the native residents of Uttarakhand with self-employment and entrepreneurship, is emerging as an important initiative for creating new employment opportunities while promoting green energy in the state.
Under the scheme, solar power plants with a cumulative capacity of 210 MW had been installed in the state by June 2026, employing more than 3,500 people. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has set a target of developing 250 MW of solar energy capacity under the scheme.
Solar power plants with capacities of 20, 25, 50, 100 and 200 kW are being established by residents under the scheme. Beneficiaries are also being provided all applicable benefits under the MSME Policy-2023
According to available data, as of June 2026, a total of 1,132 solar power plants had been established across Uttarakhand, with a combined capacity of 2,10,420 kW, or around 210 MW. Installation work on the remaining projects is currently underway.
Tehri district leads the state in terms of solar power projects established under the scheme.
A total of 369 solar plants with a combined capacity of 69,050 kW have been installed there. Uttarkashi has 227 plants with a combined capacity of 43,660 kW, while Champawat has 144 plants with a capacity of 28,200 kW.
Similarly, Haridwar has 86 plants with a combined capacity of 16,900 kW, Pauri has 88 plants with 15,440 kW, Chamoli has 72 plants with 11,725 kW, and Almora has 32 plants with 5,600 kW of installed capacity. Solar projects have also been established under the scheme in Dehradun, Rudraprayag, Bageshwar, Nainital, Pithoragarh and Udham Singh Nagar districts.
The Mukhyamantri Saur Swarojgar Yojana is not limited to solar power generation alone. It is also being viewed as an important means of expanding self-employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in rural and hilly areas. The projects established under the scheme are currently providing direct and indirect employment to around 3,500 people.
The scheme is also contributing to increased economic activity at the local level and is expected to help reduce migration from the hill regions by creating sustainable livelihood and employment opportunities closer to people's homes.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great to see solar energy being used for self-employment. But I'd like to see some details about the training and technical support provided to these entrepreneurs. Installing a solar plant is one thing, maintaining it and getting good returns is another. Hope the government is providing proper handholding.
Interesting to see India's push for renewable energy at the grassroots level. This is how you create sustainable economic development - giving people ownership rather than just subsidies. 3,500 direct jobs and 210 MW of clean energy is no small achievement for a hilly state. Kudos! 👏
The hilly regions have limited land for large-scale solar farms, but this distributed model of 20-200 kW plants is brilliant for our geography. It's helping with rural employment AND addressing power needs in remote areas. Now we need similar schemes for other renewable sources and also see how these plants perform in winter seasons.
Nice to see the breakdown by districts! But honestly, the numbers seem modest - 1,132 plants over 4 years means just about 283 per year. For a state with 13 districts, we need to accelerate. Also, the migration issue from mountains has been there for decades; more than just solar plants is needed to create vibrant local economies.
As someone who visited Uttarakhand last year, I loved the scenic beauty. It's wonderful that they're using solar energy to keep the mountains clean while creating jobs. Would love to see more women entrepreneurs from the area taking advantage of this scheme. The future is bright if we keep investing in green jobs! 🌍