Government Offices in Maharashtra to Use Solar Energy by December 2025:
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis
CM Fadnavis Inaugurates New Administrative Building of MahaUrja
Pune, June 8 – Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that all government offices in Maharashtra will begin using solar energy by December 2025. He also stated that the Pradhan Mantri Suryaghar Yojana will be implemented effectively in the state.
He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the new administrative building of MahaUrja (Maharashtra Energy Development Agency). Present at the event were Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council Dr. Neelam Gorhe, Deputy Speaker of the Assembly Anna Bansode, Minister for Non-conventional Energy Atul Save, MPs Medha Kulkarni and Shrirang Barne, MLAs Uma Khapre and Bhimrao Tapkir, Pune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, Divisional Commissioner (In-charge) Kavita Divedi, District Collector Jitendra Dudi, MahaUrja Director General Dr. Kadambari Balkawade, Director of MSEB Vishwaas Pathak, Bureau of Energy Efficiency Secretary Milind Deore, and Additional DG Dr. Trigun Kulkarni among other dignitaries.
Two Major Goals for MahaUrja
CM Fadnavis emphasized two key targets for MahaUrja:
- Accelerating the use of solar energy in all government offices.
- Under the successful Pradhan Mantri Suryaghar Yojana, Maharashtra will launch its own aligned scheme to shift:
- All customers using up to 100 units (in Phase 1), and
- All customers using up to 300 units (in Phase 2)
to solar power. The aim is to reduce electricity bills to zero for customers using up to 300 units.
He expressed confidence that MahaUrja would accomplish both these goals effectively.
Maharashtra’s Leap in the Renewable Energy Sector
Highlighting the new MahaUrja building as a prime example of a green building, CM Fadnavis said:
- It meets all green building standards.
- It utilizes natural resources efficiently.
- It generates 100% of its required energy through sustainable means.
He added that Maharashtra has made remarkable progress in energy conservation and renewable energy:
- While 4 lakh agricultural pumps were installed across the country in the last 2 years, Maharashtra alone installed 5 lakh solar agricultural pumps.
- Under the Mukhyamantri Saur Krishi Vahini Yojana, feeders with a capacity of 16,000 MW will be converted to solar energy by 2026. This project is progressing rapidly and is Asia’s largest decentralized solar energy project.
The state is also making strong advances in solar, wind, and hydrogen energy sectors.
Solar Energy to Reduce Power Tariffs
MahaUrja has performed exceptionally in generating renewable energy in recent years:
- Maharashtra is a leader in solar power generation, even in decentralized solar power systems.
- The state is at the forefront of implementing the KUSUM Yojana.
- By December 2026, the entire agricultural electricity demand will be fulfilled using solar energy.
CM Fadnavis noted a significant shift in energy economics:
“For the past 20 years, electricity rates increased by 9% every year. From 2025 to 2030, our goal is to reduce electricity rates every year.”
52% of Maharashtra’s Power to Come from Renewable Sources by 2030
Fadnavis mentioned that issues hindering solar energy production are being prioritized and resolved. A recent agreement with a Russian government company for thorium-based energy is expected to be a game-changer for India’s energy sector.
He said these developments will help prevent environmental degradation and help fulfill the vision of generating 50% of total electricity from renewable sources by 2030. In fact, 52% of Maharashtra's power is expected to come from renewable sources by that time.
Other Highlights
- CM Fadnavis released MahaUrja’s progress report at the event.
- He also visited an exhibition on non-conventional energy solutions.
- The event began with a tree plantation drive at the MahaUrja campus led by the Chief Minister.
Features of the New MahaUrja Building
The new building located in Aundh, Pune, is designed on the concepts of:
- Green Building,
- Super ECBC (Energy Conservation Building Code), and
- Net Zero Energy.
It includes:
- Porotherm blocks, double-glazed windows, ceramic mesh,
- Radiant cooling system, earth tunnel tube system, venturi effect,
- Two-stage evaporation system, solar tubes, and
- A 290 kW grid-connected solar power plant.
