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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 473
ANSWERED ON 03.02.2026
PROMOTION OF DOMESTIC SOLAR MANUFACTURING AND IDENTIFICATION
OF HIGH SOLAR POTENTIAL REGIONS
473. DR. BHAGWAT KARAD
Will the Minister of NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for High Efficiency Solar PV
Modules has strengthened domestic solar PV manufacturing through capacity creation,
technological upgradation and local value addition, the details thereof;
(b) whether Government has conducted or commissioned any studies to identify high solar
irradiance regions with maximum sunny days across the country;
(c) if so, whether regions such as Vidarbha and Marathwada in Maharashtra have been identified
as high solar potential areas and the findings of such studies; and
(d) the steps taken or proposed, including new schemes or region-specific initiatives, to promote
solar-manufacturing and solar power-projects in these high-sunlight regions?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND POWER
(SHRI SHRIPAD YESSO NAIK)
(a) Yes, the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for High Efficiency Solar PV Modules has
strengthened domestic solar PV manufacturing in the country through capacity creation,
technological upgradation, and local value addition. On 28.04.2021, Ministry of New &
Renewable Energy (MNRE) issued the Scheme Guidelines for the Production Linked Incentive
Scheme for High Efficiency Solar PV Modules (Tranche-I). At that time, solar PV module
manufacturing capacity in India enlisted under Approved List of Models and Manufacturers
(ALMM) was around 8.2 GW. As on 31.12.2025, this capacity has surged to around 144 GW under
ALMM, which is sufficient to cater to the domestic demand for solar modules.
The Scheme supports induction of the latest, state-of-art solar PV manufacturing technologies into
the country, as the solar PV manufacturers are motivated to invest more in Research &
Development in order to produce more efficient and resilient solar PV modules. Further, the
scheme also incentivizes higher local value addition by way of higher PLI.
Under the PLI Scheme, Ingot-Wafer manufacturing capacity has been installed for the first time in
India. Further, fully integrated thin film solar PV module manufacturing capacity has also been
installed, which is not dependent on imported Solar Cells, Wafers, and Polysilicon, as the
manufacturing process is fully integrated and all the major steps involved in the manufacturing
process, take place in India.The selected manufacturers under PLI Scheme for High Efficiency Solar PV Modules are also
engaged in the production of solar modules with advanced solar PV technologies such as
Heterojunction (HJT) and Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (TOPCon).
(b) & (c) The National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) has conducted an assessment of India’s
ground-mounted solar photovoltaic potential and released its report in September 2025. As per the
assessment, the total feasible ground-mounted solar potential in the country is estimated at around
3,343 GW, including around 486.68 GW in Maharashtra. District wise solar potential of
Maharashtra is given at Annexure-I.
(d) The Government has been implementing various measures to promote solar manufacturing and
solar power projects across the country, including in high-sunlight regions. These include the PLI
Scheme for High Efficiency Solar PV Modules, PM-KUSUM, PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana,
and Development of Solar Parks & Ultra-Mega Solar Power Projects Scheme, Standard Bidding
Guidelines for solar power projects, facilitation of transmission infrastructure, and measures to
promote ease of doing business. These initiatives are designed to support both manufacturing and
deployment of solar power projects in India.
*****Annexure-I
Annexure-I referred to in reply of parts (b) & (c) of the Rajya Sabha Unstarred
Question No. 473 for 03.02.2026 regarding ‘Promotion of domestic solar
manufacturing and identification of high solar potential regions’
District wise solar potential of Maharashtra
Sr. No District Solar Potential (MW )
p
1 Ahamadnagar 28196.41
2 Akola 4752.39
3 Amaravati 7974.94
4 Aurangabad 10058.32
5 Bid 10317.00
6 Bhandara 5807.76
7 Buldhana 5617.23
8 Chandrapur 14788.50
9 Dhule 10996.58
10 Gadchiroli 211.32
11 Gondia 2463.18
12 Hingoli 4989.72
13 Jalna 7767.68
14 Jalgaon 15690.88
15 Kolhapur 11820.66
16 Latur 3568.91
17 Mumbai City 7.60
18 Nagpur 15930.04
19 Nanded 7958.36
20 Nashik 28089.57
21 Nandurbar 3048.29
22 Palghar 13054.04
23 Parbhani 3271.09
24 Pune 54514.15
25 Raygad 30307.45
26 Ratnagiri 21173.11
27 Sangli 36783.57
28 Satara 29520.84
29 Sindhudurg 13095.84
30 Solapur 19740.05
31 Sub Urban Mumbai 1404.63
32 Thane 28036.65
33 Usmanabad 13012.10
34 Washim 3982.00
35 Wardha 8104.58
36 Yavatmal 10623.24
Total Solar Potential (MW ) 486678.68
p