Guwahati, June 1: Northeast India’s biggest solar power project, with a generation capacity of 70 MW, was inaugurated by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at Amguri in Sivasagar district on Wednesday.

The Rs 300-crore Amguri solar park project was executed by M/s Jackson Power Private Limited as Solar Power Developer (SPD), with the government owned Assam Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGCL) acting as solar power park developer.

Inaugurating the solar power plant, the Chief Minister said that four more solar power projects with 25 MW generation capacity each would be commissioned soon in different parts of the state.

Saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised to generate more energy from solar and renewable sources, Sarma announced that 1,000 MW solar power would be generated within three years in Assam.

“The state government is trying to make Assam a green energy hub. Assam currently requires 2200 MW power to provide electricity to all households across the state,” Sarma said, adding that with the better collection of the electricity bill, the Assam government has registered a profit of Rs 800 crore this year.

The APGCL is also making profit, the Chief Minister said.

The foundation of the Amguri solar park project was laid by incumbent Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, on February 19, 2019 when he was serving as the Chief Minister of Assam. The target date of commissioning of the project was December 2021.

In addition, under the Assam government’s flagship scheme ‘Orunodoi’, Rs 1,000 has been provided per month to around 22 lakh beneficiaries, mostly women.

“From now onwards Rs 1,250 per month would be provided to the beneficiaries under the ‘Orunodoi’ scheme so that they could pay their electricity bills. More seven lakh people would be included in the scheme,” the Chief Minister announced.