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Why did Nirmala Sitharaman mention Ayodhya Ram Mandir in Budget 2024 speech?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana with the target of installing rooftop solar earlier in January.
The recently inaugurated Ram temple in Ayodhya was mentioned in finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Interim Budget speech in Parliament on Thursday, February 1.
While highlighting the Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana, Nirmala Sitharaman in her interim Budget speech said through rooftop solarisation, one crore households will be enabled to obtain up to 300 units of free electricity each month. “This scheme follows the resolve of the Prime Minister on the historic day of consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya,” Sitharaman added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana with the target of installing rooftop solar earlier in January. Live Updates on Budget 2024
"I have taken my first decision after returning from Ayodhya that our government will launch 'Pradhan Mantri Suryoday Yojna' with the aim to install rooftop solar systems in one crore houses," Modi had said on X.
Ram Lalla idol consecration
The new 51-inch Ram Lalla idol was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on January 22, an event led by Prime Minister Modi who said it marked the advent of a new era. Lakhs of people watched the ‘pran pratishtha’ ceremony on television at their homes and in neighbourhood temples, becoming part of the event.
Before presiding over the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Modi had embarked on an 11-day ritual, visiting the places where Lord Ram had set foot, as mentioned in the epic Ramayana.
The prime minister's 11-day ritual also included following a rigid diet consisting of coconut water and fruits, sleeping on the floor and feeding cows.
Benefits under the scheme
Talking about the benefits, Sitharaman informed the House that there will be “savings up to ₹15,000-18,000 annually for households from free solar electricity and selling the surplus to the distribution companies”.
Under the scheme, people will be able to charge their electric vehicles; it will give entrepreneurship opportunities for a large number of vendors for supply and installation and employment opportunities for the youth with technical skills in manufacturing, installation, and maintenance.
Talking about India's commitment to 'net-zero' by 2070, she announced a viability gap funding for harnessing offshore wind energy.
"Viability gap funding will be provided for harnessing offshore wind energy potential for initial capacity of 1 GW," the minister said.
