Gandhinagar, March 20 (IANS) Presenting the demands of the Climate Change Department in the Gujarat Assembly, it was highlighted that the state established a dedicated Climate Change Department in 2009. This move not only set an example for India but also positioned Gujarat as a pioneer in Asia.
Under the Renewable Energy Policy-2023, Gujarat has achieved a total installed wind energy capacity of 12,510 MW, securing the top position in India.
Additionally, the state’s total installed solar energy capacity has reached 17,580 MW, ranking second in the country.
Gujarat’s total installed renewable energy capacity now stands at 32,303 MW, making it the second-largest in India.
Since 2015, Gujarat has been running a subsidy scheme for battery-operated vehicles. Under this initiative, school students from grades 11-12 and college students receive a subsidy of Rs 12,000 per electric two-wheeler.
So far, over 50,000 students have benefited from subsidies amounting to Rs 58 crore, directly transferred to their bank accounts. In 2025-26, Rs 9 crore has been allocated to support 7,500 students in purchasing electric two-wheelers.
To enhance environmental conservation, Gujarat has implemented a scheme to upgrade crematoriums.
As of now, over 9,220 upgraded crematoriums have been installed, and in 2025-26, the government plans to install 1,500 more with an allocation of Rs 9 crore. Under the state’s solar rooftop initiative, 3,815 government buildings have been equipped with solar rooftop systems, generating over 65 MW of power.
For 2025-26, Rs 55 crore has been allocated to install additional 14 MW capacity.
Additionally, under the CAPEX model, Gujarat has set aside Rs 146 crore in the 2025-26 budget to establish 37 MW of solar rooftop capacity on government buildings. Under the subsidy scheme for institutional biogas plants, 613 plants have been installed so far.
For 2025-26, Rs 12 crore has been allocated to set up 70 additional biogas plants across various institutions.
To promote awareness and recognise contributions toward climate change solutions, the Gujarat government introduced the Climate Change Awards in 2023-24, honouring 10 individuals across six categories.
For 2025-26, Rs 25 lakh has been earmarked to extend the awards to 10 categories.
The 2025-26 Gujarat Budget has allocated Rs 165.10 crore for new climate-related projects. This includes promoting the circular economy, advancing green sector initiatives, launching skill development and capacity-building programs, assessing the potential of biomass availability, and developing guidelines for recovering valuable materials from solar and e-waste.
Additionally, Rs 25 crore has been designated for the establishment of a Climate Change Fund, and Rs 33 crore has been allocated to implement measures to mitigate the effects of climate change at the district level and promote the Mission LiFE initiative.
–IANS
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