THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
BURLA,
SEPTEMBER 17, 2026
TP Western Odisha
Distribution Limited (TPWODL), a joint venture between Tata Power and the
Government of Odisha, on Thursday launched its ‘Solar Rath’ here to drive
awareness and adoption of rooftop solar under the Centre’s PM Surya Ghar: Muft
Bijli Yojana.
The Solar Rath was
flagged off by Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan on the occasion of Lord
Vishwakarma Jayanti.
The launch assumes
significance as TPWODL has crossed 61,000 rooftop solar installations across
its nine-district operational area in Western Odisha. The company has recorded
61,729 installations so far, including 35,829 under the CAPEX model and 25,900 under
the Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) model.
Nuapada has emerged
as the leading district in the region with 10,489 rooftop solar installations.
Speaking at the
flag-off ceremony, MP Pradhan said, “Rooftop solar is an essential step towards
empowering households with clean, self-sustaining energy while contributing to
India’s broader renewable energy goals. The Solar Rath will bring information
on the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana closer to people and encourage greater
participation at the grassroots level.”
The event was
attended by Siddheshwar Baliram Bondar, Collector and District Magistrate,
Sambalpur; Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo, Superintendent of Police, Sambalpur; Rehan
Khatri, Commissioner, Sambalpur Municipal Corporation; and Parveen Kumar Verma,
CEO, TPWODL.
Former Rengali MLA
Nauri Nayak, BJP Sambalpur president Ramchandra Meher and BJP Sambalpur
vice-president Simanchala Khatei were also present, along with senior TPWODL
officials and employees.
Sambalpur Collector Bondar
said the mobile awareness initiative would help take information about rooftop
solar directly to communities.
“The Solar Rath will take information on
rooftop solar directly into communities, helping consumers understand the
support and process available to them. Such outreach can encourage wider
adoption of sustainable energy solutions,” he said.
The Solar Rath will
travel across TPWODL’s operational geography, covering villages, marketplaces
and other prominent public locations to disseminate information about the PM
Surya Ghar scheme, including eligibility criteria, subsidies, application
procedures and rooftop solar solutions.
As part of the
campaign, ‘Solar Sanga’ (Solar Buddy) will accompany the Rath and interact with
consumers, explaining the available schemes and guiding them through the
rooftop solar adoption process.
The initiative will
also be supported by TPWODL’s ‘Solar Didis’, comprising women SHG members and
grassroots solar champions who will undertake door-to-door awareness drives and
community engagement activities.
CEO Verma said the
milestone reflected the increasing adoption of clean energy in the region.
“Surpassing 61,000 rooftop solar installations
reflects the growing adoption of clean energy across Western Odisha. With the
Solar Rath, Solar Sanga and Solar Didis, we are taking information and guidance
directly to communities and helping consumers make informed choices about
rooftop solar,” he said.
TPWODL said the Solar
Rath campaign is part of its continued efforts to strengthen grassroots
awareness and accelerate rooftop solar adoption across Western Odisha,
supporting the region’s transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy.
