The budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Power stands at Rs 158.74 billion under the Interim Budget 2019-20, an increase of 1.60 per cent over the Rs 156.25 billion (revised estimate) in the previous budget. The allocation to central sector schemes registered a 12.4 per cent decline from Rs 138.58 billion in 2018-19 to Rs 121.31 billion in 2019-20. While no major announcements were made for the power sector, the finance minister highlighted the expansion of the LED programme with the distribution of 1.43 billion LED bulbs, and the ten times growth in solar generation capacity in the past five years. In addition, an emphasis was laid on promoting the use of electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage solutions to cut down oil imports, enhance energy security and save foreign exchange. The central government will provide electricity connection to every willing household under Saubhagya by the end of March 2019. Meanwhile, the budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Coal stood at Rs 8.22 billion, an increase of 12.8 per cent over the Rs 7.82 billion (revised estimate) in the previous budget. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy was allocated Rs 52.54 billion as against Rs 51.46 billion, an increase of just 2 per cent. The budget allocated for atomic energy stood at Rs 167.25 billion, a decline of 1.4 per cent over the Rs 169.65 billion in the previous budget.
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