Now Reading: Home Ministry bans renewable projects within 1 km of border
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Home Ministry bans renewable projects within 1 km of border
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has barred all solar, wind, and hybrid renewable energy projects within 1 km of India's international borders, citing national security. Projects between 1 km and 50…
The Story in Brief
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has barred all solar, wind, and hybrid renewable energy projects within 1 km of India's international borders, citing national security. Projects between 1 km and 50 km from the international border, Line of Control (LoC), or Line of Actual Control (LAC) will now need security clearance from the MHA. Those between 1 km and 20 km also require a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Defence Ministry.
The guidelines stem from a rise in queries about setting up renewable projects in border areas. Developers cannot hire engineers, staff, or labour from Pakistan, Bangladesh, or China without MHA permission. They must also install anti-drone systems, pay for security by the CISF or state police, and limit building heights near the border. Existing projects with prior clearance are exempted. The MHA aims to decide new applications within 60 days.
The Indian Opinion
The news cycle will likely paint this as another bureaucratic hurdle for green energy, but the MHA has a clear national security brief. The real test will be the 60-day clearance timeline: if applications genuinely get processed that fast, developers can plan around the rules. If they don't, the narrative of red tape will be justified. The key number to watch for is how many projects that applied after the new guidelines actually receive security clearance within two months.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
