Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday inaugurated a 70-megawatt solar power project at Khudimari Part-II in Dhubri district, near Kokrajhar, giving a significant boost to Assam’s renewable energy capacity.
The project, developed with an investment of around Rs 350 crore, spans nearly 1,000 bighas of land and is expected to produce approximately 141 million units of electricity every year. Officials said the facility will strengthen the state’s power infrastructure while promoting cleaner and more sustainable energy generation.
The solar plant has been implemented by SJVN Green Energy Limited, a Navaratna public sector undertaking under the Government of India, in partnership with the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited.
Speaking after the inauguration, the Chief Minister said Assam has made rapid strides in the renewable energy sector over the past few years. He noted that the state had almost no solar power generation earlier, but with the commissioning of the Dhubri project, Assam’s total installed solar capacity has now reached about 680 megawatts.
“This reflects the speed at which Assam is moving towards clean energy,” Sarma said, adding that another major solar project is close to completion in Gorsola in Sonitpur district. He informed that a 50-megawatt solar plant being developed there by SJVN is expected to be inaugurated in April, which will take the state’s total solar capacity to nearly 730 megawatts.
Outlining the government’s long-term plans, the Chief Minister reiterated that Assam aims to achieve 2,000 megawatts of solar power generation in the coming years by identifying suitable land and working with established public sector companies.
Sarma also pointed out that the land used for the Dhubri solar project was previously under illegal occupation. He said eviction drives were carried out to reclaim the government land, which was then put to productive use. “Utilising such land for development projects ensures that illegal encroachment does not recur and that the land benefits the people,” he said.
Referring to eviction operations conducted in Dhubri district last year, the Chief Minister stressed that the government’s policy is to align land recovery with development and job creation. He added that the solar project is expected to generate employment for local residents during both construction and operational phases, while also helping the state reduce its dependence on conventional energy sources.
