The Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) has called on the Government of Jammu & Kashmir to initiate a focused rooftop solarisation drive across organised industrial estates by leveraging central MSME schemes, aiming to transform idle rooftops into productive clean energy assets.
In a proposal submitted to the authorities, FCIK described rooftop solar as a transformative infrastructure intervention that can strengthen sustainability, enhance energy self-reliance and reduce fiscal pressure on the Union Territory.
Leveraging MSE-CDP for Common Solar Facilities
The Federation has recommended utilising the Integrated Infrastructure Development (IID) component of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises flagship Micro & Small Enterprises–Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP).
According to FCIK, rooftop solar systems can be treated as a “Common Facility” within organised industrial estates, making them eligible for up to 60 per cent central financial assistance under the scheme. The Federation further suggested aligning this support with the J&K Industrial Policy 2021–30, which offers 100 per cent subsidy for alternative power solutions, thereby easing the burden on the state exchequer.
FCIK emphasised that solarisation is not merely an environmental measure but a strategic fiscal and structural reform. By generating power at the point of consumption, industrial estates can reduce dependence on externally procured electricity, lower Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses and strengthen in-house generation capacity.
Test Case in Srinagar Industrial Estate
The Federation lauded the Kashmir Small Scale Industrial Association (KSSIA) for initiating a detailed project report (DPR) for a rooftop solar common facility at the Bagh-i-Ali Mardan Khan Industrial Estate in Srinagar, in collaboration with the National Institute of Technology Srinagar.
FCIK stated that the Ministry of MSME has agreed in principle to the proposal, subject to confirmation from the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) regarding power off-take and operational arrangements. Following KPDCL’s consent, the proposal has been taken up by the MSME branch of the Industries & Commerce Department, Kashmir, for final DPR preparation under MSE-CDP guidelines.
The DPR will be submitted to the State Level Steering Committee under the IID component for approval.
Replicable Model for Sustainable Industrial Growth
FCIK has urged authorities to treat the Srinagar project as a pilot case, which can later be replicated across other organised industrial estates in Jammu & Kashmir.
The Federation noted that widespread rooftop solar adoption would promote green industrial growth, reduce reliance on diesel generators, improve power reliability for MSMEs and rationalise subsidy outgo. It would also support national renewable energy goals while strengthening J&K’s industrial competitiveness.
By converging central funding with regional industrial policy incentives, FCIK believes the initiative can unlock significant rooftop solar potential across hundreds of industrial units in the Union Territory.
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