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					</table><p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/project-delays-postponements-46-decline-investments-q2-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Investments in the Indian solar sector in the second quarter of the calendar year 2023 totaled $1.57 billion (~₹129.86 billion), a 46% year-over-year decrease from $2.9 billion (~₹239.87 billion).</strong></a> The figures were revealed in Mercom India Research’s latest report, Q2 2023 India Solar Market Quarterly Update. The decline was primarily due to the delays, extensions, and postponements of utility-scale projects to next year. Additionally, the falling module prices lowered project costs and investment requirements.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/bhel-invites-floating-solar-project-in-odisha" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bharat Heavy Electricals has invited bids for designing, supplying, and assembling a floating system along with the necessary anchoring and mooring components for a 300 MW floating solar</strong></a> power project at the Rengali Reservoir in Angul district, Odisha. The last date for the submission of bids is September 4, 2023. Bids will be opened on the same day. The Rengali reservoir is under the ownership of the Water Resources Department of the Odisha Government. It is located in an area linked to National Highway NH55 through State Highway SH63 (at Bhudapal) in Angul district.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/sterlite-power-wins-renewable-energy-in-rajasthan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Power transmission company Sterlite Power has been awarded the contract for an inter-state transmission system project to evacuate 20 GW of renewable energy in Rajasthan</strong></a> under Phase-III Part F. The company received a letter of intent (LoI) from REC Power Development and Consultancy, a fully-owned subsidiary of REC. The LoI authorizes Sterlite Power to construct the project under the build, own, operate, and transfer framework for 35 years.</p>
<p><a href="https://mercomindia.com/jodhpur-discom-tenders-74-mw-solar-projects-kusum/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Jodhpur Vidyut Vitran Nigam has floated three tenders for installing and commissioning 28 grid-connected solar power projects with a total capacity of 74 MW in various</strong></a> subdivisions of Sirohi Circle under Component C of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan program for feeder-level polarization. The projects will be developed under the renewable energy service company model. The tenders have been floated for 22.08 MW, 21.64 MW, and 30.28 MW solar power projects.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/adb-loan-fourth-partner-energys-open-access-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Fourth Partner Energy has entered into an agreement with the Asian Development Bank to secure a long-term loan of up to ₹1.2 billion (~$14.7 million) for constructing and operating a 25 MW</strong></a> solar open access project in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. The project will supply clean and cost-effective solar energy to Fourth Partner Energy’s various commercial and industrial clients and is projected to yield approximately 50.7 GWh of electricity annually.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/gulf-oil-lubricants-ev-charging-firm-tirex-transmission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gulf Oil Lubricants India, an India-based lubricant manufacturing firm, is set to acquire a 51% stake in the electric vehicle charging solutions provider Tirex Transmission in a deal valued at</strong></a> approximately ₹1.03 billion (~$12.4 million). The capital infusion into Tirex will primarily fuel research and development initiatives, bolster production capabilities, and extend the service network. The acquisition hinges on the finalization of definitive agreements and the fulfillment of predefined closing conditions.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/nagaland-procure-power-bamboo-biomass-%E2%82%B95-06-kwh" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Hutah Industries, a biomass independent power producer, has signed a power purchase agreement with the Department of Power, Nagaland, for a 10 MW bamboo biomass project at the AK</strong></a> Industrial Village in Dimapur, Nagaland. The project will be developed on a build, own, and operate basis. The project will be developed on 1,500 acres of land acquired on a long-term lease of 25 years for the onsite bamboo power project at the AK Industrial Village. Hutah Industries will execute it in turnkey engineering, procurement, and construction mode.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/uae-banks-green-financing-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The UAE Banks Federation has disclosed that six major banks, including the First Abu Dhabi Bank, the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, the Emirates NBD, the Dubai Islamic Bank, Mashreq, and the</strong></a> Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have collectively channeled over AED190 billion (~$51.72 billion) into green financing for projects involving renewable energy, waste-to-energy, and green technology as of 2022. The banks in the UAE have pledged to synchronize their lending and investment portfolios with the objective of achieving net zero emissions by the year 2050.</p>
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Daily News Wrap-Up: Solar Project Delays Cause Drop in Investments in Q2


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					</table><p><a href="https://www.hutahindustries.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hutah Industries</a>, a biomass-based power producer, has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the <a href="https://www.dopn.gov.in/dopn-portal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Department of Power</a>, Nagaland, for a 10 MW bamboo biomass project at the AK Industrial Village in Dimapur, Nagaland. The project will be developed on a build, own, and operate basis.</p>
<p>The project will be developed on 1,500 acres of land acquired on a long-term lease of 25 years for the onsite bamboo power project at the AK Industrial Village. Hutah Industries will execute it in turnkey engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) mode.</p>
<p>The tariff for the electricity produced from the project has been set as ₹5.06 (~$0.061)/kWh and will be valid for the PPA period of 25 years.</p>
<p>The project must be commissioned within 24 months of signing the PPA.</p>
<p>The Department of Power, Nagaland, will execute the evacuation line from the factory to the Ganesh Anagar 33 kV substation, which the company will pay 18 months before the commissioning.</p>
<p>The crop to be used for the project is Beema bamboo, which has been developed through tissue culture by Indian scientist N Barati.</p>
<p>The project involves the integration of a technology-based platform to manage and monitor the multiple stages of sowing to harvest of bamboo.</p>
<p>The project includes inventory and logistics management, integrated with an agri drone-based monitoring system for bamboo estate optimization operations in hilly terrain.</p>
<p>The emission reduction purchase agreement (EPRA) for trading carbon credits has already been executed with <a href="https://enkingint.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EKI Energy</a> for ten years, and the listing process has started.</p>
<p>In June this year, the Ministry of Power <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/ministry-benchmark-price-biomass-pellets-thermal-plants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revised</a> the Biomass Co-Firing Policy to benchmark the prices for biomass pellets utilized in co-firing at thermal power plants. The decision was prompted by the changing market conditions for biomass pellets and numerous requests from stakeholders such as thermal power plants, pellet manufacturers, farmers, bankers, and others.</p>
<p>Earlier, the Madhya Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/madhya-pradesh-tariff-%e2%82%b95-07-kwh-biomass-power" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> a tariff of ₹5.07 (0.062)/kWh for distribution companies (DISCOMs) to procure power generated from biomass-based projects in Madhya Pradesh.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/rakesh-ranjan-parashar/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Rakesh Ranjan</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Rakesh-Headshot-crop-2.jpg" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Rakesh Ranjan,</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/rakesh-ranjan-parashar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Rakesh Ranjan.</a></p>
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<p><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Rakesh-Headshot-crop-2.jpg" width="77" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/rakesh-ranjan-parashar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong style="color: #00b451">Rakesh Ranjan</strong></a> is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Prior to joining Mercom, he worked in many roles as a business correspondent, assistant editor, senior content writer, and sub-editor with bcfocus.com, CIOReview/Silicon India, Verbinden Communication, and Bangalore Bias. Rakesh holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). <a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/rakesh-ranjan-parashar/" rel="noopener noreferrer">More articles from Rakesh Ranjan.</a></p>
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Nagaland DISCOM to Procure Power from Bamboo Biomass Project at ₹5.06/kWh


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					</table><p>The average aggregate technical and commercial (AT&amp;C) losses for distribution companies (DISCOMs) at the national level increased from 20.73% in the financial year (FY) 2019-20 to 22.32% in FY 2020-21.</p>
<p>The widening losses are despite the distribution reform programs run by the government in the past. While Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) had set a target for AT&amp;C losses reduction to 15% by 2019, a recently launched revamped distribution sector reform plan aims to cut AT&amp;C losses to 12-15% by 2024-25.</p>
<p>AT&amp;C losses reflect DISCOMs’ efficiency in recovering the cost of supplying electricity. A higher loss means lower revenue realized per unit of supply.</p>
<p>The numbers were revealed in Power Finance Corporation’s (<a href="https://www.pfcindia.com/Home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PFC</a>) report on DISCOM performance. The report analyzed all state-owned DISCOMs and major private ones.</p>
<p>Billing efficiency decreased from 85.41% to 84.07%, while collection efficiency reduced nominally from 92.80% to 92.40% over the same period.</p>
<p>Kerala recorded the lowest AT&amp;C losses at 7.76%, while Nagaland had the highest at 60.39%. Daman &amp; Diu had the lowest AT&amp;C losses among Union Territories (UTs) at 4.48%.</p>
<p>The national average amongst all DISCOMs was 22.32%.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-43361" src="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-20-144010.jpg" alt="DISCOMs AT&amp;C losses FY21" width="600" height="315" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-20-144010.jpg 2332w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-20-144010-300x158.jpg 300w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-20-144010-2000x1051.jpg 2000w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-20-144010-768x403.jpg 768w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-20-144010-1536x807.jpg 1536w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-20-144010-2048x1076.jpg 2048w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-20-144010-650x341.jpg 650w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-20-144010-624x328.jpg 624w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-20-144010-600x315.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />(Source: PFC (Numbers are in percentages))</p>
<p>The other states that had low AT&amp;C losses were Gujarat at 11.35%, Goa (12.94%), Telangana (13.33%), Tamil Nadu (13.81%), and Himachal Pradesh (14.02%).</p>
<p>The states with high AT&amp;C losses were the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir at 59.28%, Arunachal Pradesh (44.87%), Madhya Pradesh (41.47%), Jharkhand (41.36%), and Tripura (37.36%).</p>
<p>The top five states which displayed a considerable reduction in AT&amp;C losses included Telangana, which reported a reduction from 21.92% in FY20 to 13.33% in FY21. Other states like Kerala reduced it from 13.12% to 7.76%, Uttarakhand from 20.35% to 15.39%, Assam from 23.39% to 18.73%, and Bihar from 39.95 to 35.33%.</p>
<p>Among UTs, Lakshadweep decreased its AT&amp;C losses from 13.69% in FY20 to 11.63% in FY21.</p>
<p>The five least performing states included Andhra Pradesh, which saw a considerable increase in its AT&amp;C losses from 10.77% in FY20 to 27.25% in FY21 compared to other states. States like Mizoram saw an increase from 20.66% to 36.53%, Madhya Pradesh from 30.38% to 41.47%, Maharashtra from 18.56% to 25.54%, and Arunachal Pradesh from 40.4% from 44.87%.</p>
<p>Among UTs, Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands increased its AT&amp;C losses from 23.34% in FY20 to 51.94 in FY21. Dadra &amp; Nagar Haveli reduced from 3.56% to 5.17%, Puducherry from 18.45% from 19.92%, Delhi from 8.26% from 8.87%, and Daman &amp; Diu 4.07% from 4.48%.</p>
<p>One of the major contributors to the reduction in AT&amp;C losses has been the smart meters installed by the DISCOMs. While traditional meters require meter readings to be inspected physically for power generation, smart meters do not. The readings can be monitored by the consumer and the DISCOM remotely through the internet.</p>
<p>Remote meter reading would be a huge boon for the sector as a significant chunk of DISCOM revenue is lost due to billing inefficiencies. Smart metering will also curb electricity theft, which significantly contributes to AT&amp;C losses in many states.</p>
<p>Mercom had earlier <a href="https://mercomindia.com/now-time-smart-meters-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on the importance and the need for installing smart meters to reduce AT&amp;C losses.</p>
<p>High AT&amp;C loss also affects the performance of DISCOMs and their financial status, which is already a huge concern for developers. The Ministry of Power has <a href="https://mercomindia.com/25-state-power-utilities-downgraded-in-annual-discom-ratings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">downgraded</a> 25 DISCOMs due to a huge difference between the revenue and cost realized per kWh, high operational and maintenance costs, poor performance on power purchases, and interest costs.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Arjun Joshi</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Arjun-Joshi-1.png" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Arjun Joshi,</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Arjun Joshi.</a></p>
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<p><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Arjun-Joshi-1.png" width="86" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong style="color: #00b451">Arjun Joshi</strong> </a>is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Before joining Mercom, he worked as a technical writer for enterprise resource software companies based in India and abroad. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Psychology, and Optional English from Garden City University, Bangalore. <a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/arjun-joshi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Arjun Joshi.</a></p>
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Average AT&C Losses for DISCOMs Increases to 22.32% in FY21

<p>The <a href="https://www.dopn.gov.in/irj/go/km/docs/internet/NAGALAND/Pages/Home.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Department of Power</a>, Nagaland has invited bids to empanel vendors to install 3.8 MW of grid-connected residential rooftop solar systems of various capacities under the Phase-II of the Rooftop Solar Program of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).</p>
<p>The successful bidder will also have to take care of the operation and maintenance activities of the project for five years.</p>
<p>The projects will be developed under the capital expenditure (CAPEX) model.</p>
<p>The last date to submit the bids online is March 23, 2022. Bids will be opened on the following day.</p>
<p>The tenure for empanelment will be for 12 months from the date of the empanelment letter issued by the Department of Power.</p>
<p>The bidding process will take place under two zones-Zone I and Zone II.</p>
<p>The capacity-wise distribution under Zone 1:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/nagaland-1-final.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-33058 size-full" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/nagaland-1-final.png" alt="Nagaland 1-final" width="543" height="366" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/nagaland-1-final.png 543w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/nagaland-1-final-300x202.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 543px) 100vw, 543px" /></a></p>
<p>The capacity-wise distribution under Zone 2:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/nagaland-2-final.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-33059 size-full" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/nagaland-2-final.png" alt="Nagaland 2 final" width="545" height="191" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/nagaland-2-final.png 545w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/nagaland-2-final-300x105.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 545px) 100vw, 545px" /></a></p>
<p>The state government has stated that the rooftop installations of up to 3 kW would be eligible for a subsidy of 40%. Installations in the range of 3 kW to 10 kW will get a subsidy of 40% for the first 3 kW and 20%. The central financial assistance will be restricted 20% for the common facilities up to 500 kW for group housing societies and residential welfare associations.</p>
<p>To participate in the bidding process, the bidder should have designed, supplied, installed, and commissioned grid-connected solar projects of aggregate capacity not less than 500 kW as of the bid submission date.</p>
<p>The bidders who do not have any prior experience or do not have the minimum required prior experience in installing grid-connected solar projects will not be allowed to submit price bids. Such bidders will be allowed to implement rooftop solar projects subject to matching of L-1 price.</p>
<p>The bidder’s average annual turnover should be ₹15,000 (~$196)/kW of the quoted capacity in the last three financial years prior to the bid submission date.</p>
<p>Alternatively, the bidder’s net worth should be ₹75,000 (~$979)/kW of the capacity offered by the bidder in its bid.</p>
<p>The solar modules and cells to be used in the projects should be made in India. The solar modules should have a minimum capacity of 250 W and at least 16% efficiency. All solar modules should carry a performance warranty of &gt;90% during the first ten years and &gt;80% during the next 15 years.</p>
<p>Earlier, the northeastern state of Tripura had <a href="https://mercomindia.com/tripura-empanelment-tender-1-mw-residential-rooftop/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited</a> bids to empanel developers to design, supply, install, and commission 1 MW of grid-connected rooftop solar projects on residential buildings at different locations.</p>
<p>Subscribe to Mercom’s <a href="https://mercomindia.com/product/india-solar-tender-tracker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Solar Tender Tracker</a> for timely updates on all solar tenders issued by various agencies in India.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/rakesh-ranjan-parashar/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Rakesh Ranjan</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
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<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Rakesh Ranjan,</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/rakesh-ranjan-parashar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Rakesh Ranjan.</a></p>
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<p><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Rakesh-Headshot-crop-2.jpg" width="77" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/rakesh-ranjan-parashar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong style="color: #00b451">Rakesh Ranjan</strong></a> is a staff reporter at Mercom India. Prior to joining Mercom, he worked in many roles as a business correspondent, assistant editor, senior content writer, and sub-editor with bcfocus.com, CIOReview/Silicon India, Verbinden Communication, and Bangalore Bias. Rakesh holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). <a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/rakesh-ranjan-parashar/" rel="noopener noreferrer">More articles from Rakesh Ranjan.</a></p>
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Empanelment Tender Floated for 3.8 MW of Residential Rooftop Solar Systems in Nagaland

<p>The Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd. (<a href="http://seci.co.in/index.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SECI</a>) has said it would soon issue a tender for 1,000 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity to be developed in the states of Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, and Assam. The ceiling tariff will be set at ₹3 (~$0.042)/kWh.</p>
<p>According to SECI, these solar PV projects will be developed under Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) Phase-II Batch-IV. The request for selection will be made available online on or after March 20, 2019.</p>
<p>When contacted, a SECI official told Mercom, “The finer details are being worked out and will be made public in the request for selection which will be issued in March 2019.</p>
<p>Executing these projects would be a tough ask in heavily forested areas. When asked if the implementing agency has broken down capacity to be set up in each of these states, the official said, “No, we haven’t done that. Considering the topography and the forested areas, we have left it upon the developers or bidders to decide where they want to set up what capacity.”</p>
<p>This tender will be governed by the viability gap funding (VGF) program guidelines, informed the SECI official. <a href="https://mercomindia.com/mnre-vgf-solar-northeastern-states/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In January 2019</a>, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had received approval by the President of India for the implementation of a subset of the existing VGF program that includes developing 1,000 MW of solar projects in the northeastern states under JNNSM.</p>
<p>According to these guidelines, a ceiling tariff of ₹3 (~$0.042)/kWh, with a maximum VGF of ₹10 million (~$0.14 million)/ MW has been set for this tender. The minimum project capacity at a single location will be 5 MW.</p>
<p>Once this 1 GW of solar PV capacity is installed, it will help these states meet their renewable purchase obligation targets. <a href="https://mercomindia.com/most-states-fail-rpo-targets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In a report in January 2019</a>, Mercom pointed out that Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura were the only states in northeastern India that had achieved a minimum 60 percent RPO compliance. The RPO compliance of Sikkim was 44.2 percent, Meghalaya was 30.9 percent, Tripura was 12.2 percent, Assam was 1.9 percent, Arunachal Pradesh was 0.6 percent, and Manipur was 0.1 percent.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/saumy/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Saumy Prateek</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/saumy-edited-1.png" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Saumy Prateek</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/saumy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Saumy Prateek</a></p>
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<div class="authorboxn"><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/saumy-edited-1.png" width="79" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/saumy/" rel="noopener"><strong>Saumy Prateek, </strong> </a>is a senior staff reporter with MercomIndia.com covering business and energy news since 2016. Prior to Mercom, Saumy was a copy editor at Thomson Reuters. Saumy earned his Bachelors Degree in Journalism &amp; Mass Communication from the Manipal Institute of Communication at Manipal University.<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/saumy/">More articles from Saumy Prateek.</a></div>
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SECI to Tender 1 GW of Solar Capacity to be Developed Across Eight North Eastern States

<p>Twenty-Seven Indian states and four union territories have so far joined the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (<a href="https://www.uday.gov.in/home.php">UDAY</a>) program which was implemented by the government of India to assist the financial turnaround of DISCOMs (utilities/distribution company). The state of Nagaland, and the union territories of Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands, Dadra &amp; Nagar Haveli, and Daman &amp; Diu are the new additions.</p>
<p>The new additions joined the program on its second anniversary. The Government of India signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) under the UDAY program with the state of Nagaland and with union territories of Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands, Dadra &amp; Nagar Haveli, and Daman &amp; Diu for operational improvements.</p>
<p>These signatories have joined the UDAY program only for operational improvement and will not undergo financial restructuring, no bonds will be issued for these four new additions.</p>
<p><a href="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/UDAY-27-States-4-UTs-MoU.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-8254" src="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/UDAY-27-States-4-UTs-MoU.jpg" alt="UDAY 27 States &amp; 4 UTs MoU" width="566" height="496" srcset="https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/UDAY-27-States-4-UTs-MoU.jpg 566w, https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/UDAY-27-States-4-UTs-MoU-300x263.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 566px) 100vw, 566px" /></a></p>
<p>Nagaland, Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands, Daman &amp; Diu, and Dadra &amp; Nagar Haveli will derive net benefit of ₹5.51 billion (~$85 million), ₹180 million (~$2.8 million), ₹100 million (~$1.5 million), and ₹130 million (~$2 million),  respectively, by way of cheaper funds for capex, reduction in aggregate technical &amp; commercial (AT&amp;C) and transmission losses and interventions in energy efficiency, during the period of turnaround.</p>
<p>Through compulsory distribution transformer metering, consumer indexing and GIS mapping of losses, upgrading/changing transformers, meters, smart metering of high-end consumers, feeder audit, AT&amp;C losses and transmission losses would be brought down, besides eliminating the gap between cost of supply of power and realization.</p>
<p>Demand side interventions under the UDAY program such as usage of energy-efficient LED bulbs, agricultural pumps, fans &amp; air-conditioners and efficient industrial equipment through PAT (Perform, Achieve, Trade) will help in reducing peak load and flatten load curve of these states and union territories.</p>
<p>After a long interval, new signatories have joined the UDAY program. Prior to this, in April 2017, <a href="https://mercomindia.com/indian-state-mizoram-joins-uday-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mizoram</a> had become the 26<sup>th</sup> state to join the UDAY program. Mercom had previously <a href="https://mercomindia.com/%E2%82%B92-09-trillion-discom-debt-taken-states-uday/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> the various state governments participating in the UDAY program taking over a debt of ₹2.09 trillion (~$32.5 billion) from their DISCOMs. This is almost half of the ₹4.3 trillion (~$64 billion) of debt held by state DISCOMs.</p>
<p>Image credit: Mercom India</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/saumy/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Saumy Prateek</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/saumy-edited-1.png" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Saumy Prateek</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/saumy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Saumy Prateek</a></p>
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<div class="authorboxn"><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/saumy-edited-1.png" width="79" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/saumy/" rel="noopener"><strong>Saumy Prateek, </strong> </a>is a senior staff reporter with MercomIndia.com covering business and energy news since 2016. Prior to Mercom, Saumy was a copy editor at Thomson Reuters. Saumy earned his Bachelors Degree in Journalism &amp; Mass Communication from the Manipal Institute of Communication at Manipal University.<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/saumy/">More articles from Saumy Prateek.</a></div>
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Nagaland, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and Daman & Diu Join UDAY Program

<p>According to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) 2017 Load Generation Balance Report, a study on the anticipated power supply position for financial year (FY) 2017-18, India is expecting a power surplus of 8.8 percent and peak surplus of 6.8 percent in the country during 2017-18.</p>
<p>The CEA estimates that the Eastern region will meet its demand almost entirely while the other four regions will have a surplus varying from 3 percent to 13 percent with 3 percent in the North-Eastern region, 7.4 percent in the Southern region, 9.8 percent in the Northern region, and 13 percent in the Western region. In terms of peak power, the Northern, Western, Eastern, Southern, and North-Eastern regions are likely to have peak surpluses of 6.7 percent, 17.2 percent, 1 percent, 10 percent, and 2.7 percent respectively.</p>
<p>Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Daman &amp; Diu, Dadra &amp; Nagar Haveli, Goa, Odisha, West Bengal, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Sikkim are likely to have both a peak and energy surplus on an annual basis.</p>
<p>Haryana, Punjab, Karnataka, Telangana, Puducherry, and Manipur are anticipated to have surplus on an annual basis, but only in terms of energy. To meet the peak deficit, these states may arrange power from surplus states. All other states in the country are likely to have a demand-supply gap of varying degrees both in terms of energy and peak power.</p>
<p>The assessment of the anticipated power supply position in the country during FY2017-18 has been made taking into consideration the power availability from various projects in operation, including non-conventional energy sources, fuel availability, and anticipated water availability at hydroelectric projects. A capacity addition of 13,405 MW during the FY 2017-18 comprising 11,366 MW of thermal, 1,539 MW of hydro and 500 MW of nuclear power projects has been considered.</p>
<p>The CEA also stated that during the FY 2016-17, total ex-bus energy availability increased by 4.1 percent over the previous year, and the peak met increased by 5.7 percent. The energy requirement registered a growth of 2.6 percent during the year against the projected growth of 9 percent and peak demand registered a growth of 4 percent against the projected growth of 7.8 percent.</p>
<p>Mercom previously <a href="https://mercomindia.com/indias-power-supply-deficit-0-7-percent-fy2016-17/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported</a>, India recorded a low power supply deficit of 0.7 percent in the financial year (FY) 2016-17. More than 1,134,631 million units of electricity were produced, which was 7,461 million units less than the targeted 1,142,092 million units, according to CEA. The supply deficit was 0.7 percent and the peak deficit stood at 1.6 percent. A senior official at the CEA told that the deficit in FY2016-17 was lowest since the agency started maintaining the reports in 1992.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/saumy/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Saumy Prateek</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/saumy-edited-1.png" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Saumy Prateek</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/saumy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Saumy Prateek</a></p>
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<div class="authorboxn"><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/saumy-edited-1.png" width="79" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/saumy/" rel="noopener"><strong>Saumy Prateek, </strong> </a>is a senior staff reporter with MercomIndia.com covering business and energy news since 2016. Prior to Mercom, Saumy was a copy editor at Thomson Reuters. Saumy earned his Bachelors Degree in Journalism &amp; Mass Communication from the Manipal Institute of Communication at Manipal University.<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/saumy/">More articles from Saumy Prateek.</a></div>
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India Expects Power Surplus of 8.8 Percent and Peak Surplus of 6.8 Percent in FY2017-18

<p>Twenty-five states in India have fallen behind their renewable purchase obligation (RPO) targets. The state-wise installation targets set by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) have not been met; only 2,250 MW of solar was installed through December 31, 2016, compared to the targeted 12,000 MW for financial year (FY) 2016-17. States are now being requested by MNRE to ensure RPO compliance including through purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs).</p>
<p>An MNRE state-by-state progress report on renewable energy for FY 2015-16 shows that Meghalaya, Karnataka, Nagaland, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, and the Union Territory (UT) of Andaman and Nicobar achieved above 60 percent RPO compliance. The remaining states and union territories achieved less than 60 percent RPO compliance.</p>
<p>Considering the actual RPO level specified by the State electricity regulatory commissions (SERCs) for the year 2016-17, it is estimated that for FY 2016-17 over 2,034 MW of solar is needed by the remaining 25 states and union territories to fulfill the solar RPO, stated an <a href="http://solarrooftop.gov.in/notification/Notification-09012017.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MNRE report</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/solar-power-capacity-deficit-states-as-per-actual-RPO-for-2016-2017.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4875" src="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/solar-power-capacity-deficit-states-as-per-actual-RPO-for-2016-2017.png" alt="" width="537" height="572" srcset="https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/solar-power-capacity-deficit-states-as-per-actual-RPO-for-2016-2017.png 537w, https://cms.mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/solar-power-capacity-deficit-states-as-per-actual-RPO-for-2016-2017-282x300.png 282w" sizes="(max-width: 537px) 100vw, 537px" /></a><br />
Since the RPO targets are yet to be met, all states should align their policies with MNRE targets and in accordance with regulations issued by regulatory commissions like the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), stated an MNRE official. The delay in <a href="https://mercomindia.com/mercom-exclusive-incomplete-solar-park-infrastructure-affecting-large-scale-project-development-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">solar parks</a> is one of the reasons, and MNRE is trying its best to fast-track development of solar parks and related infrastructure, added the MNRE official.</p>
<p>To achieve respective RPOs, the MNRE has asked the states to:</p>
<ul>
<li>Ensure RPO compliance by increasing the share of renewable energy</li>
<li>Comply with RPO either through the purchase of renewable power or through the purchase of renewable energy certificates.</li>
<li>Align RPO levels as suggested in the revised Tariff Policy and long-term RPO trajectory as declared by the Ministry of Power.</li>
</ul>
<p>Renewable Purchase Obligation targets will become easily achievable once the <a href="https://mercomindia.com/can-green-energy-transmission-corridor-development-keep-rapid-renewable-energy-growth-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Green Energy Corridor</a> is complete, as it will provide for easy trade in renewable power, stated the MNRE official. The <a href="https://mercomindia.com/will-new-mnre-incentives-discoms-spur-solar-rooftop-growth-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">new rooftop policy</a> from MNRE is also expected to increase installation activity in the sector [helping with RPO obligations]. The MNRE will have to step up and respond to issues early; we have learned from the past and know how to fast-track processes to remove bottlenecks, added the MNRE official.</p>
<p>“Mostly the reason for non-compliance is financial,” commented Raj Prabhu, CEO of Mercom Capital Group. “The financial health of DISCOMs have been a primary hurdle for India in scaling its power generation and especially more expensive renewable sources like solar. Most of the states have joined UDAY (Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana, a financial turnaround program that targets DISCOM debt reduction) to fix these issues. Financial health of DISCOMs need to turn around sooner rather than later for more robust renewable installations which would in turn increase the RPO compliance” said Raj Prabhu.</p>
<p>To find a copy of Mercom’s most recent market update on the Indian solar sector, visit: <a href="http://bit.ly/MercomIndiaDec2016Form" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://bit.ly/MercomIndiaDec2016Form</a></p>
<p>Image Credit: By Phoenix Solar AG (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (<a class="linkified" title="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0</a>)], via Wikimedia Commons</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/saumy/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Saumy Prateek</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/saumy-edited-1.png" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Saumy Prateek</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/saumy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Saumy Prateek</a></p>
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<div class="authorboxn"><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/saumy-edited-1.png" width="79" height="102" /><a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/saumy/" rel="noopener"><strong>Saumy Prateek, </strong> </a>is a senior staff reporter with MercomIndia.com covering business and energy news since 2016. Prior to Mercom, Saumy was a copy editor at Thomson Reuters. Saumy earned his Bachelors Degree in Journalism &amp; Mass Communication from the Manipal Institute of Communication at Manipal University.<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/saumy/">More articles from Saumy Prateek.</a></div>
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25 Indian States Fall Behind Solar RPO Targets

<div id="stcpDiv">
<p>India is targeting 100 GW of solar by 2022, out of which 20 GW has been allocated to solar parks. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is considering increasing the capacity to be developed at solar parks to 40 GW. Currently, there are 34 solar parks planned across 21 Indian states, where projects aggregating 20 GW will be set up. However, project development is being hampered by delays relating to infrastructure and site preparation issues.</p>
<p>Project developers are citing issues including, lack of access roads, clean green lands, and clear demarcation of land areas in these solar parks. Officials at government agencies, on the other hand, are pointing out that development of solar parks is in its early stages and state nodal agencies are working to resolve issues as they arise.</p>
<p>All 34 solar parks have received in-principle approvals. Under the guidance of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), in some states, the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), has formed joint ventures with state renewable energy agencies to construct these solar parks. In Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu &amp; Kashmir, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal, state nodal agencies are also the implementing agencies. The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is overseeing the construction of solar parks in Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands.</p>
<p>The government’s rush to auction projects in these parks ahead of completing land acquisition formalities has led to project developers winning bids but finding infrastructure not ready to start construction. In some cases, such as the Pavagada, Charanka and Kadapa solar parks, bid-submission deadlines for tenders have been repeatedly extended.</p>
<p>“The issues around solar parks are typical to the Indian solar sector,” said Raj Prabhu, CEO of Mercom Capital Group. “Most policies are well-intentioned with top-down goal setting, but the problem usually is on the execution side.”</p>
<p>A developer involved in the recent auctions for projects in solar parks said the positives are that the infrastructure promised for solar parks is ideal for international investors and the bidding process is transparent. On the other hand, “infrastructure is not even close to being complete.” The government is in a hurry to invite tenders even before they have completed land acquisition which ends in a delay of four to five months before the auctions happen. Developers, meanwhile, are paying for park infrastructure that is non-existent. Much of the infrastructure is being built parallel to project construction and will be complete when projects are close to completion, which doesn’t help the developers. After paying steep park fees, developers are having to build parts of the infrastructure. “We cannot wait for roads to get built; there are going to be evacuation issues with each of these parks.”</p>
<p>There are trees that need to be cut and ground levelled in order to start construction work. There is no road access and transmission lines need to be removed to start work, commented another developer.</p>
<p>Project economics are sensitive to delays in project commissioning. Developers are in some cases incurring expenses to clean the land, build roads, and still waiting for power to be evacuated after commissioning. All of this can seriously affect project costs and profitability.</p>
<p>In Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka, there are delays in getting the land. Park infrastructure is not ready and the power evacuation facility at the Pavagada solar park is inadequate. There are also complaints of evacuation delays in the Kadapa Solar Park in Andhra Pradesh, where the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) bids are out.</p>
<p>“Solar parks are huge projects and these problems are minor when you look at the capacity that will be achieved; it has just been two years since we ventured into solar parks,” commented a SECI official. Nodal agencies are resolving these issues at the ministry-level to fast-track solar park development.</p>
<p>An official at Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation said that the only delays were issues relating to developers approaching them late. “On our part there have been no delays.&#8221;</p>
<p>An official at Andhra Pradesh Solar Power Corporation (APSPCL) confirmed that the Kurnool solar park has been completed and that infrastructure is under development in other solar parks in the state.</p>
<p>“In Rewa, the park development is in progress and we intend to have infrastructure ready before we invite tenders so that the developers can construct projects without any hurdles or delays,” commented an official at Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam (MPUVNL).</p>
<p>The MNRE has requested that the Principal Secretaries and the Chief Secretaries of State Governments take up necessary action for speedy implementation of solar power projects so that solar targets are achieved on time. “The MNRE is having regular review meetings with state governments and solar power park developers to ensure the timely completion of solar parks,” stated Mr. Piyush Goyal, Minister of Power, in a Lok Sabha session.</p>
<p>“Solar parks cannot be completed within days. A lot of planning is required; problems will come up but we are here to handle them,” commented an MNRE official.</p>
<p><a href="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Solar_Parks_India.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4641" src="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Solar_Parks_India.png" alt="" width="691" height="587" /></a></p>
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<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/author/priya-sanjay/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Priya Sanjay</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><div class="designboxt">
<p><img class="alignleft" style="border-radius: 50%;height: 50px;margin-top: -4px;border: 1px solid #00b451" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Priya-Sanjay-Managing-Director-Mercom-India-1.jpg" width="50" /></p>
<p><strong style="text-decoration: underline">Priya Sanjay,</strong> Staff reporter at Mercom India<br />
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/priya-sanjay/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More articles from Priya Sanjay.</a></p>
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<div class="authorboxn">
<p><img class="alignleft" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Priya-Sanjay-Managing-Director-Mercom-India-1.jpg" alt="Wendy Prabhu" />Priya currently serves as the Publisher for MercomIndia.com. With more than a decade of experience working in corporate communications, research, and policy, Priya has deep roots in the Indian energy markets and is regularly in touch with policy makers and industry leaders. Priya received her bachelor’s degree from Vidya Vardhaka College of Arts in Bangalore, India for Political Science and Economics and completed her MBA from Bangalore University. <a href="https://mercomindia.com/author/priya-sanjay/">More articles from Priya Sanjay.</a></div>
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