The National Parliament building will come under a solar power system within a few months, Prime Minister Tareque Rahman has said. He made the comment Wednesday afternoon while answering a question from MP Nilofar Chowdhury Moni during the question-and-answer session in parliament.
“The government has taken various steps to increase the use of renewable energy to address the energy crisis,” the prime minister said. “As part of that effort, the National Parliament building itself will come under a solar system within the next few months.”
Tareque Rahman said income tax has been waived on renewable energy products. “Over the next six months, the government will buy electricity at 10.5 taka per unit from anyone who installs rooftop solar. This will run for the next three years. A national rooftop solar program has also been launched for various government facilities,” he said.
He added: “The government will set a standard for lithium batteries for businesses. Loan facilities will be arranged for small businesses. Tax on raw materials has been waived for those who install solar panels on an industrial scale.”
The prime minister said the government has adopted a 10-year plan for the power and energy sector. Some testing is underway, he said, and the power and energy minister will present it to parliament soon.