Tuesday, June 18, 2013: As competition from western and Chinese manufacturers poses troubles for the Indian solar industry, Union New and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah has warned the Indian solar manufacrturers that the benefits given to them in the Solar Mission would be reviewed if they do not produce quality products.
The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) makes it mandatory for the solar power producers to use a certain percentage of local content in the plants they set up. Local content was made mandatory so that the domestic manufacturers could survive in the competition. But if the domestic manufacturers cannot produce quality products and do not meet the requirements of India, then the government will take away all the benefits offered to them, the minister reportedly said.
The minister asked the domestic manufacturers to produce something that the West will borrow from them. He warned the indigenous manufacturers to stop borrowing from the West and start producing quality products in a fast manner.