Jammu: Members cutting across the party lines on Wednesday alleged disproportionate distribution of Solar Street Lights (SSLs) in the legislative assembly today.
They pointed out these SSLs are urgently required in areas along the border especially in un-electrified villages along LoC, while there was a lot less need in urban areas.
The demand stemmed from a query by legislator Ajaz Ahmad Jan seeking constituency wise details of total SSLs distributed during 2025-26. Minister for Science & Technology, Satish Sharma, today said that 6,999 Solar Street Lights (SSLs) are being procured during the year 2025-26 with a minimum of 50 being provided in each constituency of Jammu and Kashmir.
He added that few lights are also being installed in migrant camps and some border areas of the Union Territory of J&K. “Few vendors supplying SSLs were lax but now we have pulled them up”, he added.
Jan sought the details of missing 2499 SSLs. “There is an urgent need for these lights in the sensitive Rajouri-Poonch border belt. The reply is incomplete as there is no detail of these 2499 SSLs”.
NC MLA Nazir Ahmad Gurezi pointed out what was the need of Solar Street Lights in Srinagar or Jammu cities. “Bandar bantee revdee”. Few BJP MLAs also wanted where those lights had ended up.
Intervening Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather said, “It is a valid concern. Unelectrified villages along the border should be provided SSLs”.
The Minister informed the House that in Poonch district, the material has recently been delivered for further installation, including the Poonch-Haveli Constituency. He said that a proposal for 70 Solar Street Lights (SSLs) to be installed in the Poonch-Haveli Constituency has been received from the office of the MLA. “Against a quantity of proposed 70 SSLs, 50 have already been delivered and the installation shall start shortly with expected completion by February”, he added.
He also said that at present no proposal for establishment of solar power plants in border villages has been formulated by JAKEDA, Science and Technology Department.
