THE Vidarbha Industries Association (VIA) has welcomed the notification of Maharashtra Renewable Energy and Energy Storage Policy 2025-26 to 2035-36. Expressing satisfaction, Prashant Mohota, President, VIA appreciated several features in the new policy like the eligibility for Green Open Access at the 100 kW threshold was technically approved in earlier regulations, but its implementation has been severely hampered by persistent regulatory and procedural hurdles.

 

“We appreciate that this new policy focuses on clearing these bottlenecks by mandating a single-window portal, time-bound clearances, and streamlined interface with the National Green Open Access Registry,” he said. Another strength of this policy is the inclusion of a detailed Annexure of Actions and Timelines. By setting clear deadlines—ranging from 3 to 12 months—for various state agencies like MSEDCL, MSETCL, and MEDA to issue operational guidelines, the Government has provided a mechanism for accountability. “While the policy recognises the importance of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), we recommend that Government should move toward clearly defined capital-based incentives for such projects,” he said.

 

Apart from this, the policy constitutes a high-level Implementation Committee to monitor progress and resolve difficulties. “To ensure that the ground-level technical and commercial challenges faced by industries in eastern Maharashtra are accurately represented, VIA requests the inclusion of its representative in this committee,” Mohota added.