Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Saturday, June 6, 2026, credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership for what he described as unprecedented achievements in India's clean energy sector over the past 12 years, highlighting record growth in solar capacity and new income avenues for farmers.

Context

Posting on X, CM Choudhary wrote: '12 साल, विकास के अनगिनत आयाम और उपलब्धियों का स्वर्णिम अध्याय' ('12 years, countless dimensions of development and a golden chapter of achievements'). He stated that under Modi's visionary leadership, the country has achieved extraordinary milestones in clean energy, with record growth in solar capacity positioning India as a 'leading nation in global energy transition.'

The post also noted that 'millions of families are today benefiting from solar energy,' while farmers are accessing new income opportunities through energy production — a direct reference to farmer-centric solar schemes at the national level.

Policy Backdrop

India's solar journey has been marked by a series of escalating targets. At the 2015 Paris Climate Conference, India pledged 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022. This ambition was later raised to 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, announced at the 2019 UN Climate Summit.

The PM-KUSUM scheme, launched in 2019, has been a key instrument linking clean energy with rural livelihoods — enabling farmers to install solar pumps and grid-connected solar plants, reducing diesel dependence and creating supplementary income. India also co-launched the International Solar Alliance with France in 2015, now spanning over 120 countries, cementing its role in global solar diplomacy.

India's solar installed capacity has grown from under 3 GW in 2014 to tens of gigawatts in subsequent years, underpinning the country's long-term net-zero commitment for 2070.

Stakeholders and Impact

The twin beneficiaries highlighted in CM Choudhary's post — rural households and farmers — reflect the dual mandate of India's solar push: energy access and agrarian income support. The PM-KUSUM framework allows farmers to sell surplus solar power to the grid, effectively turning agricultural land into a source of clean-energy revenue.

For Bihar, one of India's most populous and largely agrarian states, the rollout of such schemes carries particular weight. State-level implementation of centrally-sponsored solar programmes remains a key area to watch, as rural electrification and farmer welfare are central political and development priorities for the state government.

What's Next

India's renewable energy trajectory will be closely watched ahead of future COP climate negotiations, where the country's progress against its 500 GW non-fossil fuel target will be scrutinised by international partners. At the state level, Bihar's own solar scheme rollout and any revised capacity announcements will be significant indicators of how national policy translates to ground-level impact.

CM Choudhary's post signals that clean energy achievements are being woven into the BJP's broader 12-year governance narrative — suggesting the theme will feature prominently in political messaging as India approaches the next electoral cycle.