Shimla, Feb 5 (IANS): Public sector power generation major SJVN Ltd, a joint venture of the central and Himachal Pradesh governments, on Friday announced it had joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA) as a corporate member.

The ISA membership will give SJVN a global platform to seek cooperation of member- countries to increase the use of solar energy in a safe, convenient, affordable, equitable and sustainable manner, its Chairman and Managing Director Nand Lal Sharma said.

The SJVN presented a cheque for Rs 7.4 crore ($1 million) to ISA Director General Upendra Tripathy in New Delhi on Thursday amid the presence of Union Power and New and Renewable Sources Minister RK Singh to join the only international body with exclusive focus on solar energy.

Till date, 73 countries have ratified the ISA Framework Agreement and 90 signed the agreement.

Sharma said that SJVN will now get associated with various projects, schemes and events of the ISA as corporate member, which will provide both brand visibility and business benefits to the Indian company.

The benefits will be immediate and long-term, including updates on latest technologies, R&D, innovation and opportunities for business expansion in other countries.

The SJVN has set aggressive targets for capacity addition in the coming years, he said.

A brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the India-based ISA aims at accelerating deployment of solar energy by reducing costs and making adequate funding available for its rapid deployment in solar-rich member-nations.