Guwahati, Jun 11 (IANS): The Assam government plans to generate 1,000 MW of solar power with an investment of Rs 5,000 crore and to set up joint venture company (JVC) with Neyveli Lignite Corporation (now NLC India Ltd) for the purpose, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Saturday.

Sarma said that to make Assam self-sufficient in energy, the ambitious solar power project would be taken up and a MoU to be signed soon with NLC India Ltd, a Navratna enterprise, to set up the JVC for the solar power plant.

Already 5,000 bighas of land is allotted for the proposed solar power project in mountainous Dima Hasao district, he told the media.

Sarma on May 31, inaugurated a solar power project at Amguri in Sivasagar district with a generation capacity of 70 MW.

The Rs 300-crore Amguri solar park project was executed by Jackson Power Private Ltd, as solar power developer, with the government-owned Assam Power Generation Corporation Ltd acting as solar power park developer.