Expecting major policy initiatives and industrial turnaround, wind turbine manufacturing companies have drawn up large-scale plans to support wind farms and produce higher capacity wind turbines.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, chairman of Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association (IWTMA) Sarvesh Kumar and its secretary D V Giri, said ``the ministry of non-conventional energy sources (MNES) was to announce a uniform renewable energy policy which is delayed and is still awaited.

It is earnestly hoped that the uniform policy would be announced soon and anomalies in the policies of various states would be removed''.

In addition to the national policy, IWTMA has been making appeal to the Union government for granting green power subsidy, as is being done in many European countries, to promote eco-friendly power.

Of the 15 MNES-approved wind turbine manufacturers in India, seven operate from Tamil Nadu. The state at 767 mw, accounts for almost 70 per cent of the 1140 mw installed wind power capacity in the country. The state which has a potential of 2000 mw of wind power and seen installation of over 200 mw in a single year had only two digits capacity addition since 1997-98.

Tamil Nadu which has been in the forefront of wind power is virtually discouraging the green power. The state has never permitted third party sale of surplus power which is a major incentive for investors in wind power. Recently the Tamil Nadu electricity board (TNEB) has resorted to unfriendly steps like charging Re 1 per unit of reactive power, reducing the banking facility and banning issuance of non-objection certificate on lease finance, they said. Though Karnataka has some of the best wind sites, the land procurement process and the need to obtain clearances from 20-30 agencies to install windmills make starting wind power projects in that state almost impossible, they added.

``We have been crying for a single window clearance through the nodal agency KREDL'', they said. Andhra Pradesh which had third party sale facility has gone back on that and has withdrawn it. The matter is now under litigation. Madhya Pradesh which had emerged as a model for joint sector investment with MP Wind Farms Ltd, has withdrawn the novel policy since January 2000 and all activities in wind power sector have come to a stop. Presently, only Maharashtra and Rajasthan have proactive policies for promoting wind power projects. Maharashtra offers subsidy, allows third party sale and sales tax deferral and exemption schemes. This has made industry majors like Bajaj and Tatas to take to wind power projects. Giri said, ``the state is likely to have the highest investment and installation this year in India.''