Latur: District Collector Varsha Thakur-Ghuge has been selected for the state’s Energy Conservation Award 2024-25 for her contribution to energy conservation and sustainable energy management in Latur district.
The award, announced by Maharashtra’s energy ministry, recognises her leadership in promoting electricity conservation, increasing the use of solar energy in government offices and implementing energy-saving measures in the district under the guidance of Guardian Minister Shivendrasinhraje Bhosale.
Under her leadership, the Latur Collectorate implemented all recommendations made in the 2022-23 energy audits. The office installed a 100-kilowatt solar power project, adopted energy-efficient equipment and ensured balanced use of conventional and non-conventional energy sources. These measures have resulted in annual savings of nearly 55,000 units of electricity.
The district also launched the ‘UrjaDoot’ concept to create awareness among school students about the importance of energy conservation and to strengthen grassroots participation in sustainable practices.
The Energy Conservation Awards have been presented by MahaUrja for the past 18 years to institutions and individuals demonstrating excellence in energy conservation across sectors such as industry, engineering, pharmaceuticals, food processing, power generation, construction, government buildings and general services. Under the ‘Energy Conservation and Management Excellence-18’ category, Collector Thakur-Ghuge has been selected for the honour at the state level.
Senior officials, including MahaUrja Pune General Manager Sameer Ghodke, Latur Divisional General Manager Anand Kulkarni and Energy Auditor Kedar Khamitkar, congratulated her on the achievement.
With this recognition, Latur district has secured its eighth national or state-level award in the past three years. The district has previously received accolades for excellence in e-governance reforms, district performance index rankings, Armed Forces Flag Fund collection, initiatives for children with disabilities (SKOCH Award), election management during Lok Sabha 2024, export performance in industry and the Chief Minister’s Employment Generation Programme.
Latur is also emerging as a leader in solar energy generation. Under the Chief Minister’s Solar Agriculture Feeder Scheme 2.0, 65 projects have been commissioned, generating 323 MW of power. Additionally, under the Prime Minister’s Surya Ghar Free Electricity Scheme, 11,123 households have installed rooftop solar panels, producing 43.23 MW of electricity.
