Uttarakhand has been ranked second among the best-performing special category states in the Renewable Energy State Assessment Framework (RE-SAF), according to the Free Press Journal. The ranking was awarded by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and announced from Dehradun on October 31, 2026.
Key points
- MNRE has given Uttarakhand the second rank among special category states under RE-SAF.
- The state will be felicitated by Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on November 5, 2026, at the Bharat RE Summit and Expo 2026.
- RE-SAF looks at capacity addition, policy, grid readiness, DISCOM performance and investment climate.
- Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the recognition will push the state to expand clean energy further.
How the recognition was conveyed
MNRE Secretary Santosh Sarangi shared the news in a letter dated October 31, 2026, addressed to Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan. The letter congratulated the state government and noted its sustained efforts to build an enabling ecosystem for renewable energy development.
As part of the recognition, the Vice President of India, C. P. Radhakrishnan, will felicitate Uttarakhand during the valedictory session of the Bharat RE Summit and Expo 2026, scheduled for November 5, 2026.
What the Chief Minister said
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the second rank reflects the state's commitment, steady efforts and sense of responsibility towards protecting the environment. He said India is moving quickly towards clean energy, energy self-reliance and sustainable development under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He mentioned the national target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based installed electricity capacity by 2030, and said Uttarakhand is contributing to this goal.
Mr Dhami said the state is rich in natural resources and that his government is giving special attention to wider use of solar energy, hydropower, small hydropower and other renewable sources. According to him, the aim is not only to protect the environment through clean energy but also to meet the state's own energy needs, create jobs locally and speed up economic development.
He added that the state is working towards a developed Uttarakhand, in line with the vision of a Viksit Bharat, and that the recognition will encourage the state to move faster and try new approaches to expand clean energy.
About the assessment framework
RE-SAF has been developed by MNRE to evaluate the performance of states and Union Territories in renewable energy. The parameters include capacity addition, policy and regulatory framework, grid readiness, DISCOM performance and investment climate.
The framework aims to recognise strong performance, encourage healthy competition among states and promote the adoption of best practices so that clean energy can be deployed faster.
For readers, the ranking is an indication of how the state is performing on the policy and infrastructure side of renewable energy. The source does not give details of the scores or of the first-ranked special category state.
