In Short : A plan has been proposed to provide 9,000 MW of solar power to supply farmers with 12 hours of electricity during the daytime. This initiative aims to enhance energy access for agricultural activities, promote sustainable practices, and contribute to the economic development of the farming sector in India.
In Detail : Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday issued issued letters of award to 95 entities for the installation solar plants to generate 9,000 MW power, creating 25,000 jobs in Maharashtra.
In an initiative to provide 12 hours of uninterrupted power supply to farmers during day time, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday issued issued letters of award to 95 entities for the installation solar plants to generate 9,000 MW power, creating 25,000 jobs in Maharashtra.
The government decision will enable 40 per cent agriculture feeders to be driven by solar power by 2025.
Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Fadnavis said, “Our government is committed to providing 12 hours uninterrupted power supply to farmers during the day time. Accordingly, Letters of Award (LoAs) were given to 95 developers for 9,000 MW solar plants.”
Describing the decision as big feat in power sector, Fadnavis said that Maharashtra is the first state to have solar power on such massive scale in the agriculture sector.
“In 2017, when I was the CM, we took a decision to shift agriculture feeders on solar power. The objective was to provide 12-hour power supply to farmers during the day time. We also wanted to bring down the expenditure on power,” he said adding the cost of electricity per unit is Rs 7.50, while solar power would cost Rs 2.50 to Rs 3 per unit.
The state government gives power to farmers at a subsidised rate at Rs 1.25 per unit, leading to an expenditure of Rs 13,000 crore. If agriculture is shifted to solar power entirely, the expenditure will be curtailed, he added.
Maharashtra has 1.6 crore farmers with 78 per cent under low and marginal category. Solar power would help them not only in cost effectiveness but also in working in fields after sunset, the deputy CM said.
Prominent entities, including Reliance Industries, Megha Engineering, Avaada, SJVN Green and Torrent Power, have secured substantial capacities under this scheme, he said.
In April 2023, the state government launched Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana (MSKVY) 2.0 for the implementation of feeder level solarisation under the PM-KUSUM Scheme. Since then, the energy department, MSEDCL and MSAPL received an overwhelming response, leading to the closure of the tender process for procurement of over 9,000 MW of solar power projects across Maharashtra.
