NASHIK : The Maharashtra State Electricity Board holding company independent director Vishwas Pathak on Saturday said the collectors are now the stakeholders to ensure the success of the Chief Minister Solar Agriculture Feeder Scheme.
“In order to overcome the lacunae in CMKSY 1.0, the state has now made district collectors responsible for the successful implementation of solar power scheme for agriculture. Therefore, we will see the scheme gathering pace at the local level,” said Pathak. Pathak was on a day’s tour of Nashik district.
The district collector was the head of the committee that would decide the land required for solar power generation. There were delays in decisions over the requests for land made by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) during 2014-19.
“In the new avatar, the district collector is the stakeholder in the scheme that has to be completed by 2025. Therefore, we will see things gaining in momentum,” Pathak said. The state government is aiming to run at least 30% of the agricultural feeders in each district on solar energy by December 2025.
Pathak further stated that while there will be no change in tariff for agricultural purposes, solar power generation will reduce the cost of Rs 8 per unit down to Rs 3.5 per unit, which will cut down the burden of cross-subsidy on the industrial and commercial sectors. Farmers will get power during the day, which has been their main demand.
Pathak also pointed out that farmers who participate in the schemes will get rent of Rs Rs 1.25 lakh per annum for giving the land on a long lease for a period of 25 years.
Source: PTI
