NEW DELHI: The
Delhi cabinet on Tuesday gave its nod to the
Mukhyamantri Kisan Aay Badhotri Solar Yojana, which will give
farmers engaged in agricultural activities a chance to enhance their incomes by allowing the installation of solar panels on their farmland.
Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said farmers would be able to earn 3-4 times their current annual income under the scheme. He said private companies would be allowed to install solar panels on not more than one-third of the total land. The farmers will be paid Rs 1 lakh per acre as rent with a 6% annual increase for 25 years. By the 25th year, the farmer will be getting Rs 4.04 lakh per acre as rent from these private companies.
The chief minister added that the panels would be installed 3.5 metre from the surface to allow passage of tractors and unhindered farming activity. The farmers would also get 1,000 units of free electricity every year for each acre of land. “While farmers all over India are in distress, Delhi government is standing in support with them. A farmer currently earns Rs20,000-30,000 per acre from agricultural produce, we are launching this scheme to help them enhance their earnings manifold,” Kejrwial said. “We want to make this scheme a model for the country; it will be of great help to farmers in distress.”
According to officials, a total of six acres of land would be required for installation of a 1MW solar plant, which could generate approximately 13 lakh units of electricity annually.
The solar power developer would sign an agreement with Delhi government departments — health, public works, Delhi Jal Board, etc — which are bulk power consumers and buy power on commercial rates or on higher tariff slabs. “Various government departments currently buy electricity at Rs 9 per unit. Solar power will be available to them for Rs 4-5 per unit. The government will save Rs 300-400 crore using power from the farm solar scheme. Also, it will be clean energy and help reduce pollution,” the CM said. “We hope the farmers will start earning from this scheme in 8 to 9 months.”
The chief minister added that five private companies had already shown interest in investing in solar energy. Farmers will not have to invest anything in this scheme for capacity building. It will be done on the Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model, under which the consumer can install a solar power plant and not pay anything upfront.
(Picture used for representational purpose)
