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Farmers to reap solar power in Gandhinagar

Suryashakti Kisan Yojana will allow farmers to generate power through installation of solar panels

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CM Vijay Rupani
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Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani launched the scheme Suryashakti Kisan Yojana (SKY) on Saturday from Gandhinagar. The scheme will allow farmers to generate power through installation of solar panels in farms and also sell it. The chief minister called this scheme 'revolutionary and a reformative step' by the Gujarat government, bringing in the green energy generation, benefiting farmers. The chief minister announced the launch of the scheme, during a media address.

The chief minister, announcing the scheme, said: "This is going to be a revolutionary scheme, and I believe it is the second greatest initiative after Jyotigram Yojana by the Gujarat government. When Jyotigram was launched, Congress criticised it as daydream and said it will not be possible, but we managed to mute those voices by making 24*7 power supply possible across the state. This is also the same kind of scheme."

"This will save energy and water, as farmers will make conservative use of both, after they would generate energy and use it, since they will be allowed to sell the additional power to the government. This will also supply power for 12 hours a day in place of eight hours a day at present," the CM added.

Deputy chief minister Nitin Patel, who also was present at the event, said: "Of course, farmers will be at an advantage through this scheme. It will also ease the financial burden on the state exchequer. The government pays Rs 4,500-5,000 crore every year as subsidy to farmers, which we have to pay to power distribution companies on behalf of farmers. As farmers will not need power from the government, we will not have to pay subsidy and these funds can be used for their development, too."

Energy minister Saurabh Patel gave a presentation on the scheme, sharing details on it. He said: "Farmers will earn through selling power they generate in their farms, which can be used to repay the loan they would have to take for installation of solar panels. They will have to bear only 40 per cent of the total cost and 35 per cent of that amount will be available as loan at an interest of 4-6 per cent interest rate."

The government has targeted to include 12,400 farmers under the pilot project of the scheme, which is expected to generate 175 MW across state. The government will spend Rs 870 crore after this. Minister of state for energy and home Pradipsinh Jadeja also was present at the event.

CONG HITS OUT

  • Guj Cong chief Amit Chavda hit out at the policy and said that the state govt had failed to provide eight hours of power during the day time, forcing farmers to work at night. 
     
  • He also said that it was disappointing that the chief minister did not utter a word on farm loan waiver and incidents of gutting of groundnuts in government godowns. 
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