Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka has reportedly instructed the Tribal Welfare Department to make arrangements for Podu farmers to establish solar power units. The state government aims to provide these solar power units at subsidized rates under the central government’s Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) scheme.

Hyderabad: The State government has reportedly taken a decision to set up solar units in podu lands to help tribal farmers run agriculture pump sets. The facility will be provided to the farmers who were given pattas under the Forest Rights Act to cultivate their lands.

Sources say Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka has directed the Tribal welfare department to make necessary arrangements for Podu farmers to set up solar power units. The State government is planning to install solar power units on subsidized rates under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) scheme of the Centre.

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The PM Kusum Yojana has been launched by the central government to provide assistance to the farmers of the country in the field of agriculture. Under this scheme, farmers of the country are provided up to 90 percent subsidy on installing solar pumps in their fields.

A budget of Rs 500 crore has been set by the central government for this scheme. Under which 35 lakh farmers of the country will be provided the benefit of this scheme.

Already, the State government was making efforts to set up solar power plants in farm lands with an installed capacity of 4,000 megawatts by next March under the PM KUSUM scheme. The Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation (TGREDCO) has been appointed as the nodal agency for the implementation of this scheme.

If a farmer owns 10 acres of land, he can set up a solar power plant with an installed capacity of 2 MW. It is estimated that the cost of setting up one megawatt power plant will be Rs. 5 crore.

The money for installing solar plants could be borrowed from banks. Gram Panchayat, Primary Agricultural Co-operative Society (PACS), Farmers Producers Association, Water Users Association, Self Help Groups or any other association in the village. The farmers can partner with these associations and install solar plants in their farms.

The farmers can lease the farm to the investing partnership company or organization and sign an agreement with regard to the project.

Apart from this, the State government’s plan to hand over the works of installing 1000 MW solar power through women self-help groups (SHGs) under the Indira Mahila Shakti Scheme. The TGREDCO has recently invited tenders for a cumulative capacity of 1000 MW solar plant across the State under the Indira Mahila Shakti Scheme.

The scheme aims to install 1 MW capacity solar power plants that will be operated by women self-help groups (SHGs).