The Gujarat government on Saturday announced the launch of the Rs 870-crore pilot project of Suryashakti Kisan Yojana (SKY). Considered first of its kind in the country, SKY is expected to cover, through solar power generation, 12,400 farmers in 33 districts through 137 feeders.
Announcing the scheme in Gandhinagar, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said that the farmers would use solar energy for irrigation and they can sell the surplus power via grid. He was flanked by Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and Energy Minister Saurabh Patel. Rupani said that more farmers would be included in the scheme after the pilot project.
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The farmers would have to invest only five per cent of the total amount and 60 per cent would be given as part of the Centre-state government’s subsidy. Farmers can begin by generating 5 MW electricity. Gujarat is targeting 175 MW.
Rupani said that the state government will give a low interest loan on 35 per cent of the amount for seven years.
For seven years, the state government will buy electricity from the farmers at Rs 7 per unit and for the remaining 18 years at Rs 3.50 per unit.
The move is being seen as an attempt to pacify the farmers, who are reportedly angry with the ruling party.
In the 2017 assembly elections, the BJP had performed badly in the Saurashtra region, which predominantly has farmers as voters.
The farmers are expected to recover the cost of investment within eight to 18 months.
The energy minister said that with the use of solar energy, the farmers would get electricity for 12 hours rather than eight hours being allowed currently. According to Patel, it will also address the complaints of farmers over the availability of electricity during night, rather than day.
He said that the scheme would contribute towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of doubling farmers’ income by 2022.