Farmers in Maharashtra to Propel the Second Green Revolution via Renewable Energy: CM Fadnavis
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Mumbai, Dec 24 (NationPress) Maharashtra's Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis revealed on Tuesday that solar villages powered by solar energy are being constructed throughout the state. These initiatives will supply daytime electricity to farmers, paving the way for a prospective second green revolution.
The announcement was made via video conferencing during the launch of solar projects located in Umbartha within Washim district and Narangwadi in Dharashiv district, under the Mukhyamantri Saur Krishi Vahini Yojana 2.0 (MSKVY 2.0).
He mentioned that the Chief Minister Solar Agricultural Channel Scheme ensures that farmers are provided with sustainable and free electricity during the daytime.
This initiative aims to deliver 16,000 MW of electricity to the farmers of Maharashtra, he added.
"The transition of all these feeders to solar energy commenced two years ago, and this process will be executed in phases, allowing farmers to access electricity during the day," he explained.
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MahaVitran), the nodal agency responsible for implementing MSKVY 2.0, highlighted that out of 29 million consumers in Maharashtra, approximately 4.5 million are agricultural consumers, accounting for 22 percent of the state's electricity consumption.
Currently, power is supplied to agricultural consumers on a rotational basis during the day and night, leading to inconveniences due to nighttime power shortages. Farmers have been consistently requesting reliable daytime electricity supply.
Simultaneously, there is a significant demand for industries and businesses in Maharashtra to receive electricity at competitive rates.
To address these challenges, the government introduced an innovative initiative called the Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana in June 2017, establishing decentralized solar projects with capacities ranging from 2 to 10 MW within a 5-km radius of agriculture-focused substations.
Recognizing the substantial advantages of AG feeder solarisation, the state government decided to revise the scheme after extensive discussions with stakeholders.
The revised initiative, now known as Mukhymantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana 2.0 (MSKVY 2.0), aims for a 30 percent feeder solarisation target by 2025, dubbed 'Mission 2025', through the rapid implementation of 7,000 MW of decentralized solar projects, with installations between 0.5 to 25 MW within a 5-10 km radius of agriculture load-dominated distribution substations to provide daytime power to farmers.
