Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Dec 5 (NationPress) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis revealed on Friday a significant move towards a 3 percent yearly decrease in electricity tariffs for general consumers, crediting this decision to Maharashtra's impressive surge in solar energy production.

During a ceremony held in Shendra MIDC, Auric City, where the state was officially recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records, he stated: "By transitioning farmers' feeders to solar energy, we aim to produce an independent 16,000 Megawatts of solar power. This environmentally friendly and cost-effective method will enable us to lower electricity costs for other sectors by 3 percent every year."

Fadnavis emphasized that Maharashtra is at the forefront of integrating solar energy into agriculture, having already installed 700,000 solar pumps. He pointed out that this initiative has become the blueprint for the Centre's 'KUSUM' program.

Maharashtra has set a Guinness World Record for the most solar agricultural pumps installed in a single month.

The state power utility, Mahavitaran, successfully installed 45,911 solar agricultural pumps in one month through the 'Magel Tyala Solar Krushi Pump' (Solar Agricultural Pump on Demand) scheme, exceeding the criteria needed for the world record.

"We have expedited the installation process by enhancing our capacity to set up pumps immediately upon farmers' requests," he expressed, with optimism that Maharashtra will soon break its own record.

The Chief Minister instructed officials to boost the number of solar agricultural pumps to 1 million within the upcoming year. He noted that the rapid growth of solar energy has transformed the state’s energy framework and generated employment for nearly 100,000 individuals, including vendors, laborers, technicians, and maintenance workers.

He further explained that the solar pump initiative directly addresses a critical issue in drought-affected areas: the scarcity of reliable daytime electricity for irrigation. This challenge had previously forced farmers to work at night, often exposing them to dangers from pests and wild animals.

Fadnavis commended the Marathwada region for its exemplary execution of the scheme, highlighting that 14,000 pumps were installed in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district alone. He reaffirmed the government's dedication to ensuring long-term water security, particularly through river-linking projects aimed at redirecting floodwaters to arid regions such as Marathwada, Vidarbha, and North Maharashtra to promote sustainable and prosperous agriculture.

The event also marked the digital inauguration of solar pumps statewide and included an agreement with the AIIB for financial backing. In conclusion, the Chief Minister expressed gratitude to the citizens of Maharashtra as his government celebrated its first anniversary, stating, "This year was dedicated to the people… Maharashtra will not halt; it will keep progressing."