Fadnavis: Farmers in Maharashtra to Get Rs 1.25L in Rent for Land Leased for Solar Feeder Development

The Maharashtra state government has decided to promote solar-powered agriculture to ensure that farmers have continuous access to power during the day.

As part of this initiative, the state Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday, has approved a plan to offer a yearly rent of Rs 1.25 lakh to farmers who lease their land to the government for 30 years to establish solar feeders. Additionally, the rent will be raised by three percent each year.

The Cabinet has made a decision that, upon completion of a 30-year lease agreement, the land will be returned to the farmer, with the land title always remaining in the hands of the farmer.

"Maharashtra is the first state to decide to transition to solar-powered agriculture. And it has introduced the land lease model, which will help farmers earn a consistent income while retaining ownership of their land", said Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The government's objective is to lower the cost of electricity production within the agricultural sector by implementing solar power.

“At present, the rate of electricity per unit is Rs 7. When we have solar energy, it will cost Rs 3.30 per unit,” Fadnavis said.

The Cabinet has decided to maintain the subsidized power rate of Rs 1.50 per unit for farmers.

The state government will bear a financial burden of Rs. 10,000 crores for the solar power project, which will be partially recovered by imposing higher power tariffs on domestic users and industries.

To implement the project, the government will acquire private land within a 5 km radius of agriculture feeders, and in the case of government land, the radius will be extended to 10 km around the feeders.

The deputy chief minister, also responsible for the energy portfolio, has assured that the government is committed to providing uninterrupted power supply to farmers round the clock.

Currently, the agricultural sector receives its power from coal-based sources, often leading to power outages in rural areas. This causes hindrances to agricultural activities during the daytime, and forces farmers to work in their fields during the night time.

-The Indian Express 

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