Hyderabad, Jan.5 (RAHNUMA): Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka said the Telangana government is moving forward with a multi-pronged strategy to take solar power usage to the grassroots level.
He stated that plans have been prepared with the objective of supplying green energy not only to the agriculture sector but also for domestic consumption.
Despite the initiation of the PM-KUSUM scheme by the Central government nearly ten years ago, its implementation in Telangana was hindered by the previous BRS government’s negligence, which did not submit the necessary proposals, Bhatti Vikramarka said.
He said the Centre is now stating that although the scheme was announced earlier, the state did not utilise it at that time and that funds are currently not available.
Bhatti Vikramarka informed that the state government is in constant touch with the Centre to secure the maximum possible number of connections under PM-KUSUM.
The Deputy Chief Minister said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and he personally met the Union Minister for Power, requested allocation of the scheme to Telangana, and also submitted written representations. He said they had also urged the Centre to allocate to Telangana the unutilised quota from other states.
“As Telangana is implementing free power, the Centre has been requested to amend certain guidelines to encourage farmers and domestic consumers. On the agriculture front too, key decisions have been taken to usher in a solar revolution. The state government has allowed Self-Help Group (SHG) women members to form groups and set up solar projects, and has also permitted them to take farmers’ lands on lease to establish such projects,” Bhatti Vikramarka said.
He pointed out that the Centre has clarified that PM-KUSUM applies only to farmers who cultivate their own land and not to lease farmers. The Centre’s refusal to extend incentives to such groups has become an obstacle. When the goal is green power generation and the income ultimately goes to farmers, the state has requested the Centre to relax the lease-related condition, the Deputy Chief Minister explained.
He further stated that the state government is willing to bear the farmers’ share, and has appealed to the Union Minister to sanction PM-KUSUM connections from the Centre. As farmers are already receiving quality free electricity, he noted that there is currently limited interest among them in adopting solar systems for agricultural connections. The government, he said, is taking steps to create awareness and motivate farmers in this direction.
