Scheme to allow farmers to set up solar power plants launched

Karnataka Government today launched a scheme that allows farmers to set up small solar power plants in their farms and sell electricity at the tariff fixed by Karnataka Energy Regulatory Commission.
It would be covered by the 'Surya Raitha Scheme', under which government will also supply solar pumpsets at subsidised prices to overcome the power crisis being faced by farmers due to a huge gap in demand and supply, Energy Minister D K Shivakumar told reporters here.
The Union Government has allocated one lakh pumpsets to all the states in the country, he said, adding that Karnataka hopes to get 10,000 pumpsets.

The farmers would get subsidy up to 90 per cent, out of which 30 per cent would be borne by the Union Government, Shivakumar said.
The pumpsets would be useful for farmers to get assured water for their fields and be useful in places where electricity is not available, he said.
The farmers will be allowed to sell surplus power generated in their farms at the rate of Rs 9.56 per unit to ESCOMS (Electricity Supply Companies) without subsidy, the Minister said.