Rajasthan
Rajasthan Aims for Self-Reliance in Power and Energy
- 10 Jul 2024
- 2 min read
Why in News?
The Rajasthan government aims to produce 30 gigawatt (Gw) of solar power by the end of FY25 to become self-reliant in the power and energy sector.
Key Points
- In March 2024, The state government and Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited (NLC) India signed an agreement to form a joint venture for setting up a 1,000 megawatt (Mw) solar power plant and a 125 MW lignite-based power plant in Bikaner, with an investment of over Rs 7,000 crore.
- The government also approved land for four major solar projects to make the state a leader in energy self-sufficiency.
- The projects include three solar parks in Bikaner totaling 2,450 MW and a 500 MW project in Phalodi.
- The state is also strengthening the PM Kusum Solar pump plant, which will assist in installing solar pumps in more than 50,000 farms and produce 200 MW of electricity.
- The initiative also encourages the adoption of renewable energy sources and plays a significant part in revitalizing the agriculture sector in the state through the implementation of solar-powered pumps.
PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Uttham Mahabhiyan)
- The PM-KUSUM scheme was launched by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to support installation of off-grid solar pumps in rural areas and reduce dependence on grid, in grid-connected areas.
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had in February 2019 approved the launch of the scheme with the objective of providing financial and water security.
- The government’s Budget for 2020-21 expanded the scope for the scheme with 20 lakh farmers to be provided assistance to install standalone solar pumps; another 15 lakh farmers to be given help to solarise their grid-connected pump sets.
- This will enable farmers to set up solar power generation capacity on their barren lands and to sell it to the grid.
