In an effort to increase the income of farmers and make them more self-reliant, the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation (UPPCL) has entered into a power purchase agreement with private developers (farmers) in six districts for 7 MW solar power generation projects as a part of the Kusum Yojana.
Under this, farmers will set up solar power generation centres in the barren or uncultivable fields with the assistance of various banks. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath led government will also provide subsidies to them.
Solar power generation centres will be set up in Bijnor, Hathras, Mahoba, Jalaun, Deoria and Lucknow districts.
M Devraj, Chairman, Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation, said here in a statement on Saturday that solar power generation centre of 1.5 MW will be set up in village Vilaspur of Bijnor, 0.5 MW (500 kW) Mauhari of Hathras, one MW in Devgaon of Mahoba, one MW in Khuksis of Jalaun, one MW in Bariyarpur of Deoria and a 2 MW solar power generation centre in Parseni of Lucknow district.
As per an official assessment, this programme will provide farmers with two different types of benefits. They will first be able to use solar-powered irrigation pumps in place of the outdated diesel irrigation pumps. Second, by selling the electricity produced by the solar plant installed at the farm to the power providers, they can make an additional Rs 80,000 each year.
Under the Kusum Yojana, five acres of land are required to set up a one megawatt solar plant. The pumps given under this scheme will be installed in place of agricultural pumps that run on electricity and diesel.