Indore: In order to make farmers self-reliant in electricity, the Madhya Pradesh Western Region Power Distribution Company plans to encourage them to install solar panels for irrigation and sell the surplus power to earn money.
“As part of Pradhan Mantri Kusum Yojana, we have decided to encourage farmers to install solar panels in their fields and produce electricity. The electricity production would not only help the farmers meet their power requirements but also help them to make money by selling the surplus electricity to Discom,” said West Discom managing director Vikas Narwal.
If the goal of doubling farmer’s income by 2022 has to become a reality, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evem Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) has to be expanded to reach 20 lakh farmers this year. The West Discom is thinking of targeting to include 20000 farmers of Malwa-Nimar region under the scheme.
The Discom is surveying villages near the city which can be fully converted to solar villages. “We are identifying three to four agriculture feeders for the purpose,” said Narwal.
The connections will be done in such a way that the surplus solar power produced by the farmer goes to the grid automatically. Net meters will be installed to determine the quantum of power used and solar power produced by him.
Narwal stated that all three power distribution companies in the state are working on the project. “We wish to become first in the state in the country to implement it,” he said.
