Rajasthan: Budget focus on solar power

Jaipur: The state budget has allocated Rs 18,530.75 crore for the power sector. Focus is on solar power as the state has tremendous potential in this sector.
The state had set an ambitious target of 30,000 MW from solar energy. In his budget speech, chief minister Ashok Gehlot said ultra-mega solar parks would be development in collaboration with private sector.

To reduce dependence on coal and pollution from coal-based thermal power plants, state-owned Rajasthan Vidyut Utpatan Nigam (RVUNL) will set up solar power plants to produce 800 MW of power. The budget also lays emphasis on roof-top solar system and ‘green energy cities’. The government plans to generate 300 MW from roof-top solar system in the next five years.
The budget announced that the government’s endeavour was to provide power to farmers for irrigation during the day as well. Currently,
farmers get power for Rabi crops at night to reduce the load factor.
It said farmers could get power during the day in two blocks so that they need not got out in the biting cold to irrigate their farms in the winter season. In the next three years, 220 grid sub-stations(GSS), 30 new 130 KV GSS and 33 KV sub-stations 287 have been proposed. Capacity of 1,500 sub-stations will be augmented.

Source- Economic Times