The district administration has invited applications from farmers to install solar power plants with a subsidy of ₹3 lakh that would provide them electricity supply for 24 hours and help them generate income by selling solar power to Tamil Nadu Electricity Board.
The scheme under PM-KUSUM would be jointly implemented by Departments of Agriculture and Horticulture and Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency, said Collector, S. Visakan.
Farmers can install the grid-tied solar panels to generate power and operate 7.5 HP of motorpumps. These pumps would continue to get electricity from TNEB. “Continuous power supply will ensure uninterrupted irrigation that can help increase their income generation,” the Collector said.
All farmers who have got free power supply for lift irrigation can benefit under the scheme.
A 11 KV solar unit could produce 58 units of power a day and the farmers can sell around 25 units of power a day to TNEB that would fetch them Rs. 2.28 per unit. EB would also offer them an incentive of 50 paise per unit.
Farmers can generate ₹ 3,300 a month and ₹ 40,000 additional income in a year through the scheme, he added.
While the cost of the solar-power plant is ₹5 lakh, the farmers can get 30% subsidy from the Centre and 30% subsidy from the State Government.
A bank loan of ₹1.5 lakh can be arranged for the farmers.
