Rajasthan as a state illustrates a startling image of blazing sun over glistening sand with humble shadows of turbans and camels. But along with this obvious outlook, there is a resurgent side of Rajasthan as well, where eco-friendly shades of green and brown are making their way to stand aside yellow plains of the state. Seeing a good scope in mix-matching these two aspects of Rajasthan’s sunny side up with environmentally benefiting concerns, the government has decided to install to 10000 solar pumps across nation’s largest state and brought forward a new solar policy for the state. With a good percentage of sunny days in a year, solar power projects and pumps in Rajasthan can be efficiently used as each machine will be able to take full advantage of sun rays. Factually, Rajasthan is gifted with great amount of sunlight for 325 days in one year and this is enough as a booster for CM Vasundhara Raje and her government to start working in this direction and to develop Rajasthan with a new fervor.
As mentioned above, this decision to harness the abundance of solar energy Rajasthan receives, has been taken by Rajasthan government under the direction of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. All in all a new solar policy in Rajasthan has been initiated by CM Raje with an objective to attain speedy development of solar energy in the state.
Economically viable and environmentally positive task which this is, will bring into use all the unutilized barren lands of the state for solar plant installation. These will further work to ensure efficient capturing of 142GW worth of solar energy capacity that Rajasthan is blessed with. Apart from this, Rajasthan is already a leading state of the country with 1177GW worth of total commissioned solar capacity.
Rajasthan Solar Energy Policy which works to establish an addition in solar capacity from 1177GW to 25,000GW also has set rules to provide a platform to potential investors from the sector of Solar Power Generation.
A Solar Energy Policy of a state like Rajasthan would definitely include more plans and intentions to enhance the utilization of nature’s gift to it. Sectors like Public, Private and State will be getting solar parks with the help of Public-Private partnership by joint venture companies. This partnership will make sure that all these solar parks which will be set up to each have a capacity of at least 500MW. According to the partnership deal, state government will have up to 50% of the share of these solar parks. Some plants are Mega Solar Power Projects will be places for their quick approval from State Level Empowered Committee and its head the Chief Secretary.
All solar power producers will be aided with benefits and concessions coming from Rajasthan Investment Promotion Scheme. According to clearly mentioned rules, allotment of private and public lands for construction of Solar Parks would be monitored by this policy. As far as the Govt. land allotment is concerned it will be given at DLC rate to solar power producers and developers. Setting up of solar power plants would get amended allowance from Rajasthan Land Revenue Act and Rajasthan Tenancy Act as both cover subletting of agricultural holdings.
Any sort of land conversion would not be required to set up solar energy related infrastructure as already available land with its current condition will be taken into use in order to save frivolous expenditure. Energy Secretary who heads the State Level Screening Committee will be responsible for giving the final approval for any solar energy project with capacity up to 10MW. Another obstacle to run such a project is the State Pollution Control Board. But with the new solar policy processes of getting “Consent to Establish” and “Consent to Operate” will be made easier. Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation will issue a net metering scheme for promotion of power generation through roof-top energy plants.
The state government with CM Vasundhara Raje as the head has signed MoUs and Joint Venture agreements for installation of solar projects of 14,000MW capacity and development of solar parks of 26,000MW capacity. We can thus make an estimate as to how Raje Government is working hard to make the most of the sun energy their state receives. State Government very well understands how Rajasthan Solar Energy Policy and its implementation would work to bring in multi-fold benefits with less investment.
