Bihar Government's Energy Department Organizes Interaction Program for Farmers, Firms, and Banks

Patna: In a bid to promote the successful implementation of the Feeder Solarization Scheme, the Bihar government's energy department organized an interaction program between farmers, firms, and banks at the Vidyut Bhawan.

The program aimed to provide farmers and firms with essential information about installing solar plants in their fields. Officials from banks and the Bihar State Power Generation Company Limited (BSPGCL) addressed queries raised by the participants.

During the program, BSPGCL made a detailed presentation about the PM-KUSUM (Feeder Solarization) scheme, covering all aspects of the program. Farmers were informed that applicants would need to pay a bid processing fee of Rs 590 and a bid fee of Rs 11,800 to participate in the tender process. Additionally, they would need to deposit an advance amount of Rs 1,00,000 per megawatt through bank guarantees or demand drafts.

To be eligible for the scheme, farmers would need to have at least 4 acres of land per megawatt. They could also arrange for land on lease. The total cost of the project is estimated to be around Rs 5 crore per megawatt, with the government providing a subsidy of Rs 1.50 crore.

The land for the solar plant should be within a 5-kilometer radius of the respective sub-station. Farmers were informed that the last date for application is December 24, 2024, and the project work must be completed within 12 months.

The interaction program was attended by Chief Engineer of BSPGCL, Dilip Kumar, and Director A.K. Singh. Participating banks included SBI, Bank of India, Canara Bank, and Indian Overseas Bank.