Vijayawada: State to seek Centre's help to set up solar power projects

Vijayawada: Secretary for Energy Srikant Nagulapalli will meet Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy R K Singh at Shram Shakti Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday and request the latter for extending financial support to set up solar power projects in the state and also apprise about the implementation of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the farmers in Andhra Pradesh.

The secretary will also appraise the Union Minister over the measures taken by the State government to improve power sector, especially strengthen Discoms, procuring low cost power and some proposed and ongoing projects undertaken by energy department.

According to officials, Andhra Pradesh is the first State in the country that is implementing the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme and it was introduced in accordance with reforms brought in by Union government in power sector.

The state government has formulated a new policy as per requirement of the State providing all protections to farmers.

The energy department officials during visit to Delhi will explain the objective of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to make the DBT scheme a role model to the country by offering protection to farmers.

It may be recalled that the State government has announced that it would deposit the entire amount in the accounts of farmers after the power charges paid by the farmers to the energy department. The State government is providing about Rs 8500 crore as subsidy for free power scheme during 2020-21.

The officials will also explain to the Union Minister about the 10,000 MW solar power project for which the government has invited tenders recently. The solar project is aimed at ensuring free power supply to agriculture sector for the next 30 years.

The energy department officials will mainly focus on the efforts being taken by the state government to provide 24x7 quality power at cost effective rates. In view of significance of State's new renewable energy export policy, the officials may discuss it with the Centre to tap the energy available in the state.