DKS meets farmers, reviews status of Asia’s largest solar park

Tumakuru: State Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Energy Minister KJ George have inspected Pavagada Solar Park on Wednesday. DK Sivakumar held an interaction with local farmers who had given land for the solar park and got information.

The meeting was held at the office premises of Solar Park, Tirumani, Pavagada Taluk, Tumkur. DCM DK Shivakumar arrived in a helicopter for the meeting. He landed at the Nagalamadike helipad and reached Tirumani by road. In 2016, when DK Shivakumar was the Energy Minister, he built a solar park in an area of 13,000 acres in Pavagada taluk which was reputed to be the largest solar park in Asia. At present, Tumkur’s solar park is generating 2400 MW of electricity.

Speaking in the meeting, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said, “Earlier, when I was the energy minister in the Congress government, I made Asia’s largest solar park here with the help of all of you. After that, I could not come here. We did not buy the land from the farmers. We left land with farmers and generated monthly income for farmers which was helpful their families The monthly income is being distributed without hassle. Now senior politician KJ George has taken over as the Energy Minister of the new government and he said that he came here with him today.

In the days after DK Shivakumar came to power, there were constant accusations that the farmers who had given land for the project were not given employment opportunities and no development work was done locally. Therefore, DK Shivakumar personally arrived to check the condition of the solar park. He also discussed the issues to be taken to encourage the power generation companies.

The government fixed land rent of rs 21,000 per acre being paid annually. According to the agreement, this amount can be increased by 5% every two years. Initially, 600 MW of electricity was generated here. At present it is production increased up to 2400 MW of electricity.