Mumbai, June 24 (UNI) To promote sustainable development in the state, 1,071 MW solar power projects will be commissioned by MahaNirmithi under the Chief Minister Solar Energy Project 2.0 soon, thereby benefiting three lakh farmers in the state, said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis here on Tuesday.

MahaNirmithi, which is the second largest state-owned generation company in the country after National Thermal Power Company (NTPC), is launching renewable energy projects, which will help reduce carbon emissions by providing electricity at lower rates to electricity consumers, he said.

The Chief Minister further said that the state government aims to increase agricultural productivity by reducing dependence on conventional energy, reducing carbon emissions and providing uninterrupted power supply to farmers for irrigation during the day.

The Mukhyamantri Saur Krishi Vahini Yojana 2.0 is an ambitious scheme of the Maharashtra government to reduce the cost of servicing agricultural consumers and to develop farmers economically through sustainable energy, he said and informed that under this scheme, agricultural pumps are being connected to solar projects.

The target of solarisation of about 30 percent of the feeders by 2025 has been set as 'Mission 2025', under which decentralised solar projects of 0.5 MW to 25 MW capacity are being set up within a radius of 5-10 km from the distribution substation with agricultural load to provide electricity to farmers during the day, Fadnavis added.

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