Rajasthan Solar Association (RSA), in its budget recommendations to the state government drew attention to a number of areas, focusing not only on adding more generation capacity but also building an entire solar power ecosystem that would yield multiple benefits for the state.
The industry body urged the government to bring in provisions in the budget to list solar street lights, lanterns, heaters and other items in the Rajasthan Transparency in Public Procurement Act and mandate the government departments to source only from the state’s MSMEs.
To make Kusum scheme a success, it said the current tariff of Rs 3.14 per unit should be increased to attract investors.
Kusum scheme allows farmers to set up solar plants to run pumps for irrigating their fields. Under the scheme, farmers can also lease their un-utilized land to developers and earn fees.
Since Rajasthan has been at the centre of solar revolution in the country, the industry body wants the government to develop capacity building institutions like research and development centres and skills training facilities.
The RRDEF (Rajasthan Renewable Energy Development Fund) has the resources and that should be utilised for capacity building and promoting the sector.
In the past one year, Rajasthan has regained some of the lost ground to become the second largest producer of solar power in the country, but to reclaim the top position, the state needs to have an investor-friendly tariff and policy regime.
Reference- Economic Times, Rajasthan Solar Association, Financial Express