Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Wednesday asked officials to provide solar-powered agriculture pumpsets free to farmers, as the state government seeks to shift towards sustainable energy sources.
He instructed officials to launch a pilot project in Kondareddy to assess the feasibility and impact of this initiative. The project will also explore ways to generate additional income for farmers from the surplus electricity produced by the solar pump sets.
In a high-level review meeting with officials from the electricity department on Wednesday, Revanth Reddy announced several initiatives aimed at encouraging the use of solar energy by farmers and citizens to make Telangana a hub for solar power.
In a move to further integrate solar energy into everyday life, the Chief Minister proposed the introduction of solar cooking systems as an alternative to conventional cooking gas.
He directed officials to develop training programmes for women's self-help groups to equip them with skills needed to manufacture and distribute solar cooking systems, thereby fostering entrepreneurship and self-reliance among women.
The Chief Minister discussed plans to utilise forest land for solar power generation, aiming to tap into the vast unused spaces for energy production. He urged the electricity department to prepare a comprehensive action plan, in coordination with the IT and Industrial departments, to meet the future electricity demands of the state.
"Telangana is on the path to becoming a business hub, and ensuring a steady supply of electricity is crucial," said Revanth Reddy. "We must take proactive steps to increase the use of solar power and generate electricity according to demand."
He outlined the need for the state to produce 40,000 megawatts of electricity annually and called for innovative strategies to reduce energy wastage and address the problem of overload in the power supply network. He emphasised that uninterrupted, high-quality power supply is essential to achieve these goals, and the electricity department must work to ensure that consumers receive continuous service without any disruptions.
