Guardian Minister Meghna Bordikar Directs Expedited Completion of Solar Agriculture Feeder Projects under ‘Chief Minister Solar Agriculture Feeder Scheme 2.0’

Parbhani : The Chief Minister Solar Agriculture Feeder Scheme 2.0, which aims to provide uninterrupted daytime electricity for irrigation to farmers, is a flagship initiative of the Maharashtra state government. Guardian Minister of Parbhani and Minister of State for Public Health and Family Welfare, Water Supply and Sanitation, Energy, Women and Child Development, and Public Works (Public Enterprises) Meghna Sakore-Bordikar has directed MSEDCL officials and project developers to urgently complete ongoing projects under this scheme in Parbhani district.

Minister Bordikar reviewed the district’s progress under this scheme at a meeting held at the District Collectorate. Officials present included District Collector Raghunath Gawade (via video conferencing), CEO of Zilla Parishad Natisha Mathur, Superintendent of Police Ravindra Singh Pardeshi, Municipal Commissioner Dhairyasheel Jadhav, Additional Collector Dr. Pratap Kale, Resident Deputy Collector Anuradha Dhalgarkar, and MSEDCL officers including Chief Engineer of Nanded R. B. Mane, Superintendent Engineer of Parbhani R. K. Tembhurne, Executive Engineers M. P. Vagyani, G. K. Gadekar, and Mr. Gillurkar. Also present were all sub-divisional officers, tehsildars, MEDA officials, and MSEDCL project developers. Senior MSEDCL officials joined the meeting virtually.

Under the scheme, 65 sub-stations have been approved in Parbhani district, with an estimated solar power generation capacity of 255 MW. These projects will require 1,275 acres of land. Of the approved sub-stations, 16 have acquired 100% of the required land, while 26 have received partial land acquisition. Efforts are underway to acquire land for the remaining sub-stations.

The distribution of sub-stations under the scheme is as follows:

• Gangakhed Taluka – 9 sub-stations
• Palam Taluka – 4
• Parbhani Taluka – 15
• Purna Taluka – 9
• Jintur Taluka – 9
• Manwath Taluka – 6
• Pathri Taluka – 6
• Selu Taluka – 3
• Sonpeth Taluka – 4

Minister Bordikar emphasized the importance of this scheme for the Parbhani district and stressed that the projects must be completed swiftly and within the deadline. She urged developers to coordinate closely with the revenue and police departments. Any hurdles should be promptly communicated to the respective authorities or to her directly, and no delay in project execution will be tolerated. She also instructed the administration to prioritize land acquisition and complete major project work before the onset of monsoon.

During the review, the minister took stock of current work status, issues faced by solar developers, land availability, and obstacles in land acquisition. She assured that issues hindering project implementation would be promptly resolved, but developers must adhere to timelines. Mr. Mane gave a presentation on the current status of the scheme in the district.

Through this scheme, farmers will receive daytime electricity for irrigation. Across the state, projects with a combined capacity of 14,900 MW are progressing, set to benefit 4.5 million farmers. With an investment of ₹65,000 crore, the scheme is expected to generate around 50,000 rural jobs.

The minister also reviewed the progress of related initiatives like the “Solar Agricultural Pump on Demand” scheme, development of Solar Cities and Villages, and installation of solar panels on government office rooftops.