Rs. 20,000 Crore Investment in Surya Mitra Krishi Feeder Yojana: CM Dr. Yadav

Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav stated that the state government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is committed to making India a global leader in solar energy. He emphasised that Madhya Pradesh will fully contribute to realising PM Modi’s vision of making India self-reliant in solar energy production with a target of 500 GW by 2030.

CM Dr. Yadav highlighted the enthusiastic participation of over 350 investors from across the country and the state, speaking at the ‘Surya Mitra Krishi Feeder Yojana’ Summit in Bhopal. As a result, an investment of more than Rs. 20,000 crore is expected in the scheme. CM Dr. Yadav honoured Shri Bernard Kruseber, Project Director of GIZ, for his technical support.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the leader of the world’s largest democracy, emphasizing the widespread development under his leadership, particularly the unprecedented progress in energy production. He mentioned the large-scale production of solar and wind energy in Madhya Pradesh, proudly stating that the Delhi Metro currently runs on solar power generated in Madhya Pradesh, which also supplies electricity to many homes. He added that in the near future, solar projects will be launched with neighboring states for 6-month electricity availability rotations.

Dr. Yadav praised the harmonious atmosphere among states during Prime Minister Modi’s tenure, noting that Madhya Pradesh has initiated river-linking projects with Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra. He highlighted the ongoing campaign to involve citizens in energy production, describing the sun as an infinite source of energy, the primary energy center of our solar system. He drew on ancient wisdom, stating that all planets revolve around the sun, and light sustains life. He also connected the traditional Indian practice of lighting lamps at the start of all ceremonies as a symbol of sun worship.

CM Dr. Yadav has comfirmed; the land for 22 renewable energy equipment manufacturing units has been allocated in Mohasa Babai, creating 24,000 jobs. CM Dr. Yadav All government buildings in the state will have solar rooftop installations by 2025. The floating energy park in Maheshwar and large solar projects in Neemuch and Rewa are notable achievements. The state’s renewable energy capacity has increased 15 times, with a 48% rise in solar and 19% in wind energy.

Shri Rakesh Shukla, Minister for New & Renewable Energy, stated that the summit’s organization will help realize Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav’s commitment to Madhya Pradesh’s unprecedented contribution towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of making India a leader in solar energy. He added that under CM Dr. Yadav’s leadership, there’s a significant shift in the solar energy sector. This summit will play a crucial role in implementing the ‘Surya Mitra Krishi Feeder’ scheme, which aims to implement projects up to 100% capacity at 1900 substations across the state in a mission mode. Investors in the scheme are free to choose a central grant of ₹1.5 crore per megawatt for their projects. Minister Shukla highlighted that Madhya Pradesh is innovating by offering incentives related to reactive power for such projects, a first in the country. This scheme will also accelerate Prime Minister Modi’s ‘Vocal for Local’ mission, creating ample investment and employment opportunities for local entrepreneurs. Minister Shukla also mentioned that projects under the ‘Surya Mitra Krishi Feeder’ scheme will receive a 3% interest rebate for seven years under the Government of India’s Agricultural Infrastructure Fund (AIF), providing relief to investors. He informed that technical cooperation for project expansion and implementation is being received from GIZ, a German government organization. To ensure easy and systematic financing for projects, MoUs have been signed with State Bank, Central Bank, and AU Small Finance Bank, among others, to provide financial facilities to investors.

Energy Minister Shri Pradyuman Singh Tomar stated that under Chief Minister Dr. Yadav’s leadership, emphasis is being placed on green energy to overcome electricity shortages. He affirmed that efforts are being made for future generations, ensuring sufficient electricity and freedom from pollution. He mentioned the collaborative work between his department and the New & Renewable Energy Department, highlighting the benefits for farmers from solar pumps. The government will also purchase surplus electricity from farmers. Savings from electricity will be utilized to develop basic facilities like schools and hospitals.

Additional Chief Secretary for New & Renewable Energy, Shri Manu Srivastava, stated that significant work is being done under CM Dr. Yadav’s leadership to provide farmers with more solar energy during the daytime. He emphasized the considerable effort involved in bringing ambitious projects like the Surya Mitra Krishi Feeder Scheme to fruition and assured that all possible solutions would be found for any implementation challenges.

Additional Chief Secretary for Energy, Shri Neeraj Mandloi, praised the continuous efforts in the solar energy sector in the state and the enthusiastic participation of all stakeholders. He acknowledged CM Dr. Yadav’s energetic guidance, under which departments related to production and distribution are working diligently. Shri Mandloi stressed the summit’s importance for the development of new energy in the state. He noted that farmers are now generating their own electricity to run irrigation pumps. Following the Prime Minister Kusum-A project, the Government of India has given the state government a target of 3.50 lakh units under the PM Kusum-C project, which translates to approximately 1725 MW capacity.

Earlier, Shri Amanbir Singh Bains, MD of Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam, provided investors with detailed information on the ‘Surya Mitra Krishi Feeder’ scheme and its implementation, including procedural details for tender documents. He explained how the scheme would benefit investors and farmers by leveraging provisions of PM Kusum-C. He stated that each unit of this large-scale scheme averages 5 MW, requiring a total investment of ₹20 crore. Local industrialists, investors, developers, and farmers can invest in chosen substations in each district, becoming partners in the state’s development, creating business and income opportunities for 25 years, and providing affordable electricity. Shri Bains announced that workshops will be continuously organized to explore project possibilities, featuring training by national and international experts. Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam has signed an 18-month agreement with GIZ for this training, which will bring new dimensions to solar projects. Work is underway to implement the scheme through a single-window system to ensure prospective investors and developers receive approvals easily and with minimal documentation to complete projects within deadlines.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav distributed certificates to active participants in the workshop, including Shri Atul Kumar, Shri Nitin Bhargav, Shri Divyansh Sharma, Shri Devendra Singh Chauhan, and Ms. Anamika Kumari. He also handed over Letters of Award to investors in new energy projects, including Shri Abhishek Tiwari (Neemuch), Shri Harchandra Maheshwari (Dewas), Shri Vinod Porwal, Shri Surendra Singh (Bhopal), and Smt. Nirmala Barkha Panjapra. The event was attended by Smt. Krishna Gaur, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Backward Classes and Minority Welfare, Shri Ashok Yadav, MP from Madhubani, Managing Director Shri Avinash Lavania, investors, and other senior officials.

About Surya Mitra Krishi Feeder Yojana

Expanding on the Prime Minister Kusum Yojana, the Surya Mitra Krishi Feeder Yojana involves establishing solar power plants on feeders to supply solar energy to grid-connected agricultural pumps. Madhya Pradesh is a leading state in the agricultural sector, with approximately 8,000 separate agricultural feeders and around 3.5 million agricultural pumps for irrigation. The Surya Mitra Krishi Feeder Yojana aims to establish more solar power plants than the targets set by the Prime Minister Kusum Yojana.

Key Objective

The main objectives of the projects under the Surya Mitra Krishi Feeder Yojana are Managing agricultural load during the daytime. Providing electricity to farmers for irrigation during the day to streamline their lifestyles. Direct power supply to the 11 kV side, enabling simultaneous daytime power supply to all substation feeders. This arrangement will reduce immediate costs associated with substation upgrades or new transformers. Providing electricity to M.P. Power Management Company Limited at lower rates. Reducing transmission losses by supplying energy directly at the point of consumption. Mitigating issues like overloading, low voltage, and power cuts at 33/11 kilovolt power distribution substations, while managing grid stability through the use of reactive power.