NOB- Mahabubabad news: Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka held a video conference with district collectors on the progress of setting up solar power plants through self-help groups. Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu said that the government has taken a policy decision as part of this program. In the context of the Energy Department and the Rural Development Department already signing an agreement to set up solar power plants through self-help groups and generate 1000 MW of electricity, the Deputy CM held a video conference with Ministers Seethakka and Konda Surekha at Praja Bhavan on 08.01.2025 morning to review the progress in the districts. The Deputy CM said that opportunities for women’s growth will arise only if they achieve economic empowerment. In response, the district collectors were advised to use the new electricity policy, the agreement signed between the energy and rural development departments on November 19 2024 and move forward. The Indiramma government has decided to make one crore women millionaires in five years. In this context, large scale interest free loans are being made available to women. As large amounts of money are coming into the hands of women’s groups, the officials were instructed to prepare plans and provide facilities so that they can do various businesses. Women’s groups were instructed to identify the land available to them for setting up solar power plants and the collectors were instructed to identify the available government land. Women’s groups were advised to coordinate with bank officials for financial assistance in arranging the plants. The Deputy CM said that the electricity department has invited tenders through REDCO for setting up plants on the lands of women’s groups, and the tenders will be opened soon and finalized. In this context, the Rural Development Department and district collectors were instructed to quickly complete the work of identifying and verifying the groups, acquiring land, and obtaining financial assistance from banks. Four acres are required to produce one megawatt. He told the collectors that approximately four thousand acres will have to be acquired across the state, with no less than 150 acres in each district. He said that the lands under the jurisdiction of the Endowment and Irrigation departments should be identified. According to the Central Forest Rights Act, tribals have the opportunity to develop the land. Although rights have been established over the lands in forest areas, difficulties are arising with the forest department officials in the process of installing poles and providing electricity through power lines. In this context, the Deputy CM suggested that no one would have any problem if solar power plants were set up in the respective lands. He said that if solar power is made available, farmers in forest areas will have the opportunity to cultivate crops on a large scale through drip irrigation. He said that if the collectors work in this direction, there is a clear opportunity for tribals to live with self-respect. Four to five acres of land will be required to set up small and micro industries in each constituency. He ordered the officials to acquire lands for the establishment of small industrial areas. He said that through this, women of self-help groups will have the opportunity to do business. He said that if crops like avocado are cultivated in the lands obtained through forest rights, the forest wealth will increase and the tribals will be economically strengthened. The Deputy CM said that while the government has distributed 6.67 lakh acres to the tribals in the state so far, profitable crops are not being cultivated on those lands. From now on, the Deputy CM instructed the tribal department officials to coordinate all the schemes coming through the employment guarantee, tribal department and self-help groups in those lands and prepare plans to promote the cultivation of economically beneficial crops. The income of the tribals is low, the availability of land is high. In this context, Minister Seethakka said that if the officials focus on the lands in the Godavari catchment area from Achampet to Adilabad, the tribals will benefited. The Deputy CM instructed the officials to set up solar power plants on top of huge buildings in metropolitan cities like Hyderabad. The Deputy CM instructed the energy department officials to think about setting up solar power plants on these lands, as there is a lot of land spread over hills in Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts. He explained that through the establishment of these, there will be an opportunity to conserve government lands. Prime Minister Kushal, as part of the scheme, farmers have the opportunity to produce solar power up to two megawatts. He instructed the district collectors to sensitize farmers in this direction. Farmers have to apply for solar power production through the TGREDCO portal.The Deputy CM said that through this, not only will electricity be available at a low price, but also there will be an opportunity for pollution free electricity production. The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary of the Energy Department Sandeep Kumar Sultania, Principal Secretary of the Rural Development Department Lokesh, Surf CEO Divya Devarajan, Transco CMD Krishna Bhaskar, district collectors and others. Collector and Magistrate Advait Kumar Singh participated in this video conference along with Additional Collector (Local Institutions) Lenin Vatsal Toppo, DFO B. Vishal, DRDO Project Director Madhusudhan Raju, NPDCL SE Naresh, Tribal Welfare DD Desiram Nayak, etc.,