| Salient Features |
- Component A:
-
Solar energy-based power plants (SEPP) of capacity
500 kW to 2 MW will be setup by individual farmers/
group of farmers/ cooperatives/ panchayats/ Farmer
Producer Organisations (FPO)/Water User associations
(WUA) hereinafter called Solar Power Generator
(SPG).
In the above specified entities are not able to
arrange
equity required for setting up the SEPP, they can
opt for
developing the SEPP through developer(s) or even
through
local DISCOM, which will be considered as SPG in
this case.
- DISCOMs will notify sub-station wise surplus
capacity which
can be fed from such SEPP to the Grid and shall
invite
applications from interested beneficiaries for
setting
up the solar energy plants.
- The solar power generated will be purchased by
DISCOMs
at a feed-in-tariff (FiT) determined by respective
State
Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC).
- DISCOM would be eligible to get PBI @ Rs. 0.40 per
unit purchased or Rs. 6.6 lakh per MW of capacity
installed,
whichever is less, for a period of five years from
the
Commercial Operation Date (COD).
- Component B:
-
Individual farmers will be supported to install
standalone solar Agriculture pumps of capacity up
to 7.5 HP in off-grid areas, where grid supply is
not available.
- CFA of 30% of the benchmark cost or the tender
cost, whichever is lower, of the stand-alone solar
Agriculture pump will be provided. The State
Government
will give at-least a subsidy of 30%; and the
remaining
at-most 40% will be provided by the farmer. Bank
finance
can be availed by farmer, so that farmer has to
initially
pay only 10% of the cost and remaining up to 30% of
the cost as loan.
- In North Eastern States, Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Lakshadweep and
A&N
Islands, CFA of 50% of the benchmark cost or the
tender
cost, whichever is lower, of the stand-alone solar
pump
will be provided. The State Government will give
at-least
subsidy of 30%; and the remaining at-most 20% will
be
provided by the farmer.
- Component C: Individual Pump Solarisation (IPS)
-
Individual farmers having grid connected
agriculture pump will be supported to solarise
pumps. Solar PV capacity up to two times of
pump capacity in kW is allowed under the scheme.
- The farmer will be able to use the generated
solar power to meet the irrigation needs and
the excess solar power will be sold to DISCOMs.
- CFA of 30% of the benchmark cost or the tender
cost, whichever is lower, of the solar PV component
will be provided. The State Government will give
at-least subsidy of 30%; and the remaining at-most
40% will be provided by the farmer. Bank finance
can be availed by farmer, so that farmer has
to initially pay only 10% of the cost and
remaining up to 30% of the cost as loan.
- In North Eastern States, Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Lakshadweep and
A&N Islands, CFA of 50% of the benchmark cost
or the tender cost, whichever is lower, of
the solar PV component will be provided.
The State Government will give a subsidy
of at-least 30%; and the remaining
at-most 20% will be provided by the farmer.
- Component C: Feeder Level Solarisation (FLS)
-
Instead of the individual solar pumps the
states can solarize the agriculture feeders.
Guidelines were issued on 04.12.2020.
- Where agriculture feeders are not separated,
loan for feeder separation may be taken from
NABARD or PFC/REC. Further, assistance for
feeder separation may be availed from the
Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS)
of the Ministry of Power. However, mixed
can also be solarised.
- Solar plants of capacity that can cater
to the requirement of the agriculture load
of the selected feeder can be installed
through CAPEX/RESCO mode for a project
period of 25 years.
- CFA of 30% on the cost of installation
of solar power plant (up to Rs. 1.05 Cr/MW)
will be provided. However, in the North
Eastern States, Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand,
Lakshadweep, and A&N Islands 50%
subsidy is available.
- The farmers will get day-time reliable
power for irrigation free of cost or
at tariff fixed by their respective state.
|
| How to avail the financial assistance |
- Component A:
-
The Solar power generated will be purchased by
DISCOMs at a feed-in-tariff (FiT) approved by the
respective State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC).
- In case the farmers/ group of farmers/ cooperatives/
panchayats/ Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO)etc.
are not able to arrange equity required for setting
up the SEPP, they can opt for developing the SEPP
through developer(s) or even through local DISCOM,
which will be considered as RPG in this case.
In such a case, the land owner will get the lease
rent as mutually agreed between the parties.
- To avail of the PBI, the Implementing Agencies
are requested to submit their claims for the
projects which have been completed one year post
their commissioning date, till 5 years from COD,
along with the Signed Copy of the Joint Metering
Report and Receipt of lease rent paid to the
beneficiary/land-owner, wherever applicable.
- Component B & Component-C (IPS)
-
State-wise allocation for solar pumps and
solarisation of existing grid-connected pumps
will be issued by MNRE, after approval by a
Screening Committee under the chairmanship
of the Secretary, MNRE.
- On acceptance of the allocated quantity by
the implementation agencies and submission of
the detailed proposal as per MNRE format,
within a given time, the final sanction
will be issued by MNRE.
- Projects for solarisation or installation
of pumping systems shall be completed within
24 months from the date of sanction by MNRE.
Extension in project completion timelines, up
to a maximum period of three months, will be
considered at the level of Group Head in
MNRE and up to 6 months at the level of Secretary
in MNRE on submission of valid reasons by the
implementing agency.
- Funds up to 40% of the applicable CFA for the
sanctioned quantity would be released as
advance to the implementing agency only after
placement of letter of award(s) to the
selected vendors.
- The balance eligible CFA along with applicable
service charges would be released on acceptance
of the Project Completion Report in the prescribed
format, Utilization Certificates as per GFR,
and other related documents by the Ministry.
- MNRE CFA and State Government’s subsidy will
be adjusted in the system cost and the beneficiary
will have to pay only the remaining balance.
- Component-C (FLS)
-
CFA applicable under the FLS can be released
in the following manner wrt CAPEX/ RESCO mode of
implementation of the FLS.
- CAPEX:- Advance CFA up to 40% of the total
eligible CFA will be released to DISCOMs on
completion of tendering process and signing
of work agreement with EPC contractor selected
for installation of solar power plant.
Balance CFA will be released on successful
commissioning of solar power plant and plant
starts supplying power to agriculture feeder(s).
- RESCO:- No advance CFA. Further, the CFA up to
100% of the total eligible CFA will be released to
the RESCO developer through DISCOM on successful
commissioning and declaration of the Commercial
Operation Date (COD) of the solar power plant.
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