Gujarat government launches Suryashakti Kisan Yojana (SKY) for farmers

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has launched the Rs 870-crore pilot project of Suryashakti Kisan Yojana (SKY) where farmers can generate electricity using solar energy and sell the surplus to the electric grid. The SKY Yojana is for farmers who are existing consumers of power companies. As per the new scheme, a farmer signing up for it will have to spend only 5 % amount of the total expenditure for installing the solar project (including solar panels and inverters). The central and state governments will bear 60% of share of total cost of the project and 35% share will be repaid by farmers in 7 years period. In it, farmer can also earn by selling the generated power. Farmers under SKY feeder will get 12 hours power in daylight without low voltage problem. The SKY Yojana is expected to cover, through solar power generation, 12,400 farmers in 33 districts through 137 feeders.