Punjab to lease vacant panchayat land for solar power

According to sources, only 50 per cent of the developers could arrange land for setting up solar power plants

Solar power players willing to invest in Punjab are likely to get shot in the arm with the state government paving the way for leasing out vacant panchayat land to them. Players who had signed power purchase agreement with  the state power utility earlier this year have not acquired land citing exorbitant land prices as the stumbling block for setting up power plants. Officials said the current notification would assist the developers in speedy implementation of project, as their major concern has been addressed.

In July last year, Punjab allocated solar power projects to 26 developers for 250 MW after a competitive bidding process. Further, these 26 developers signed power purchase agreement with the state power utility.

According to sources, only 50 per cent of the developers could arrange land either by acquisition or by entering into pacts with farmers for leasing.

Sources in the state government told Business Standard the state’s rural department has issued a notification so that the vacant panchayat land can be given to these players on lease hold basis. He added that with new notification in place, many of the potential solar power players will heave sigh of relief.

Among the major companies who are setting up solar power projects are Lanco Solar Energy, Punj Lloyd Infrastructure, Moser Baer Clean Energy, Essel Infra Projects, Asopus Infrastructure (India Bulls), Welspun Solar Punjab , Azure Urja, among others. The solar power projects were awarded in two categories of 1-4 MW and 5-30 MW. In the small category of 1-4 MW, 18 companies were awarded power projects to the tune of 50 MW, while in 5-30 MW category, 11 companies have been awarded projects for 200 MW solar power.

These players are likely to invest around Rs 2,200-2,500 crore in the state and will take another 13-15 months for completion of project. Currently, the total installed capacity in the state is 10.5 MW of solar photovoltaic power. With the commissioning of these units, the state will add another 250 MW.

Haryana, the performance of party registering a lead in 53 out of 90 assembly segments is indicative of party's formidable position in the state.

A senior BJP member from Haryana OP Dhankar told Business Standard that a rethinking is required over making and unmaking alliances. He told that those who want to play the caste card cannot cut ice with the voters in Haryana. The party won seven out of eight seats it contested and lost one to Deepender Hooda who won only beacuse of partronage of his father and Haryana Chief Minister BS Hooda.

He added that Haryana registered a lopsided developemnt in the past ten years and even the Congress insiders acknowledge. The BJP's agenda of growth with equality was able to charm the voters and party would consolidate itself for the assembly polls.

Sources in BJP informed that there is a demand in BJP to fight the upcoming elections in Haryana without any coalition partner.

BJP fielded eight candidates and two were left for its ally, Haryana Janhit Congress. Except for Rohtak seat, it won all seven. Its ally lost both the seats to  Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).

The rival parties in Haryana are more worried as all candidates of BJP won by significant margins (the highest margin of 4,66870 at Faridabad).

The ruling Congress in Haryana could secure only the Rohtak seat retained by Deepender Singh Hooda.

The new outfit Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), that was hailed as a promising party with senior leaders like Arvind Kejriwal, Yogendra Yadav and Naveen Jaihind having roots in Haryana gave a dismal performance and all its candidates lost their security deposits.

The results of Lok Sabha elections have compounded the problems of BS Hooda who was already facing the ire of his detractors in the party.

The grand revival of BJP in Haryana was unpredicted. What helped the party was the selection of right candidates to touch a chord with rural voters too where its base was not very strong.

The Congress, completing its second term under the leadership of BS Hooda in October this year, is witnessing a strong anti-incumbency.

While AAP has not been able to cut ice with voters and Haryana Janhit Congress has been marginalized by losing both the seats of Sirsa and Hisar, INLD may gather some strength in the coming weeks.

A lot depends on who would be projected as the chief ministerial candidate of BJP, but its lead in the Lok Sabha elections puts the party ahead of its rivals for the upcoming assembly elections in Haryana.