Good response from land-owners for solar plant scheme: Pb Min

A scheme launched by Punjab government seeking applications from land owners to lease out their land for setting up of solar power plants has received good response, a state minister said.
New and Renewable Energy Minister Bikram Singh Majithia said within just 10 days of launching of the solar plant scheme, a large number of land-owners have already offered 4,580 acres of their land for it.
The minimum requirement for this scheme at a particular place was 25 acres and any landowner having less than 25 acres can also join hands with his neighbour for the purpose but the condition was that they have joint boundaries, he said.

"The landowners will have assured increase in their lease amount by 5 per cent per annum basis," he said, adding that the scheme offers minimum lease rate from Rs 35,000 per acre to Rs 50,000 depending on the condition and location of the land.
The lands will be taken on a thirty-year lease, he said.
It was also decided to constitute district-wise committees under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners concerned to fix the lease rates after thoroughly examining the prevailing rates and possibility of hike in coming years, he said.