Telangana govt’s plan to set up solar plants on 231 acres endowments land gains speed

Officials told to complete project in six months; move will not only bring down power bills of temples, but also help save land from encroachment

Hyderabad: The Telangana government’s plan to set up solar plants in endowments land is taking shape with officials concerned being asked to complete the project within the next six months.

To protect vast swathes of temple lands, the State government has come out with an initiative to set up solar power plants on these lands to generate green power.

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Sources say the government has plans to set up solar plants in 252.39 acres of temple land across the State under the Mahila Shakti scheme.

In the first phase, solar plants would be set up in 231.05 acres in five districts — Medak, Bhongir, Siddipet, Nirmal and Hanamkonda.

Sources say Chief Secretary A Santhi Kumari has recently issued directives to expedite solar and other projects aimed at empowering women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) across the State.

She instructed officials to ensure the timely establishment of solar power plants on 231 acres of leased endowment land in five districts as part of the first phase.

Self-help group women would be given the responsibility to implement the project and maintain it. The State government would also provide funds to SHGs to set up solar plants.

The initiative would help SHG women earn revenues through the maintenance of the solar plants, officials said.

Officials claimed that solar plants in temple lands would not only bring down power bills of the temples, but also help in saving them from encroachment.

The move would also help temples in generating revenues through sale of excess power to discoms through power grids, they added.

The government has already initiated steps to ensure that temple lands are not registered in the name of individuals. Geotagging exercises have also been taken up by the Endowments Department. So far about 34,000 acres of temple lands have been geo-tagged.

District Collectors have been directed to initiate measures to reclaim the encroached and alienated endowment lands.

There are 704 temples managed by the Endowments Department throughout the State, encompassing a total of 91,827 acres.

Alarmingly, 25,000 acres of this have already been subject to encroachment, and an additional 6,000 acres are under the jurisdiction of neighbouring States.