BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday directed energy and revenue department officials to identify lands across Karnataka to set up solar panels near feeder stations. He directed district commissioners to issue immediate orders and circulars for the same.
The CM issued the directions at a review meeting with officials from both departments for implementing the Kusuma-C scheme and decentralisation of solar power generation. The energy department had proposed to the government to acquire revenue land on a lease basis to set up solar panels near feeder stations, to locally generate solar energy and to solarise irrigation pump sets in the state.
For the implementation of the schemes, around 3,000 acres of land will be required for setting up solar panels around 400 power stations.
An official present at the meeting said that while no deadline has been set for the move, the government is keen to ensure that it is completed at the earliest. “No land will be acquired. Revenue land will be leased out to the energy department, which in-turn will be handed over to the vendor for setting up the panels. No land deal will take place,” the official explained.
Energy Minster KJ George handed over a cheque of Rs 3 crore from Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited to the Chief Minister’s relief fund for 2023-24.
SHUN TOUTS, WIPE THE TEARS OF THE POOR, CM TO OFFICIALS
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday sought to end the prevalence of ‘agents’ or ‘middlemen’ in government offices, especially revenue and sub-registrar offices and RTOs. Calling upon tahsildars to “wipe the tears of the poor”, he said, “Your heart should go out to the people who visit your office in worn-out chappals and faded clothes, and the uneducated. If you do a good job, the government will get a good name. Carry out your responsibility, serve the people without middlemen.” The CM was speaking after releasing the 2024 calendar and annual calendar of the Karnataka Administrative Service Officers’ Association.