MP Government has recently given a green signal for newly launched solar energy policy under which solar demontration plants each generating 200 MW of power will be planted in the state in public-private partnership.
The Solar Energy Policy 2012 was approved by the state cabinet at its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, official sources said.
Other features of the new policy are 10-year exemption in electricity fee and cess, four per cent subsidy by the state government in the wheeling charges, banking of generated power and exemption as per rules in VAT and entry tax, among others.
Madhya Pradesh, which gets sunshine in abundance, has so far given clearance for setting up 297-MW capacity solar power projects in the state.
Besides, the country’s biggest solar power project, with a capacity to generate 130 MW power, is being set up in Neemuch district of the state.
In an another important decision aimed at giving a boost to the IT sector, the state cabinet has decided to allot land to the IT companies on a lease of 99 years against the present 33 years.
This will also be applicable to those companies which were already allotted land for setting up IT units in the state like Infosys, TCS, Imeptus and Suvi which are establishing SEZ at Indore.
The cabinet also took a number of other decisions including endorsing the state’s new Horticulture Hub Policy 2012 with an aim to give fillip to horticulture sector in the state and acquiring 1,678 acre land of Babai Farm for industrial purpose.
Among the major objectives of the new horticulture policy are making horticulture crops profitable, increasing production and encouraging post-harvesting management which included storage, grading, packing, quality improvement and arrangements for marketing, sources added.
