Animal Husbandry Department signs pact with MahaPREIT for solar projects at its sites

The Animal Husbandry Department has taken a step towards making effective use of solar energy. As part of this, a memorandum of understanding was signed in Mumbai between the office of the Animal Husbandry Commissioner and MahaPREIT in the presence of Animal Husbandry Minister Pankaja Munde. It is preparation for setting up pilot solar projects at department sites.

The aim of the agreement is to prepare a detailed project report for setting up solar projects on vacant space at the offices and farms under the Animal Husbandry Commissioner. The agreement was signed by Animal Husbandry Commissioner Dr Kiran Patil and MahaPREIT director Deepak Kokate. Animal Husbandry Department Secretary Dr Ramaswamy N. and MahaPREIT Managing Director Bipin Shrimali were among those present.

On the occasion, Ms Munde said the solar projects would eventually make it possible to bring the electricity bills of all Animal Husbandry Department buildings down to zero. In addition, surplus power would be generated and sold, which would raise the department's income. In her view, the MoU would prove important in this respect.

MahaPREIT, or Mahatma Phule Renewable Energy and Infrastructure Technology Limited, is a subsidiary of the Mahatma Phule Backward Class Development Corporation. The company has shown interest in starting solar projects at Animal Husbandry Department sites. It also gave a presentation on the subject to Ms Munde.

To prepare the detailed project report, the roof space available on buildings will be assessed. Site surveys of the farms and a feasibility study will also be carried out before the report is prepared.

Once the report is submitted, a pilot solar project will be set up in the first phase on the roofs of the office buildings in the Animal Husbandry Commissioner's office complex. A pilot project will also be run at the farm at Sakud (Ambajogai taluka, Beed district), which comes under the Maharashtra Livestock Development Board, officials said. The first phase thus covers building roofs and the Sakud farm.