DKShi questions Union Minister's claims on solar park in MP

Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar demanded answers from Union Power Minister R K Singh regarding claims that the 750 MW Solar Park in Madhya Pradesh launched on Friday was Asia’s largest, while 2000 MW park at Pavagada in the state has been operational since 2018.

“BJP Central Govt is claiming today that it inaugurated Asia”s Largest Solar Plant of 750 MW at Rewa, MP. What then is the 2000 MW Solar Plant in Pavagada, Karnataka which was built in just 3 years by @INCKarnataka govt and has been operational since 2018?” Shivakumar tweeted.

Stating that the unique thing about the 2000 MW Pavagada solar park was that not a single acre of land was acquired from the farmers, he said all 13,000 acres have been leased from the farmers who are being given yearly rent.

“Union Power Minister must answer as to how the central government can claim that the Rewa Solar Park (750 MW) opened today is Asia”s largest when clearly the Pavagada Park in Karnataka is much larger (2000 MW) and was opened two years back!” he said in another tweet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched the 750 MW solar power project in Rewa in Madhya Pradesh through video-conferencing, and it was projected as the “Asia”s largest”.

It was during Shivakumar”s tenure as Energy Minister in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government that unit I (600- MW) of the 2,000-MW mega solar power plant at Pavagada was inaugurated in 2018.