Will Govt of India set up land bank, ‘reclaim' wasteland to set up solar power projects?

By NS Venkataraman*
Acquiring land for setting up solar power projects is one of the biggest challenges for solar project developers in India. Solar power project require large track of land and the cost of land is critical in reducing the overall project costs. To set up solar power project of one megawatt capacity, around 6,000 square metre (around 1.5 acre) of land is required.
By end of December, 2023, India’s installed capacity for solar power was around 74 GW and around 45GW of wind power. With the target of achieving 500GW of renewable power projects by 2030, India has to increase the installed capacity of solar power projects multifold.
To ensure that India would be able to have high solar power installed capacity by 2030 commensurate with the target of 500 GW for renewable energy, it is absolutely necessary that land acquisition issue for solar power projects should be sorted out once for all.
In a densely populated country like India, acquisition of land for any purpose, whether industrial, commercial, infrastructure, mining or other purpose have been a formidable ticklish issue.
In several cases, agricultural land is being sought to be taken over for such projects and there have been severe public resistance for such proposals, as this uproots the life of the farmers and agriculturists who have been depending on the agricultural land for their earnings and livelihood.
Not surprisingly, there have been protests and opposition for such move to acquire agricultural land. A careful and dispassionate study and analysis of the above scenario would highlight the fact that the apprehensions and anxiety are genuine and cannot be ignored or taken for granted under any circumstances.
As a result, in the last decade, a number of proposed and prospective industrial and infrastructure projects have been shelved or heavily delayed due to the land acquisition issues in the country.

Need for land bank for solar power project

It is high time that the Government of India should create a comprehensive policy and approach to ensure adequate land availability for solar power projects, without disturbing the agricultural operations or upsetting the livelihood and economic conditions of people belonging to lower income group.
It is necessary, to carry out a detailed land audit all over India to identify surplus/ unused land, which have not been put to use for more than five years and such land can be acquired by the government to set up solar power . project.
Most of such sites would be suitable for setting up solar power project in view of the tropical conditions in most part of the country and most period of the year.
There are many sick industrial units in large, medium and small scale level,which are not in operation for several years and number of them may have large area of unused land.
Such land as well as acreage, buildings and other facilities belonging to thousands of industrial units of various sizes that fell sick and were closed, with little or no prospects of being reopened, can be used to set up solar power projects , instead of taking over farmland.

A 2015-16 study estimated that India had around 55.76 million hectares of wasteland (16.96 per cent of the country’s total area), including dense scrub, waterlogged marshy land, sandy areas, degraded pastures/ grazing land, alkaline and saline land, barren rocky areas etc. (Source: NRSC, ISRO, Dept. of Space & Department of Land Resources, Ministry of rural Development).
Such wasteland can be recovered and reclaimed and put to use for setting up solar power projects.

Pattern of waste land distribution

Further, there are many operating industrial units all over India, which have large tracts of surplus and unused land. Similarly, there are many educational institutions and universities which have much land which has remained unutilised for decades.
Central and state governments, as well as the Indian Railways own land, possibly running into several thousands of acres, which are not in use. In view of the land acquisition issues, solar power projects are facing crisis situation to move on in expanding the capacity and meeting the energy requirement of the country.
Unfortunately, no organised study has been initiated by government so far to assess the availability of such unused and waste land and the feasibility of putting them to use. It is high time that the government looks into the matter with high sense of urgency.
---
*Trustee, Nandini Voice for The Deprived, Chennai

Comments

Wave of disappearances sparks human rights fears for activists in Delhi

By Harsh Thakor* A philosophy student from Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, and an activist associated with Nazariya magazine, Rudra, has been reported missing since the morning of July 19, 2025. This disappearance adds to a growing concern among human rights advocates regarding the escalating number of detentions and disappearances of activists in Delhi.

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

‘Act of war on agriculture’: Aruna Rodrigues slams GM crop expansion and regulatory apathy

By Rosamma Thomas* Expressing appreciation to the Union Agriculture Minister for inviting suggestions from farmers and concerned citizens on the sharp decline in cotton crop productivity, Aruna Rodrigues—lead petitioner in the Supreme Court case ongoing since 2005 that seeks a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops—wrote to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 14, 2025, stating that conflicts of interest have infiltrated India’s regulatory system like a spreading cancer, including within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

Sandra Gonzalez Sanabria: An inspiring life from Colombia’s Amazonian valley

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

Activists allege abduction and torture by Delhi Police Special Cell in missing person probe

By A Representative A press statement released today by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) alleges that several student and social activists have been abducted, illegally detained, and subjected to torture by the Delhi Police Special Cell. The CASR claims these actions are linked to an investigation into the disappearance of Vallika Varshri, an editorial team member of 'Nazariya' magazine.

India’s zero-emission, eco-friendly energy strategies have a long way to go, despite impressive progress

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent report released by OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2025 has predicted that by the year 2050, crude oil would replace coal as India’s key energy source. Clearly, OPEC expects that India’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy will continue to remain high in one form or another.

Gender violence defies stringent laws: The need for robust social capital

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra* The tragic death of Miss Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan College, Balasore, who reportedly self-immolated due to harassment, shocked the conscience of Odisha. Even before the public could process this horrifying event, another harrowing case emerged—a 15-year-old girl from Balanga, Puri, was allegedly set ablaze by miscreants. These incidents are not isolated; they highlight a disturbing pattern of rising gender-based violence across the state and the country.

Search This Blog