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Centre’s plan may boost farmers’ solar power use
Context
The Centre has announced a Rs1.4 lakh-crore scheme for promoting decentralized solar power production of up to 28,250 MW to help farmers, according to R. K. Singh, Minister of State for Power and New and Renewable Energy
Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahaabhiyan or KUSUM scheme
The components of the scheme include
- Building 10,000 MW solar plants on barren lands
- Providing sops to DISCOMS to purchase the electricity produced
- Solarising’ existing pumps of 7250 MW as well as government tube wells with a capacity of 8250 MW
- Distributing 17.5 lakh solar pumps
Share of subsidy
- The 60% subsidy on the solar pumps provided to farmers will be shared between the Centre and the States
- 30% would be provided through bank loans
- 10% will be borne by the farmers
Expected benefits
- Scheme would provide extra income to farmers, by giving them an option to sell additional power to the grid through solar power projects set up on their barren lands
- Help in de-dieselising the sector as also the DISCOMS
- Promotion of decentralised solar power production
- Reduction of transmission losses
- Providing support to the financial health of DISCOMs by reducing the subsidy burden to the agriculture sector
- The scheme would also promote energy efficiency and water conservation and provide water security to farmers
