Last Update: February 24, 2023, 12:11 IST
To focus on agriculture feeders and not pumps, the central government modified the existing PM-KUSUM scheme component.
Initially, 1.75 million off-grid farm solar pumps were distributed by the government. In the untapped area, 10000 MW solar power plants were built.
The Central Government has announced the Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM), which aims to increase solar power output in India Along with this, farmers are also being provided with the benefits of solar farming. For this initiative, the Union Budget 2018-19 has allocated a total of Rs. 48000 crores in the next ten years. The central government revised an existing PM-KUSUM scheme component – a farmer income support and a de-dieselisation scheme – in March 2021 to focus on solarizing farm feeders instead of pumps.
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The Kusum scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. Initially, 1.75 million off-grid farm solar pumps were distributed by the government. In the untapped area, 10000 MW solar power plants were built. Excess solar power generated by farmers in dry areas was bought by state electricity distribution firms, or DISCOMS. These DISCOMS get incentive to buy this energy.
The government converts its existing pumps and tube wells to solar power. It aims to irrigate the farm with the help of solar power with 60% cost subsidized for the farmers. The federal government and the states would split this funding. A bank loan will be used to cover 30% of the expenses.
Three elements make up the approved plan:
Component-A: Installation of small solar power plants with a capacity of up to 2 MW to increase the solar capacity to 10,000 MW.
Component-B: 20 lakh standalone solar powered farm pumps have been installed.
Component-C: Grid-connected agricultural pumps, totaling 15 lakh, to be solar powered. India’s PM-KUSUM scheme is credited with the biggest global effort to harness solar power energy.
Benefits of PM-KUSUM
This would make it possible to make solar power generation more decentralized. Transmission issues in DISCOMS services will be checked. Subsidy burden on DISCOMS in agriculture industry will be reduced significantly.
Farmers will now have the opportunity to resell to the grid any excess energy produced by solar plants installed in their arid regions. It will give a boost to India’s growing green economy.
The scheme can generate immediate employment. It is estimated that each megawatt small capacity solar installation generates approximately 24.50 work years. Therefore, this program is likely to generate self-employment and employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled workers for a total of 7.55 lakh job years.
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