Punjab Falls Behind in Utilizing Central Scheme for Solar-Powered Agri Pumps

According to recent reports, the farmers in Punjab have not yet adopted solar pumps under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Uthan Mahabhiyan (PM- Kusum Scheme). Despite creating schemes for de-dieseling yet the dependency on fossil fuels has not yet been reduced.

The PM- Kusum Scheme, aims to transition the farming sector away from diesel-powered irrigation pumps by installing solar-powered ones. Both the central and state governments provide a 30% subsidy each, and farmers are responsible for paying the remaining 40% to activate the solar pumps. However, many farmers still consider this option expensive, and there have been delays in receiving the subsidy. Additionally, both farmers and installing companies find the unit tariff of Rs 2.74 for operating feeder-level pumps unacceptable.

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) launched a scheme in July 2019 which included three components mainly to install grid-connected, ground-mounted, solar-power plants (up to 2 megawatts aggregating to a total capacity of 10 gigawatts), solarise 15 lakh grid-connected agricultural pumps and to install 20 lakh standalone solar pumps.

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According to analysis the target achieved till 30th April was average. Out of the total sanctioned solar energy capacity of 4,913 MW, only 106.45 megawatts (equivalent to 2.17% capacity) have been installed. Similarly, the number of standalone pumps installed is 23% of the sanctioned 9.56 lakh, with only 2.19 lakh pumps installed. Additionally, the installation of individual solar pumps is significantly low, with only 1,476 pumps installed out of the sanctioned 1.45 lakh, resulting in a coverage of just over 1%. Furthermore, no feeder-level pumps have been installed out of the sanctioned 24 lacks.

Punjab failed to adopt solar pumps. Punjab has no individual solar pumps. To date, Punjab has not yet installed any solar capacity under the PM-Kusum scheme, despite a sanctioned capacity of 220 MW. The number of standalone pumps installed is considerably low, with only 12,864 pumps installed, accounting for just 16.5% of the sanctioned capacity of 78,000. Furthermore, there were no feeder-level units installed out of the sanctioned 1.25 lakh and Punjab failed to install any individual solar-energy pumps out of the sanctioned 186.

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In response, Aman Arora, the State’s New and renewable energy sources Minister said that "The issue regarding the distribution of the central government's 30% subsidy share has been successfully addressed. Consequently, there are plans underway to install an additional 20,000 standalone solar-energy pumps in the fields. Nonetheless, there is a persistent challenge related to the tariff for the feeder-level pumps.  under component C, measures are being taken to convince both the farmers and the companies to install more pumps."

-TOI

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