SRINAGAR: Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan Yojana (PM-KUSUM), a Central Government scheme will reduce the production cost of the crops ain help in increasing the income of J&K farmers.
The scheme was launched by the Government of India to increase the income of farmers and provide sources for irrigation for the upgradation of agricultural sector.
Jammu and Kashmir Government has launched various awareness programmes to apprise the farmers of various benefits and incentives being extended by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy MNRE, under PM KUSUM scheme, which is primarily meant for uplift of the farmers.
Keeping in view the topography and irrigation challenges in Ramban district, the UT level campaign was started from the district to provide maximum benefit to farmers of the district from this beneficiary oriented scheme. The scheme allows the farmers to install subsidized Solar Powered Pumps upto 10 H.P. capacity for irrigation purposes with a choice of AC/DC Surface and Submersible Pumps.
The PM KUSUM scheme has broadly two main components. Under component ‘B’, the Diesel Powered Pumps could be replaced by Solar Pumps and New pumps could also be installed in no-grid areas under decentralized application, whereas under Component ‘C’, Electrical Pumps could be replaced with Solar Powered Pumps by the farmers. Under both the categories, the Ministry provides a subsidy of 50% on the cost of the pump, 30% of the cost is being provided by the Government of J&K and the beneficiary/farmer has to bear only 20% cost of the pump.
The scheme also allows installation of community/cluster based irrigation pumps upto 10HP capacity by Water User Associations.
Notably, an initial target of 500 Solar Pumps has been allocated to Srinagar district, which could bring an investment of Rs 14 crore in the district.
The District Level Committees have also been constituted to overlook smooth implementation of PM-KUSUM Scheme in the UT.
It is pertinent to mention that Government constituted three Committees for the implementation of all three components of the PM-KUSUM Scheme and solarisation of the Agricultural and Horticulture sector in Jammu and Kashmir. In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA) has planned to install 5,000 Solar Power Pumps under PM-KUSUM scheme in J&K in the first phase.
In the meanwhile, the JAKEDA today conducted an awareness programme to sensitize the farmers regarding use of Solar Energy for powering irrigation pumps. The programme was conducted under the chairmanship of Commissioner Secretary, Science & Technology, Saurabh Bhagat at Pulwama.
Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, Baseer-ul-Haq Choudhary, Additional Director J&K Science Technology and Innovation Council, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, JAKEDA, Executive Officers, JAKEDA, besides officers from Horticulture and Agriculture Departments, district administration Pulwama and officials of JAKEDA attended the awareness programme.
During the programme, Saurabh Bhagat informed the officers and the farmers about various benefits and incentives being extended by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy under PM KUSUM scheme, which is primarily meant to uplift the farmers.
Regarding the Grid Connected Rooftop Solar Scheme, Commissioner Secretary said that such schemes are the only and viable solution to the existing strain on the electricity availability in whole of the UT. He added that such schemes will be implemented in the DC office complex Pulwama and in all government offices in near future to end the dependency on electricity. That will set an example for the general public to reap the benefits out of the highly subsidized scheme of Government of India, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner said installing such pumps will relieve the farmer community of the burden of electricity charges and will thereby strengthen them economically. This will in-turn increase the net income of the farmers.
Pertinently, PM KUSUM scheme has broadly two main components. Under Component “B”, the Diesel Powered Pumps could be replaced by Solar Pumps and New pumps could also be installed in No-Grid areas under decentralized application, whereas under Component “C”, Electrical Pumps could be replaced with Solar Powered Pumps by the farmers. Under both categories, the Ministry provides a subsidy of 50% of the cost of the pump, 30% of the cost is being provided by the Government of J&K and the beneficiary/farmer has to bear only 20% cost of the pump, which can also be financed by any bank at meager interest rates.
Later, pamphlets containing all the related information about Solar Pumps under the PM-KUSUM scheme and Rooftop Solar Scheme, like prices, subsidy amount, beneficiary share, and contact numbers of district nodal persons were distributed among the farmers and the officers.
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