JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development (JAKEDA), Department of Science & Technology, today conducted an awareness programme at Krishi Bhawan, SKUAST, Jammu, to sensitize the farmers regarding the use of solar energy for powering irrigation pumps.
The programme was conducted under the chairmanship of Vice Chancellor, SKUAST, Jammu, Dr. B N Tripathi and supervision of Commissioner Secretary Science & Technology, Saurabh Bhagat.
Director Extension, SKUAST, Jammu, Dr. Amrish Vaid, Additional Secretary, Science & Technology Department, Neelam Khajuria, Chief Scientist & Head, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Jammu, Dr. Punit Chowdhary, CEO, JAKEDA, Dr. P.R.Dhar, Executive Engineer JAKEDA, Khalid Mehmud and Regional Head JAKEDA, Deepak Sharma besides officers from Horticulture, Agriculture, and JAKEDA were present on the occasion.
During the programme, the officers and the farmers were apprised of various benefits and incentives being extended by the Union Ministry for New & Renewable Energy MNRE, under the PM-KUSUM Scheme, which is primarily meant for the upliftment of the farmers.
It was informed that the farmers can set up Grid Connected Solar Power Plants in the capacity range of 0.5 MW to 2.0 MW on Barron Land banks for the sale of power to DISCOMs and make an average annual earning of Rs 40 lakh per MW under “Component A” of PM-KUSUM scheme. Besides, 4 acre (approximately) of land is required for the development of the 1 MW Solar Plant Project.
Besides, the farmers are allowed to install subsidized Solar Powered Pumps up to 10 HP capacities for irrigation purposes with a choice of AC/DC Surface and Submersible Pumps under “Component B” of the PM-KUSUM scheme. The Ministry provides a subsidy of 50% of the cost of the pump while 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.
In addition, the farmers are allowed for the Solarization of grid-connected Powered Agriculture Pumps with Solar pump capacity up to two times of installed pump capacity in KW under “Component C” of the PM-KUSUM Scheme. Under this Component, the farmers can export the excess energy to the Grid and shall receive the benefits of the exported energy from the DISCOM. The Ministry provides a subsidy of 50% of the cost of the pump while 30% of the cost is being provided by the J&K government and the beneficiary/farmer has to bear only 20% cost of the pump.
On the occasion, pamphlets containing all the related information of Solar Pumps under the PM-KUSUM scheme like prices, subsidy amount, beneficiary share, contact numbers of district nodal persons etc were distributed among the farmers and the officers.
The Commissioner Secretary advised the district-level agriculture officers to devise a model based on community irrigation where a centralized Solar Pumping System could be installed for irrigation of all the adjacent farmlands.
The VC SKUAST stressed on using modern technologies in farming to increase the production of crops for which SKUAST Jammu will provide every possible assistance to the farmers.
The Chief Scientist & Head, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Jammu, Dr. Punit Chowdhary, requested the CEO of JAKEDA to ensure that maximum farmers shall avail the benefits of the scheme in the coming days.
Many proactive farmers also spoke on the occasion and requested JAKEDA to simplify the process of sanctioning the solar pumps so that these are installed in the shortest possible time.
The implementing firms M/s KLK Ventures and M/s Aditya Solar were also present at the event for the registration of prospective farmers under the scheme.
