SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development (JAKEDA), Department of Science and Technology today conducted an awareness programme to sensitize the farmers regarding use of Solar Energy for powering of irrigation pumps.
Commissioner Secretary, Science and Technology, Saurabh Bhagat, inaugurated the event.
Aijaz Asad, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Athar Amir Khan, Municipal Commissioner Srinagar, Dr. P R Dhar, CEO JAKEDA, Dr. Nasir Shah, Additional Director, J&K Science Technology and Innovation Council besides other officers from Horticulture and Agriculture Departments, District Administration Srinagar, Professors from S P College and Women’s College Srinagar and other officers of JAKEDA attended awareness programme.
During the programme, the officers and the farmers were apprised 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. The scheme allows the farmers to install subsidized Solar Powered Pumps upto 10 H.P. capacity, for irrigation purpose 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% 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.
The scheme also allows installation of community/cluster based irrigation pumps upto 10HP capacity by Water User Associations. It was informed that 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.
In addition, the farmers can also set up Grid Connected Solar Power Plants in the capacity range of 0.5 MW to 2.0 MW on Barron Land banks for sale of power to DISCOMs and make an average annual earning of Rs 40 lakh per MW.
Commissioner Secretary also informed about the Grid Connected Rooftop Solar Scheme, under which a collective subsidy of 65% shall be provided to the Domestic Consumers of DISCOMs for installation of Rooftop Solar Plants for offsetting their electricity bills under Net-Metering mechanism.
The pamphlets containing all the related information of Solar Pumps under PM-KUSUM scheme and Rooftop Solar Scheme, like prices, subsidy amount, beneficiary share, contact numbers of district nodal person were distributed among the farmers and the officers.

KR Desk