Initially, 1.75 million off-grid farm solar pumps were distributed by the government. On unused territory, 10000 MegaWatt 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 while also providing farmers with the benefits of solar farming. For this initiative, the Union Budget 2018–19 has allotted a total of Rs. 48000 crore over the next ten years. To concentrate on solarising agricultural feeders and not pumps, the Central Government modified an existing PM-KUSUM scheme component — a farmer income support and a de-dieselisation scheme — in March 2021.
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Features
The Kusum Scheme is being executed by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. Initially, 1.75 million off-grid farm solar pumps were distributed by the government. On unused territory, 10000 MegaWatt solar power plants were built. The extra solar energy generated by the farmers in the arid areas was purchased by the state electricity distribution firms or DISCOMS. These DISCOMS receive incentives to purchase this energy.
The government converts its existing pumps and tube wells to solar electricity. The aim is to irrigate the field with the help of solar power with 60% of the cost subsidized for farmers. The federal government and the states will split this funding. A bank loan will be used to cover 30% of the expense.
Three elements make up the accepted plan:
Component-A: The installation of small solar power plants with a capability of up to 2 MW to increase solar capacity by 10,000 MW.
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Component-B: 20 lakh standalone solar-powered farm pumps are installed.
Component-C: Grid-connected agriculture pumps, totalling 15 lakh, will be solar-powered. India’s PM-KUSUM scheme is credited to be the largest global effort to use solar power energies.
Benefits of PM- KUSUM
It will make it possible for solar energy generation to become more decentralised. The transmission issues in the DISCOMS services will be checked. The burden of subsidies on DISCOMS in the agricultural industry will be significantly reduced.
Farmers will now have the opportunity to resell any excess energy produced by the solar plants installed on their arid fields to the grid. It will give India’s developing green economy a boost.
The scheme can create immediate employment. It is estimated that each MW of small-capacity solar installation generates about 24.50 job years. Therefore, the program is likely to increase both self-employment and employment possibilities totalling 7.55 lakh job years for both skilled and unskilled workers.
