City
Epaper

Solar pumps: Maha to launch scheme for farmers to sell surplus power

By IANS | Updated: September 13, 2024 18:15 IST

Mumbai, Sep 13 The Maharashtra government will soon launch a scheme to facilitate additional income to farmers by ...

Open in App

Mumbai, Sep 13 The Maharashtra government will soon launch a scheme to facilitate additional income to farmers by selling surplus power generated by their solar pump sets.

This was announced here on Friday by Deputy Chief Minister and Energy Minister, Devendra Fadnavis.

The government's move is important as the state has witnessed transition from farmers waiting for years to get grid connection for agriculture pumps to getting pumps on demand, thanks to Solar Agriculture Pump on Demand (SAPD) scheme of the state government.

He was speaking after inaugurating a registration website for farmers for the SAPD scheme developed by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL).

He also published a booklet about the scheme and a poster.

"A scheme will be launched so that surplus power generated in solar panels of agriculture pumps can be sent to the grid and be sold to power companies so that farmers will get additional income. Thus, farmers will be earning money by selling power instead of paying power bills," said Fadnavis.

He said that before 2014, there was serious problem of paid pending cases. After that during his government, emphasis was given on providing power connections to farmers.

"Now thanks to SAPD, farmers are getting solar pumps on demand with 90 per cent subsidy. Due to solar pumps, farmers are getting day time quality power supply. They won’t be required to pay bills for the next 25 years as there will be solar power generation for that period. If we consider a 7.5 HP pump, then a farmer will save Rs 10 lakh in a 25-year period. This scheme has been implemented on the basis of the PM Kusum B scheme," he added.

He said that under the Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana 2.0, agreements for 12,000 MW have been done and projects have started.

Power generation will start from those projects with full capacity in the next two years.

"Hence farmers will get 100 per cent solar energy for irrigation. Apart from farmers getting green energy, a lot of funds for subsidy and cross subsidy will be saved," he added.

MahaVitaran CMD Lokesh Chandra said there has been emphasis on using renewable energy for farmers in the last two-and-a-half years.

"At one point of time there were 8.5 lakh farmers waiting for power connection but now the number of paid pending cases is negligible. Now paid pending problem will become history due to SAPD. Under this scheme, one million agriculture solar pumps will be installed in the state.

“After the scheme was launched, two lakh farmers registered and paid their share and out of them pumps have been installed in farms of 45,000 growers in the last six months and it is a record. Maharashtra is on number one position in the country regarding installation of solar pumps," he added.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor

Open in App

Related Stories

EntertainmentWhy Divyanka Tripathi’s father broke down in tears during his 70th birthday celebrations

CricketAustralian allrounder Beau Webster set to make his debut for Warwickshire in County Championship ahead of WTC final

EntertainmentEsha Deol calls parents Dharmendra, Hema Malini her "World" as couple celebrate their wedding anniversary

NationalKedarnath temple doors open for devotees after long wait

BusinessBusiness Optimism Index Edges Higher in Q2 2025 Amid Domestic Demand Recovery

National Realted Stories

NationalThings won't work like this: Delhi CM slams officials during visit to waterlogged Majnu Ka Tila

NationalFour killed as bus overturns in MP; CM Yadav announces Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia to bereaved families

NationalKerala Minister elated after Karan Adani praised his role in resolving Vizhinjam port issues

NationalAssam panchayat polls: More than 10 pc voting in first two hours

NationalNepal Foreign Affairs Minister expresses grief over death of Nepali student at Odisha's KIIT University