Farmers in the Coimbatore region of Tamil Nadu are being encouraged by the government to take advantage of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM- KUSUM) initiative, which offers a 70 per cent subsidy for installing solar-powered motor pumps with a capacity of 5 to 10 horsepower.
The programme was created to encourage farmers to boost agricultural yield by using renewable energy. According to a representative from the agricultural engineering department, the initiative benefited 23 farmers in the district last year, and additional farmers are expected to gain profit this year. The state government has yet to issue an order for the department to select recipients for this year.
Farmers may also apply for solar-powered dryers, which will help them increase the value of their products and increase their profits. The department is preparing to install a solar-powered dryer in a polycarbonate-sheeted greenhouse ranging in size from 400 to 1,000 square feet.
Small and marginal-scale farmers and farmers from scheduled castes and tribes, and women farmers can also acquire the dryer facility for 40 per cent off or up to Rs 3.5 lakh, whichever is less.
Others will receive a 40 percent subsidy or Rs 3 lakh, whichever is less, for establishing the facility, according to the official.A farmer can also avail for a 40 per cent subsidy or Rs 1.35 lakh if he or she installs solar-powered fences on up to two acres of land.
About PM KUSUM:
PM-KUSUM Yojana is one of the largest initiatives in the world to provide clean energy to more than 3.5 million farmers by solarising their agriculture pumps and allowing farmers to build 10 GW distributed solar projects. It was launched on March 8, 2019 by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) for setting up solar pumps and other new power plants across the country.
The initiative aims to build 30.8 GW of solar power by December 31, 2022, using INR 340.35 billion (US$4.65 billion) in funding.
