Maharashtra govt to install 200,000 solar agriculture pumps: Dy CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said the government has fixed the target of installing two lakh solar agricultural pumps in the state.

Fadnavis, who also holds the charge of Energy Department, held a review meeting at its headquarters in Mumbai.

Speaking to reporters later, he said, "The state government has set the target of installing two lakh agri solar pumps in the coming months. While one lakh will be set up by the Maharashtra Energy Development Authority (MEDA), the remaining ones will come from the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL)."

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) will cover necessary parts of this programme of installing the solar agri pumps, he said, without giving details of how many pumps have been installed so far in the state.

"The state government is also taking steps towards agri feeders to be converted on solar energy to benefit farmers. I have asked the officials to take efforts in reduce the transmission losses," he said.

The state government has also given its approval for a wind energy project at Uran near Mumbai, Fadnavis said.