The Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal today urged Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy to enhance the central subsidy for solar water pumping systems for irrigation and allied purposes from Rs 30 per watt to Rs 100 per watt to make the system viable for small and marginal farmers.
He said that with the support of Union government, Punjab had installed maximum number of Solar Pump (1850) during the period 2001-04 as Union government had been providing subsidy ranging from Rs 1.80 lakh to Rs 2.43 lakh for 2 HP solar pumps for irrigation purposes.
He said that since Union government has now reduced this subsidy to only Rs 50,000, installing solar water pumps have become unviable for small farmers not only in Punjab but in the entire country.
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