MNRE issues norms to implement scheme for farmers to boost solar energy

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) Monday issued guidelines for rollout of the Rs 34,422-crore PM-KUSUM scheme, which would encourage farmers to generate solar power in their farms and use the clean energy to replace their diesel water pumps.

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme entails setting up of 25,750-MW solar capacity by 2022 with the total central financial support of Rs 34,422 crore.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in February approved the launch of the scheme with the objective of providing financial and water security.

The scheme has three components.

The Component-A provides for setting up of 10,000 megawatt of decentralised ground/ stilt-mounted grid-connected solar or other renewable energy-based power plants.

The Component-B of the scheme provides for installation of 17.50 lakh stand-alone solar agriculture pumps, while the Component-C envisages solarisation of 10 lakh grid-connected agriculture pumps.

The guidelines issued on Monday stated that the Component-A and Component-C will be implemented initially on a pilot mode for 1,000 megawatt (MW) capacity and one lakh grid-connected agriculture pumps, respectively, while the Component-B will be implemented in full-fledged manner with total central government support of Rs 19,036.5 crore.

After the successful implementation of pilot project of Components A and C, the same shall be scaled up with necessary modifications based on the learning from the pilot phase with the total central government support of Rs 15,385.5 crore, it added.

It said these guidelines have been formulated to provide broad implementation framework of the scheme.