PM-KUSUM scaled up: Goal set to 30.8 GW of solar capacity by 2022

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has recently issued orders to expand Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM). Accordingly, the new target of the scheme has been enhanced to achieve solar capacity of 30.8 GW by 2022. This is to be done with the revised central financial support of Rs 34,035 crores.

Highlights

In September 2020, the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy proposed to initiate centralised tendering process for the year 2020-21 targeting 4.5 lakh standalone solar pumps. In the first year of the scheme, the target was 1.75 lakh solar pumps. The tendering process is being done by EESL.

About the scheme

The scheme was launched to help farmers install solar pumps, grid connected solar power and other renewable power plants. Initially the target of the scheme was set to achieve 25,720 MW by 2022.

Components of the scheme

There are three components of the scheme as follows

• Component A: To install 10,000 MW of decentralised ground mounted grid connected renewable power plants.
• Component B: To install 17.5 lakh standalone solar power agricultural pumps with capacity up to 7.5 HP.
• Component C: To solarise 10 lakh grid connected agriculture pumps.

Benefits

The scheme will stabilise income of rural land owners for a period of 25 years. The scheme makes sure that solar pumps will save the expenditure on diesel for running diesel pumps. Also, the scheme will ensure if sufficient power is available for feeding rural load cenre.

The solar pumps will provide a reliable source of irrigation and also help reduce harmful pollution caused due to the diesel pumps. The scheme is to benefit more than 17.5 lakh farmers over a period of four years. This has been estimated without adding grid load.

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2020