The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government has set a target of installing one lakh solar agricultural pumps per year.

NAGPUR: The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government has set a target of installing one lakh solar agricultural pumps per year. This is a difficult task as Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has been able to install only 60,000 such pumps in two years under the Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Pump Yojana (MSKPY).

The erstwhile BJP-Shiv Sena government had set a target of installing one lakh solar farm pumps in November 2018. MSEDCL was asked to complete the job by June 2021. However, officials say the target will be achieved by September 2021 end.

A senior officer said MSEDCL had issued demand notes to a large number of farmers, but many had not paid up till now. “This is delaying the project,” he added.

MSEDCL is installing pumps of 3 horse power (HP) and 5 HP capacity in the state. Farmers belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) category have to pay 5% of the cost. The figure for a 3 HP pump is Rs12,750 and that for a 5 HP pump is Rs19,250. Other farmers have to pay 10% cost of the pump, which comes to Rs25,500 for a 3 HP pump and Rs38,500 for a 5 HP pump.

Maximum number of solar pumps have been installed in Jalna district of Marathwada region — 9,803 — followed by the neighbouring Beed district 5,636.

In Vidarbha, maximum number of pumps have been installed in Washim district (adjoining Marathwada) — 3,599 — followed by Buldhana district — 2,831. In Nagpur district, only 1,416 pumps have been installed.

Meanwhile, the state government has sanctioned Rs1,500 crore per year for coming five years to MSEDCL for providing farm pump connections — conventional as well as solar. This amount is to provide connections to farmers who had applied from April 1, 2018 onwards. Energy minister Nitin Raut has promised to provide 8 hours three-phase power supply to farmers during day time.

Source: energy.economictimes.indiatimes