Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evem Utthan Mahabhiyan / (P | UPSC Current Affairs Daily

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evem Utthan Mahabhiyan / (PM KUSUM) Scheme

Scheme is an initiative of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
It is a scheme for farmers for installation of solar pumps and grid connected solar and other renewable power plants in the country.
Approved in February 2019, the objective of the scheme is to provide financial and water security.
The scheme aims to add solar and other renewable capacity of 25,750 MW by 2022
Features:
As per provisions of the PM-KUSUM Scheme, the grid connected agriculture pumps can be solarised with central and state subsidy of 30% each and farmer’s contribution of 40%.
It will also include feeder level solarisation.
State Nodal Agencies (SNAs) of MNRE will coordinate with States/UTs, Discoms and farmers for implementation of the scheme.
Benefits:
The scheme will open a stable and continuous source of income to the rural landowners for a period of 25 years by utilisation of their dry/uncultivable land.
In case cultivated fields are chosen for setting up solar power projects, the farmers could continue to grow crops as the solar panels are to be set up above a minimum height.
The solar pumps will save the expenditure incurred on diesel for running diesel pumps and provide the farmers a reliable source of irrigation through solar pumps apart from preventing harmful pollution from running diesel pumps.