HIGHLIGHTS:
• Replacement of diesel in the agricultural sector with renewable energy by 2024.
• Budget 2018 announced the PM-KUSUM plan, which was authorized in 2019.
• “Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) scheme” is the name given to the programme .
By 2024, the central government wants to replace diesel in the agricultural sector with renewable energy. R K Singh, the Union Minister for Power, New and Renewable Energy, stated on Friday that this is in accordance with the government’s goal of increasing non-fossil fuel use by 2030 and becoming a net zero emitter by 2070.
PM-KUSUM Scheme is a scheme devised by PM-KUSUM
Budget 2018 announced the PM-KUSUM plan, which was authorized in 2019. “Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) scheme” is the name given to it. Farmers are given the opportunity to sell excess power generated by solar power installations erected on their barren lands to the grid under the scheme. By 2022, the plan aims to build 30.8 GW of solar capacity.
Points to Remember
• This goal was set in accordance with the government’s pledge to increase the amount of non-fossil fuels in the energy mix by 2030 and to become a net zero emitter by 2070.
• The central government is also running a project to solarise farms under the KUSUM Scheme. This would assist with the installation of solar-powered irrigation systems.
Components of PM-KUSUM
PM-KUSUM is comprised of three components:
Component-A: It consists of 10,000 MW decentralized, ground-mounted, and grid-connected renewable power plants.
Component-B: It calls for the installation of two million solar-powered agriculture pumps on their own .
Component-C: It covers the solarization of 1.5 million solar-powered agriculture pumps that are connected to the grid.
Significance of the Scheme
• By lessening the burden of subsidies on the farm sector, the plan helps DISCOMs maintain their financial health.
• By boosting decentralized solar power production and lowering transmission losses, it assists state governments in reducing their subsidy outlay to companies. It also assists states in achieving their renewable purchasing requirement goals.
• Farmers are encouraged to conserve energy since they will be able to sell extra power. It refers to the wise and effective use of groundwater. As a result, it also provides farmers with water security by supplying them with reliable water supplies via solar water pumps.
• By offering decentralized solar-based irrigation, the programme has resulted in an expansion of irrigation coverage. As a result, the usage of polluting diesel has been removed.
