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Context:

• The deadline for PM-KUSUM Scheme to install 30,000 MW solar power capacity in rural India by 2022, has now been pushed to March 2026- said Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

What Is the PM KUSUM Scheme?

• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan Yojana is a scheme to subsidize farmers to install solar irrigation pumps for cultivation. It was launched by the Government of India in 2019.
• Each farmer will receive a 60% subsidy to set up tube wells and pump sets. They will also get 30% of the total cost as a loan from the Government.

Objectives of KUSUM Scheme:

• The primary objective of the PM KUSUM Scheme is to make cutting-edge technology available to our farmers and provide sources for de-dieselised irrigation to the agricultural sector. It aims to increase the income of farmers.

Features or Components of KUSUM Scheme:

KUSUM Scheme comprises 3 components which have different features:

• Component A: Install a total of 10GV grid-connected stilt-mounted decentralised solar plants and other renewable energy-based power plants.Each plant is sized up to 500KW to 2MV.
• Component B: Install stand-alone solar pumps of up to 7.5HP individual capacity and worth 17.50 lakh.
• Component C: Provide financial support to solaris 10 lakh grid-connected agricultural pumps of 7.5HP of capacity each.

Who Is Eligible for the KUSUM Scheme?

The eligible categories for KUSUM Scheme are:

• An individual farmer.
• A group of farmers.
• FPO or Farmer producer organisation.
• Panchayat
• Co-operatives.
• Water User Associations.

What are the benefits of the KUSUM Scheme?

This scheme provides the following benefits:

Power Generation

• The Indian Government initiated the construction of solar plants that can generate an aggregate of 30,000 MW of power.

Subsidy and Loan

• The Government will subsidise 60% and provide a loan of 30% of the total cost. This leads our farmers to bear only 10% of the total cost to install solar plants and solar pumps.
• Government will provide subsidies to install state-of-the-art solar pumps. They improve irrigation as they hold 720MV of capacity.

Provision to sell extra power

• This scheme offers our farmers an opportunity of selling the extra power generated by the plants directly to our Government. This ensures the scope of increase in the income of our farmers.

Stable source of income

• A landholder in a rural area can get a stable source of income by utilizing barren and uncultivated land for solar plant implementation for 25 years.

No hindrance in cultivation

• The solar plants will be set up above a minimum height in cultivable lands. This way, our farmers will be able to continue with cultivation after installing the plants.

Eco-friendly Cultivation

• KUSUM Scheme ensures increasing use of renewable energy helps to mitigate pollution in farms and opens a gateway to eco-friendly cultivation.

PM KUSUM Scheme:

• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) Yojana was launched by the Government of India in 2019 to increase the income of farmers and provide sources for irrigation and de-dieselizing the agricultural sector.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/centre-extends-deadline-for-laggard-solar-scheme/article66468189.ece