PM KUSUM

Why in news?

• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has extended the deadline to install 30,000 MW solar power capacity in rural India to March 2026 under PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Uttham Mahabhiyan).

About PM KUSUM:

• The PM-KUSUM was launched by the MNRE in 2019, in order to endow installation of off-grid solar pumps in rural areas.
• It aims to enable farmers to set up solar power generation capacity on their arid lands and to sell it to the grid.
• It also seeks to increase the income of farmers by allowing them to sell surplus solar power to the grid.

Four components:

• Grid-connected solar power plants each of capacity up to 2 MW in the rural areas.
• Standalone off-grid solar water pumps to fulfill irrigation needs of farmers not connected to grid.
• Solarization of existing grid-connected agriculture pumps to make farmers independent of grid supply and also enable them to sell surplus solar power generated to DISCOM and get extra income.
• Solarization of tube-wells and lift irrigation projects of Government sector.

Funding:

• Government will provide 60% subsidy on solar pumps to farmers.
• It will be shared between Centre and States while 30% will be provided through bank loans.
• The balance cost will be borne by farmers.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Consider the following statements regarding PM KUSUM scheme:

1.  The entire cost of the scheme is funded by the central government.

2. The scheme would encourage decentralization of solar production by incentivizing farmers to shift to renewable energy

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer