CM gives nod to 1L solar agricultural pump scheme

Mumbai: The chief minister Devendra Fadnavis-led government approved a scheme to provide one lakh solar agricultural pumps to farmers in the next three years. The Cabinet sanctioned the expenditure of Rs 858.75 crore over three years. Mr Fadnavis inaugurated three energy department schemes on Tuesday.

After sanctioning a 7,000 solar pump scheme, which will be implemented by MahaUrja, the state government approved a scheme to provide one lakh solar pumps in the next three years. Mr Fadnavis had announced that 5 lakh solar pumps would be provided in five years after assuming office in 2014, but the pilot project of supplying 10,000 pumps failed due to high price and other faults.

Now considering the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, Mr Fadnavis has given a nod to the project in order to woo farmers. “The tendering and other processes will take a few months. So he will inaugurate the scheme before the Lok Sabha elections. But considering the past experience of the scheme’s implementation, a target of installing 25,000 pumps is very difficult to achieve,” said a senior official. The government will install 50,000 pumps in the second year and 25,000 pumps in the third.

Mr Fadnavis inaugurated a solar vehicle charging system, an HVDS system for installing small capacity transformers for uninterrupted power supply of AG pumps and feeder base solar pump supply scheme (CM Saur Vahini) on Tuesday.