The state government’s ambitious plan to install 10,000 solar pumps has not found favour with farmers, with many exhibiting reluctance to buy the new technology.
Only about 400 farmers have paid the initial instalments of the 800 applications it had received. Energy minister Chandrashekhar Bavankule is likely to install the solar pump next month in Vidarbha region after which the other solar pumps will be installed.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the solar pump scheme after assuming office in 2014. After floating tenders for the solar pump manufacturing companies, the state government attracted a lot of flak over its costing. The state’s costing was higher than Gujarat and other states. Hence, the scheme was halted for a few months. Recently, the CM had given his go-ahead for the scheme and the first solar pump is expected to be installed in Vidarbha, a region known for farmer suicides. The Maharashtra State Power Distribution Company Limited (Mahadiscom) has also chalked out a plan to install solar pumps in suicide-prone Vidarbha and Marathwada as a pilot project. The scheme will be extended to other areas also, depending on the success in these two regions.
However, the Mahadiscom found that the farmers were reluctant to buy the solar pumps as they were apprehensive about the new technology. As per the energy department, about 400 farmers have paid the instalments for the solar pumps. “We are expecting that more farmers will come forward for the scheme. There is apprehension among them about the new technology, but other states have already installed it and its showing good results,” an official from the energy department said. Maharashtra-based Jain Irrigations and Gurgaon-based Claro Energy have been selected for the supply of pumps.
The farmers will have to pay Rs 25,000 to get a cross subsidy for the solar pumps which otherwise costs Rs 3.5-4 lakh. Sixty per cent of the pump’s cost will be borne by Mahadiscom, 30 per cent by the Centre and five per cent each by the state and end-user. The official said that the cost is also one of the reasons for poor response. However, Mahadiscom has ensured best quality pumps and reliable maintenance and repair services, the official said.
The state government wants to replace its 36 lakh electricity pumps in the next few years with solar pumps. However, this will place a huge burden on the state exchequer as solar pumps are cross-subsidised.
