Mumbai: In a cabinet meeting on Wednesday the department of energy have approved the second and third stages of Chief Minister’s Solar Agricultural scheme to ensure to save on cost of connecting conventional electricity to agricultural pumps.
The scheme was initiated on November 2018, with the announcement of 1 lakh Solar Pumps to be installed for the empowerment of the farmers in three phases. In the first phase 25000 pumps were installed which costed Rs 454. 72 crores for the completion of the process.
In the first phase Rs 170 crores were saved as earlier the estimated cost was Rs 625 crores for the completion of the process. This irrigation scheme will benefit farmers of rural areas where there are frequent electricity thefts leading to regular power cuts.
A total amount of Rs 1531 crores have been allotted for the remaining two phases. A total number of 72000 solar agricultural pumps which includes 52,500 pumps of 3 horsepower, 15000 pumps of 5 horsepower and 7500 pumps of 7.5 horsepower will be installed. The final stages are expected to be completed within eighteen months.
