PM KUSUM

Subject : Govt Schemes

Context : The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has issued an order for the scale-up and expansion of the PM-KUSUM Scheme. The target now is to achieve enhanced solar capacity of 30.8 gigawatt (GW) by 2022.

Concept :

• Kisan urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) is a farmer-oriented solar power scheme that will allow setting up grid-connected solar plants in rural areas and off-grid solar pumps.
• This scheme is implemented by Ministry of new and renewable energy.
• Under the scheme, the government plans to incentivise farmers to run solar farm, water pumps and use barren land for generating power for extra income up to Rs 60,000 per acre every year.
• It aims at boosting farmers‘ income by allowing them to sell additional power to the grid through solar plants.
• It’s previous target is to set up 25,750 megawatts (MW) solar capacity by 2022 to power irrigation pumps.
• It comprises of three components:
• Setting up of 10,000 MW of decentralised ground / stilt-mounted grid-connected solar or other renewable energy based power plants
• Installation of 17.5 lakh standalone solar agriculture pumps
• Solarisation of 10 lakh grid-connected agriculture pumps
• Subsidy for buying solar pumps: 30% central + 30% state government +bank loans for 30% of the cost(If farmer needs).