PM-KUSUM Scheme

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evem Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) Scheme was launched in 2019 for installation of solar pumps and grid connected solar and other renewable power plants in the country.
It was launched by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
Under the scheme, farmers are provided subsidies for setting up stand-alone solar pumps and to solarise their grid-connected pump sets.
This scheme enables farmers to set up solar power generation capacity on their barren lands and to sell it to the power grid.
The Scheme consists of three components:
- Component A: 10,000 MW of Decentralized Ground Mounted Grid Connected Renewable Power Plants of individual plant size up to 2 MW.
- Component B: Installation of 17.50 lakh standalone Solar Powered Agriculture Pumps of individual pump capacity up to 7.5 HP.
- Component C: Solarisation of 10 Lakh Grid-connected Agriculture Pumps of individual pump capacity up to 7.5 HP.

The Scheme will have substantial environmental impact in terms of savings of CO2 emissions. All three components of the Scheme combined together are likely to result in saving about 27 million tonnes of CO2 emission per annum.
Further, Component-B of the Scheme on standalone solar pumps may result in saving of 1.2 billion liters of diesel per annum and associated savings in the foreign exchange due to reduction of import of crude oil.
The scheme has direct employment potential. Besides increasing self-employment the proposal is likely to generate employment opportunities equivalent to 6.31 lakh job years for skilled and unskilled workers.
In addition, the scheme would provide additional income to farmers, by giving them the option to sell additional power to the grid, through solar power projects set up on their barren lands.
The scheme also reduces the government’s burden of power subsidy in the agriculture sector.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has observed that some fraudulent websites have claimed to be the registration portal for the PM-KUSUM scheme. Such unauthorized websites are collecting money and information from the people interested in the Scheme.
In order to avoid any loss to the general public, MNRE has issued public notices, advising the general public not to deposit any registration fee or share any personal information on such websites.
In addition to fraudulent websites, WhatsApp and other means are also being used to mislead potential beneficiaries.

Reference:

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