Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan 13/08/2019 – Posted in: Daily News – Tags: ,

PRADHAN MANTRI KISAN URJA SURAKSHA EVAM UTTHAAN MAHABHIYAN

 

For: Preliminary & Mains

Topics covered: About the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan, Findings of Centre for Science and Environment

 

News Flash

According to a report from Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a Delhi-based non-profit,

  • The centre’s new Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-Kusum) scheme is not a solution for India’s irrigation needs.
  • The scheme might result in the over-exploitation of groundwater and won’t help reduce discoms’ subsidy burden.

 

Background

  • The scheme was approved in February 2019.
  • It expects to install 17.5 lakh off-grid and 10 lakh on-grid solar pumps and 10 gigawatts of solar power plants capacity in rural areas by 2022.
  • It also targets to increase farmer income through the sale of surplus power, reduce electricity subsidy burden and expand the distributed renewable energy capacity.

 

Key findings of CSE

  • The scheme might result in the over-exploitation of groundwater.
  • The findings are based on its surveys of farmers in three districts in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.
  • In regions with water-scarcity, the solar pumps are unable to provide adequate irrigation due to depleting groundwater.
  • PM-Kusum may also not help reduce discoms’ subsidy burden because the installation of pumps is not mandatorily tied to a decrease in subsidised agricultural power supply.
  • Although PM-Kusum aims to reduce subsidy burden of state discoms, it does not have any clear goals or provisions to ensure subsidy reduction.
  • The subsidised solar pumps are being installed without accompanying cuts in agricultural supply or a reduction in subsidy.
  • The risk of over-extraction of groundwater is most by off-grid pumps and they also remain underused.
  • The utilisation of pumps was as low as 33 percent, according to a survey of farmers in Buldhana, Maharashtra.
  • The solarisation of agricultural feeders and on-grid solar pumps are economically superior to off-grid pumps. It is because excess electricity can be injected into the grid.
  • While, the solarisation of agricultural feeders and on-grid solar pumps are economically superior to off-grid pumps, as excess electricity can be injected into the grid, they do not specify measures to limit water use.
  • PM-Kusum’s proposed scheme of installing solar plants on farmland will benefit only the wealthy farmers, as it requires a large investment or the ability to lease land for 25 years.

 

Way ahead

  • The solar pump programme certainly needs a relook.
  • PM-Kusum needs reforms in agricultural support price, rationalisation of power tariff, direct benefit transfer and water-efficient irrigation.

 

Source: Down To Earth

 

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