Krishi VaartaOutlook Agriculture
CCEA: KUSUM Scheme to Provide Rs 34,000-Crore Assistance
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the launch of KUSUM with the aim of providing farmers with financial and water security. The government approved the launch of the Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) with a central aid of Rs 34,422 crore to provide farmers with financial and water security by harnessing solar energy capacity of 25.75 gigawatts (GW) by 2022.
The scheme involves of three components -- 10,000 megawatts (MW) of decentralised ground mounted grid-connected renewable power plants (Component-A); installation of 17.50 lakh standalone solar powered agriculture pumps (Component-B); and solarisation of 10 lakh grid-connected solar powered agriculture pumps (Component-C).
Combined with all three components, the scheme aims to add a solar capacity of 25,750 MW by 2022. The overall central financial support provided under the scheme would be Rs 34,422 crore.
The scheme will have a substantial environmental impact in terms of saving CO2 emissions. All three components of the scheme combined are likely to save about 27 million tons of CO2 emissions per year. Furthermore, Component B of the standalone solar pump scheme may result in savings of 1.2 billion litres of diesel per year and associated foreign exchange savings due to a reduction in imports of crude oil.
The scheme has a direct potential for employment. In addition to increasing self - employment, the proposal is likely to generate employment opportunities equivalent to 6.31 lakh years for skilled and unqualified workers.
Source - Outlook Agriculture, 19 February 2019
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