PANAJI
Goa’s drive to solarise its agriculture sector under the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Uthan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme has made limited progress, with only 22 per cent of the 900 stand-alone solar-powered agricultural pumps sanctioned for the State since 2021 installed so far.
Information provided by Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Shripad Naik shows that although the Centre approved 900 solar pump sets of up to 7.5 HP capacity for Goa, only 200 had been installed as of June 30 this year.
The PM-KUSUM scheme aims to improve energy security in the agriculture sector while promoting the use of renewable energy. It has three components: setting up grid-connected ground-mounted solar power plants on barren, fallow, marshy or cultivable land; installing stand-alone solar pumps in off-grid areas; and solarising existing grid-connected agricultural pumps.
Under Component A, Goa has a target of generating 24 MW of solar power. However, only two Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) have been signed so far for the procurement of 4 MW of power from solar plants to be set up by farmers on their land.
The data also shows that 700 ground-mounted solar plants with a combined capacity of 1.7 MW have been installed in the State.
Instead of individual solarisation of agricultural pumps under Component C, the Ministry approved feeder solarisation for Goa. The project involves installing a total solar capacity of 13.6 MWp to offset the electricity consumed by around 11,000 agricultural pump connections across the State.
To support implementation, the Ministry has extended the deadline for projects where PPAs have already been signed until March 31, 2027.
