PANAJI
In a relief to Goa, which was at risk of losing its allocation under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Uthan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme, the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has granted an extension until March 31, 2027, to complete project implementation wherever power purchase agreements have been executed.
The scheme, implemented in Goa since 2021, has made very slow progress, with just 182 solar pumps installed out of a total of 900 as of the end of February, while another 18 are currently under installation. The Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA), the implementing body, had sought additional time to complete the long-pending project.
According to a communication issued on March 28, the Ministry stated that for the completion of PM-KUSUM projects where power purchase agreements (PPAs) have been signed or Notices to Proceed (NTPs) issued before December 31, 2025, the timeline has been extended until March 31, 2027.
Officials said that while the extension offers temporary relief, the State must significantly accelerate implementation to meet the revised deadline and retain its full allocation under the scheme. “The PM-KUSUM 2.0 scheme will also be rolled out soon, and the current scheme will be subsumed under the new one,” an official said.
The Ministry has asked the State to coordinate with banks to facilitate loans and ensure financial closure of projects beyond March 31.
Earlier, the Ministry had made it clear that failure to meet the revised deadline could result in the cancellation of the remaining allocation. It had stated that the extension is subject to milestone-based progress and strict adherence to scheme guidelines.
The State was sanctioned 900 solar-powered agricultural pump sets of up to 7.5 horsepower capacity under the scheme. Despite delays in pump installations, some progress has been recorded in other components.
Notably, 24 ground-mounted solar facilities with a total capacity of 20.45 MWp have been installed in the State.
The PM-KUSUM scheme aims to improve energy efficiency in the agriculture sector through three components: installation of grid-connected ground-mounted solar plants, deployment of stand-alone solar pumps in off-grid areas, and solarisation of existing grid-connected pumps.
Data further shows that under Component A, Goa has set a target of 50 MW of power generation. Two power purchase agreements have already been executed for 4 MW solar plants to be set up by farmers.
