PANAJI
Only 17 per cent of the 900 stand-alone solar pumps sanctioned for Goa under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Uthan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme since 2021 have been installed, putting the State at risk of losing the remaining allocation.
The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (NRE), via a communication on April 29, has granted an extension till December 31, 2025, to the Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA) to complete the installation of 900 solar pump targets or face cancellation of allocation. As per the information provided by the government, only 157 solar pumps have been installed as on November 30.
Scientist Dr Nikhil Gakkhar of NRE had informed GEDA that the extension of the projects is subject to milestone-based progress, as per scheme guidelines, and non-satisfactory progress may lead to cancellation of the allocation.
“The State was asked to expedite the project completion after GEDA sought a one-year extension. The project has been pending since 2021. As directed by the Ministry, the balance allocation will now be cancelled,” a senior officer said.
The PM KUSUM scheme, aimed at making the agriculture sector energy-efficient, has three components: to install grid-connected, ground-mounted, solar-power plants on barren, fallow, marshy or cultivable lands by individual farmers, solar power developers or local bodies. The second component is about the installation of stand-alone solar pumps in off-grid areas, and under the third, solarisation of grid-connected agriculture pumps.
As per the information, the State was sanctioned a target installation of 900 solar-powered agricultural pump sets up to 7.5 horse power capacity. Till March end, total of 100 pumps were installed, following which the Ministry granted a final extension of the scheme till December
The data also shows that under Component A, Goa has set a target of 50 MW of power generation, and two power purchase agreements under the scheme have been executed for the purchase of 4 MW of solar plants, which would be set up by farmers in their farms.
Further, ground-mounted 700 solar plants of 1.7MW capacity have been installed so far. The Ministry had approved solarisation of feeders for the State in lieu of individual solarisation of 11,000 agricultural pumps. A cumulative capacity of 13.6 MWp is required to be installed to offset the units consumed by 11,000 agricultural pumps.
