The Himachal Government has made a budgetary provision of Rs 200 crore under the Solar Irrigation Scheme with a target to install 5,850 solar pumps across the state.

“Presently, 1189.71 hectare land of the state has been brought under solar irrigation scheme. About 1,210 solar pumps have been installed in the State which has benefited 2066 farmers of the state. In the year 2019-20, Rs 1958.75 lakh was spent on this scheme,” said an official spokesman.

He said that the State Government has taken several steps to achieve the Prime Minister’s goal of doubling farmers’ income by 2022. To make water accessible in every farmer’s field, the State Government has started a solar-powered irrigation project in the state through the Department of Agriculture.

Effective implementation of Centre and State Government sponsored irrigation schemes was being ensured to further increase the agricultural sector and to provide irrigation facilities on a large scale in the state, the spokesman said.

A budget provision of Rs 200 crore has been made for five years under the solar irrigation scheme, under which 5,850 solar pumps will be installed across the state. Till now, several farmers have benefitted from solar powered irrigation scheme in various districts of the state, which include 570 in district Kangra, 406 in Mandi, 66 in Bilaspur, 144 in Chamba, 131 in Hamirpur, 13 in Kinnaur, 73 in Kullu, 71 in Lahaul and Spiti, 165 in Shimla, 108 in Sirmour, 51 in Solan and  268 farmers in Una, he said.

The spokesman further said that the solar irrigation schemes have proved successful in reducing the pressure on traditional energy sources, as it is environment friendly and cost of installation is also less. The use of solar energy in irrigation projects has been beneficial in saving energy.  Under the Solar Irrigation Scheme, necessary infrastructure is being established to lift water from solar pumps in the state. A provision of 90 per cent assistance is provided to small and marginal farmers for individually installing pumping machinery for irrigation.

A provision of 80 percent assistance is also made for middle or big farmers to install pumping machinery at individual level. For installation of pumping machinery at community level, 100 percent expenditure is being borne by the government for farmers of all categories, he added.

Besides this, Central Government’s ambitious irrigation scheme Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Surksha evam Utthan Mahaabhiyan Yojana (PM KUSUM) has also been implemented in the state to provide irrigation facility to the farmers. The scheme has been implemented in the state to provide irrigation facilities so that the farmers could grow more cash crops and increase their income, the spokesman said.

He said that under PM KUSUM Yojna, a provision of 85 percent financial assistance for pumping machinery has been made for setting up of solar pumps at personal and community level by farmers.  In the present financial year, a provision of Rs 12 crore has been made under the scheme. A target of setting up one thousand solar pumps has been set during this year, for which 50 percent expenditure would be borne by Centre Government and 35 percent by State Government, whereas 15 percent would be borne by the beneficiary, he added.