Chandigarh, Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal said that the State has become a leading state in the country as regard the installation of solar water pumps in the state so as to promote micro-irrigation under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Utthaan Mahabhiyan(PM-KUSUM).
The Chief Minister today provided solar pumps to the farmers during a digital inauguration programme held through video conferencing from Chandigarh. The government is giving 75 percent subsidy on these pumps. On this occasion, people who have done remarkable work in the field of solar energy were also honoured.
The Chief Minister also released a booklet of the Solar Water Pumping Programme and a utility booklet for the farmers. The Chief Minister directed that the tubewells of less than 50 Horsepower which are running on electricity and are being used for agriculture purposes should be shifted to solar energy in the state.
Power Minister, Sh. Ranjit Singh also remained present on this occasion. The Deputy Commissioners and officers of the New and Renewable Energy Department also joined the meeting online from their respective districts.
The Chief Minister interacted with the female farmers of Hisar, Smt. Krishna and Sh. Trilok Singh and Smt. Shashi Ahuja and Sh. Isaak Khan from Nuh, who have installed solar pumps. Sh. Manohar Lal also inquired about the scheme in detail from these farmers. During the interaction, the farmers apprised the Chief Minister that they had to spend only 25 percent of the amount as the remaining amount has been provided by the government for installing the solar pumps.
The Chief Minister directed the Deputy Commissioners to launch a special campaign to promote micro-irrigation and further to ensure that water reaches every field under State Government’s ‘Har Khet Ko Pani' scheme.
He said that instead of flood irrigation, people of the state should be made more and more aware about adopting micro-irrigation, drip irrigation or sprinkler irrigation or irrigation from community ponds. By adopting New and Renewable energy system, the proverb, 'Ek Panth do Kaaj' becomes true, said the Chief Minister.
He said that seven years ago, not much had been done in the field of solar energy. Till the year 2014 only 492 solar pumps had been installed in the State. Taking serious note of this, the present State Government prepared a road map for the promotion of solar energy. In the first phase, a target of installing 50,000 solar pump sets has been set.
The solar power system have been compulsorily installed on all government buildings so that the energy requirement there can be met and excess energy can be given to the grid, added Sh. Manohar Lal.
The Chief Minister said that 25897 solar pump sets have been installed in the last 7 years and this year the work of installing 13800 pump sets is in progress. He said that due to global warming, carbon emissions should be minimized and efforts are being made for promoting solar energy. The priority of the present government is to promote green energy, he added.
He said that minimal use of thermal energy is a global requirement. This was mentioned by the Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi while addressing the Global Warming Conference held at the United Nations General Assembly, asserted Sh. Manohar Lal.
He said that Haryana is moving towards installing more and more solar, wind and hydropower projects. From the geographical point of view, Haryana is such a state in the country where sunlight is received for 320 days during the year, which is a natural source of solar energy, he added.
The Chief Minister said that Haryana is the second state in the country after Gujarat which has promoted solar energy. It is also a happy moment for Haryana that International Solar Energy Application headquarters is also situated in Gurugram, he added.
The Chief Minister said that there are about 80 lakh acres of cultivable land in the state. Out of this, 75 percent area is irrigated, while irrigation on the rest of the land depends on rain. He said that about Rs.6500 crore subsidy is given to the farmers every year in the agriculture sector. Adoption of solar energy will also reduce the subsidy burden and save water. This will also save the diesel of the farmers and their income will also increase, added Sh. Manohar Lal.
The Chief Minister said that a proposal for 20 percent consumption of electricity through solar power for Panchkula district has been prepared for the year 2024. Apart from this, projects to generate electricity from waste are being operated in Sonipat and Gurugram under the 'Kachre se Kanchan' scheme. This will promote cleanliness and additional power will be supplied, he added.
He said that 24 hours power supply has become possible in 5500 villages of the state under the Mhara Gaon Jagmag Gaon Yojana and people have adopted the habit of paying electricity bills. With this, all the four Power DISCOMs of the state have become profitable. The line loss has reduced from 33 to 14 percent.
Power Minister, Sh. Ranjit Singh said that the foundation laid by the Chief Minister to do better work in the power sector has certainly yielded positive results. He said that the Central Government has given a target to install 22,000 solar pumps this year, which is being fulfilled. Along with this, 50,000 solar pumps will be installed in the year 2022-23.
On this occasion, Additional Chief Secretary, New and Renewable Energy Department, Sh. S.N Roy, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Dr. Amit Agrawal, Director General, Renewable Energy Department, Dr. Hanif Qureshi and other officers also remained present.