If a farmer wakes up in the middle of the night, sweating and screaming in terror, you can be sure that he has had a dream of Chandrababu Naidu. Hence it was all the more surprising that Naidu has announced a farmer-friendly policy.
The agriculture sector is one of the major consumers of ‘power’ and State government has decided to give top priority to installation of solar pump sets for agriculture by offering as much as 89 per cent subsidy.
The government is giving a thrust to it to save power being generated by thermal power stations in the State.
The solar powered pump set would help the State government utilise the power saved for other purposes.
The cost of 3 Hp pump is priced at Rs 3.20 lakh and the 5 Hp set Rs 4.90 lakh. The MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) will extend 33 per cent subsidy. The Discom will provide another 56 per cent subsidy and the beneficiary will have to bear remaining 11 percent.
Officials have said that farmers may submit their applications for buying solar pump set either to Discoms or Irrigation Department, besides Horticulture wing. The cultivators may also approach the ITDA in case of tribal areas.
Naidu needs all the available power for his vision of ‘concrete jungles’ and it is good to see him take this decision that will favor farmers although the end beneficiaries would be another group.
