Farmers, looking at ways to skirt the daily worry of frequent power cuts and fluctuations in fuel prices, are showing interest in installing solar photovoltaic (PV) water pumps for irrigation in north Karnataka.
With the installation of 388 PV pumps in 2015-16, the State has achieved more than 50 per cent of the country’s target of 700 PV pumps for the year. Many farmers use it to get water from wells, rivers, and canals in Belagavi, Vijayapura and Bagalkot districts, though the region is reeling under drought. M.I. Ganagi, Chief General Manager, NABARD, Karnataka, said: “The State has released the highest amount of subsidy in the country amounting Rs. 3.77 crore covering 388 pump sets.”
With more number of sunny days in the year, north Karnataka farmers can tap solar energy to the maximum by installing PV sets and by availing loans from banks, officials said.
The NABARD provides 50 per cent of subsidy to farmers to install solar PV pumps. The cost of five HP pumps is around Rs. 5 lakh. The subsidy amount is released to the bank where farmers apply for loans to set up the pumps. The scheme is financed by commercial banks, rural regional banks, and district credit cooperative banks. Though loans vary with each bank, cooperative banks charge around 3 per cent on loans. The repayment period is nine years, he said.
“Feedback from farmers on solar PV pumps is good. We are looking forward to more proposals this year for releasing the subsidy amount,” Mr. Ganagi told The Hindu . Subsidy amount also depends on pump capacity (HP). It is found that solar water pumping is economically viable in comparison to electricity or diesel-based pump sets for irrigation and water supplies in rural areas, he said.
The subsidy amount is available only for solar systems that are procured from the Ministry of New Renewable Energy’s empanelled manufacturers/entrepreneurs.
Farmers in Belagavi, Vijayapura, Bagalkot find solar photovoltaic pump sets useful for irrigation
Country’s target for 2015-16: installation of 700 PV pumps
Karnataka installed 388 PV pumps in 2015-16
