Now Reading: Karnataka saves Rs 200 crore yearly with 27,700 solar pumps
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Karnataka saves Rs 200 crore yearly with 27,700 solar pumps
Karnataka is saving over Rs 200 crore annually after installing more than 27,700 solar agricultural pump sets, Energy Minister K J George said. The state government provides 50 per cent financial assistance…
The Story in Brief
Karnataka is saving over Rs 200 crore annually after installing more than 27,700 solar agricultural pump sets, Energy Minister K J George said. The state government provides 50 per cent financial assistance under the PM-KUSUM B programme. The pump sets have reduced grid demand by 144 MW and are expected to avoid purchase of 240 million units of electricity each year, saving ESCOMs about Rs 146 crore in power purchases.
The programme gained momentum after the minister resolved implementation bottlenecks. Over one lakh farmers have applied for solar pump sets. The state aims to reach 40,000 installations. Officials said reliable daytime power has improved farmer safety and productivity, eliminating the need for late-night irrigation.
The Indian Opinion
The numbers look impressive: Rs 200 crore saved, 144 MW freed up. But this is a government announcement, not an independent audit. The claim that bottlenecks are now resolved glosses over years of slow progress. Farmers still bear half the cost of each pump set. The real test will be whether the pace of installation can be sustained beyond the targeted 40,000, and whether the savings actually show up in lower electricity bills for consumers.
Source: thehansindia.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
