Few takers for solar pumps, Maharashtra plans to relax norms

The BJP-led Maharashtra government’s ambitious scheme of installing five lakh solar agricultural pumps across the state, a pet initiative of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has got off to a slow start with few farmers showing interest in the scheme.

While the government has given a contract for at least 10,000 solar pumps to be installed in the pilot phase, only 6,500 farmers have applied to the government agreeing put up solar pumps in their farms and benefit from the scheme.

“Of those who have applied, only about 600 farmers have deposited money with the state government for installation of these pumps till now. We will start the first few installations this month. Meanwhile, we are hoping to get more applications for which we are planning to relax eligibility norms,” a senior official from the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) said, adding that most of the applications are from Vidarbha. Read More…