Commissioner Secretary Science and Technology, Saurabh Bhagat, today inaugurated a one day awareness program on Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) Yojana was organised at Dak Bunglow, Anantnag. The program aimed to educate the farmers about the benefits of solar energy in agriculture besides encouraging them to adopt sustainable practices.
The programme was attended by several key officials including from the Anantnag administration, Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA), Agriculture, Horticulture besides farmers from the district. The Commissioner Secretary, while speaking on the occasion, said that PM-KUSUM Yojana is aimed at ensuring energy security for farmers in J&K.
This innovative scheme is environmental friendly as it affirms India's commitment to increase the share of installed capacity of electric power from non-fossil-fuel sources to 40% by 2030 as part of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), he added.
Pertinently, the abhiyan promotes the use of solar energy in agriculture, particularly for irrigation purposes. The scheme offers assistance such as subsidies to farmers for installation of solar pumps, reducing their reliance on traditional energy sources and minimising their operational costs.
During the programme, the beneficiaries were provided detailed information on the eligibility criteria, application process and benefits of PM-KUSUM Yojana. Besides, various queries of the farmers were aptly answered by the experts.