PM-KUSUM (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 - Energy)

Context: The Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy and Power has informed that the main objectives of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) include de-dieselisation of the farm sector, providing water and energy security to farmers, increasing the income of farmers and curbing environmental pollution.

• PM-KUSUM is a demand driven scheme and therefore quantities/ capacities are allocated under the three components of the scheme based on demand received from the States/ UTs.  
• However, funds are allocated based on type / capacity of systems and progress of installation reported by the State Implementing Agencies.

PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Uttham Mahabhiyan)

• About: It  envisages income generation for farmers from their infertile land with the establishment of solar power plants.
• While the farmers can sell the power generated from the solar plants to the power distribution companies, the solar pumps can also be installed for irrigation of agricultural land.
• Origin: It was launched in 2019 by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
• Aim: To help farmers access reliable daytime solar power for irrigation, reduce power subsidies, and decarbonise agriculture. 

• Three components:

• Component A: 10,000 MW of Decentralized Ground Mounted Grid Connected Renewable Power Plants of individual plant size up to 2 MW.
• Component B: Installation of 17.50 lakh standalone Solar Powered Agriculture Pumps of individual pump capacity up to 7.5 HP.
• Component C: Solarisation of 10 Lakh Grid-connected Agriculture Pumps of individual pump capacity up to 7.5 HP.

• Deployment Models: 

• They can use one of three deployment models: 
• off-grid solar pumps, 
• solarised agricultural feeders, or 
• grid connected pumps. 
• Off-­grid pumps have been the most popular, but the nearly 2,80,000 systems deployed fall far short of the scheme’s target of two million by 2022. 
• Implementation: State Nodal Agencies (SNAs) of MNRE will coordinate with States/UTs, Discoms and farmers for implementation of the scheme.