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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Few takers for solar agri pump scheme -V Kamalakara Rao

Few takers for solar agri pump scheme -V Kamalakara Rao

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published Published on Jan 8, 2015   modified Modified on Jan 8, 2015
-The Times of India

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy ( UMNRE)'s eco-friendly concept of promoting solar powered water pumps among farmers in coastal AP seems to have met with a tepid response as only 200-odd farmers in the five coastal districts falling under the purview of the Eastern Power Distribution Company of AP Limited (APEPDCL) have evinced interest in picking up these pumps. A few months ago, the ministry had allocated nearly 3,500 solar pumps to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, including 1,000 to the five EPDCL districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari and West Godavari.

"For the 1,000 connections, we have received only 200 applications from farmers till date. Most of the applications are from farmers in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts," said B Ramesh Prasad, chief general manager (commercial) of EPDCL, pointing out that the offer is applicable only to fresh agricultural connections.

"In next one week, we will check the feasibility of the area in which the applicant has his farm. The basic requirement is that the area should receive a good amount of sunlight. If that is so, we will go for installation of the system. It will take nearly one month to complete the task. The discom will give five years guarantee for the system" Ramesh Prasad said.

Talking about the lukewarm response, he said the discom has already made all possible efforts to push the concept among new agriculture power connection holders and will once again try to pitch it by conducting a massive awareness campaign on January 9 in the city to educate farmers about the importance of solar pumps not only for their benefit but also for the environment. New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCAP) vice-chairman and managing director M Kamalakar Babu will attend the programme, he added.

Meanwhile, a senior official from the NREDCAP in the city said the farmer has to contribute only 11% of the total cost of the system, with the discom bearing 56% of the cost and NREDCAP the remaining 33%. While a 5HP solar pump system costs Rs 4.9 lakh, the 2HP one costs Rs 2.9 lakh. The biggest advantage of the system for farmers is that they can get uninterrupted power, the official said.

Meanwhile, Ramesh Prasad pointed out that with solar pump sets having a life span of 20 years, the investment can be easily recovered by the farmer as he does not have to pay any power bills. APEPDCL currently has 1.9 lakh agricultural connections and is currently supplying free power for seven hours daily during the night hours, he added.

 


The Times of India, 7 January, 2015, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/Few-takers-for-solar-agri-pump-scheme/articleshow/45786944.cms


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