CM for irrigating lands solar way; doles out 90% subsidy

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Bhubaneswar: With a view to providing irrigation facilities to small and marginal farmers using solar power, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday launched the Soura Jalanidhi scheme.
Speaking on the occasion, Naveen said, “I hope they (farmers) will reap the benefits of this scheme and script success
stories.” Stating that the new scheme will lessen the cost burden on the farmers, he said, “Under this, the farmers will be provided with around 5,000 solar pumps which can irrigate 2,500 acres of land.”
In the first phase, the CM said the farmers of the “un-served and underserved areas” will be on focus. Later, it will be implemented throughout the state. Naveen sanctioned four go-ahead orders for installation of solar pumps under the scheme.
The Chief Minister also launched the web portal of this scheme –odishasolarpump.nic.in— where the farmers can apply for the pump sets.
Under the scheme, 5,000 solar pump sets of 0.5 hp (horse power) will be distributed to the farmers at a subsidy of 70 per cent for submersible pump and 90 per cent for surface pump to irrigate 2,500 acres of land during the year 2018-19. The total cost of surface pump set is `59,454 of which farmer will have to provide `5,454 while the total cost of submersible pump is `76,257 of which farmer’s share is `22,257.
In the first phase, priority will be given to small and marginal farmers where electricity is not available for operating pump sets. The solar pumps will be given to the beneficiary farmers having 0.5 acres of cultivated area.
Around `27 crore will be spent for execution of the scheme in this year, of which the agriculture department is providing `18 crore while the S&T department is giving `9 crore, an official said.