The Agriculture Department will encourage farmers in the State to adopt solar-powered agriculture pumps in an attempt to bring down their electricity bills.
Agriculture Minister P. Prasad has said that steps would be taken to sensitise farmers about the advantages of ‘solarising’ agriculture pump sets.
The Agriculture Department decision comes against the backdrop of farmers facing power supply disconnection due to arrears on bill payments. Under a government scheme, electricity is supplied free to farmers and the bills are paid by the Agriculture Department.
Last week, Mr. Prasad had held discussions with Electricity Minister K. Krishnankutty to avert a situation where the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) resorted to disconnection of supply.
Mr. Prasad had also assured the farming community that the supply of subsidised electricity will not be disrupted. The PM-KUSUM project of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) had been launched in the State through the Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (ANERT). The national-level project is aimed at ‘solarisation’ of existing agricultural pumps and replacement of diesel generator agri-pump sets.
