Rajasthan govt encourages farmers to set up solar pumps to cut cost

Agriculture Commissioner Kanaram said farmers were subsidised up to 60 per cent of the cost of setting up a solar-energy pump

The Rajasthan government is encouraging farmers to set up solar pumps in their fields by giving subsidies going up to 60 per cent so that they do not have to depend on electricity for irrigation.

“Farmers were dependent on electricity connections, diesel-run machines, etc. Now with solar pumps their dependence has reduced a lot,” a senior agriculture department official said.

He said farm produce had increased as a result of this.

Rajasthan came top in the country in setting up solar pumps, according to him.

Agriculture Commissioner Kanaram said farmers were subsidised up to 60 per cent of the cost