Former Union Minister S.M. Krishna has appealed to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to include a novel scheme for replacing the age old energy-guzzling irrigation pumpsets of farmers with energy efficient ones to reduce the burden of subsidy towards power sector, besides ensuring reduction in carbon footprints.
In a letter to Ms. Sitharaman, Mr. Krishna appealed to her to recommend inclusion of this proposal in the budget. He suggested that it be implemented under the name Pradhan Mantri Sasya Shyamala Krishi Samruddhi Yojana, with the Union and State governments sharing the project cost in the ratio of 75:25.
Mr. Krishna pointed out that the Centre’s Energy Efficiency Services Ltd. (EESL), in collaboration with Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), has taken up a pilot project related to Agriculture Demand Side Management in the energy sector aimed at replacement of conventional pumpsets with BEE’s star-rated energy efficient pumpsets in Maharashtra. EESL was keen to expand the scheme throughout the country. The scheme would result in energy savings to the tune of about 30%, Mr. Krisnna said.