Haryana Renewable Energy Development Agency (HAREDA) has awarded contracts to supply, install, and commission 24,484 solar water pumping systems under Component B of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) Program.

Companies that received contracts for more than 1,000 pumps each were Oswal Pumps (6,471), Shakti Pumps (4,573), AVI Appliances (3,360), Himalayan Solar (1,748), and Rotomag Motors and Controls (1,086).

Alpex Solar also received contacts to commission 1,434 solar water pumps.

The other winners who secured capacities of less than 1,000 solar pumps comprise 19 companies cumulatively accounting for 5,812 solar pumps.

Component B focuses on installing two million standalone solar water pumps, which will be used to irrigate farmland. The initiative aims to cover various categories of beneficiaries, including individual farmers, water user associations, cow shelters, farmer producers’ organizations, primary agriculture credit societies, and community-based irrigation systems. Small and marginal farmers are accorded priority.

Minister of Power R.K. Singh told Parliament that the PM-KUSUM program has benefited over 200,000 farmers as of February 2023. A solar capacity of 89.45 MW has been installed under Component A of the program. Approximately 209,000 pumps have been reported as installed or solarized under Components B and C.

Haryana had the third highest number of beneficiaries among states, with 44,325 farmers enrolled in the program.

Last July, HAREDA announced subsidies of up to 75% for solar pumps ranging from 3 HP to 10 HP capacities under the KUSUM program for the year 2023-24. For solar pumps with a capacity between 3 HP and 7.5 HP, the farmer’s share of the cost will be 25%, while the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will provide a subsidy of 30% of the total cost, with the state government extending a subsidy of 45% of the cost.

For solar pumps with a capacity of 10 HP, the user share remains at 25% of the cost. However, the MNRE subsidy is limited to 30% of the cost applicable for pumps up to 7.5 HP. The state government subsidy will cover the rest.

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