(a) whether any scheme is being implemented or any kind of assistance is being provided for solar powered street lamps and solar water pumps in rural areas;
(b) if so, the details thereof, scheme/assistance-wise; and
(c) the quantum of funds spent on the said work during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise?
THE MINISTER OF NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND POWER
(SHRI R.K. SINGH)
(a) to (c)The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is implementing the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM), with provisions for financial support for installation of 20 lakh standalone solar water pumps under Component-B and solarization of 15 lakh existing grid-connected agriculture pumps, including through feeder level solarisation, under Component-C.
For these components, Government of India provides Central Financial Assistance of 30% of the benchmark cost or cost discovered through tender, whichever is lower. In case of North-Eastern States including Sikkim; hilly States of Himachal and Uttarakhand; UTs of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Andaman & Nicobar Island and Lakshadweep, higher Central Financial Assistance of 50% of benchmark cost or cost discovered through tender, whichever is lower, is being provided.
Installation of solar street lights was carried out under Atal Jyoti Yojana and Off-grid and Decentralised Solar PV Application Programme, which have been closed w.e.f. 1.4.2020 and 1.4.2021 respectively.
The state/UT-wise amount of funds released by MNRE as central financial support during last three years and the current year for the above referred schemes are given at Annexure.
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