PM-KUSUM scheme: Govt forms apex-panel to boost farmers’ income, de-diesel agriculture sector

Srinagar, Oct 11: The government has formed an apex panel to review and remove bottlenecks to ensure energy security of farmers by solarisation of agricultural and horticulture land.
According to a government order, three-tier committees have been constituted for smooth implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) Scheme.
The program is aimed to boost farmers’ income and give resources for irrigation and de-dieselizing the agricultural sector.
Under the scheme a large-scale intervention is being taken to provide clean energy to the farmers by solarising their agriculture pumps that will help to de-diesel the agricultural and horticulture land.
As per the official details reviewed by Rising Kashmir, the solarization of the Agricultural and Horticulture sector will provide dedicated feeders, individual pumps as well as reduction of non-revenue power to the farmers.
The apex panel will be headed by Chief Secretary as chairperson with Administrative Secretary, Finance Department Member, Administrative Secretary, Agriculture Production department, Administrative Secretary Jal Shakti Department, Nodal Person, MNRE as members while as Administrative Secretary, Science and Technology, Department will be a member secretary.
The panel shall meet half yearly and review the implementation of all the components and coordinate smooth implementation of the scheme, reads the order, issued by Dr Piyush Singla, secretary to the government, General Administration Department.
Similarly, a steering committee has also been constituted that will meet quarterly to review the implementation. T
he steering committee, as per the order, will be headed by administrative secretary Science and Technology Department as its chairperson with members MDs of KPDCL, JDPCL, JKSPDC, Director general Budget, Finance, Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control, CEO JAKEDA and Directors of Horticulture and Agriculture as its members.
At the district level, another committee has been formed that will meet twice in a month.
The committee will be headed by Deputy Commissioner with superintending engineer DISCOM, superintending engineer Hydraulic, Chief Agriculture and Horticulture officers as members while Senior technical Officer JAKEDA will serve as a member secretary.