Context: Recently, Indian Prime Minister launched the Kisan Suryodaya Yojana in Gujarat. Under the scheme, 16 hours of power supply shall be provided to farmers.

• Along with that Prime Minister also launched a 2.3 km-long ropeway project on Mount Girnar in Junagadh city, a major pilgrimage site.

About Kisan Suryodaya Yojana’

• Objective: To provide day-time power supply for irrigation. 
• Under this scheme, farmers will be able to avail power supply from 5 AM to 9 PM.
• The state government has allocated a budget of Rs.3500 crore for installing transmission infrastructure under this scheme by 2023.
• 234 ‘66-Kilowatt’ transmission lines will be established under the project, in addition to 220 KV substations.
• Districts to be covered in initial phase: Dahod, Patan, Mahisagar, Panchmahal, Chhota Udepur, Kheda, Tapi, Valsad, Anand and Gir-Somnath have been 
• The remaining districts will be covered in a phase-wise manner by 2022-23.

Significance

• It would help in the expansion of micro irrigation in the state. Micro irrigation is defined as the frequent application of small quantities of water directly above and below the soil surface; usually as discrete drops, continuous drops or tiny streams through emitters placed along a water delivery line.
• It would complement irrigation projects of the State- Sujalam Sufalam and SAUNI (Saurashtra-Narmada Avtaran Irrigation) yojana.
• It would complement central government initiatives like neem coating urea, Soil Health Cards, KUSUM Yojana, etc.
• India has now reached 5th position in the world in the last few years in solar power and is advancing fast. Further, it has given the world the plan of ‘One Sun, One World, One Grid’.

Asia's longest ropeway

• Girnar ropeway is Asia's longest ropeway on Mount Girnar in Junagadh district, Gujarat.

Key facts 

• The project was first proposed by the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited in 1983. suggested the diversion of about 9.1 hectares of forest land.
• The construction started in September 2018 due to government approval delays and litigation.

The major opposition was due to

• Palanquin-bearers (who carried pilgrims up the mount) regarding their livelihood loss due to ropeway.
• Objections from the environmental activists.
• The project was located within the Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park.
• The ropeway was considered a risk to local endangered long-billed vultures.

Other facts

• The ropeway is constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 130 crore.
• It operates mono-cable gondola detachable type lifts.
• It takes passengers 850 metres above the Girnar hill to the Amba temple.
• It can carry 1,000 passengers per hour but operates at a capacity of 800 passengers per hour and 8000 per day.
• A distance of 2.3 km will now be covered in just 7.5 minutes through the ropeway.

Girnar Mountain:

• Girnar or Revatak Parvata is a group of mountains in the Junagadh District of Gujarat.
• It is a major pilgrim site because of the presence of the Amba temple, the Dattatreya shrine, and several Jain temples.