Explanation:

The Centre’s PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) Scheme envisages income generation for farmers from their infertile land with the establishment of solar power plants.

While the farmers can sell the power generated from the solar plants to the power distribution companies, the solar pumps can also be installed for irrigation of agricultural land.

Rajasthan became the first State to complete the selection of farmers for installation of solar plants on their land.

The Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation allotted 722 MW plants to 623 farmers under the KUSUM scheme.

11 of these plants had so far been installed in the State. The loans to be sanctioned without collateral security for the solar plants of half kilowatt to 2 MW will speed up the work and help achieve the targets set in the renewable energy sector.

The discoms will deposit the loan instalments directly with the banks and the remainder amount in the bank accounts of farmers.

The farmers who do not have money to invest can lease out their land to private developers and receive an annual income.

The availability of power near the sub-stations will also help reduce transmission losses as well as expenses for expansion of infrastructure of discoms.