As a part of its untiring efforts to boost the rural economy and to make agriculture sector more viable and profitable for the farming community, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh has decided to implement another major Energy Efficiency scheme aiming at replacement of existing inefficient / obsolete pump sets with Energy Efficient/ Five Star rated pump sets at 100% free of cost to the farmers.
Accordingly, the Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who has raised this issue before the Prime Minister earlier & with the Minister of State with Independent Charge for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy, . Piyush Goyal during his recent visit to Nellore, has laid out a five point strategy to the Energy department for effective implementation of this Agriculture Demand Side Management (AgDSM) programme.
“This Govt. is pro-farmer and nothing more is important to us than the welfare of the farming community. Apart from getting these Energy Efficiency pump sets free of cost, by installing these, the farmers would be relieved of the burden of operation & maintenance costs associated with these pump sets for five years”, stated the Chief Minister.
Ajay Jain, Principal Secretary, Dept. of Energy I&I and Vice Chairman/ APSECM informed that the CM has directed energy Department, to initiate short term & long term measures to make this scheme a grand success, whereas, the Govt is contemplated to provide Energy Efficient pump sets worth of Rs.50,000/- at free of cost to the farmers.
Presently a pilot programme is under implementation in Rajanagaram Mandal of East Godavari District, wherein about 2500 existing pump sets are being replaced by Energy Efficient Pumpsets (EEPS) at a cost of Rs 20 Crs. So far about 292 pumps have been replaced and an increase of discharge by 15% and minimum of 25% energy savings are being observed.(NSS)