20K agri pumps to run on solar energy: Punjab minister Aman Arora

Chandigarh, December 20

In a bid to ensure optimum utilisation of the natural solar energy and decarbonise the agriculture sector, the government is all set to solarise 20,000 agriculture pumps across the state from February, said Aman Arora, Minister of New and Renewable Energy Sources.

Presiding over a meeting to review the ongoing projects, Arora directed department officials that solarisation of agri-pump sets should be ensured in a transparent manner, besides ensuring that the solar pumps should be allotted for sprinkle and drip irrigation in dark zones to save the precious water.

He also asked officials to expedite the execution to equip the state government buildings with solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. He also reviewed the status of CBG projects.

CEO, Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA), Amarpal Singh apprised that 436 government buildings had been identified for Solar PV panels on the rooftop and 70 would soon be equipped with the panels.

He also shared the progress and the status of other ongoing projects. Minister Arora also asked officials of Horticulture and Water & Soil Conservation Departments to synchronise their ongoing schemes with upcoming solarisation of agri-pumps project.