Saura Jalnidhi scheme

• Under this scheme, state government has planned to provide providing subsidized solar powered pumps to the farmers of Odisha.
• Beneficiaries must possess minimum 0.5 acre of agricultural land and have valid farmer identity cards.
• In the first phase, only 5000 solar powered pumps will be distributed through which more than 2500 acres of the land will be covered under this scheme.
• The scheme will focus primarily on those areas where electricity connection has not been accessible.
• This scheme is expected to generate 1.52 lakh human day employments annually, and will to reduce carbon footprints significantly.

Other similar schemes:

• Saur Sujala Scheme: Launched in 2016, it was the first scheme of such type which envisaged providing subsidized solar powered pumps to farmers of Chhattisgarh.
• KUSUM Scheme: Under the scheme, Government has launched on farm electricity solar generation program along with solar pump sets.

  KUSUM Scheme: (Solar Pump Component) This scheme is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) which aims to build on farm solar power plants on barren lands, distribution of solar pumps and an option to purchase extra electricity from farmers through DISCOMS. Under Solar pump component, it has following provisions: It will help set up more than 28 GW of combined solar capacity through solar pumps. It aims to distribute 17.5 lakh solar pumps. Government will provide 60% subsidy on solar pumps to farmers. It will be shared between Centre and States while 30% will be provided through bank loans. The balance cost will be borne by farmers.

  National Energy Policy It aims to produce 175 GW energy from the renewable sources by 2022. It has been revised to 227 GW. It will create independence in the energy sector and to provide 24×7 hours power to all. Islands, hilly areas and remote locations ought to be the prime candidates for application of off-grid renewable sources of electricity supply.

Orissa has significant chunk of tribal population which lives in vulnerable areas. This scheme will provide them with better means of irrigation and improve their conditions on socio-economic parameters.