Solar is the newest trend in technology these days. From being miles ahead at attaining sustainable goals – which, quite frankly, is the need of the hour – it is also feasible and therefore an economically viable solution across infinite sectors. One such sector which massively benefits from the solar process is agriculture.

Adapting to meet sustainable practices in the years to come, the Himachal Pradesh government launched the Saur Sinchai Yojana which promises to double the farmer’s income by 2022.

What is the Saur Sinchai yojana all about?

The primary objective of the Saur Sinchai yojana is to enable farmers to adopt sustainable practices and also to cut down on expenses, while also reaping maximum profits. Earlier, farmers would use diesel and electricity pumps for irrigation purposes which eventually increased the total input cost. These electrical charges are usually borne by the agriculture department of Himachal Pradesh.

Features of the Yojana

Here are some important features of the Solar agriculture pump scheme as shown herewith:

  1. The HP government will provide 5850 agricultural pumps for farmers across the state
  2. When the farmers purchase a new agricultural pump, each small and marginal farmer will get financial assistance of around 90% of the total cost
  3. The medium and big farmers will get a subsidy of 80% on the purchase of new agricultural pump sets
  4. As per governmental estimations, around 7152.30 hectares of land would be brought under assured irrigation

Here is the subsidy chart on solar agricultural pump sets

Subsidy amountFarmers category
80%Individual and big farmers
90%Small and marginal farmers
100%Group of farmers of small and marginal category / kiss visas snags / registered body of farmers

Application procedure for the HP Saur Sinchai yojana

At the moment, there is no online application form for availing the benefits of the scheme, however, the HP government might start an online process for Saur Sinchai Yojana. People can now avail benefits of the scheme through their nearest Farmer Development Organisation. Kisan Vikas Sangh will also provide HP Saur Sinchai Yojana application / registration form (offline).

Documents needed to apply for the scheme

Here is a list of documents needed to apply for the scheme

  1. Residence certificate
  2. Aadhaar card
  3. Bank account details
  4. Land documents
  5. Voter ID card

In conclusion

Solar technologies will not only make lives simpler for farmers but will also leave them with a lot more capital in hand which they can use productively. Farmers have always been on the poorer end of the spectrum due to weather uncertainty or market exploitation. With the influx of solar energy in agriculture, farmers have a new platform; a new ray of hope to finally work towards their dreams and get something out for themselves. A dignity in labor and affordability is what the Saur Sinchai yojana offers to every farmer across Himachal Pradesh.