Chandigarh, January 7 - Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal said that constant work is being done towards promoting solar energy in the state as a result of which Haryana is moving at a fast pace in the field of solar energy for the last five years. 

"Seven years ago not much work was done in this area.  Till the year 2014, only 492 solar pumps were installed.  The present government has given about 25,000 solar pump connections and the work of providing 13,800 connections is in progress.  The state government has set a target of installing 50,000 solar pump sets, shared Sh. Manohar Lal while addressing a press conference here today.

Education Minister, Sh. Kanwar Pal and Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Dr. Amit Agrawal also remained present on this occasion.

He said that the farmers have to spend only 25 percent on these pumps and up to 75 percent subsidy is given by the government.

The Chief Minister said that the tubewells of less than 50 horsepower which are running on electricity and are being used for agriculture purposes should be shifted to solar energy. 

"These connections are also being given only to those who are adopting a micro-irrigation system,” added Sh. Manohar Lal.

He said that work is being done to make the people of the state aware about adopting micro-irrigation, drip irrigation or sprinkler irrigation or irrigation from community ponds, instead of flood irrigation. Haryana is the second state in the country after Gujarat which has promoted solar energy, he added.

It is pertinent to mention here that there are about 80 lakh acres of cultivable land in the state. Out of this, 75 percent area is irrigated, while irrigation on the rest of the land depends on rain. He said that about Rs.6500 crore subsidy is given to the farmers every year in the agriculture sector. Adoption of solar energy will also reduce the subsidy burden and save water. This will also save the diesel of the farmers and their income will also increase.