Karnataka sets up war room to assist farmers seeking PM-KUSUM-B benefits

Bengaluru, Dec 25 (PTI) The Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL) has set up a dedicated war room to assist farmers seeking benefits under the PM-KUSUM Component-B scheme, with an aim to ensure that no eligible farmer is deprived of the subsidy due to lack of information or technical hurdles.

The war room at Nagarbhavi in the city, which became operational on December 23 and will function till December 31, offers farmers a direct support mechanism through telephone assistance for queries related to registration, online payment, and procedural clarifications, KREDL said in a press release.

Announcing the initiative, KREDL said, “The war room is ensuring that no eligible farmer is deprived of the benefits due to lack of information or technical difficulties.” Farmers can directly contact the KREDL war room through the official phone numbers 080-22202100 and 8095132100 without approaching any middlemen.

Officials clarified that farmers are required to pay only their own contribution under the scheme and “need not pay money to anyone except their own share of the contribution.” The PM-KUSUM-B scheme—where KUSUM stands for Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan—focuses on the installation of standalone, grid-free solar-powered agricultural pump sets to provide reliable daytime power for irrigation while reducing dependence on conventional electricity.

According to KREDL, the scheme has received an overwhelming response, with 83,204 farmers having registered online on the portal www.souramitra.com so far.

Applications that have received technical feasibility approval are now permitted to proceed with online payment, with December 31, 2025, fixed as the last date.

Energy Minister K J George said, “The PM-KUSUM scheme is a transformational initiative aimed at empowering farmers through clean and affordable solar energy." He added that the war room would eliminate barriers and ensure transparent access to benefits.

KREDL Managing Director K P Rudrappaiah said a dedicated team was working in two shifts from 6 am to 9 pm every day to ensure uninterrupted farmer support.

Under Component-B, farmers receive up to 30 per cent central subsidy for solar pumps up to 7.5 HP, with the state government increasing its subsidy share to 50 per cent, along with five years of free maintenance and assured eight hours of daytime power supply. ROH