Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: In a boost for Goa, the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has extended the deadline for completing projects under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Uthan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme to March 31, 2027. The extension applies to projects where power purchase agreements (PPAs) or Notices to Proceed (NTPs) were issued before December 31, 2025, providing the State additional time to implement pending solar initiatives.
Goa has participated in the PM-KUSUM scheme since 2021, but progress has been slow. As of February, only 182 of the 900 sanctioned solar pumps have been installed, with another 18 under installation. The Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA), responsible for execution, had requested more time to complete the long-pending project.
While the extension offers temporary relief, officials emphasized that Goa must accelerate implementation to meet the new deadline and retain its full allocation. Authorities also noted that the upcoming PM-KUSUM 2.0 scheme will subsume ongoing projects, and stressed the importance of coordinating with banks to ensure financial closure of projects beyond March 31.
The MNRE has warned that failure to achieve the revised milestones could lead to cancellation of the remaining allocation. The scheme follows a milestone-based progress framework and strict adherence to guidelines.
Under the current allocation, Goa was sanctioned 900 solar-powered agricultural pumps of up to 7.5 HP. Some progress has been made in other areas: 24 ground-mounted solar plants with a combined capacity of 20.45 MWp have already been installed. Under Component A of the scheme, Goa aims to achieve 50 MW of solar power generation, with two PPAs already executed for 4 MW of farmer-led solar plants.
The PM-KUSUM program is designed to improve energy efficiency in agriculture through three key components: installation of grid-connected ground-mounted solar plants, deployment of stand-alone solar pumps in off-grid locations, and solarisation of existing grid-connected pumps.
