620 cr units of electricity will be saved nationwide

..................Sushil Kumar Shinde

The pioneering project with benefits extending to all will save 620 crore units in the country. Proper use of electricity will make this dream come true said Union Minister for Power, Shri Sushil Kumar Shinde.

He was talking to Sakal newspaper media after inaugurating a pioneering Agriculture Load Management project at Brahmapuri in Mangalvedha Taluka. He opined, "Our country is facing electricity shortage, while demand is consistently rising. Producing electricity to satisfy complete demand looks impossible. With this background it is inevitable to save electricity wherever possible“.

Agriculture Load Management scheme envisages to distribute new electricity saving pumps to farmers for free, replacing the existing pumps they are using. They are not going to be charged a single paisa for this change. First phase includes North Solapur, South Solapur and Akkalkot including Mangalvedha Talukas. Initially work will be done in Brahmapuri, Bhose, Nandeshwar and Borale feeders in Mangalvedha taluka on experimental basis. Picture will be more clear in the coming six months. Exact amount of electricity saved will be worked out by MITCON experts. After that this project will be implemented in other parts of the country.

When asked whether all pumps installed by a farmer will get replaced or replacement will be upto one pump per connection, he said, "Presently one pump per connection will be the basis of replacement."

High water lifting capacity

Pump manufactured at Kirloskar Brothers Limited, Devas, Madhya Pradesh was tested. Though it looks like any other pump, it has capacity to lift more water. Being a pump that saves electricity, it has been awarded five star rating. A 7.5 HP Pump lifts 16 liter of water per second. Any other pump of similar HP lifts 12 liter. This pump consumes 7.6 AMP of electricity as against 12 AMP consumption by other ordinary pump. This results in saving time and in turn saves electricity upto 40%.