For thousands of farmers throughout the state, the Punjab government’s ambitious solar tube-well scheme is not providing the relief from skyrocketing electricity costs that they had hoped for.
Delays are being faced by what was once expected to be a shining example of sustainable agriculture, providing significant financial incentives for switching to solar electricity. This project had been the hope of farmers, many of whom work on small to medium-sized landholdings ranging from one to twenty-five acres.
“The provided subsidies – Rs. 500,000 for tube-wells up to 10kW, Rs. 750,000 for those up to 15kW, and Rs. 1 million for capacities up to 20kW – represented a significant opportunity to escape the burden of hefty electricity bills and the fluctuating prices of diesel fuel,” said Wali Muhammad of the Sheikhupura district.
