In Rajasthan, which agency is entrusted with the responsibility of implementation of PM-KUSUM Yojana (component A) i.e. installation of small solar power plants of 0.5 MW to 2 MW capacity ?
- (1)Bureau of Energy Efficiency
- (2)Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited
- (3)Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited
- (4)Rajasthan Vidyut Prasaran Nigam
Answer
Why
Correct — option (2), Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited.
Rajasthan's Economic Review 2022-23 says in its renewable energy section: "RREC is implementing component–A of PM-KUSUM scheme in the state."
It gives the same capacity range as the stem: de-centralised solar power plants of 0.5 MW to 2 MW capacity, set up on barren or uncultivable land of farmers. RREC issued letters of allocation to 623 successful applicants for an aggregate 722 MW.
So the implementing agency is Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited (RRECL). The same Review calls RRECL the State Nodal Agency of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) for energy from non-conventional sources in Rajasthan.
The idea to remember: PM-KUSUM component A (0.5 MW to 2 MW plants on farmers' land) is implemented in Rajasthan by RRECL.
Why the others are wrong
- (1)Bureau of Energy Efficiency — The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is a central statutory body under the Union Ministry of Power, set up under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001. Its field is energy efficiency and conservation.
In Rajasthan, the Review names RRECL as BEE's State Designated Agency for promoting energy efficiency. For PM-KUSUM component A, it names RRECL as the implementer, not BEE.
- (3)Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited — "Utpadan" means generation: RVUNL is Rajasthan's state power generation company. The Review records the state government's approval for RVUNL to set up a 2,000 MW solar park, including an 810 MW solar plant, at Pugal in Bikaner.
That is a large generating project of its own. The small farmer-land plants of component A are implemented by RRECL.
- (4)Rajasthan Vidyut Prasaran Nigam — "Prasaran" means transmission: RVPN runs the state transmission network. The Review describes RVPN's Smart Transmission Network and Asset Management System (STNAMS) and its procurement of 2,886 MW of power through private developers.
Component A plants are set up within 5 km of the discoms' 33/11 kV substations, and the Review names RRECL as their implementer.
Concept
PM-KUSUM is a Government of India scheme, under MNRE guidelines, for farmers to install solar pumps and grid-connected solar power plants; the Review expands KUSUM as Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Maha Abhiyan. The Economic Review 2022-23 describes three components.
Component A: decentralised grid-connected solar plants of 0.5 MW to 2 MW on farmers' barren or uncultivable land. Component B: stand-alone solar pumps of 3 HP to 10 HP, with the grant payable up to 7.5 HP.
Component C: solarisation of grid-connected agricultural pumps at the 11 kV feeder level.
RPSC's 2023 syllabus lists "Infrastructure & Resources." under Economy of Rajasthan and "Power Resources- Conventional & Non-Conventional" under Geography of Rajasthan.
The Economic Review 2022-23 cites MNRE's assessment of a 142 gigawatt solar potential for Rajasthan, and reports 13,531 MW of ground-mounted solar plants commissioned up to December 2022.
Among Rajasthan's power bodies, RVUNL is the generation company, RVPN the transmission company, and the discoms distribute. RRECL is MNRE's State Nodal Agency for non-conventional energy and BEE's State Designated Agency.
The roles overlap: the same Review records a solar park by RVUNL at Pugal, and says the rooftop solar scheme is presently executed by the state discoms.
Key facts
- Economic Review 2022-23: RREC is implementing component A of PM-KUSUM in Rajasthan.
- Component A plants are 0.5 MW to 2 MW, on barren or uncultivable land of farmers, within 5 km of 33/11 kV substations of the discoms.
- RREC issued letters of allocation to 623 applicants for 722 MW; 481 PPAs were signed for 593 MW and 62.5 MW commissioned up to December 2022.
- For component C, the Rajasthan discoms run the Saur Krishi Ajivika Yojana portal linking landowners with solar developers.
- RRECL is MNRE's State Nodal Agency for non-conventional energy in Rajasthan and the State Designated Agency of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency.
Source: Economic Review 2022-23, Government of Rajasthan, Chapter 2 (Agriculture and Allied Sectors) and Chapter 5 (Infrastructure Development).
Study next
Common traps
- Mixing the components: RRECL implements component A (small plants on farmers' land), while feeder-level solarisation under component C runs through the discoms.
- Reading BEE as a solar agency: BEE works on energy efficiency and conservation, and RRECL is its State Designated Agency in Rajasthan.
- Reading the Nigam names: Utpadan is generation (RVUNL) and Prasaran is transmission (RVPN); the Review names neither as the implementer of component A.
A question can name a PM-KUSUM component and ask which Rajasthan agency implements it, or give the plant size range and ask which component it describes.
A question can also ask for progress figures, such as capacity allotted or commissioned, as reported on a stated date.
Related PYQs
UnlockIAS will link similar questions from RAS Pre 2021 and 2016 here once those papers are published on this site.
Practice
- practice — not a real PYQ
As described in Rajasthan's Economic Review 2022-23, decentralised solar power plants of 0.5 MW to 2 MW on barren or uncultivable land of farmers are set up under
- (a)Component A of PM-KUSUM
- (b)Component B of PM-KUSUM
- (c)Component C of PM-KUSUM
- (d)Solar Rooftop Programme Phase-II
Answer(1) — The Review places these plants under component A, implemented by RRECL. Option (2) covers stand-alone solar pumps and option (3) feeder-level solarisation. Option (4) was RRECL's rooftop solar programme, implemented for 45 MW up to March 2022. - practice — not a real PYQ
According to Rajasthan's Economic Review 2022-23, Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited is the State Designated Agency of
- (a)Solar Energy Corporation of India
- (b)Bureau of Energy Efficiency
- (c)Central Electricity Authority
- (d)National Institute of Wind Energy
Answer(2) — The Review calls RRECL the State Designated Agency of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, for energy efficiency and conservation (it is separately MNRE's State Nodal Agency). The Review does not give RRECL that role for options (1), (3) or (4); it cites option (4) only for Rajasthan's wind potential estimate.