Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has launched a project to solarize agricultural tube wells, aiming to reduce farmers’ costs and boost productivity.
At the project’s inauguration, she conducted a draw, with Muhammad Nawaz from Attock emerging as the first selected farmer. In the initial phase, 8,000 tube wells will be converted to solar energy through a lottery system. Farmers are expected to save over Rs10,000 per day and Rs325,000 per month from reduced energy costs.
The Punjab government will subsidize solar systems, offering Rs0.5 million for 10-kW, Rs0.75 million for 15-kW, and Rs1 million for 20-kW setups. Farmers will choose vendors in their districts to install the systems.
Out of 530,000 applicants, 385,000 were deemed eligible for the draw. The first phase aims to be completed by June, with 87% of diesel-powered and 13% of electric-powered tube wells transitioning to solar.
Maryam Nawaz termed the initiative a “revolution in farming,” highlighting its role in cutting crop production costs. She emphasized that projects like Kisan Card, Agricultural Mechanization, and Agri Internship will further benefit farmers.