Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has officially launched the agricultural tube well solarisation project, a transformative initiative aimed at promoting sustainable farming practices in the province. The project marks a significant leap forward in Punjab’s commitment to supporting its agricultural community and reducing reliance on non-renewable energy sources. The inauguration, held today, highlighted the first phase of the project, which will see 8,000 agricultural tube wells across Punjab switched to solar power.
The move comes at a time when the agricultural sector in Pakistan faces numerous challenges, including rising energy costs, reliance on diesel-powered pumps, and environmental concerns related to the use of non-renewable energy. This project aims to address those issues by providing farmers with an affordable and sustainable alternative to traditional energy sources. According to reports from Express News, this initiative is expected to provide major cost savings for farmers, allowing them to redirect funds into other areas of their farming operations.
During the inauguration ceremony, Maryam Nawaz announced that successful farmers for the project would be selected through a lottery system, a fair and transparent method designed to ensure equal opportunities for all applicants. The first name drawn in the lottery was Muhammad Nawaz from Attock, and the Chief Minister also reviewed the list of successful farmers from Narowal district, further demonstrating the initiative’s reach across the province. The lottery system is part of the Punjab government’s efforts to distribute the benefits of the solarisation project equitably across the region.
The financial benefits for farmers switching to solar-powered tube wells are expected to be substantial. A typical farmer can save up to Rs10,000 daily and more than Rs3.25 lakh monthly, a significant reduction in energy expenses that can greatly improve the financial sustainability of farming operations. The solarisation of tube wells will not only save money but will also help reduce the carbon footprint of Punjab’s agricultural sector, making farming practices more environmentally friendly.
To support farmers in transitioning to solar power, the Punjab government will provide substantial subsidies for the solar systems. Farmers can receive subsidies of up to Rs5 lakh for a 10-kilowatt system, Rs7.5 lakh for a 15-kilowatt system, and Rs10 lakh for a 20-kilowatt system. These financial incentives are designed to make solar systems more accessible to farmers, many of whom face financial constraints that make the upfront costs of solar power systems a barrier to adoption.
The response to the initiative has been overwhelmingly positive, with over 530,000 applicants for the program, of which 385,000 are eligible for the lottery. The majority of these applicants currently rely on diesel or electricity-powered tube wells, and the solarisation project will enable about 87% of them to transition to solar energy. This shift to solar power is expected to have a transformative effect on the agricultural landscape of Punjab, reducing dependence on costly and environmentally harmful energy sources.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif set an ambitious target for the completion of the first phase of the project, with plans to switch 8,000 tube wells to solar power by June 2025. The Chief Minister expressed her confidence that this initiative would not only reduce the cost of agricultural production but also bring about a revolution in the farming sector. She further emphasized that the solarisation project would mark a new chapter in the growth of agriculture in Punjab and provide a significant boost to the sector, making it more sustainable and economically viable in the long term.
In addition to the solarisation project, Maryam Nawaz highlighted other ongoing initiatives designed to improve the lives of farmers, including the Farmer’s Card, agricultural mechanisation programs, and internships aimed at building skills and knowledge within the farming community. These initiatives, she stated, are part of a broader vision to modernize and strengthen the agricultural sector, ensuring that it remains a key driver of the province’s economy.
As the solarisation project moves forward, it is expected to not only benefit farmers by lowering their energy costs but also to contribute significantly to the environmental sustainability of Punjab. By reducing reliance on fossil fuels and promoting the use of clean, renewable energy, the initiative sets a positive example for the rest of the country in terms of integrating sustainable energy solutions into key industries such as agriculture. With the government’s continued support and a clear roadmap for implementation, the solarisation project is poised to bring about lasting change in Punjab’s agricultural landscape.
