Page 48 - MAAN KI BAAT - ENGLISH

area costs only ₹200 and takes This makes access to water a
less time. This efficiency allows primary concern for many rural
farmers to pursue other income- women, whether for domestic,
generating activities, boosting irrigation, or livestock use. Thus,
their overall livelihoods. access to small-scale irrigation
Devki’s efforts have not systems has become essential
gone unnoticed. Prime Minister for reducing farm production
Narendra Modi praised her risks and improving the well-
in the 125th episode of ‘Mann being of women farmers.

ki Baat’, highlighting how she The PM-KUSUM scheme
transformed her village. “Devki by the Ministry of New and
ji of Bihar has changed the fate Renewable Energy (MNRE) offers
of her village with a solar pump,” subsidies and other incentives
he said. like feed-in tariff to support
The PM-KUSUM Scheme the adoption of solar-powered
Approximately, 76 per cent irrigation systems. The scheme
of agri-allied activities are aims to add Solar capacity of
dominated by women in India. about 34,800 MW by March 2026
Climate change is responsible with the total Central Financial
for shifting rainfall patterns support of ₹ 34,422 crore.
in many rural geographies. The goal is to reduce

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