NEW DELHI: Agriculture Ministry today said it will provide financial assistance of up to Rs 57,600 on purchase of solar energy pumps used for irrigation by farmers.Solar energy-driven pumping set is a viable alternative for electrical and diesel pumping systems in farm irrigation.Therefore, it has been included in the list of farm equipment that get assistance under central scheme, the ministry said in a statement.Financial assistance for DC Pumps having capacity of up to 2 HP (horse power) is Rs 57,600 and Rs 54,000 is given for pumps with power of more than 2 HP and up to to 5 HP.In case of AC pumps, the government will give subsidy of Rs 50,400 for pumps with power of up to 2 HP and Rs 43,200 on pumps with power between 2 HP to 5 HP."Agriculture Ministry, with consensus of the New and Renewable Energy Ministry , has introduced solar energy pumping systems under the 'Sub Mission on Agriculture Mechanization' implemented through state governments..," the statement said.This mission is being implemented by Agriculture Ministry from April 2014. Under this, the ministry provides financial assistance through respective state governments on purchase of different types of farm machinery and equipment.Financial assistance is provided to both individual ownership as well as establishing farm machinery banks to provide custom hiring services to farmers.The pattern of financial assistance for such pumping system is in line with the financial assistance pattern of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.Meanwhile, the government has also authorised Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering and Technology, Ludhiana as a designated testing centre for equipment and machinery.To ensure quality of agricultural machines to be supplied in the government assistance programmes, testing of machines at any Farm Machinery Testing and Training Institutes ( FMTTIs ) or 29 designated testing centres is mandatory.