In the district, horticulture crops occupy a relatively high proportion of gross cropped area, raising the economic viability of solar pumps here. Overall, water availability for irrigation in the district (based on ground water development and long-term trends of water level decline) is within the safe limit, enhancing long-term sustainability of solar pumps. The average monthly per capita expenditure of rural agricultural households is relatively high for the district, suggesting higher purchasing capacity of the farmers here. For average crop revenue per holding, the district appears among the top 25 percentile of districts, implying higher investment capacity of the farmers here. It has a relatively low proportion of small and marginal farmers.

Deployment Approaches

Individually owned off-grid solar pumps

Limited Suitability

The district has high crop revenue per holding, and ground water available within the safe limit. But, a relatively low disbursement of institutional credit and comparatively low concentration of diesel pump users make it difficult to promote the private ownership of solar pumps here.

Solarisation of feeders

Not Suitable

The district has a relatively low penetration of electric pumps, a rather low cost of power supply for the respective DISCOM and a comparatively low extent of feeder segregation, making it very difficult to solarise the feeders here.

Solar based water as a service

Limited Suitability

Groundwater availability is within the safe limit in this district and the proportion of unirrigated area is high. However, a comparatively low concentration of small and marginal farmers indicates low demand for water as a service.

Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps

Limited Suitability

The district has groundwater availability within safe limit and a relatively high proportion of horticulture crops under gross cropped area. But, a rather low concentration of marginal farmers, and a comparatively low disbursement of institutional credit to them make it difficult to promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps here.

Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps

Not suitable

The district has ground water available within the safe limits. But a relatively low penetration of electric pumps, a relatively low power subsidy for agricultural consumers and a comparatively low extent of feeder segregation, making it very difficult to solarise individual grid-connected pumps here.

Leveraging Solar Pumps to Promote Policy Objectives

If you are deploying solar pumps in this district then you can further these policy objectives.

Har Khet ko Pani

A relatively high proportion of the net sown area in the district is unirrigated, indicating high irrigation demand. Solar pumps can help improve access to underground irrigation as part of Har Khet ko Pani.

Doubling Farmers’ Income – Crop Intensity

A relatively high proportion of the district’s net sown area is unirrigated. Lack of access to irrigation is one of the major barriers to growing crops beyond two conventional seasons, rabi and kharif. Ensuring irrigation access through solar power will help improve cropping intensity and move towards the aim of doubling farmers’ income by 2022.

Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation – Farm Power Availability

There is a comparatively low level of farm mechanisation in the district and a relatively low proportion of electric pump users, indicating an opportunity to increase the exisiting level of mechanisation through solar based irrigation. Solar powered irrigation could be deployed under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation to improve farm power availability.

Per Drop More Crop

In the district, crops suitable for drip and sprinkler irrigation occupy a relatively high proportion of gross cropped area, making it easy to adopt such high precision irrigation methods. Solar pumps, along with other efficient and precise water application devices, could be deployed under Per Drop More Crop to promote efficient irrigation.