Nashik, Maharashtra - Solar Pumps Tool Nashik, Maharashtra | Solar Pumps Tool Humane ClubMade in Humane Club

Nashik, Maharashtra

The number of medium and long-term institutional loans disbursed in the district is comparatively large, suggesting the availability of credit amongst farmers for potential investments. The district appears in the group of districts, which are (very) highly vulnerable towards climate change, as per an index constructed by CRIDA.

Deployment Approaches

Approaches Feasibility
Individually owned off-grid solar pumps Limited Suitability
Solarisation of feeders Suitable
Solar based water as a service Not Suitable
Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps Limited Suitability
Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps Limited suitability

Individually owned off-grid solar pumps

Limited Suitability

The district has a relatively high disbursement of institutional credit and a comparatively high concentration of diesel pump users. However, ground water availability is below the safe limit, and crop revenue per holding is low, making it very difficult to promote the private ownership of solar pumps here.

Parameter Value Percentile
Number of cultivators reporting use of diesel pumps 58,194 78
Water Availability Index 0.72 56
Crop revenue per holding (INR) 59,011 39
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) 957.7 97

Solarisation of feeders

Suitable

Given the relatively high cost of power supply for the respective DISCOM, a comparatively high extent of feeder segregation, and a high penetration of electric pumps, solarisation of the feeders would be a recommended way to promote solar-powered irrigation in the district. It would ensure the rapid and cost effective solarisation of irrigation power at a large scale.

Parameter Value Percentile
Actual cost of power supply (INR/kWh) 6.12 59
Extent of feeder segregation 58% 43
Proportion of cultivators reporting use of electric pumps 56% 93

Solar based water as a service

Not Suitable

The district has a relatively high proportion of unirrigated area. But, the concentration of small and marginal farmers is rather low and groundwater availability is below the safe limit, making it very difficult to promote solar-based irrigation through the water-as-a-service model here.

Parameter Value Percentile
Water Availability Index 0.72 56
Proportion of small and marginal cultivators 77% 34
Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area 75% 64

Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps

Limited Suitability

The district has a comparatively high disbursement of institutional credit to marginal farmers and a relatively high proportion of horticulture crops under gross cropped area. But groundwater availability below safe limit and a rather low concentration of marginal farmers limits the demand for 1 HP and sub-HP pumps in the district.

Parameter Value Percentile
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area 11% 65
Water Availability Index 0.72 56
Proportion of marginal cultivators 45% 27
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) 957.7 97

Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps

Limited suitability

The district has a relatively high rate of power subsidy for agriculture consumers, a comparatively high extent of feeder segregation, and a high penetration of electric pumps. However, the groundwater availability is below the safe limits. State should be cautious in promoting solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps as it may aggrevate the groundwater depletion

Parameter Value Percentile
Water Availability Index 0.72 56
Actual cost of power supply (INR/kWh) 6.12 59
Extent of feeder segregation 58% 43

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.

Parameter Value Percentile
Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area 75% 64

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.

Parameter Value Percentile
Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area 75% 64

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.

Parameter Value Percentile
Area under crops suitable for drip and sprinkler irrigation as a share of total cropped area 0.25 54

Nashik, Maharashtra
Summary
Number of operational holdings
641,279
Average size of operational holding (Ha)
1.53
No. of cultivators using diesel pumps
58,194
No. of cultivators using electric pumps
360,018
Parameters (value, percentile)
Unirrigated net sown area ('000 ha)
623
98
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area
11%
65
Water Availability Index
0.72
56
Monthly per capita expenditure of rural agricultural households (INR)
1,379
62
Crop revenue per holding (INR)
59,011
39
No. of rural and semi-urban bank branches per 10,000 farmers
6.08
40
Medium and long-term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore)
957.7
97
No. of calls made at Kisan Call Centre (between 1.1.2011 - 31.12.2015)
4,183
87
Level of farm mechanisation (tractors, harvesters, threshers per ha)
0.16
41