In the district, horticulture crops occupy a relatively high proportion of gross cropped area, raising the economic viability of solar pumps here. 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. There is a comparatively high level of farm mechanization in the district, implying a positive outlook towards progressive technologies amongst the farmers.
Deployment Approaches
| Approaches | Feasibility |
|---|---|
| Individually owned off-grid solar pumps | Not Suitable |
| Solarisation of feeders | Suitable |
| Solar based water as a service | Not Suitable |
| Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps | Not Suitable |
Individually owned off-grid solar pumps
Not Suitable
The district has high crop revenue per holding overall. But, ground water availability is below the safe limit, the concentration of diesel pump users is comparatively low, and disbursement of institutional credit is also relatively low, making it extremely difficult to promote the private ownership of solar pumps here.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Number of cultivators reporting use of diesel pumps | 13,917 | 47 |
| Water Availability Index | 0.61 | 48 |
| Crop revenue per holding (INR) | 170,128 | 79 |
| Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) | 6.4 | 34 |
Solarisation of feeders
Suitable
Given the relatively high bullk power purchase rate 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Power purchase rate for DISCOM (INR/kWh) | 4.48 | 97 |
| Extent of feeder segregation | 100% | 69 |
| Proportion of cultivators reporting use of electric pumps | 41% | 87 |
Solar based water as a service
Not Suitable
The district has a rather low concentration of small and marginal farmers and a relatively low proportion of unirrigated area. Moreover, groundwater availability is below the safe limit, making it extremely difficult to promote solar-based irrigation through the water-as-a-service model here.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Water Availability Index | 0.61 | 48 |
| Proportion of small and marginal cultivators | 83% | 45 |
| Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area | 48% | 39 |
Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps
Not Suitable
The district has a relatively high proportion of horticulture crops under gross cropped area. But, a rather low concentration of marginal farmers, a comparatively low disbursement of institutional credit to them, and groundwater availability below the safe limit make it extremely difficult to promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps here.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area | 28% | 86 |
| Water Availability Index | 0.61 | 48 |
| Proportion of marginal cultivators | 55% | 38 |
| Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) | 6.4 | 34 |
Leveraging Solar Pumps to Promote Policy Objectives
If you are deploying solar pumps in this district then you can further these policy objectives.
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 | 41% | 77 |
