In the district, a relatively large proportion of the net sown area is unirrigated, indicating high irrigation demand. 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 low for the district, suggesting poor purchasing capacity of the farmers here. There is a comparatively low level of farm mechanization, possibly due to low awareness or poor outlook towards progressive technologies amongst the farmers here. The district has a relatively high proportion of small and marginal farmers. The district appears in the group of districts, which show (very) low vulnerability towards climate change, as per an index constructed by CRIDA.

Deployment Approaches

Individually owned off-grid solar pumps

Limited Suitability

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

Solarisation of feeders

Not Suitable

The district has a relatively high extent of feeder segregation. But, a rather low cost of power supply for the respective DISCOM and a comparatively low penetration of electric pumps make solarisation of the feeders an economically difficult and inefficient way to enhance solar for irrigation in the district.

Solar based water as a service

Suitable

Availability of groundwater within the safe limit, a relatively high proportion of unirrigated area, and a rather high concentration of small and marginal farmers in the district make the water-as-a-service model a potential way to promote solar-based irrigation. The model could help in improving irrigation equity, without requiring a farmer to bear an upfront cost to purchase a pump.

Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps

Limited Suitability

The district has a relatively high proportion of horticulture crops under gross cropped area, high concentration of marginal farmers and groundwater availability within the safe limit, but disbursement of institutional credit to marginal farmers is comparatively low. Greater support, either through subsidies or credit, would be required to enable marginal farmers to adopt solar pumps.

Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps

Not suitable

The district has a relatively high extent of feeder segregation and has ground water available within the safe limits. But, a relatively low power subsidy for agricultural consumers and a comparatively low penetration of electric pumps make solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps an economically difficult and inefficient way to enhance solar for irrigation in the district.

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.