Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh - Solar Pumps Tool Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh | Solar Pumps Tool Humane ClubMade with Humane Club

Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh

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. It has a relatively low penetration of banks in rural and semi-rural areas, impeding access to institutional credit for farmers. 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 Not Suitable
Solar based water as a service Limited Suitability
Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps Limited Suitability
Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps Not suitable

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.

Parameter Value Percentile
Number of cultivators reporting use of diesel pumps 6,569 34
Water Availability Index 0.89 79
Crop revenue per holding (INR) 38,333 26
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) 15.1 42

Solarisation of feeders

Not Suitable

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

Parameter Value Percentile
Actual cost of power supply (INR/kWh) 4.79 11
Extent of feeder segregation 41% 38
Proportion of cultivators reporting use of electric pumps 4% 38

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.

Parameter Value Percentile
Water Availability Index 0.89 79
Proportion of small and marginal cultivators 79% 37
Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area 75% 64

Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps

Limited Suitability

Groundwater availability in the district is within the safe limit. But, a rather low concentration of marginal farmers, a comparatively low disbursement of institutional credit to them and a relatively low proportion of horticulture crops under gross cropped area limit the demand for 1 HP and sub-HP pumps here.

Parameter Value Percentile
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area 3% 32
Water Availability Index 0.89 79
Proportion of marginal cultivators 53% 36
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) 15.1 42

Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps

Not suitable

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

Parameter Value Percentile
Water Availability Index 0.89 79
Actual cost of power supply (INR/kWh) 4.79 11
Extent of feeder segregation 41% 38

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

Doubling Farmers’ Income – Crop Diversification

In the district, horticulture crops occupy a relatively low proportion of gross cropped area, indicating an opportunity for growing more high value non-staple crops. Solar-powered irrigation could be an alternative source of reliable irrigation, making it easier to achieve crop diversification and enhance farmers’ incomes.

Parameter Value Percentile
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area 3% 32

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.

Parameter Value Percentile
Level of farm mechanisation (tractors, harvesters, threshers per ha) 0.17 43
Proportion of cultivators reporting use of electric pumps 4% 38

Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh
Summary
Number of operational holdings
283,015
Average size of operational holding (Ha)
1.41
No. of cultivators using diesel pumps
6,569
No. of cultivators using electric pumps
11,979
Parameters (value, percentile)
Unirrigated net sown area ('000 ha)
279
89
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area
3%
32
Water Availability Index
0.89
79
Monthly per capita expenditure of rural agricultural households (INR)
1,128
43
Crop revenue per holding (INR)
38,333
26
No. of rural and semi-urban bank branches per 10,000 farmers
3.75
10
Medium and long-term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore)
15.1
42
No. of calls made at Kisan Call Centre (between 1.1.2011 - 31.12.2015)
1,681
57
Level of farm mechanisation (tractors, harvesters, threshers per ha)
0.17
43