Rohtas, Bihar - Solar Pumps Tool Rohtas, Bihar | Solar Pumps Tool Humane ClubMade in Humane Club

Rohtas, Bihar

Horticulture crops occupy a relatively low proportion of gross cropped area in the district, diminishing 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 low for the district, suggesting poor purchasing capacity of the farmers here. It has a relatively low penetration of banks in rural and semi-rural areas, impeding access to institutional credit for farmers. There is a comparatively high level of farm mechanization in the district, implying a positive outlook towards progressive technologies amongst the farmers. 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

Approaches Feasibility
Individually owned off-grid solar pumps Limited Suitability
Solarisation of feeders Limited Suitability
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 and a comparatively high concentration of diesel pump users. However, low crop revenue per holding, and the relatively low disbursement of institutional credit would make it difficult to promote the private ownership of solar pumps here without significant government subsidy support.

Parameter Value Percentile
Number of cultivators reporting use of diesel pumps 194,469 94
Water Availability Index 1 100
Crop revenue per holding (INR) 29,988 19
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) 168 78

Solarisation of feeders

Limited Suitability

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

Parameter Value Percentile
Actual cost of power supply (INR/kWh) 5.84 38
Extent of feeder segregation
Proportion of cultivators reporting use of electric pumps 0% 0

Solar based water as a service

Limited Suitability

Groundwater availability in the district is within safe limit and the concentration of small and marginal farmers is comparatively high, but the proportion of unirrigated area is relatively low. A solar-based water service will have to compete with existing sources of irrigation.

Parameter Value Percentile
Water Availability Index 1 100
Proportion of small and marginal cultivators 96% 84
Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area 51% 42

Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps

Limited Suitability

The district has groundwater availability within safe limit and a rather high concentration of marginal farmers. However, a comparatively low disbursement of institutional credit to marginal farmers and a relatively low proportion of horticulture crops under gross cropped area make it difficult to promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps here, unless government provide subsidy or loans support to marginal farmers for adoption of such pumps as well as promote more horticulture among such farmers.

Parameter Value Percentile
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area 1% 16
Water Availability Index 1 100
Proportion of marginal cultivators 90% 91
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) 168 78

Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps

Not suitable

The power supply fto agricultural consumers in the district is heavily subsidised and the groundwater availiability is within the safe limits. But, a relatively low extent of feeder segregation and a comparatively low penetration of electric pumps make it very difficult and less effective to solarise the individual grid-connected pumps here.

Parameter Value Percentile
Water Availability Index 1 100
Actual cost of power supply (INR/kWh) 5.84 38
Extent of feeder segregation

Leveraging Solar Pumps to Promote Policy Objectives

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

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 1% 16

National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP)

The relatively low share of oilseeds and oil palm crops under gross sown area in the district makes it a suitable candidate for promoting NMOOP. Solar pumps could meet irrigation needs for these crops and help farmers diversify their yields beyond cereals.

Parameter Value Percentile
Area under oilseeds as a share of total cropped area 16

Rohtas, Bihar
Summary
Number of operational holdings
545,475
Average size of operational holding (Ha)
0.45
No. of cultivators using diesel pumps
194,469
No. of cultivators using electric pumps
1,266
Parameters (value, percentile)
Unirrigated net sown area ('000 ha)
118
69
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area
1%
16
Water Availability Index
1
100
Monthly per capita expenditure of rural agricultural households (INR)
858
12
Crop revenue per holding (INR)
29,988
19
No. of rural and semi-urban bank branches per 10,000 farmers
3.04
4
Medium and long-term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore)
168
78
No. of calls made at Kisan Call Centre (between 1.1.2011 - 31.12.2015)
2,166
67
Level of farm mechanisation (tractors, harvesters, threshers per ha)
2.44
96