Una, Himachal Pradesh

The average monthly per capita expenditure of rural agricultural households is relatively high for the district, suggesting higher purchasing capacity of the farmers here. The district has a relatively high penetration of banks in rural and semi-rural areas, facilitating higher access to institutional credit for 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

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.

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.

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.

Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps

Limited Suitability

The concentration of marginal farmers in the district is rather high and the disbursement of institutional credit to marginal farmers is also comparatively high. But, groundwater availability is below the safe limit and proportion of gross cropped area under horticulture is relatively low, making viability of small pumps difficult. Such pumps can be promoted in suitable areas of the district along with promotion of micro-irrigation as well as horticultural crops.

Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps

Not suitable

The district has a relatively high penetration of electric pumps. But, a relatively low agriculture power subsidy, groundwater level below safe limits and a comparatively low extent of feeder segregation make it very difficult to solarise individual grid-connected pumps here.

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.

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.

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.