It has a relatively small proportion of its net sown area unirrigated, indicating poor 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. 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.
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 | Suitable |
Limited Suitability
The district has ground water available within the safe limit, a comparatively high concentration of diesel pump users, and a relatively high disbursement of institutional credit, but low crop revenue per holding. Greater support, either through subsidies or credit, would be required to enable farmers to adopt solar pumps.
Parameter | Value | Percentile |
---|---|---|
Number of cultivators reporting use of diesel pumps | 105,486 | 87 |
Water Availability Index | 1 | 100 |
Crop revenue per holding (INR) | 49,060 | 33 |
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) | 49.8 | 58 |
Limited Suitability
The district has a relatively high penetration of electric pumps, and its DISCOM has a rather high bulk power purchase rate, but the district has a comparatively low extent of feeder segregation. Solarisation of the feeders will only be possible once the district separates agricultural feeders from the rest.
Parameter | Value | Percentile |
---|---|---|
Power purchase rate for DISCOM (INR/kWh) | 4.33 | 76 |
Extent of feeder segregation | 0% | 0 |
Proportion of cultivators reporting use of electric pumps | 2% | 29 |
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 | 95% | 80 |
Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area | 8% | 11 |
Suitable
1 HP and sub-HP pumps could help marginal farmers meet their needs in this district. A relatively high proportion of horticulture crops under gross cropped area, a rather high concentration of marginal farmers, a comparatively high disbursement of institutional credit to marginal farmers, and the availability of groundwater within the safe limit would drive the success of such small-sized pumps in the district. Such small pumps could also be put to use for lift irrigation, provided there is access to surface water.
Parameter | Value | Percentile |
---|---|---|
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area | 8% | 58 |
Water Availability Index | 1 | 100 |
Proportion of marginal cultivators | 83% | 82 |
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) | 49.8 | 58 |
If you are deploying solar pumps in this district then you can further these policy objectives.