UPSC Mains
GS Paper III
PM-KUSUM 2.0
Solar Irrigation and Groundwater: Getting the Model Right
With PM-KUSUM 2.0 on the horizon, the real risk isn’t solar irrigation itself but a one-size-fits-all design that ignores local water, energy and food realities
SCALE ACHIEVED
25 Lakh+ Solar Pumps in 5 Years
CLIMATE STAKE
45–62 Million Tonnes CO₂ / Year
FISCAL BURDEN
₹1 Lakh Crore+ Annual Power Subsidy
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Why in News
- PM-KUSUM has installed over 25 lakh solar pumps in five years, helping farmers access affordable, clean irrigation.
- With PM-KUSUM 2.0 being planned, the key challenge is balancing solar expansion with groundwater conservation — India is the world’s largest groundwater user.
- Under free or subsidised electricity, farmers have little incentive to control water use, and cheap solar power raises fears of even greater over-extraction. But this view is incomplete — three key gaps must be understood first.
1️⃣
Gap 1: Treating Solar Irrigation as a Single Model
- Gujarat’s SKY model: Farmers sell surplus solar power to the grid — an incentive to save electricity that also encourages water conservation.
- Bangladesh’s fee-for-service model: One solar pump supplies many farmers; since excessive use by one affects others, the operator has an incentive to promote efficient water use.
The impact depends on the model, pricing and incentives — not simply on whether irrigation is solar-powered.
2️⃣
Gap 2: Ignoring Local Conditions
Hard-Rock & Rainfed Regions
Limited groundwater storage means farmers already use water carefully — solar pumps may not significantly raise use.
Punjab & Haryana
Already-intensive irrigation for rice and wheat; solar is more useful for cutting subsidies and emissions than expanding irrigation.
Eastern India
The main problem is lack of affordable, reliable energy — solar irrigation here can boost productivity and climate resilience.
India needs a region-specific approach — the real danger is a one-size-fits-all policy, not solar irrigation itself.
3️⃣
Gap 3: Evaluating Solar Irrigation in a Silo
- Solar irrigation touches the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus — it must not be judged only as a groundwater or energy issue.
- Climate benefit: Groundwater irrigation produces ~45–62 million tonnes of CO₂ annually.
- Fiscal benefit: Agricultural electricity subsidies cost States over ₹1 lakh crore every year.
- Solar benefit: In Gujarat, grid-connected solar farmers cut emissions while helping government recover part of its investment.
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Way Forward: Designing PM-KUSUM 2.0
Guiding principle: Match the solar irrigation model with local needs.
Water-Stressed Regions
Promote grid-connected solar with water-saving incentives, buyback prices, and schemes like Pani Bachao, Paisa Kamao.
Irrigation-Deficient Regions
Focus on access via standalone pumps, farmer cooperatives and water-user associations, especially in Eastern India.
Grid Connections
Make grid connections easier and combine feeder solarisation with micro-irrigation.
Cross-Sectoral Alignment
Coordinate DISCOMs, State governments and cooperatives — a federalism and institutional-coordination challenge as much as a technological one.
PM-KUSUM 1.0 vs PM-KUSUM 2.0
| Basis | PM-KUSUM 1.0 (2019) | PM-KUSUM 2.0 (Proposed, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Land Use | Solar plants on separate barren/fallow land | Agrivoltaics — panels on stilts above crops |
| Power Storage | No battery storage | Proposed battery storage integration |
| Budget | ~₹34,422 crore; ~34,800 MW target | ~₹50,000 crore; ~10 GW agrivoltaics component |
| Key Limitation | Grid mismatch, land requirement | Aims to fix reliability, land and financing gaps |
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Source: The Hindu
