PM-KUSUM
(Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan)
Background and Purpose
Indian agriculture has traditionally depended on diesel and grid-based pumps for irrigation. Both have drawbacks:
- Diesel pumps → high fuel cost + pollution.
- Grid electricity → heavy subsidy burden on states, irregular supply, frequent outages.
👉 To solve this, the government launched PM-KUSUM in 2019, a Central Sector Scheme, to encourage solar irrigation pumps and solar power plants for farmers.
Purpose in one line: To reduce dependence on diesel and grid power by promoting solar-based irrigation, while also boosting farmers’ income.
Tenure and Target
- Tenure: Till 2026
- Target: Add 34.8 GW solar capacity by March 2026.
Transformative Components (A, B, C)
Component A – Decentralized Solar Power Plants
- Target: 10,000 MW capacity.
- Installed on barren/fallow/pasture/marshy lands.
- Beneficiaries: Individual farmers, Solar Power Developers (SPDs), Cooperatives, Panchayats, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).
- Farmers can lease out land for solar plants, thus getting regular income.
Component B – Stand-Alone Solar Pumps
- Target: 14 lakh pumps.
- For off-grid agricultural areas (where electricity is not reliable or not available).
- Beneficiaries: Individual farmers, farmer groups, Water User Associations, irrigation clusters, FPOs, PACS (Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies).
Component C – Grid-Connected Solar Pump Solarisation
- Target: 35 lakh pumps.
- Farmers with existing grid-connected pumps can solarize them.
- Allows individual solarisation as well as feeder-level solarisation (where multiple pumps are connected to a common feeder).
- Farmers can even sell excess solar power back to DISCOMs, creating an extra income stream.
Financial Assistance Framework
Component A: Incentives for DISCOMs
- DISCOMs receive:
- 40 paise per kWh OR
- ₹6.60 lakh per MW per year
(whichever is lower).
- This makes it attractive for DISCOMs to buy solar power.
Components B & C: Subsidy for Farmers
- Central Financial Assistance (CFA):
- 30% standard support.
- 50% support for North-East, Hilly, and Island regions.
- State/UT support: Minimum 30%.
- Beneficiary (Farmer) contribution: Balance cost.
Thus, the cost is shared between Centre + State + Farmer, making it affordable.
Other Features
- Demand Driven: States/UTs send proposals, and capacity is allocated accordingly.
- Land Lease Provision: States may set lease rates for farmers willing to solarize land/pumps/feeders.
- Beneficiaries: Wide coverage—individual farmers, farmer groups, cooperatives, Panchayats, FPOs, PACS, and irrigation associations.
Significance
- Reduces diesel dependence, cuts fuel bills, and lowers CO₂ emissions.
- Provides reliable irrigation even in off-grid rural areas.
- Boosts farmer income by enabling sale of surplus solar power.
- Reduces state subsidy burden on electricity for agriculture.
- Helps achieve clean energy transition and contributes to India’s renewable energy targets.
✅ In summary: PM-KUSUM is not just about irrigation—it is about energy security + farmer income + environmental sustainability. It transforms the farmer from being a mere consumer of electricity to becoming a producer of clean energy.