Policy Review and Analysis Promoting Solar-Powered Irrigation in India

With country's half a population engaged in agriculture, accounting 18% of the GDP, a developing country like India must generate environmental mindfulness among individuals allied with agriculture. Promotion of solar-powered irrigation (SPI) by the Indian government primarily addresses low agricultural productivity meeting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). National Solar Mission enlarges the scope of solar pump installation with transformational changes observed in the past five years accounting 7875 solar pumps in the year 2014 to 1.8 lakhs in 2018. This paper undertakes analysis of existing policies and programmes promoting SPI in India while exploring its key drivers and limitations, based on extensive literature survey and sector expert interaction. This paper observes high capital subsidy under schemes including Off-grid and decentralized solar PV application scheme and Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) which majorly promote solar pumping in an overall blanket approach having critical limitations such as inadequate after-sales service, high investment for small farmers, depleting groundwater level, etc. While keeping this in mind, the study proposes recommendations which could direct the course of future programmes in the promotion and scaling up of solar irrigation pumps in the country.