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Home › Business ›REconnect Nagpur: Panellists Flag Progress, Gaps and Next Steps for Solarising Agriculture Under PM-KUSUM

REconnect Nagpur: Panellists Flag Progress, Gaps and Next Steps for Solarising Agriculture Under PM-KUSUM

At REconnect Nagpur 2026, panellists focused on the implementation of solar pump schemes in Maharashtra, highlighting strong progress under flagship programmes such as PM-KUSUM, while calling for faster execution, stronger last-mile infrastructure, and a sharper focus on skilling, service support and productive use of surplus solar power.

January 09, 2026. By Mrinmoy Dey

India's flagship scheme for solarising agriculture – PM-KUSUM has achieved 9,466 MW of installed solar capacity across the country, with the government releasing INR 7,089 crore in financial support as of October 31, 2025. The programme has so far covered about 19 lakh beneficiaries nationwide.

Under Component-A, 10,000 MW of grid-connected solar power capacity has been sanctioned, of which 653.49 MW has been installed. Under Component-B, 12.72 lakh standalone solar pumps have been sanctioned and 9.17 lakh installed. Under Component-C, 60,828 pumps (IPS) and 35.61 lakh feeders (FLS) have been sanctioned, with 9.84 lakh systems already solarised.

This paints a rather slow overall progress under the scheme. Although Maharashtra recently completed its Guinness World Records attempt under the “Magel Tyala Solar Pump” initiative, achieving 45,911 solar water pump installations in just one month, even in that state, the pace of the scheme is hindered due to several challenges, including land availability, rising cost of land and leasing prices, to name a few.

On this backdrop, at the first panel discussion at REconnect Nagpur on ‘Solarising India’s Fields: Farmers, Installers & the PM-KUSUM Revolution’, panellists discussed progress made so far, challenges being faced and how best to tackle those.

Opening the discussion, Jaideep N. Malaviya, MD, Malaviya Solar Energy Consultancy & Director – International Solar Energy Society, Germany, who was the moderator of the panel, outlined four major solar pump schemes currently operational in Maharashtra – PM-KUSUM, Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Pump Yojana, Atul Solar Krushi Pump Yojana, and the recently added Magel Tyala Saur Krushi Pump Yojana – together targeting the distribution of 27.5 lakh solar water pumps, including 7.5 lakh standalone systems.

Calling it a “proud achievement,” Malaviya noted that Maharashtra is among India’s leading states in solar pumping. “Maharashtra has even created a Guinness World Record by installing 45,000 solar pumps in just one month,” he said, adding that the state is setting benchmarks for others to follow.

However, panellists acknowledged that progress under PM-KUSUM remains uneven. “Against the targets set, only around 25 percent implementation has been achieved so far,” Malaviya said, pointing to slower rollout in regions such as Nagpur and Marathwada. “With better training and awareness among farmers, the pace can improve significantly,” he added, expressing confidence that targets would be met with continued government support.

Raj Kumar Medimi, Executive Director, Trinity Cleantech, highlighted that power evacuation infrastructure remains one of the biggest constraints, particularly under PM-KUSUM Components A and C. “If a 1 MW solar plant costs INR 3.5-4 crore, power evacuation alone can cost INR 60-70 lakh,” he said. “Everyone focuses on land, modules and inverters, but the last-mile grid connectivity is often overlooked – and that delays projects.”

He explained that Component B, which involves standalone solar pumps operating directly on DC power, has seen the highest success due to its simplicity and lower cost. “For farmers who need irrigation during daylight hours, Component B is very effective,” he noted.

Panellists also addressed monetising unused solar generation at farms. Dr. Sandeep S. Joshi, Senior Scientific Officer, Rural Energy and Infrastructure Division, Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Rural Industrialization, stressed the importance of decentralised power use. “Solar pumps are not used continuously throughout the day,” he said. “Instead of letting panels sit idle, that power can be used for post-harvest activities – dal mills, grading machines, oil extraction units – that traditionally run on diesel.” He added that his organisation has developed several DC-powered agricultural devices that can directly utilise existing solar installations.

He also highlighted advances in solar thermal technologies, particularly solar dryers. “Farmers are now using solar dryers for value-added products like moringa powder, opening up new income streams and entrepreneurship opportunities,” he said.

Panellists agreed that battery charging and EV charging represent emerging business opportunities in rural areas. “A farmer may need irrigation for three hours, but sunlight is available for six to seven hours,” Medimi said. “That surplus power can be used for battery charging, EV charging, or agri-processing equipment.”

He added that direct DC-to-DC charging can significantly improve efficiency. “When you convert DC to AC and back to DC, efficiency drops to around 83 percent. With DC-to-DC charging, efficiency can reach 94 percent,” he explained.

Malaviya added that falling battery costs strengthen this business case. “Battery prices have fallen by over 60 percent in the last two years,” he said, calling it an opportunity that policy and industry must jointly address.

On training and outreach, CA Abhijit Kelkar, Vice President, Maharashtra Economic Development Council (MEDC), stressed the need for localised skilling programmes. “Schemes reach people, but often they are not understood,” he said. “If information is shared in local languages, through local trainers, acceptance improves significantly.”

Kelkar also pointed to trust deficits among farmers. “There is fear about land use, crop impact, and a lack of confidence in institutions,” he said, adding that MEDC is working on district- and village-level training programmes and a possible standardised training manual.

He emphasised that suppliers also have a responsibility. “If you provide equipment with a warranty, you must ensure hands-on training and strong maintenance support. Otherwise, the purpose of these schemes will be defeated,” he warned.

Maintenance costs were flagged as another concern, with repair expenses sometimes reaching INR 10,000-35,000 per pump. Medimi suggested extending warranty coverage. “If PM-KUSUM includes a 10-year warranty, private operators would be comfortable. It’s a matter of insurance and small cost adjustments,” he said.

On water overuse, panellists cautioned that free solar power could lead to groundwater stress. Suggestions included capacity-linked pump sizing, smarter controllers, and encouraging farmers to divert surplus power to non-irrigation uses.

With land availability and rising leasing rates being a concern, Joshi showed optimism about Agri-voltaics (Agri-PV) as a probable solution, as it has the potential to optimise land use by enabling crop cultivation, such as tomatoes, beneath solar panels, improving farm productivity while also supporting better water management. He also cited pilot projects in Maharashtra, including installations near Parbhani, combining crop cultivation with solar generation using innovative structures, trackers and bifacial modules.

Malaviya suggested that pilot and experimental projects could help validate agri-voltaics at scale, especially as rising land and leasing costs are beginning to influence farmers’ investment decisions.

The discussion also flagged the need for clearer benchmarks on solar module quality and pricing, as farmers struggle to navigate evolving technologies amid fixed subsidies, with banks and financial institutions seen as better placed to enforce quality standards.

While financing and subsidies were broadly viewed as adequate, Kelkar pointed to a growing trust deficit, driven by past misuse and cautious lending, that must be addressed through stronger governance, education and standardisation to ensure long-term adoption and confidence across the solar pump value chain.

Overall, the panel agreed that while Maharashtra has made notable progress in solar pumping, the next phase must focus on execution speed, grid readiness, skilling, service networks and productive energy use to deliver sustainable outcomes for farmers and the power system alike.