Next phase of PM-KUSUM may be OKed soon: Pralhad Joshi

The announcement by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi regarding the next phase of PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) marks a significant evolution in India's renewable energy and agricultural policy landscape. Launched in March 2019 with a target of adding 30.8 GW of solar capacity by 2022 (later extended to 2026), PM-KUSUM was designed to address the dual challenge of ensuring energy security for farmers while promoting clean energy. The scheme originally comprised three components: Component A (10,000 MW of decentralized ground-mounted grid-connected renewable power plants), Component B (installation of 20 lakh standalone solar-powered agriculture pumps), and Component C (solarization of 15 lakh grid-connected agriculture pumps). The new agrivoltaics component represents a paradigm shift from sequential land use to simultaneous dual-use, addressing one of the most critical constraints in India's solar expansion — land availability. Agrivoltaics, or agrophotovoltaics, involves the co-location of solar photovoltaic panels and agricultural crops on the same land, with panels mounted at sufficient height and spacing to allow farming activities underneath. This concept, first proposed by Adolf Goetzberger and Armin Zastrow in 1981, has gained global traction as a solution to the "food vs fuel" land-use conflict. In the Indian context, where average landholding size is just 1.08 hectares (as per Agriculture Census 2015-16) and 86% of farmers are small and marginal, dedicating land solely for solar parks often faces resistance. The new component specifically targets these small farmers, cooperatives, and panchayats — aligning with the constitutional mandate under Article 39(b) and (c) of the Directive Principles of State Policy, which direct the state to ensure equitable distribution of material resources and prevent concentration of wealth. Furthermore, Article 40, which calls for organization of village panchayats, finds practical expression through the inclusion of panchayats as implementing agencies. The economic significance is profound. India's agricultural sector employs nearly 42% of the workforce but contributes only about 18% to GDP (2023-24 estimates). Farmers face volatile incomes due to monsoon dependency, price fluctuations, and rising input costs. By enabling electricity generation as a "third crop," agrivoltaics can provide a stable, predictable revenue stream. Studies from pilot projects in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan indicate that shade from panels can reduce evaporation by 20-30%, benefiting water-intensive crops in arid regions. However, as the Minister rightly noted, "more research is needed to optimize crop and solar configurations" — crop selection, panel height, row spacing, and orientation must be tailored to agro-climatic zones. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) are currently conducting multi-location trials to develop standardized protocols. From a governance perspective, this expansion reflects the principle of cooperative federalism. While the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) provides central financial assistance (CFA) of up to 30% of benchmark cost, implementation relies on state nodal agencies, DISCOMs, and panchayati raj institutions. The success of Component C (feeder-level solarization) has been hampered by DISCOM financial health and regulatory delays — lessons that must inform the agrivoltaics rollout. The scheme also dovetails with India's international commitments: under the Paris Agreement, India pledged to achieve 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and net-zero by 2070. Agrivoltaics can contribute significantly to the 280 GW solar target within this. Moreover, it supports the International Solar Alliance (ISA) mission of promoting solar applications in agriculture across the Global South. Looking ahead, several challenges require policy attention. First, the current regulatory framework for net metering and power purchase agreements (PPAs) varies across states, creating uncertainty for farmer-producers. A model regulatory framework from the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) or Forum of Regulators (FOR) could harmonize this. Second, financing remains a barrier — despite CFA, upfront costs are high for small farmers. Innovative models like community ownership, solar cooperatives, and on-bill financing need scaling. Third, the "research gap" highlighted by the Minister must be addressed through a dedicated mission-mode program involving ICAR, CSIR, IITs, and agricultural universities. Finally, integration with the PM-KUSUM dashboard and the National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) could enable real-time monitoring and market linkage. If implemented effectively, this initiative could transform India's rural economy, making farmers not just food producers but energy entrepreneurs — a true realization of the "Annadata to Urjadata" vision articulated by the Prime Minister.