Kusum Scheme Saves Over Rs 282 Crore | 13 Nov 2025

Why in News? 

Rajasthan power distribution companies (Discoms) have saved over Rs 282 crore in the last 18 months through the Kusum scheme, which focuses on solarising agricultural connections and enabling farmers to generate income from barren and semi-barren land.  

Key Points 

  • About: Rajasthan is leading the country in Component-A of the scheme, which allows farmers to set up plants with capacities up to 2 MW. The state also ranks third in Component-C. 
  • Infrastructure: The state has accelerated the  implementation of the scheme, with 942 solar plants installed, having a combined capacity of 2,100 MW in just 20 months. 
    • To date, 1.36 lakh solar pumps are operational across 41 districts, powered by 1,034 solar plants. In 22 districts, these pumps operate in two shifts. 
    • Rajasthan targets 11,632 MW of solar capacity by March 2026, which is expected to further reduce power purchase costs.

PM-KUSUM Scheme 

  • About: 
    • Launched in 2019, the PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) scheme is a flagship initiative by the Government of India, aimed at transforming the agricultural sector through solar energy solutions.  
    • The scheme promotes the use of solar energy in farming and seeks to increase farmers' income by reducing irrigation costs and enabling them to sell surplus solar power to the grid. 
  • Components: 
    • Component-A: Installation of 10,000 MW decentralized solar power plants on barren, fallow, pasture, marshy, and cultivable lands of farmers. 
    • Component-B: Installation of 20 lakh stand-alone solar pumps in off-grid areas for irrigation. 
    • Component-C: Solarisation of 15 lakh grid-connected agricultural pumps, which includes both individual pump solarisation and feeder-level solarisation. 
  • Objectives: 
    • Reduce Dependence on Diesel: The scheme encourages the use of solar-powered pumps for irrigation, reducing reliance on costly diesel-powered pumps. 
    • Increase Farmers' Income: By enabling farmers to sell excess solar energy to the grid, the scheme enhances their financial stability. 
    • Enhance Water and Energy Security: Solar pumps and community irrigation projects improve water and energy security for farmers. 
    • Environmental Impact: By replacing conventional energy sources with solar energy, the scheme reduces environmental pollution and promotes clean energy.