Skip to main content

National Solar Mission "ignores" agricultural sector, must "solarise" tubwell irrigation

By A Representative
Dr Tushaar Shah, one of the most renowned water resources experts of India, has taken strong exception to the Narendra Modi government for “ignoring” the agricultural sector in the National Solar Mission, which aims at adding 100 gigawatts (GW) to the already existing power capacity of around 300 GW of the country, slated to be doubled by 2022.
Wanting the Centre to subsidize those who replace their current electric tubewells for sucking out groundwater for irrigation, instead of helping business interests with a similar subsidy, Dr Shah, addressing newspersons in Ahmedabad, wondered: Why help the likes of Ambani and Adani instead of farmers in accomplishing the solar mission?
Senior flow with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Colombo, Dr Shah said, the experiment he has carried out in Thamna village in Anand district of Gujarat suggests that solar power can indeed help replace electric pumps across India, if the Modi government decides to offer “reasonable” subsidy.
“We have already demonstrated how a farmer, Ramanbhai Parmar, has been successfully using solar pump to use groundwater for irrigate his field, producing banana, even as selling the surplus power he produces to the power distribution company under an agreement”, Dr Shah said.
Suggesting this is feasible across India, he said, “The cost of solar power has been going down. While immediately the government may have to offer subsidy, there may a situation when farmers may be wanting to put up solar pumps to irrigate fields without subsidies.” Dr Shah was in Ahmedabad to deliver the first Anil Shah memorial lecture.
Ramanbhai Parmar
In fact, Dr Shah said, the farmers should be incentivized by allowing them to sell the solar power they produce to the power distribution companies. Those who are allowed sell their power should be mandated to use drip irrigation. This way, they can earn money, and reducing their dependence on sucking out excessive groundwater.
Pointing out “great advantages” of the scheme he has worked out, Dr Shah said, this would set aside the present danger of acquiring huge pieces of land for corporates for putting up solar power plants, as envisaged in the National Solar Mission.
Dr Shah said, solar powered pumps would, in the long run, reduce farm power subsidies, which had “initially made groundwater irrigation affordable for farmers” but over time depleted aquifers and bankrupted electricity distribution companies to such an extent that they have hard time managing their rural supplies, becoming increasingly irksome for farmers.
Later, in his lecture before experts and activists, Dr Shah said, with the help of solar irrigation pumps, in the “western corridor”, starting from Punjab in the north to Tamil Nadu in the south, “the power grid will be relieved, at one fell swoop, from the deadweight subsidy burden of Rs 35,000 crore per year.”
“Farmers will have access to free, uninterrupted, day-time energy supply for pumping for 6-10 hours daily, more during winter and summer when irrigation is most needed”, Dr Shah said, adding, “Electricity and diesel used in pumping groundwater emits 16-25 million mt/year of carbon, nearly 6 percent of India’s total. Solarization will completely wipe out this carbon footprint.”
However, he points towards a danger: “Solarisation will aggravate the threat of accelerated depletion for western India’s aquifers. By replacing poor quality grid power with top quality day-time free power, solarization will intensify the race to the bottom of the aquifers.”
Dr Shah’s views acquire significance, as they come from an expert who is one of the strongest advocates of rational groundwater utilization for irrigation. He believes, canal irrigation even today has limited possibilities, as it is riddled with poor management and collapsing government department. He thinks, even the river interlinking project of the Government of India for expanding irrigation is “very theoretical”, suggesting it is not practical.

Comments

TRENDING

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra  Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

Workers' groups condemn Gujarat Ordinance increasing working hours, warn of statewide agitation

By A Representative   At a consultation organised today by the Asangathit Shramik Hit Rakshak Manch at Circuit House in Ahmedabad, leaders of major trade unions and labour rights organisations strongly opposed the Gujarat government’s recent ordinance amending the Factories Act and the draft rules notified under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code, 2020. Around 50 representatives from central trade unions, independent unions, and labour welfare organisations participated in the meeting.

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan  Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

Deaths in Chhattisgarh are not just numbers – they mark a deeper democratic crisis

By Sunil Kumar  For a while, I had withdrawn into a quieter life, seeking solace in nature. But the rising tide of state-sponsored violence and recurring conflict across India has compelled deeper reflection. The recent incidents of killings in central India—particularly in Chhattisgarh—are not isolated acts. They point to a larger and ongoing crisis that concerns the health of democracy and the treatment of marginalised communities.

Sandra Gonzalez Sanabria: An inspiring life from Colombia’s Amazonian valley

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.

'Bengali Muslim migrant workers face crackdown in Gurgaon': Academic raises alarm

By A Representative   Political analyst and retired Delhi University professor Shamsul Islam has raised serious concerns over the ongoing targeting and detention of Muslim migrant workers from West Bengal in Gurgaon, Haryana. In a public statement, Islam described the situation as "brutal repression" and accused law enforcement agencies of detaining migrants arbitrarily under the pretext of verifying their citizenship.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative   At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

Gender violence defies stringent laws: The need for robust social capital

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra*  The tragic death of Miss Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan College, Balasore, who reportedly self-immolated due to harassment, shocked the conscience of Odisha. Even before the public could process this horrifying event, another harrowing case emerged—a 15-year-old girl from Balanga, Puri, was allegedly set ablaze by miscreants. These incidents are not isolated; they highlight a disturbing pattern of rising gender-based violence across the state and the country.

A matter of deep concern: The silent struggles of India's visually impaired women

By N.S. Venkataraman  Visual impairment is one of the most severe forms of physical disability that afflicts humanity, and its impact is even more acute when it affects women. The burden becomes overwhelming when visually impaired women also belong to economically weaker sections of society, with little or no financial or institutional support. Their struggle for dignity, survival, and identity is often invisible—hidden in plain sight across cities and rural corners alike. And yet, these women form a large, neglected segment of society not just in India, but around the world. In India, governmental assistance to visually impaired persons exists but remains minimal. While policies are framed with good intent, they often fall short in implementation. More importantly, no real distinction is made between the unique challenges faced by visually impaired men and women. This gender-blind approach to disability support overlooks the compounded social vulnerabilities that women face due to...