Narmada district has become Gujarat's top-performing district under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme, with 14,989 off-grid solar agricultural pumps installed at a total expenditure of ₹618.41 crore. The installations have enabled thousands of tribal farmers across the district's hilly and forested terrain to move from monsoon-dependent farming to year-round irrigation.

Narmada's Record in Gujarat

According to official data released on Monday, 3 August, Gujarat has sanctioned 22,792 solar agricultural pumps under PM-KUSUM over the past five years, benefiting 22,787 farmers statewide. Of this total, Narmada district alone accounts for 14,989 pumps — the highest share of any district in the state, representing roughly 66% of Gujarat's sanctioned units.

The district's outsized share reflects both its acute need and the scale of targeted intervention. Around 1.06 lakh hectares of Narmada's total geographical area of 2.81 lakh hectares comprise forests and hills, making conventional electricity infrastructure difficult and costly to deploy.

Why Remote Tribal Areas Were Prioritised

Farmers in remote blocks such as Dediapada and Sagbara had historically depended on monsoon rainfall for cultivation, constrained by limited grid connectivity, eco-sensitive zone restrictions, and the high operating cost of diesel-powered irrigation. Under PM-KUSUM Component-B, off-grid standalone solar pumps allow farmers to irrigate fields during daylight hours without relying on electricity supply or diesel fuel.

Notably, the absence of new power lines, poles, and substations has helped minimise ecological disturbance around the Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, reducing both diesel consumption and associated pollution in a sensitive biodiversity corridor.

Full Subsidy for Tribal and Forest-Area Beneficiaries

Under a special arrangement for tribal and forest areas in Gujarat, beneficiaries receive 100% financial assistance — structured as 60% funding from the Central government and 40% from the state government. This arrangement allows small and marginal farmers to install systems without any out-of-pocket expenditure.

Launched in 2019, PM-KUSUM targets the installation of 14 lakh off-grid solar agricultural pumps nationally. According to official figures, 13,07,190 pumps have been sanctioned and 11,49,988 installed so far, representing approximately 88% of the national target achieved.

Impact on Farmers: Three Seasons, Rising Incomes

Rakesh Vasava, a farmer from Samot village in Dediapada, said the scheme had fundamentally changed his agricultural calendar. 'Earlier, we could cultivate only one crop during the monsoon. After receiving the benefit of the PM-KUSUM scheme, we now farm in all three seasons of the year. Our income has increased through crops such as maize, paddy, pulses and vegetables,' he said.

Vasava added that his selection as a scheme beneficiary earned him an invitation to the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi on 26 January this year, where he had the opportunity to interact with President Droupadi Murmu.

B.B. Patel, Executive Engineer at DGVCL, Rajpipla, said farmers in Dediapada, Sagbara, and Chikda were now cultivating crops across the Kharif, Rabi, and summer seasons. 'As a result, agricultural income has increased, migration in search of employment has declined, animal husbandry has received a boost, and farmers have gained an additional source of income,' he said.

What Comes Next

With Gujarat's PM-KUSUM implementation accelerating, attention will turn to whether the remaining sanctioned pumps statewide are installed on schedule and whether the model from Narmada — full subsidy, off-grid design, eco-sensitive compliance — can be replicated in other tribal districts across the country.