The PM-KUSUM scheme is delivering measurable benefits to farmers in Hansi, Haryana, slashing irrigation costs and enabling a shift from staple crops to higher-value orchards and vegetables. Farmers in the district say subsidised solar pump installations under the Central government's clean energy flagship have freed them from dependence on expensive diesel and erratic power supply.

From Diesel to Solar: A Ground-Level Shift

Sandeep Fauji, a retired soldier from Dhana Kalan village in Hansi, installed solar panels on his farm under the scheme and says the impact has been transformative. 'Previously, when we relied on diesel-powered tubewells, the fuel costs were high, limiting our farming activities to basic crops like wheat and barley. However, the solar setup has been incredibly beneficial. We no longer have to wait for electricity or burn expensive diesel,' he said.

Fauji's farm now hosts a four-acre guava orchard, with vegetables grown in the interspaces — a diversification that was financially impractical before reliable, low-cost irrigation became available. He noted that the total solar installation cost, normally around ₹1 lakh, was reduced to ₹47,000 through the scheme's subsidy, making it accessible for small and medium landholders.

Wider Adoption Among Haryana Farmers

Another Hansi farmer, Ashok Yadav, echoed the economic case for solar-powered irrigation. 'Solar power offers tremendous benefits. Previously, when we ran tube wells, we used to burn a lot of fuel — and fuel has become expensive now. If we used electricity, we had to wait for the power supply. But now, with solar power installed, we neither have to wait for electricity nor burn expensive diesel,' he said.

Yadav added that reliable water access has allowed him to move beyond wheat and sorghum into vegetables such as cauliflower, and that he too is now planting an orchard. This pattern — staple crops giving way to higher-margin produce — is emerging as a broader outcome of the scheme's on-ground rollout in Haryana.

What PM-KUSUM Offers Farmers

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme, launched by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, covers three components: standalone solar pumps, solarisation of grid-connected pumps, and small solar power plants on barren or agricultural land. The subsidy structure typically covers a significant share of installation costs, with the balance split between state government support and the farmer's contribution — as Fauji's experience in Hansi illustrates.

Notably, beyond irrigation, the scheme is designed to allow farmers to sell surplus solar energy to the grid, creating a potential secondary income stream alongside reduced input costs.

Broader Impact and What Comes Next

The Hansi examples reflect a wider policy intent: reducing agriculture's dependence on diesel — which carries both fiscal and environmental costs — while accelerating India's renewable energy transition at the grassroots level. Critics of earlier agrarian welfare schemes have often flagged implementation gaps between announcement and field-level uptake; the Haryana examples suggest that, at least in parts of the state, the subsidy mechanism is reaching intended beneficiaries.

As the scheme scales nationally, the quality of implementation at the district level — timely installations, reliable after-sales service, and grid connectivity for surplus power — will determine whether the gains seen in Hansi can be replicated across India's diverse farming landscape.