The Chief Minister's Office of Bihar posted on Monday, May 25, 2026, underscoring Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's emphasis on accelerating the solarisation of agricultural feeders across the state to ensure widespread use of solar energy in farming operations. The post, shared from the official CMO Bihar account, states: 'साथ ही कृषि फीडरों के सोलराइजेशन को बढ़ावा देने तथा अधिक से अधिक कृषि फीडरों को इससे जोड़ने पर बल दिया' — 'Emphasis was also placed on promoting the solarisation of agricultural feeders and connecting as many agricultural feeders as possible to it, so that solar energy can be used extensively in agricultural work.'

Context

Bihar has a predominantly agrarian economy, with a large share of its population dependent on farming. Reliable and affordable power supply for irrigation and other agricultural operations has long been a challenge for the state. The Chief Minister's renewed stress on feeder solarisation signals a policy push to address this gap through renewable energy. The statement appears to be part of a broader official communication from the CMO, with the post marked as a reply, suggesting it follows an earlier update on the state's power or agriculture agenda.

Policy Backdrop

The solarisation of agricultural feeders is a core component of the centrally sponsored PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) scheme, launched in 2019 by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The scheme aims to reduce farmers' dependence on the conventional grid and diesel-based power by installing solar pumps and solarising feeder lines that supply electricity to agricultural consumers. Under PM-KUSUM's Component-C, states are tasked with solarising grid-connected agricultural feeders so that daytime power for irrigation is sourced from solar plants. Bihar has been aligning its state-level actions with these national renewable energy targets, and the Chief Minister's latest remarks reinforce that direction.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of feeder solarisation are Bihar's farmers, who stand to gain more reliable daytime power for irrigation without the burden of high electricity tariffs or dependence on diesel pump sets. Broader feeder solarisation also reduces the financial load on the state's power distribution companies, which currently provide heavily subsidised or free electricity to the agricultural sector. For the state exchequer, shifting agricultural power consumption to solar reduces the subsidy outgo over time. For the national grid, decentralised solar generation at the feeder level contributes to India's overall renewable energy capacity targets and lowers transmission losses in rural networks.

What's Next

The Chief Minister's emphasis on connecting 'as many agricultural feeders as possible' to solar sources points to an expected ramp-up in project execution in the coming months. Observers will watch for specific targets, timelines, and budget allocations in Bihar's upcoming annual plans and power sector roadmaps. Progress on feeder solarisation will be a key metric for assessing how effectively Bihar translates its renewable energy commitments into on-ground outcomes for its farming communities.