Karnataka saves over Rs 200 crore via 27,700 solar pumps

Karnataka has saved more than Rs 200 crore annually in electricity subsidy by installing 27,700 solar agricultural pump sets, Energy Minister K J George said. The state government provides 50 per cent financial assistance under the PM-KUSUM B programme, and over one lakh farmers have applied for the scheme. Officials said the pumps have cut grid demand by 144 MW and saved ESCOMs Rs 146 crore in power purchase costs annually. Farmers now get reliable daytime power, eliminating need for late-night irrigation.

Thehansindia.com reported the state is progressing towards a target of 40,000 solar pump sets. However, Frontline magazine noted that PM-KUSUM's benefits may be skewed. Research by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water found that farmers with land and capital are best placed to own solar infrastructure, while small and marginal farmers, 86 per cent of holdings, may only rent land. Component A, which makes farmers power producers, achieved only 1,726 MW against a 10,000 MW target as of June 2026. The Lok Sabha Committee on Estimates in December 2025 recommended examining constraints in Component A.