PM-KUSUM 2.0, the proposed second phase of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan, is expected to add a dedicated agrivoltaics component – solar panels raised or spaced over farmland so that the same field grows crops and generates electricity – on top of the three components that have solarised irrigation since 2019.
Context
- Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi said the second phase of PM-KUSUM is likely to be announced shortly, speaking at the curtain raiser for the 7th Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026.
- The first phase’s target of about 34,800 MW ran to 31 March 2026; a successor scheme decides how solar farming grows for the rest of the decade.
What Agrivoltaics Is
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- Combining agricultural activity with solar power generation on the same land.
- Panels are mounted high or spaced apart so that crops grow beneath or between them; shade-tolerant vegetables, fodder, spices and some fruit do well, and partial shade reduces water loss.
- The land yields both a crop and electricity, instead of one or the other – which matters in a country where land is scarce and farm incomes are small.
- Pilots at ICAR institutes, Gujarat’s Anand agricultural university and private developers in Rajasthan and Maharashtra have shown that farm output can be kept at 60-90% of open-field levels while earning power revenue.
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PM-KUSUM: The First Phase
- Launched: 2019 by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy; full form Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan.
- Component A: decentralised ground-mounted grid-connected solar plants of up to 2 MW on barren or fallow farmland, with power bought by the DISCOM.
- Component B: standalone solar pumps replacing diesel pumps.
- Component C: solarisation of existing grid-connected agriculture pumps, including feeder-level solarisation.
- Subsidy: 30% Centre, 30% state, 40% farmer for Components B and C (50-30-20 in the North-East, hill states and islands).
What 2.0 Could Change
- A dedicated agrivoltaics component, with technical standards for panel height and spacing and crop-suitability guidance.
- Larger feeder-level solarisation, since it delivers daytime power to whole clusters of farmers at the lowest subsidy cost.
- Better financing for the farmer’s 40% share, where uptake has been slowest.
Important Facts for Examsmost asked
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- PM-KUSUM launched 2019 under MNRE; three components A, B and C; subsidy 30-30-40.
- PM-KUSUM 2.0 is expected to add a dedicated agrivoltaics component; announced as likely at the 7th Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026.
- Agrivoltaics: crops and solar power on the same land.
- Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy: Pralhad Joshi.
- India’s solar capacity: about 3 GW (2016) to over 160 GW (mid-2026).
FAQs
Is agrivoltaics already allowed under PM-KUSUM?
Component A permits stilt-mounted plants so cultivation can continue, but there is no separate component, standard or incentive for it – which is what 2.0 is expected to add.
Which crops suit agrivoltaics?
Leafy vegetables, spices, medicinal plants, fodder and some fruits that tolerate partial shade; cereals and sugarcane generally do not.
Why is PM-KUSUM 2.0 asked in NABARD exams?
Solar irrigation and farmer income are ARD themes; the three components, the subsidy pattern and the agrivoltaics addition are the likely questions.
