PM-KUSUM Solar Pump Calculator 2026
For farmers installing a standalone solar agricultural pump under PM-KUSUM Component B. See the central and state subsidy, your share of the cost, and how much diesel you stop buying.
1 Your pump
PM-KUSUM Component B covers individual pumps up to 15 HP. Common sizes are 3, 5, 7.5 and 10 HP.
Subsidy is calculated on the lower of the MNRE benchmark cost or the tendered price. Benchmark varies by HP and state — roughly ₹45,000–₹70,000 per HP. Use your state tender figure if you have it.
Special category (50% central subsidy): North-Eastern states, Sikkim, J&K, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Lakshadweep, and A&N Islands. All others get 30%.
2 Diesel you'll replace — optional
A diesel pump burns roughly 0.8–1 litre per HP per hour. This estimates what you stop spending once the pump runs on free solar.
Indicative estimates only. PM-KUSUM subsidy shares, benchmark costs and HP caps are set by MNRE and state agencies and change by notification. Component B is for standalone (off-grid) pumps. Confirm current terms with your state's nodal agency before applying.
How PM-KUSUM Component B subsidy works
• Central subsidy (CFA): 30% of the benchmark cost (or tendered price, whichever is lower). 50% in special-category states/UTs.
• State subsidy: a minimum of 30%.
• Farmer: the remaining ~40% (or ~20% in special states), of which part can be financed by a bank loan — typically you pay ~10% upfront.
Subsidy is on the benchmark cost, so a tender price below benchmark still earns the same rupee subsidy. Component B covers pumps up to 15 HP for individual farmers. Source: MNRE / PM-KUSUM guidelines — verify current figures with your state nodal agency.
PM-KUSUM: solar for farmers, explained
PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) is the government scheme that brings solar to Indian agriculture — chiefly by subsidising solar-powered irrigation pumps. For farmers, it tackles two problems at once: the cost and unreliability of diesel pumping, and daytime power shortages for electric pumps. A solar pump runs on free sunlight, exactly when irrigation is needed, and the heavy subsidy makes the upfront cost manageable. This calculator estimates your share of the cost and the diesel savings, using the scheme's subsidy structure.
For millions of Indian farmers, the cost of pumping water is one of the largest and least predictable expenses of the season — diesel prices swing, and grid power for agricultural pumps is often available only at inconvenient hours or not at all. PM-KUSUM was designed to break that dependence by putting heavily subsidised solar pumps within reach, turning sunlight into irrigation at almost no running cost. The scheme can look complicated from the outside, with central and state shares, multiple components and state-by-state variation, but the core idea for an individual farmer is simple: pay a fraction of a solar pump’s cost up front, then irrigate for free for two decades. The calculator below estimates that fraction and the diesel it saves, so you can see the payback for your own situation.
Scheme details and state shares vary and change, so treat the figures here as a dated reference and confirm current terms with your state nodal agency before applying.
How the subsidy is structured
Under PM-KUSUM's pump components, the cost of a standalone solar pump is typically shared between central subsidy, state subsidy and the farmer. A common structure provides a central subsidy of around 30% and a state subsidy of around 30%, leaving the farmer to fund roughly the remaining 40% — often with a loan available for part of that. Higher support (up to around 50% central) applies in special-category states such as the North-East and hill regions. Because the state share and exact percentages vary by state and by scheme component, the calculator keeps these as adjustable inputs rather than hardcoding one national figure.
Why solar pumping makes sense for farmers
The economics are compelling. A diesel pump has a low purchase price but a high, ongoing running cost — and diesel prices are volatile. A solar pump reverses that: higher upfront cost (largely covered by subsidy), then near-zero running cost for 20+ years, since sunlight is free. Solar pumping also aligns naturally with irrigation needs — the pump runs hardest on bright days when crops need water most — and removes the dependence on erratic grid supply or fuel deliveries. For many farmers, the diesel saved alone pays back their share of the cost within a few years, after which the water is effectively free.
Components of the scheme
PM-KUSUM has more than one component: standalone solar pumps (Component B), solarisation of existing grid-connected agricultural pumps (Component C), and small solar power plants on barren or farm land that let farmers sell power to the grid (Component A). The pump components are the most widely used by individual farmers. This calculator focuses on the standalone solar-pump case, which is the most common application — sizing the pump to your needs and estimating your subsidised cost and diesel savings.
Frequently asked questions
Commonly around 30% central plus around 30% state subsidy for standalone solar pumps, leaving roughly 40% for the farmer (often loan-financed), with higher central support (up to ~50%) in special-category states. Exact shares vary by state and component — confirm with your state nodal agency.
For most farmers, yes over time. A solar pump costs more upfront (largely subsidised) but runs on free sunlight with near-zero running cost for decades, whereas a diesel pump has ongoing, volatile fuel costs. The diesel saved often repays the farmer's share within a few years.
Farmers, groups of farmers, cooperatives and similar bodies are eligible under various components. Specific eligibility and the application process run through your state's nodal agency or DISCOM, and terms differ by state, so check locally before applying.
Under Component A and the solarisation component, yes — farmers can feed surplus power to the grid for income in some configurations. The standalone pump component (this calculator's focus) is primarily about replacing diesel or unreliable grid pumping with free solar pumping.
The solar panels typically last 20–25 years, and a good-quality pump and controller many years with basic maintenance. Because running costs are near zero after installation, the long lifespan is central to the economics — the farmer’s subsidised share is usually recovered in a few years through diesel savings, leaving many more years of effectively free pumping.