Rising diesel prices had turned irrigation into an expensive headache for a farmer in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda district, until he decided to switch to solar power. Progressive farmer Hanuman Prasad Mishra used a government subsidy scheme to install a solar pump on his farm, and now he neither spends money on diesel nor worries about power cuts disrupting his irrigation.
Diesel pump used to cost him thousands every season
Mishra earlier relied on a diesel pump to irrigate his fields. With diesel prices climbing steadily, he ended up spending thousands of rupees every single season just to keep the pump running. On top of that, frequent power outages often meant he could not irrigate his crops on time, putting the health of his standing crops at risk whenever water did not reach the fields when it was needed most.
Jal Sansthan officials pointed him toward the solar pump scheme
It was officials from the Jal Sansthan who first told Mishra about the solar pump scheme. They explained that installing a solar pump would eliminate both his diesel and electricity expenses at once. As soon as he learned about it, Mishra applied under the scheme, and within a short time a solar pump was installed on his land.
A large landholding means the pump travels between fields on a tractor
Because Mishra farms a fairly large stretch of land, he does not keep the solar pump fixed at one spot. Instead, he hitches it to a tractor and moves it from field to field as irrigation is needed. This approach saves him both time and money, since he does not need to install a separate pump for every plot he owns.
The pump starts the moment the sun is out, and irrigation happens on schedule
Since the solar pump was installed under the subsidy scheme, Mishra's troubles have eased considerably. The pump now switches on easily as soon as the sun comes up in the morning, letting him irrigate his fields right on schedule. That has cut out his diesel and electricity bills altogether and made farming noticeably more convenient than before. Once installed, a solar pump keeps running for years at a very low running cost, which in turn helps raise farmers' overall income.
Rs 5,000 booking deposit, and a total cost of around Rs 60,700
To book the solar pump, Mishra first deposited Rs 5,000 at the local block office. Once the entire process was completed, his total expense came to around Rs 60,700. Thanks to the subsidy, that cost turned out to be well within his reach, and in return he secured years of cheap, dependable irrigation.
His appeal to other farmers: tap into the scheme
Mishra believes a solar pump is an excellent option for farmers, since it lowers irrigation costs, saves time and causes no harm to the environment. He has urged other farmers to find out about the relevant government schemes and get solar pumps installed on their own farms, so they too can get relief from the rising cost of diesel and electricity.
