The Haryana Department of New and Renewable Energy (HAREDA) has recently announced attractive subsidies for solar pumps in the range of 3 HP to 10 HP under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthan Mahabhiyaan (PM KUSUM) for the year 2023-24.Under this program, farmers will only need to bear 25 per cent of the cost for solar pumps with a capacity between 3 HP and 7.5 HP. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) will provide a subsidy of 30 per cent of the total cost, while the state government will offer a subsidy of 45 per cent of the cost.For solar pumps with a capacity of 10 HP, the farmer's share of the cost remains at 25 per cent. However, the MNRE subsidy is limited to 30 per cent of the cost, which is applicable for pumps up to 7.5 HP. The remaining portion of the farmer's share and the MNRE subsidy will be covered by the state government subsidy.The initiative aims to benefit various categories of beneficiaries, including individual farmers, water user associations, cow shelters, farmer producer organisations, primary agriculture credit societies, and community-based irrigation systems. However, priority will be given to small and marginal farmers.As of June last year, Haryana had the second-highest number of solar pump installations under the PM-KUSUM program. Out of the 39,326 approved pumps, the state had successfully installed 36,793 solar pumps.To avail themselves of the benefits of this program, farmers interested in installing solar water pumping systems must apply online through the dedicated online portal.The state government has also defined allocation criteria and conditions for the installation of solar pumps. The allocation of solar pumps will be based on specific criteria, with priority given to applicants who applied for electric tubewell connections up to 10 HP between 2019 and 2021. Second priority will be given to Micro Irrigation Centralised Approval and Distribution Agency (MICADA) applicants of solar pumps. The remaining applicants will be selected based on approved parameters such as family income and the extent of land holding/cultivation. To be eligible for the program, applicants must possess a valid Parivar Pehchan Patra, a family identification document, and have agricultural land registered under their name. Individuals who have already received a solar water pumping system, regardless of capacity or location, are not eligible for another system under this program. Furthermore, applicants should not have an existing electric agricultural connection, although existing consumers of electric tubewells up to 10 HP will be given priority if they choose to surrender their current connections.There are certain major conditions to be aware of. The program will not cover new solar agricultural pumps in areas where the groundwater table has fallen below 100 feet. However, existing standalone diesel pumps can be converted into standalone solar pumps in these areas if micro-irrigation techniques are utilised to conserve water. In these regions, farmers will be required to install a fixed micro-irrigation system (drip/sprinkler) for 100 per cent of the land owned at the pump site. Portable sprinkler micro-irrigation systems may also be allowed for up to five acres of land. In the remaining areas of Haryana, underground pipelines or micro-irrigation systems are permitted with solar pumps, regardless of landholding or the size of the micro-irrigation system. The installation of micro-irrigation systems must be verified and cleared by MICADA. Additionally, farmers engaged in paddy cultivation will be ineligible for the program in areas where groundwater availability is below 40 meters.