In the last year, Rajasthan has successfully installed decentralized solar plants with a combined capacity of 1,190 MW under the PM-KUSUM scheme, an official statement revealed. In total, the state has set up 684 decentralized solar plants with a capacity of 1,305 MW, with 592 plants (1,190 MW) being added over the past 12 months alone.
Unlike traditional large-scale solar parks, the KUSUM scheme encourages small-scale, grid-connected solar plants, which can be installed by farmers themselves or in collaboration with developers on barren land. These plants are typically located within 5 km of a grid substation and provide electricity at a much lower cost, ranging between Rs 2.09-3 per unit, in contrast to expensive thermal power.
This initiative is increasingly being seen as a win-win: it not only boosts clean energy generation but also creates new livelihood opportunities for farmers, turning them into power producers. Meanwhile, distribution companies (discoms) benefit from more affordable and efficient electricity, the statement added.
The management of the scheme, previously overseen by the Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation, has now been transferred to the state’s power discoms in line with central government guidelines. To expedite installations, officials addressed procedural hurdles by assigning dedicated officers, issuing standard operating procedures (SOPs), and facilitating land and financing processes.
Among the state’s three power discoms, Jodhpur leads with 997.5 MW, followed by Jaipur (169.22 MW) and Ajmer (137.33 MW). On the national level, Rajasthan ranks first in Component-A of the KUSUM scheme and third in Component-C, behind Gujarat and Maharashtra.
The state government has set a target to provide daytime electricity for farming by 2027, with around 100,000 farmers already benefiting from the scheme. Officials believe that this effort could significantly reduce discom losses, which currently exceed Rs 90,000 crore, largely due to costly thermal power purchases.
