SOLAR ENERGY OPERATED IRRIGATION SYSTEMS IN INDIA PROSPECTS, PROBLEMS AND POLICY ISSUES

摘要

The use of electricity has played a pivotal role in the development of agriculture in India because the use ofrnelectricity for pumping out the water increased the irrigation potential. The irrigated area almost doubled between thernyears 1971 and 2000. The increase in the irrigated area facilitated the introduction of modern seed-fertilizer technologyrnwhich resulted in the tremendous increase in agricultural productivity. Although the use of electricity is likely to play arngreat role in future growth of agriculture yet India is not in a position to continuously augment the electricity supply tornagriculture because of supply constraints. Keeping in view the finite nature of non-renewable energy resources, strenuousrnefforts are required to find the alternative decentralized renewable sources. Recently the solar energy operated tube wellsrnare being introduced as a substitute to the electricity operated tube wells to pump out the ground water for irrigationrnpurposes as India is adequately endowed with sunshine especially in the summer months. These tube wells are termed arnSolar Photovoltaic (SVP) pumping systems. There exists fairly a good potential for the dissemination of SVP waterrnpumping technology in India. The farmers are quite receptive to this technology and are aware of its long run effects. Thernreduction in capital cost through research and development, commensurate changes in the on-farm water managementrnincentives and policies and the rationalization of electricity prices can go in a big way in making the SVP water pumpingrnsystems competitive with the traditional electricity operated tube wells.