PM-KUSUM 2.0 likely to be announced soon: Pralhad

1. At a Glance

• PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) is the Centre's flagship scheme for solarising India's agricultural power sector — de-dieselisation, water/energy security, and extra farmer income [1][2].
• Phase-II ("PM-KUSUM 2.0") is imminent, with a new dedicated agrivoltaics (Agri-PV) component — co-locating solar panels with crop cultivation on the same land [3][4].
• High UPSC relevance: intersects renewable energy policy, agriculture-energy nexus, farmer income doubling, and climate/land-use trade-offs.

2. Why in the News

• Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi stated (on the sidelines of the curtain-raiser for the 7th Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026, reported 10 Sept 2026) that Phase-II is under process and he is "confident" the Prime Minister will announce it shortly [Article/S4].
• Joshi said the new phase will have a dedicated agrivoltaics component, reportedly sized at 10 GW [3][4].
• Focus reiterated on small/marginal farmers, FPOs, cooperatives, and panchayats as key beneficiary categories [6].

3. Background & Evolution

• PM-KUSUM launched in March 2019 by MNRE to provide farmers energy/water security, boost income, reduce diesel dependence, and cut agricultural sector emissions [1][2].
• Scheme scaled up in January 2024, extending implementation timelines and targets [1].
• Union Budget 2026-27 (1 Feb 2026) reportedly raised annual KUSUM budget allocation from ~₹2,600 crore to ~₹5,000 crore (~92% rise), with officials indicating a total Phase-II outlay near ₹50,000 crore [S3-adjacent web reporting; treat as unconfirmed pending official notification].
• Phase-II (KUSUM 2.0) builds on this trajectory by adding the Agri-PV/agrivoltaics model as a new pillar.

4. Core Static Facts

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Economic

• Combines power generation with cultivation, giving farmers a dual income stream — solar lease/power-sale revenue atop crop income [3].
• Reduces input cost burden by cutting diesel use for irrigation pumps [1].

Social

• Targets small and marginal farmers, FPOs, cooperatives, and panchayats — aligns with equity and inclusive rural electrification goals [6].

Environmental

• Advances de-dieselisation of agriculture, cutting emissions and groundwater over-extraction linked to diesel pump usage [1].
• Agrivoltaics raises questions on land-use efficiency vs land diversion from food crops — a key ethical/environmental trade-off for Mains analysis.

Scientific/Technological

• Agrivoltaic design requires panel-height/spacing R&D to avoid shading crop yield — Minister called on industry and researchers to deepen agrivoltaic studies [6].

Administrative

• Implementation is federally shared — states/DISCOMs execute solarisation of grid-connected pumps (Component-C); rollout pace and land-title/net-metering issues remain bottlenecks historically flagged in PIB reviews [1].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• January 2026: Joshi spoke on linking renewable energy with agriculture to strengthen energy security (News on Air) [5].
• 1 February 2026: Union Budget 2026-27 reportedly increased annual KUSUM allocation substantially, signalling preparation for Phase-II.
• September 2026: 7th Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026 curtain-raiser — Joshi confirms PM-KUSUM 2.0/Phase-II is under process, includes dedicated agrivoltaics component [6].

7. Prelims Hooks

• PM-KUSUM stands for Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) — not Ministry of Power.
• Scheme launched in March 2019.
• Component-A: on-farm solar/RE plants up to 2 MW capacity.
• Component-B: 14 lakh standalone solar agriculture pumps.
• Component-C: solarisation of 35 lakh grid-connected agriculture pumps (Feeder Level Solarisation).
• Original central financial support: ₹34,422 crore.
• Original capacity target: 34,800 MW by March 2026.
• PM-KUSUM was scaled up in January 2024.
• PM-KUSUM 2.0 (Phase-II) announced as imminent by Minister Pralhad Joshi in September 2026.
• Phase-II's new dedicated component: Agrivoltaics (Agri-PV), reported at ~10 GW.
• Agrivoltaics = combining agricultural cultivation with solar power generation on the same land.
• Announcement made at the curtain-raiser of the 7th Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026.
• Phase-II beneficiary focus: small/marginal farmers, FPOs, cooperatives, panchayats.

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-III: Infrastructure — Energy; Agriculture — issues related to farmer income, cropping patterns, irrigation; Environment — renewable energy and sustainability.
• Syllabus headings: "Infrastructure: Energy", "Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies", "Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation".
• Possible stems: 1. Discuss how agrivoltaics under PM-KUSUM 2.0 can reconcile the goals of renewable energy expansion and food security in India. 2. Critically examine the implementation challenges of PM-KUSUM scheme in achieving its de-dieselisation objectives for Indian agriculture. 3. Evaluate the role of decentralised solar power schemes like PM-KUSUM in enhancing farmer income and energy security.

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• National Solar Mission / JNNSM — parent umbrella for India's solar policy.
• Rooftop Solar / PM Surya Ghar Yojana — parallel household/distributed solar scheme.
• Feeder-level solarisation & DISCOM finances — links PM-KUSUM Component-C to power sector reform.
• Doubling Farmers' Income Committee recommendations — policy backdrop for farmer income schemes.
• India's NDC/COP commitments (500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030) — links KUSUM targets to climate pledges.
• Agroforestry & land-use policy — relevant to agrivoltaic land-use debates.
• FPOs (Farmer Producer Organisations) — institutional beneficiaries under KUSUM 2.0.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Confusing nodal ministry: it is MNRE, not Ministry of Power or Ministry of Agriculture.
• Mixing up Component-A (on-farm plants, 2 MW cap) with Component-C (feeder-level grid pump solarisation) — commonly swapped in MCQs.
• Assuming PM-KUSUM 2.0 has been formally launched — as of the news trigger (Sept 2026), it is only "likely to be announced soon," not yet notified.
• Confusing PM-KUSUM with PM Surya Ghar (rooftop residential solar) — different target groups (farmers vs households).
• Treating the 34,800 MW/₹34,422 crore figures as Phase-II numbers — they belong to the original scaled-up scheme, not confirmed Phase-II figures.