Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Assam is pushing a massive expansion of solar-powered irrigation to fix a gaping hole in its farming infrastructure. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed the state will cover 27 lakh hectares to stabilize crop production. The move leans heavily on the PM-KUSUM scheme to replace expensive, polluting diesel pumps with clean energy.
Sarma says the state needs this change now. Erratic monsoons and recurring droughts have long choked the local harvest. With 70 percent of Assam depending on the land and most farmers holding only tiny plots, the shift is a survival tactic. "The state government is working to bridge the irrigation gap by expanding irrigation facilities," Sarma posted on X.
The solar rollout aims to give farmers water year-round. Officials expect this to drive crop diversity and bump up income for the state's smallholders. By ditching diesel, the government hopes to modernize rural life while building a climate-resilient future for the local agricultural sector.
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