Paddy is India’s thirstiest major crop. Globally the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) puts the water footprint at 3,000–5,000 litres per kilogram of rice, and in transplanted Indian fields the number runs higher because the crop is grown with continuous 5 cm standing water for the first 30–45 days. That single agronomic fact — continuous flooding — makes sizing a solar pump for paddy farming under PM KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) materially different from sizing a pump for wheat, cotton, or pulses. Get the cropping system inputs wrong and you either undersize (field dries during tillering, yield drops 15–20%) or oversize (₹50,000–₹1 lakh wasted on extra HP and panels you never need).
This guide walks through the 4-input framework we use across paddy belts in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu — covering variety, transplanting method, soil type, and water table — and shows the HP, system cost, and KUSUM (Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) farmer share for 1, 3, 5, and 10-acre holdings. The scheme is administered nationally by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) with implementation via state nodal agencies.
Direct answer. A 5-acre paddy farm with transplanted kharif rice and a 50–80 ft water table typically needs a 7.5 HP solar pump (about 7,500 litres/day peak during tillering and panicle initiation) costing ₹4–4.5 lakh turnkey. Under PM KUSUM Component B, the central plus state subsidy covers 60–75% depending on the state, bringing the farmer’s share to ₹1–1.5 lakh. DSR (Direct Seeded Rice) cultivation cuts the pump size by 20–30% and the cost by ₹50,000–₹80,000. Payback against a diesel baseline is 2–3 years.
If you’re a paddy farmer comparing a diesel set running on ₹40,000–₹60,000 of HSD (High Speed Diesel) per acre per season against a one-time KUSUM solar pump, the maths is decisive — but only if the HP is sized to the actual cropping system, not to a rule of thumb.
Why Paddy Sizing Is Different — Continuous Water Need
Most KUSUM sizing calculators were built for wheat, mustard, or vegetable crops where the field is irrigated in 5–7 discrete cycles per season. Paddy doesn’t behave that way. Under the standard puddled transplanted system used across Punjab, Haryana, eastern UP, West Bengal, and most of Odisha, the field carries a 3–5 cm standing water layer continuously from transplanting through the milk stage — roughly 90–110 days. During the tillering (days 25–45) and panicle initiation (days 55–70) windows, water demand peaks at around 1,500 litres per acre per day, and the field cannot be allowed to dry out — even a 48-hour dry spell during panicle initiation causes spikelet sterility and a 10–15% yield loss.
This means a paddy solar pump must size to the peak daily demand under cloudy-day conditions, not the seasonal average. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and its rice-specific institute ICAR-NRRI Cuttack (National Rice Research Institute) publish water-balance figures for major Indian rice ecologies, and we anchor our sizing models to those numbers rather than generic kharif averages.
The Paddy Solar Pump Sizing Framework — 4 Cropping Inputs
This is the framework we use on every paddy farm visit before quoting an HP. Four inputs drive the entire system design — get them wrong and the pump either underperforms during tillering or sits idle most of the year.
Input 1 — Variety (short, medium, or long duration)
Paddy varieties fall into three duration buckets, and water demand tracks duration directly.
- Short-duration (90–105 days) — PR-126, MTU-1010, Sahbhagi Dhan. Total water need 800–1,100 mm. Lower peak demand because tillering and panicle initiation are compressed.
- Medium-duration (110–125 days) — PR-121, BPT-5204 (Sona Masuri), Swarna Sub-1. Total water 1,200–1,500 mm. The typical Punjab/UP commercial bracket.
- Long-duration (130–155 days) — Pusa Basmati 1121, Pusa Basmati 1718, traditional Bengal varieties. Total water 1,500–2,000 mm. Highest peak demand and longest pumping window.
Long-duration basmati in central Punjab needs roughly 25% more pumping capacity than short-duration PR-126 on the same acreage.
Input 2 — Transplanted vs DSR (Direct Seeded Rice)
DSR (Direct Seeded Rice) — where the field is drilled with seed rather than nursery-raised seedlings transplanted into puddled water — cuts seasonal water consumption by 20–30%. Punjab Agricultural University and ICAR-NRRI both publish DSR water budgets that come in 250–400 mm below transplanted equivalents. For solar pump sizing this is a major lever: a 5-acre DSR farm often runs on a 5 HP pump where the same farm under puddled transplanting would need 7.5 HP.
Input 3 — Soil Type (clay loam, sandy loam, sandy)
Soil percolation rate determines how often you refill the standing water layer.
- Heavy clay / clay loam (eastern UP, West Bengal, coastal Andhra) — percolation 2–5 mm/day. Lowest pump duty.
- Medium loam (Punjab central districts) — percolation 6–12 mm/day. Mid-range pump duty.
- Sandy loam / sandy (parts of Punjab Malwa, Telangana red soils, Tamil Nadu Cauvery delta tail-ends) — percolation 15–25 mm/day. Highest pump duty; same acreage can need 30–40% more HP than a clay-loam farm.
Input 4 — Static Water Table & Dynamic Head
The depth from ground to standing water level, plus the drawdown when the pump is running, gives total dynamic head (TDH). KUSUM-empanelled solar submersibles are sized by HP, head, and discharge together — a 7.5 HP pump that delivers 7,500 LPH at 30 m head will deliver only 4,500 LPH at 60 m head. For paddy, the common ranges are 30–50 m in eastern UP and West Bengal, 50–90 m in central Punjab, and 90–150 m in Punjab Malwa belt where the water table has fallen sharply. Our dedicated KUSUM pump size by borewell depth guide covers the head-based selection table in detail.
HP by Acreage for Paddy
Once the 4 inputs are documented, HP selection follows a clean lookup. The table below assumes medium-duration variety, transplanted system, medium loam soil, and 50–80 ft water table — adjust up or down per the input rules above.
| Holding (acres) | Peak daily demand (L) | Recommended HP | Panel kWp | Typical TDH (m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 acre | 1,500 | 2 HP | 1.8 kWp | 30–60 |
| 2 acres | 3,000 | 3 HP | 3.0 kWp | 30–80 |
| 3 acres | 4,500 | 5 HP | 4.8 kWp | 50–90 |
| 5 acres | 7,500 | 7.5 HP | 7.5 kWp | 50–100 |
| 7–8 acres | 11,000 | 10 HP | 9.0 kWp | 60–120 |
| 10 acres | 15,000 | 10 HP (twin) or 15 HP | 14 kWp | 60–120 |
Above 10 acres most farmers either install two pumps on separate borewells or migrate to PM KUSUM Component C grid-tied feeder solarisation — covered in our KUSUM Component C grid-tied pump guide. The 7.5 HP bracket is the workhorse of Indian paddy solarisation under Component B.
DSR (Direct Seeded Rice) vs Transplanted — Impact on Pump Sizing
DSR is the single biggest sizing lever a paddy farmer controls. Both methods are eligible under KUSUM Component B (Component B is the standalone off-grid solar pump scheme — see our PM KUSUM complete guide for the full scheme architecture), but the system you buy will look very different. Punjab Agricultural University and the PAU DSR research programme have published seasonal water budgets comparing both systems.
| Parameter | Puddled Transplanted | DSR (Direct Seeded Rice) |
|---|---|---|
| Total seasonal water | 1,200–2,000 mm | 800–1,400 mm |
| Standing water depth | 3–5 cm continuous (first 30 days) | Saturation only, no standing layer |
| Peak daily demand (5 acres) | 7,500 L/day | 5,000–5,500 L/day |
| Recommended pump (5-acre) | 7.5 HP | 5 HP |
| System cost (turnkey) | ₹4–4.5 lakh | ₹3.2–3.6 lakh |
| KUSUM farmer share (60% subsidy) | ₹1.6–1.8 lakh | ₹1.28–1.44 lakh |
| Yield (good management) | 25–30 q/acre | 22–28 q/acre |
| Labour cost (transplanting) | ₹4,000–6,000/acre | Saved entirely |
For farmers in Punjab Malwa belt with falling water tables, DSR plus a smaller solar pump is now the economically and agronomically preferred combination — Punjab Agricultural University data shows 5–8% yield drop in early DSR years recovering by year 3 as the field-level practice matures.
Tip — match your variety to your sizing decision. If you’re switching to DSR, pair it with a short-to-medium duration variety like PR-126. Long-duration basmati under DSR with a small pump increases the risk of moisture stress during grain-filling. Get the variety, method, and HP decided together — not in isolation.
Get a free paddy sizing visit. Our agronomy team measures your borewell head, soil percolation, and cropping plan before quoting an HP — no generic rules of thumb. Talk to our paddy team →
Cost, KUSUM Subsidy, and ROI for Paddy Farmers
PM KUSUM Component B subsidy is a 30% central share plus 30% state share (60% combined) for general category farmers, rising to 45% + 45% (90% combined) in some special-category states and for some SC/ST schemes. The official benchmark cost framework is published by the MNRE PM KUSUM division, and the farmer share is the balance — payable upfront or through bank loan tied to the KUSUM benefit.
| Pump HP | Total cost (₹) | Central + State subsidy (60%) | Farmer share (₹) | Diesel saved/year (5 ac equiv) | Simple payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 HP | 2.20 lakh | 1.32 lakh | 88,000 | ₹80,000 | 1.1 yrs |
| 5 HP | 3.30 lakh | 1.98 lakh | 1.32 lakh | ₹1.4 lakh | 1.0 yr |
| 7.5 HP | 4.20 lakh | 2.52 lakh | 1.68 lakh | ₹2.0 lakh | 0.8 yr |
| 10 HP | 5.50 lakh | 3.30 lakh | 2.20 lakh | ₹2.6 lakh | 0.85 yr |
Assumptions: HSD at ₹92/litre average across Punjab–UP–WB, diesel pump consumption 1.2 L/hour at 70% load, kharif paddy season of 1,800–2,500 pumping hours depending on cropping system. Subsidy figures match the official PM KUSUM portal (kusum.online.gov.in) for general category. State-specific application notes:
- Punjab paddy farmers — apply through PEDA. Step-by-step in our KUSUM Punjab application 2026 guide.
- Uttar Pradesh paddy farmers — apply through UPNEDA. See KUSUM UP application 2026 guide.
- West Bengal, Odisha, AP, Telangana, Tamil Nadu — apply through respective state nodal agencies; check the central KUSUM portal for current state-window status.
The top paddy-producing states map to specific DISCOMs and KUSUM windows:
| State | Paddy share (India) | KUSUM nodal agency | Typical farmer share (5 ac) |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Bengal | ~15% | WBREDA | ₹1.4 lakh |
| Uttar Pradesh | ~13% | UPNEDA | ₹1.5 lakh |
| Punjab | ~12% | PEDA | ₹1.6 lakh |
| Andhra Pradesh | ~9% | NREDCAP | ₹1.5 lakh |
| Telangana | ~7% | TSREDCO | ₹1.5 lakh |
| Odisha | ~7% | OREDA | ₹1.4 lakh |
| Tamil Nadu | ~7% | TEDA | ₹1.5 lakh |
Farmers replacing a diesel-set baseline see the fastest payback — under 12 months in most cases — because the diesel saving alone covers the farmer share inside one kharif season.
Common Sizing Mistakes Paddy Farmers Make
Across the paddy-belt installations we’ve audited in 2024–25, sizing errors cluster around six repeat mistakes. Each one is preventable with a 30-minute pre-installation site visit.
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1
Sizing to seasonal average, not peak day. Paddy peak demand at tillering is 2× the seasonal average. Pumps sized to average run dry during the most yield-critical window.
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2
Ignoring soil percolation. Sandy loam Malwa paddy fields lose 4× the water of eastern UP clay loam — same acreage, very different HP.
-
3
Using sunny-day discharge for sizing. Tillering occurs in late July/August — monsoon clouds cut panel output 40–60%. Always size to cloudy-day equivalent.
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4
Not accounting for water table drop over season. Punjab water tables drop 3–5 ft between June and October. A pump matched to June head underperforms by October.
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5
Oversizing because "bigger is safer". A 10 HP pump on 3 acres wastes ₹1.5 lakh of farmer share and over-pumps the borewell, accelerating water-table decline.
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6
Mismatched panel-to-pump ratio. KUSUM specifications require 1.0–1.2 kWp of panel per HP of pump. Lower ratios fail under cloud cover; higher ratios waste capital.
⚠️ Over-irrigation warning
A solar pump runs on zero variable cost — which makes over-irrigation tempting. ICAR-NRRI field trials show that paddy fields irrigated 30% above optimum yield no extra grain but accelerate groundwater depletion and increase methane emissions. Use a simple field water gauge or AWD (Alternate Wetting and Drying) practice to keep pumping disciplined.
For a comparison with another major kharif crop on the same KUSUM scheme, see our solar pump for cotton farming guide.
Pumping for Hybrid Paddy and SRI System
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) and hybrid paddy varieties both shift the irrigation profile in ways that favour solar pumping. SRI uses younger seedlings, wider spacing, and intermittent irrigation rather than continuous flooding — water use drops 25–40% versus puddled transplanted while yields can rise 15–20% with disciplined management.
- + 25–40% lower water demand — smaller pump fits
- + 15–20% yield uplift with disciplined practice
- + Lower KUSUM farmer share — typically ₹50,000–₹80,000 less
- + Intermittent pumping matches solar daytime profile
- + Better aligned with KUSUM water-saving objectives
- − Practice intensive — needs disciplined irrigation scheduling
- − Higher initial weed pressure without standing water
- − Yield gain is management-dependent — not automatic
- − Local procurement / marketing may favour traditional grain
- − Adoption support thin in some districts
Verdict. A 7.5 HP solar pump on a 5-acre transplanted paddy farm is the most common installation we deliver — proven, low management overhead, and a clean fit with PM KUSUM Component B subsidy. But the highest-ROI installation is a 5 HP pump on a 5-acre DSR or SRI farm: lower farmer share, lower pumping hours, and aligned with the long-term direction Indian rice agronomy is moving. If your soil and DISCOM extension support allow, transition to DSR or SRI in the same season as the solar pump.
How Heaven Green Energy Designs Paddy Solar Pumps
Heaven Green Energy is MNRE-empanelled for PM KUSUM Component B across Punjab, UP, West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. We design every paddy installation against the 4-input framework above — variety, transplant method, soil, water table — rather than off a generic rule book.
- Agronomy-led sizing visit — field measurement of borewell static head, percolation test, and cropping-plan review before HP is quoted.
- MNRE-approved AC and DC solar submersibles — Shakti, CRI, Kirloskar, Lubi — all under KUSUM Component B specifications.
- Cyclone-rated mounting for coastal AP, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu installations.
- 5-year comprehensive warranty on pump and 25-year linear performance warranty on panels.
- KUSUM subsidy paperwork handled end-to-end — state nodal agency application, bank loan tie-up, subsidy disbursement tracking.
- Annual maintenance contracts with a 48-hour rural response window across paddy belts.
Explore the resources that match your farm:
- PM KUSUM complete guide — full scheme architecture, Components A/B/C.
- KUSUM pump size by borewell depth — head-based HP selection.
- KUSUM Component C grid-tied pump — for grid-connected paddy belts.
- Solar calculator — quick HP and farmer-share estimate.
- Talk to our paddy team — free site visit across Punjab, UP, WB, and southern states.
Frequently Asked Questions
What HP solar pump is best for a 5-acre paddy farm under PM KUSUM?
A 7.5 HP solar pump is the standard recommendation for a 5-acre transplanted paddy farm with medium-duration variety, medium loam soil, and a 50–80 ft water table. Peak demand at tillering is around 7,500 litres per day, and a 7.5 HP submersible matched with a 7.5 kWp panel array delivers that even on cloudy monsoon days. Under PM KUSUM Component B with 60% combined central and state subsidy, the farmer share is ₹1.5–1.8 lakh. Farms practising DSR (Direct Seeded Rice) can usually drop to 5 HP, saving ₹50,000–₹80,000.
Can a solar pump handle the continuous water demand of transplanted paddy?
Yes, when sized correctly. The misconception is that solar pumps only work for “occasional” irrigation. A properly sized KUSUM Component B solar pump with a 1.0–1.2 kWp panel-to-HP ratio runs 6–7 effective pumping hours daily during the kharif season and can sustain 3–5 cm standing water through tillering and panicle initiation. The critical design rule is to size to peak day under cloudy conditions, not to seasonal average. If you do that, a 7.5 HP pump on 5 acres comfortably meets continuous water demand.
How much subsidy do paddy farmers get under PM KUSUM Component B?
PM KUSUM Component B gives general-category paddy farmers a 60% combined subsidy (30% central + 30% state) on the benchmark cost of the solar pump system, with the farmer paying the remaining 40%. Special-category states and SC/ST farmers in some states get up to 90% combined subsidy. For a 7.5 HP system priced at ₹4.2 lakh, that translates to ₹2.52 lakh subsidy and ₹1.68 lakh farmer share at the standard rate. Bank loan tie-ups under the scheme can finance the farmer share over 5 years against the kharif paddy income stream.
Is DSR (Direct Seeded Rice) better than transplanted paddy for solar pumping?
Yes, from a pump sizing and ROI standpoint. DSR cuts seasonal water demand by 20–30% versus puddled transplanted, which lets you size down by one HP bracket — a 5-acre farm goes from 7.5 HP to 5 HP, saving ₹80,000–₹1 lakh on the system and reducing the farmer share. DSR also saves ₹4,000–₹6,000 per acre in transplanting labour. Yields are 5–8% lower in the first DSR season and recover by year 3 as field-level practice matures. ICAR-NRRI and Punjab Agricultural University both recommend DSR for water-stressed paddy belts.
What size pump do paddy farmers in Punjab Malwa need given the deep water table?
Punjab Malwa belt water tables now sit at 90–150 metres in many blocks, which raises the total dynamic head and reduces pump discharge significantly. A 5-acre Malwa paddy farm typically needs a 10 HP solar pump (instead of 7.5 HP) to deliver the same 7,500 litres per day at the deeper head. System cost rises to ₹5.5 lakh and farmer share under 60% subsidy is ₹2.2 lakh. Switching to DSR plus a short-duration variety like PR-126 is strongly recommended in Malwa — it preserves groundwater and lets you stay in the 7.5 HP bracket.
How long does PM KUSUM Component B take from application to commissioning for paddy farmers?
A clean KUSUM Component B application takes 90–150 days from state nodal agency submission to pump commissioning. The flow is: application + documents (2–4 weeks), sanction order from state agency (3–6 weeks), farmer share payment (1–2 weeks), installation (1–2 weeks), and inspection and subsidy disbursement (4–6 weeks). Applying between January and March (rabi window) ensures the pump is commissioned before the June–July kharif transplanting season starts. Punjab and UP have faster windows than West Bengal or Odisha.
Will a solar pump save enough diesel to cover the KUSUM farmer share in one paddy season?
For most diesel-baseline farmers, yes. A 5-acre paddy farm running a 7.5 HP diesel set during kharif burns 1,800–2,400 litres of HSD at ₹92/litre — an annual diesel cost of ₹1.65–₹2.2 lakh. The KUSUM farmer share for an equivalent 7.5 HP solar pump is ₹1.5–₹1.8 lakh. That means a single kharif season’s diesel saving covers the farmer share, with rabi-season pumping and the remaining 24+ years of pump life as pure profit. Grid-connected farmers see payback in 4–5 years instead, since the baseline electricity cost is lower than diesel.
Does PM KUSUM cover solar pumps for paddy in West Bengal and Odisha?
Yes — both WBREDA (West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency) and OREDA (Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency) actively run KUSUM Component B for paddy farmers. West Bengal has run major Component B tranches across Burdwan, Hooghly, and 24 Parganas paddy belts; Odisha has prioritised Cuttack, Puri, and Ganjam coastal districts. Both states process applications through their respective nodal agency portals with status mirrored on the central KUSUM portal. Heaven Green Energy is empanelled in both states with regional teams handling installation and post-commissioning service.
