Mr. Deep Patil will present his MTP2 as per the details below:

Date: Monday, 19th June 2025

Time: 1100 - 1200 hrs.

Venue: C-TARA Conference Room No.1

Topic: Socio-economic and technical analysis of community solar pumps

Guide: Prof. Priya Jadhav

Co-Guide: Prof. Vishal Sardeshpande

Examiners: Prof. Parmeshwar D. Udmale, Prof. Narendra S. Shirodkar

Abstract:

Indian agriculture sits at the difficult intersection of water and energy security, with smallholder farmers caught between unreliable, low-cost grid electricity and expensive, polluting diesel pumps. Solar-powered irrigation offers a promising alternative, but high upfront costs keep it out of reach for most marginal and tribal communities. Stepping away from the standard analysis of individual-ownership schemes like PM-KUSUM, this thesis focuses instead on community-owned solar irrigation. The work centres on a detailed techno-economic and social-impact case study of a cooperative solar pump project in Dongripada, a tribal village in Palghar, Maharashtra, where over 27 families share two 10 HP solar pumps. A second case study from Gale village serves as a comparative point, where a similar intervention has met different operational challenges. The research uses a mixed-methods approach. The social and economic analysis draws on farmer interviews to capture changes in livelihoods, migration, cropping choices, household income, and quality of life. The technical analysis combines direct field measurements—drip emitter discharge, plant spacing, pipeline geometry, and elevation—with hydraulic modelling using the Hazen-Williams equation, pump characteristic curves, and hourly solar intensity profiles to estimate daily supply capacity. Cost and replacement data yield the Annualised Life Cycle Cost (ALCC) over a 25-year horizon. The findings show an impact at Dongripada. Seasonal migration has ended entirely, children attend school without long gaps, and several farmers have diversified into cattle, buffalo, and poultry rearing. The shift to daytime irrigation has reduced drudgery and improved safety, especially for women. Year-round cultivation now generates meaningful annual net income for participating farmers, while the system's life-cycle cost remains modest relative to the benefits delivered. Field-calibrated water demand for the command area is well below the system's daily supply capacity, leaving substantial surplus.