New Delhi: The central government is likely to extend the deadline for the PM-KUSUM scheme once again, as several key parts of the project have not even reached half of their targets. The scheme was first launched in 2019 to promote solar energy for farmers and aimed to add a total of 30,800 megawatts (MW) of solar power by 2022.
However, due to delays caused by the pandemic and implementation challenges, the deadline was already extended once to March 2026 and the target was revised to 34,800 MW.
Targets Still Far From Reality
According to sources, this could be the second extension, as the progress under different components of the scheme remains low. As of September 9, 2025, Component B – which involves installing solar-powered water pumps – has achieved 71 percent of its target. But the other parts of the scheme have fallen far behind.
What Are the Scheme’s Components?
PM-KUSUM has three main parts. Component A focuses on installing small solar power plants with a total target of 10,000 MW. Component B involves setting up 14 lakh standalone off-grid solar pumps, and Component C is meant for solarising 35 lakh grid-connected pumps.
Component A has seen the worst performance, with only 650 MW of solar capacity installed so far. Some states like Telangana, Odisha, Gujarat, and Assam have reported zero installations. Even large states like Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have added only a few megawatts.
Component C, which has two parts, also shows slow progress – 16.5 percent and 25.5 percent of their targets have been achieved, respectively.
Why Is Progress So Slow?
Officials point to various challenges like land availability, lack of awareness, and delays in approvals. Some Union Territories like Andaman and Nicobar, and Puducherry have also shown no progress under Component B.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is now considering another extension of the deadline to give more time for full implementation.
