PM KUSUM Yojana and the Transformation of Agricultural Energy Systems in India: Policy Design, Quantitative Assessment, and Sustainability Implications

India’s agricultural sector relies heavily on groundwater irrigation supported by subsidized electricity and diesel pumps. This energy structure contributes to fiscal pressure on state governments, carbon emissions, and groundwater depletion. The ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan’ (PM KUSUM), launched in 2019 by the ‘Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’, seeks to promote decentralised solar energy adoption in agriculture. This study examines the structural need for the programme within India’s climatic and geographical conditions, explains its institutional architecture, and presents a quantitative assessment using latest official data. Findings indicate significant progress in pump installation and solarisation, though uneven regional performance and groundwater sustainability concerns remain. The paper concludes that PM KUSUM represents a structural shift in agricultural energy governance, provided it is integrated with water management and institutional reforms.