Major gaps in knowledge are limiting better targeting of energy access subsidies in India. The latest distributional analyses of energy consumption subsidies—that is, how benefits are shared across different income groups—are based on 2011 census data that are now significantly dated.

This paper seeks to assist policy-makers and researchers in India who are working to promote the uptake of off-grid, solar-powered pumps for groundwater irrigation. It begins by setting out key WEF linkages of importance for off-grid solar pumps.

A fuel price cut by India’s central government from October 2018 to June 2019 resulted in subsidies of INR 26,957 crore (USD 3.9 billion) for gasoline and diesel. This far overshadowed funding for the government’s flagship electric vehicles (EV) subsidy program of INR 10,000 crore (USD 1.4 billion) over three years.