Telangana Launches ₹12,600 Crore “Indira Solar Giri Jal Vikasam” Scheme to Empower Tribal Farmers

The Telangana government has announced a flagship initiative—Indira Solar Giri Jal Vikasam—with a budget of ₹12,600 crore, designed to transform tribal agriculture through sustainable, solar-powered irrigation. The scheme targets 600,000 acres of both Forest Rights Act (RoFR) and non-RoFR forest lands across the state and will directly benefit 210,000 tribal farmers who were granted land titles under the RoFR Act.

Launch & Timeframe

The scheme will be officially inaugurated by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on May 18, 2025, in Macharam village, Amrabad Mandal, Achampet constituency.

Implementation is planned for the 2025–26 fiscal year, continuing through 2029–30.

Key Features

• 100% subsidy coverage, with solar pump units costing approximately ₹6 lakh each, fully financed by the government.
  
  
• Provision of off-grid solar-powered irrigation systems, supported by drip irrigation, horticultural development, high-quality saplings, and intercropping assistance to ensure interim income until longer-term crops begin yielding.
  
  
• Multi-department integration including Forest, Energy, Agriculture, Horticulture, Rural Development, Rural Water Supply, Groundwater, and Health to ensure seamless execution.
  
  
• At the district level, Collectors will oversee implementation, supported by Project Monitoring Units (PMUs). In ITDA regions, PMUs will operate under the ITDA Project Officer; in non-ITDA areas, under the District Tribal Development Officer.
  
  

Significance & Context

Telangana becomes the first state in India to go beyond issuing RoFR land titles and launch a dedicated irrigation and livelihood enhancement program specifically for RoFR beneficiaries.

Since the enactment of the RoFR Act in 2006—where about 6.69 lakh acres were titled to tribal farmers—successive governments failed to deliver effective irrigation and agricultural support. This scheme aims to fill that long-standing gap.

According to the Deputy Chief Minister, the scheme embraces the long-standing goal of “land to the tiller”, striving to convert tribal slogans such as rights to water, forest, land, and livelihood into tangible governance outcomes.