Punjab Solar Tubewell Scheme Phase 2: How Farmers Can Get Up to Rs 1 Million Subsidy and Slash Irrigation Costs in 2026

• By Best Solar Company PK
• 25 Jul, 2026
• Solar Guides
• 7 min read

High-speed diesel crossed Rs 378 per litre in the price revision of 24 July 2026. For a farmer near Multan running a 15-horsepower diesel tubewell through the cotton season, that means roughly Rs 1,100–1,500 burned for every single hour of pumping. It is against this backdrop that the Punjab government has expanded the Chief Minister's Solarization of Agricultural Tubewells Programme into Phase 2 — a plan to convert 10,000 more electric and diesel tubewells to solar power, with the government picking up as much as 80% of the bill.

If you farm in South Punjab — Multan, Taunsa Sharif, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan — this is one of the most valuable subsidies currently on offer anywhere in Pakistan's energy sector. Here is exactly how it works.

What Is the Solar Tubewell Scheme Phase 2?

Phase 1 of the CM Solarization Programme targeted 8,000 tubewells across priority districts including Multan, Faisalabad and Attock, backed by an allocation of over Rs 9 billion. Applications for that phase closed in early 2026, and installations are ongoing.

Phase 2 scales the programme up: around 10,000 additional tubewells are to be solarized starting from mid-2026, with a reported budget of roughly Rs 9.88 billion. The logic is straightforward — Punjab has hundreds of thousands of tubewells running on expensive diesel or subsidized grid electricity. Every tubewell shifted to solar cuts the farmer's cost of irrigation, reduces the government's power-subsidy burden, and takes pressure off an overloaded rural grid.

How Much Subsidy Will You Get?

The subsidy is a flat amount tied to the solar system size, designed to cover up to 80% of the installed cost:

• **10 kW system** — Rs 500,000 subsidy (suits smaller pumps and holdings)
• **15 kW system** — Rs 750,000 subsidy (typical for 10–15 HP tubewells)
• **20 kW system** — Rs 1,000,000 subsidy (for larger 15–20 HP tubewells)

The farmer pays only the remaining share — roughly 20% — and under Phase 2 this share can be spread over installments of up to five years rather than paid as a lump sum. On a 20 kW system costing around Rs 1.25 million, the farmer's portion of about Rs 250,000 works out to a little over Rs 4,000 per month across 60 months.

Who Is Eligible?

Based on the criteria published on the official Punjab government portal, an applicant must:

• Be a **resident of Punjab** with a valid CNIC
• **Own at least 1 acre** of agricultural land in Punjab
• Own that land within the **revenue limits of the same district** where the application is submitted
• Have only **one solar system per family** under the scheme
• For electric tubewells: hold a **3-phase agricultural connection** that was installed **before 30 October 2024**, with **no outstanding dues** (electricity bill defaulters are excluded)
• Provide **Fard-e-Malkiat** (land ownership record) and, for electric tubewells, paid bills as proof of tubewell ownership

Diesel tubewell owners are covered as well — in fact they stand to save the most, since they face no connection-date condition and their running costs are the highest.

How to Apply Online

The application is free and fully online — you do not need an agent, and you should never pay anyone to "get your name in the list."

• **Step 1:** Go to the Punjab Agriculture Department portal at **agriculture.punjab.gov.pk** and follow the CM Solarization Programme link, or go directly to the dedicated portal **cmstp.punjab.gov.pk**.
• **Step 2:** Register with your CNIC number and the mobile number registered in your name; verify via SMS code.
• **Step 3:** Enter your land details (district, tehsil, khewat/khasra from your Fard) and your tubewell type — electric or diesel — along with the reference number of your electricity connection if applicable.
• **Step 4:** Upload scanned documents: CNIC, Fard-e-Malkiat, and recent paid electricity bills for electric tubewells.
• **Step 5:** Submit and note your tracking number. Where applications exceed the quota, selection is done through computerized balloting, after which shortlisted farmers deposit their share (or first installment) and a pre-qualified vendor installs the system.

For help, call the official helpline **0800-17000** (8am to 8pm). Keep checking the portal, because Phase 2 application windows are announced district by district.

Real Savings: Multan and Taunsa Sharif

Let's put concrete numbers on it, using late-July 2026 prices.

**A diesel tubewell in Taunsa Sharif.** Much of Taunsa and the wider D.G. Khan belt runs diesel tubewells because rural feeders are weak or simply unavailable. A 15 HP diesel engine consumes roughly 3–4 litres per hour; at Rs 378 per litre that is **Rs 1,130–1,510 per hour**. A farmer irrigating a 12-acre cotton–wheat rotation typically logs 400–500 pumping hours a year — an annual diesel bill of **Rs 450,000–750,000**, before engine oil and repairs. A 15 kW solar system replaces almost all of that. Even after paying his 20% share (about Rs 190,000, spread over five years), the farmer is saving several lakh rupees every single year.

**An electric tubewell in Multan.** Multan is a confirmed priority district of the programme. Under NEPRA's October 2025 relief package, agricultural consumers pay a subsidized Rs 22.98 per unit on incremental consumption — but base-slab units, fixed charges, taxes and surcharges still push effective bills far higher. A 15 kW pump running 450 hours a year draws roughly 6,500–7,000 units, and real-world annual bills of **Rs 150,000–200,000** are common. Solar cuts this to little more than panel cleaning and occasional maintenance — perhaps Rs 10,000–20,000 a year.

Payback: Does the Math Work?

With the subsidy, yes — decisively. A diesel-tubewell farmer paying only Rs 190,000–250,000 as his share recovers that money in **well under one year** of avoided fuel costs. An electric-tubewell farmer typically breaks even in **one to two years**. Solar panels now carry 10–12 year product warranties and 25-year performance warranties, so the farmer is looking at two decades of near-zero irrigation cost. There are few investments in Pakistani agriculture with a stronger return.

One practical tip: insist that your installer uses a proper VFD (variable frequency drive) matched to your pump, and ask about a hybrid changeover so you can still run the pump from the grid or a generator on cloudy days during critical sowing windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

**Is Phase 2 open for applications right now?** Phase 1 applications have closed, and Phase 2 — covering 10,000 tubewells — is rolling out from mid-2026 onwards. Registration windows are announced on cmstp.punjab.gov.pk and through the Agriculture Department. Check the portal regularly or call 0800-17000 rather than relying on social-media posts.

**I have a diesel tubewell with no electricity connection. Can I apply?** Yes. The scheme explicitly covers both diesel and electric tubewells. Diesel owners do not need to meet the 3-phase-connection condition — you mainly need your CNIC, Fard-e-Malkiat, and at least 1 acre of owned land in the district where you apply.

**Can I sell extra solar power back to the grid under net metering?** No — solarized tubewells under this scheme are standalone (off-grid) systems dedicated to pumping. NEPRA's net-metering/net-billing framework applies to grid-tied consumers and is a separate arrangement with its own approval process.

**My land is on lease. Am I eligible?** The published criteria require land ownership proven by Fard-e-Malkiat, so tenants and lessees cannot apply in their own name. The registered landowner would need to apply.

**How are farmers selected if applications exceed 10,000?** Through computerized balloting among verified, eligible applicants — the same transparent method used in Phase 1 and in the CM Roshan Gharana rooftop programme. There is no fee for applying and no legitimate way to "buy" a slot, so treat anyone demanding money as a fraudster and report them on the helpline.

Best Solar Company PK designs and installs reliable solar systems in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Taunsa Sharif and Karachi. Contact us for a free survey and the best advice for your home or business.