Tubewell connections

14.50 lakh total tubewell connections in the state

10,000 farmers have four to nine tubewells

29,322 farmers have three and 1.42L farmers have 2 connections

Inequitable Subsidy distribution

Rs 2,500 per hectare at places like Pathankot, where tubewell connections are sparse as compared to Malwa region

Rs 25,000 per hectare in Sangrur and Barnala areas of the Malwa belt

Deeper aquifer, more powerful pumps

• The depletion of water table has led to increase in the number of submersible electric motors installed in the fields; the number has gone up from 6.19 lakh in 2009 to 9.79 lakh in 2017
• Over 90 per cent farmers have installed submersible motors now and this has led to an ever-increasing number of high BHP motors for groundwater extraction
• The number of motors with more than 10 BHP increased from 2.74 lakh (24% of the total) in 2010 to 4.58 lakh (34% of the total) in 2020, says economist Ranjit Singh Ghuman

What experts say

Over 81 per cent of the subsidy is availed by medium and large farmers (having over 10 acres of land). This should go only to the small and marginal farmers. Ranjit Singh Ghuman, Economist

Though it is the need of the hour to give subsidy to only economically vulnerable farmers, the political class fears its repercussions (as regards their vote bank). Kesar Singh Bhangu, Economist