New IP Set Connection Rules Karnataka 2026: 500 m Rule & Solar

What changed in 2023

For years, the ESCOMs built lines and transformers for new pump sets under schemes such as Ganga Kalyana and the earlier quick connection scheme. Waiting lists ran long, and lakhs of farmers connected pumps without sanction. The energy department put the number of unauthorised pump sets at about 4.5 lakh in 2023.

The government drew a line at 22 September 2023:

Unauthorised pump sets connected before that date were to be regularised. About 2.5 lakh had been regularised by mid-2025, as reported, with the rest targeted within a year.
For pump sets after that date, the farmer bears the cost of the line and other infrastructure under a revised quick connection (self-financing) arrangement, and the ESCOM provides the transformer.
Pump sets more than 500 metres from the existing grid are to go solar under PM-KUSUM Component B instead of getting a new line.

For the basics of how IP set supply, LT-4 tariff, starters and transformer failures work, see our farmers' IP set guide. This article covers only the newer rules.

22 Sep 2023cut-off date for the new rules

500 mdistance from the grid beyond which solar is the route

20%farmer's share of a KUSUM-B solar pump

10 HPfree power limit for IP sets

Within 500 m of the grid: self-financing

Under the revised quick connection scheme reported in May 2025, a farmer whose pump is within 500 metres of the power grid arranges the line and other basic infrastructure at their own cost. The ESCOM then provides the transformer where two or more pump sets are served, collects the applicable deposit and regularises or connects the pump.

New IP set within 500 m: typical path

1Check distance and transformer capacity with the section office
Ask for the nearest LT pole or 11 kV line and the transformer's spare capacity.
?Is the pump within 500 m of the grid?
Yes Self-financing connectionNo Solar pump under KUSUM-B
3Application with RTC, borewell details and pump HP
Aadhaar, RTC in your name, water source details, wiring report from a licensed contractor.
4ESCOM estimate for line works
Build the line through a licensed contractor to ESCOM standards (self-execution) or as the ESCOM directs.
5Transformer from the ESCOM for group connections
✓Starter, capacitor, earthing and service connection under LT-4

Group applications work better. Three or four farmers on one line share the poles and conductor, and the ESCOM provides the transformer for two or more pumps. Agree the cost split in writing before work starts.

Worked example: three farmers sharing one line

Take three neighbouring farmers whose borewells are about 150 m, 300 m and 450 m from the nearest LT line, along the same cart track. Applying separately, each would pay for his own run of poles from the line. Applying together, they need one line along the shared route with short branches to each pump.

Ask for one combined survey. The section engineer marks the route, the pole positions and where the transformer will go, and confirms in writing that all three pumps are within 500 m of the grid.
Get one written estimate for the line and materials, with the ESCOM's supervision charge shown separately if you self-execute.
Agree the split before work starts. A common fair method is to share the cost of the common section equally among everyone it serves, and let each farmer pay for his own branch. The farmer at 450 m pays more than the one at 150 m, but far less than he would alone.
Write it down. A simple agreement signed by all three, with survey numbers, should record the split, who holds the money, who deals with the contractor, and whose land each pole stands on.
Apply for the connections together, so the ESCOM plans one transformer for the combined HP rather than adding three pumps to an already loaded one.

Two things spoil group lines: one farmer dropping out halfway, and a landowner outside the group refusing a pole on his land. Settle both before anyone pays. Have the line built by a licensed contractor to ESCOM standards; electrical contractor licence in Karnataka explains which licence class covers LT and 11 kV line work. If one of you also plans a house near the borewell, it needs its own domestic meter, not a wire from the pump; see our farmhouse connection guide.

Beyond 500 m: the solar route under PM-KUSUM

For pumps more than 500 m from the grid, the state's answer is a standalone solar pump under PM-KUSUM Component B. In the current round, the central government gives 30% and the state government 50%, leaving the farmer to pay 20%. The state raised its share from 30% to 50%, as announced by Energy Minister K J George.

	Self-financed grid connection	KUSUM-B solar pump
Upfront cost	Line and materials, plus deposits	20% of the system cost
Running cost	Free up to 10 HP under the state subsidy	Almost none
Pumping hours	Scheduled three-phase hours	Daylight, best from about 10 am to 3 pm
Risks	Transformer failures, low voltage at the tail end	Cloudy days, theft of panels

As of July 2026, the energy minister reported about 27,700 solar pump sets installed under KUSUM-B, more than 1 lakh applications and a target of 40,000. Applications go through the KREDL / ESCOM process for the round. Waiting lists are long, so apply early.

Regularising an unauthorised pump set

Connected before 22 September 2023: covered by the regularisation drive. Go to the section office with the RTC, borewell details and the pump HP. You will usually pay the prescribed deposit, fit a starter and capacitor and get an RR number.
Connected after that date and within 500 m: regularisation is linked to the self-financing route. You arrange the line and infrastructure, and the ESCOM provides the transformer.
More than 500 m away: solar is the expected route.
Above 10 HP and drawing from rivers or canals without sanction: the minister has said such illegal sets will be disconnected.

Hooking is not a shortcut

Direct tapping from lines kills linemen and farmers every year and burns transformers that a whole village depends on. A hooked pump also has no RR number, so it gets no free power, no regularisation history and no transformer replacement priority.

Aadhaar linking of IP set RR numbers

Since 2024, the state has been linking farmers' Aadhaar numbers to the RR numbers of their IP sets. In July 2024, the energy minister said the linking is for record keeping, to know the real number of pump sets and their power needs, and to curb misuse. ESCOMs have put up online links for linking Aadhaar to IP sets with sanctioned load of 10 HP and below; CESC Mysuru, for example, publishes one on its website.

Checklist0 / 5 done

Find the RR number of each pump set on the old bill, the service card or from the section office
Make sure the RTC and the RR number are in the same name, or get the name transferred first
Link Aadhaar to each RR number through your ESCOM's link or at the section office
Keep the acknowledgement; ask for the status if the record still shows unlinked
If the land has been partitioned, update the RR name so each pump is linked to the right owner

Our name transfer guide explains how to change the name on an RR number.

Before you drill a new borewell

The expensive mistake is to drill, lower a 10 HP pump and only then ask the ESCOM about power. Do it the other way round.

Checklist0 / 8 done

Walk to the nearest LT pole and the nearest transformer; note their numbers and measure the distance roughly
Ask the section officer whether that transformer has spare capacity and which feeder it is on
If you are near 500 m, get the distance confirmed by the ESCOM, not by guesswork
Talk to neighbours who also plan pumps; a group line and transformer costs each farmer less
Check the RTC is in your name and any partition is recorded
Pick the pump HP from the expected yield and depth, not the largest motor the dealer has
If you are beyond 500 m, find out when the next KUSUM-B round opens and what the 20% share will be for your pump size
Budget for a proper starter, the right capacitor, a good earth and submersible-grade cable

Ask for every estimate and every rule in writing. Officers change, and a written estimate from the subdivision is what protects you if the terms are revised while the work is going on.

Get the line or extension built by a licensed electrical contractor working to ESCOM standards. Poor joints, undersized conductor and missing stays are the reasons self-built lines are refused at inspection or fail in the first monsoon.

Free power up to 10 HP: what still applies

IP sets up to 10 HP under LT-4(a) continue to get free electricity, with the government paying the ESCOM a subsidy. In March 2026, KERC's review order reduced the LT-4(a) rate the state pays from a uniform ₹8.30 per unit to between ₹6.57 and ₹7.79 depending on the ESCOM. That changes the subsidy bill, not what an eligible farmer pays. Pumps above 10 HP are under LT-4(b) and pay a fixed and energy charge.

Fit the right capacitor. The tariff order allows a penalty of ₹100 per HP per year on IP sets without capacitors of the size set in the Conditions of Supply, and new IP sets must fit them before service.
Use the pump only for your own land and for drinking water for the family and animals. Other use can be billed at commercial or industrial rates.
Do not declare a lower HP than the motor's rating. Mismatches are what Aadhaar linking and meter surveys are meant to catch.

Check the official source

Tariffs, schemes and ESCOM procedures change. This article explains how things work in practice as of October 2026. Before you pay, sign or buy equipment, confirm the current rule on the KERC website (kerc.karnataka.gov.in), your ESCOM website (BESCOM, MESCOM, CESC Mysuru, HESCOM or GESCOM), at your subdivision office, or on the helpline 1912.

Questions

What is the 500 metre rule for IP sets in Karnataka?

Pump sets within 500 m of the existing grid can get a connection if the farmer arranges the line and infrastructure, with the ESCOM providing the transformer. Pumps more than 500 m away are directed to solar pumps under PM-KUSUM Component B.

Do farmers have to pay for the transformer for a new IP set?

Under the revised quick connection arrangement reported in 2025, the farmer arranges the line and basic infrastructure and the ESCOM provides the transformer where two or more pump sets are served. Confirm the current terms at your section office.

How much does a farmer pay for a KUSUM-B solar pump in Karnataka?

In the current round the central government gives 30% and the state 50%, so the farmer pays about 20% of the cost.

Is Aadhaar linking compulsory for IP sets?

The government is linking Aadhaar to IP set RR numbers to count pump sets and plan supply. Link through your ESCOM's online link or section office so your pump stays correctly recorded.

Is power still free for IP sets up to 10 HP?

Yes. Eligible IP sets up to 10 HP get free power, with the state paying the ESCOM a subsidy.

Can an unauthorised pump set be regularised?

Pumps connected before 22 September 2023 are covered by the regularisation drive. Later pumps within 500 m can be regularised through the self-financing route.

Sources

Rules and figures in this article were checked against these sources on 30 Sep 2026. Schemes and tariffs change, so confirm with the official office before you act.

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Written by the Basavalalith Electricals engineering teamLicensed electrical contractors working on ESCOM, KPTCL and CEIG projects across Karnataka, from Bengaluru and Mysuru to Mangaluru, Hubballi and Kalaburagi.

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We handle the electrical work and the ESCOM, KPTCL and CEIG liaisoning anywhere in Karnataka, with BESCOM, MESCOM, CESC, HESCOM and GESCOM. Email basavalalith.electricals@gmail.com or use the enquiry form.

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New IP set connection rules in Karnataka: 500 m rule, self-financing, regularisation, Aadhaar