How long does PM-KUSUM approval and installation usually take after I apply?

There is no fixed national timeline, and honestly the wait varies a lot by state and by how busy the season is, but it helps to know the stages so you can see where you are stuck. After you apply, the first stage is screening and selection by the nodal agency, which can take a few weeks because they verify your land and documents and often process in batches. Once selected you get a demand note to pay your farmer share, and only after your payment is confirmed does the second stage begin, where an empanelled vendor is assigned to you. The third stage is the site survey and installation, where the vendor visits, confirms the bore and head, and fits the panels and pump, and the fourth stage is inspection and commissioning by the agency or DISCOM before it is officially handed over. In practice the whole journey from application to a running pump often spans several months, sometimes longer if the window was crowded or material supply is slow. The most common delay points are waiting for selection in a batch, slow vendor allocation after payment, and the final inspection. To keep it moving, pay your share promptly once the demand note comes, respond fast to any document query, and keep noting your application number so you can follow up with the nodal office. Ask your state nodal agency for their current expected timeline when you apply.