Free electricity for millions of Indian farm pumps now causes about 100 million tonnes of carbon emissions yearly. Scientists warn this is harming the climate and draining groundwater rapidly. The farm power subsidy (FPS), heavily reliant on coal (72%), is one of the most carbon-heavy support systems in India. Experts from top institutions urge the Centre and States to rethink FPS and shift toward climate-friendly irrigation and farming. The researchers suggest moving away from groundwater-based irrigation and changing cropping patterns. They promote coarse cereals like millets, which need less water and offer good nutrition. Incentives, minimum support prices (MSP), and promotions can help revive millet consumption, especially in western and southern India. Since the mid-2000s, free power subsidies have caused annual CO₂-equivalent emissions to rise by 5.77 million tonnes, now exceeding 100 million tonnes. The study suggests replacing subsidised rice and wheat gradually with region-specific crops—rice in the east, millets in the west and south—to boost economies and protect the environment. Farmers should be encouraged to adopt water-saving methods, traditional rain-fed farming, or crops suited to local water availability without losing income. Financial support for water and energy savings and compensation for climate damage are vital for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “We suggest repurposing agricultural policies, without compromising farmers’ income, for efficient management of energy and water,” said Virendra M. Tiwari, Director of CSIR–North East Institute of Science and Technology. The study titled “Envisioning Farm Power Subsidy for Groundwater Irrigation in India for Attaining SDGs” was published in the journal Earth’s Future. It highlights that FPS and loan waivers often widen inequalities and hurt several SDGs like clean water, clean energy, responsible consumption, and climate action. The researchers emphasize preserving natural landscapes and using green finance for carbon capture, as better solutions than current irrigation-heavy farming. They point out that while southern and western states expand agriculture with hard hydrogeological conditions, many eastern states struggle due to lack of affordable energy and irrigation. Technologies like micro-irrigation and groundwater management programs under PMKSY and Atal Bhujal Yojana already exist to improve water use. Although subsidised rice and wheat meet calorie needs, these crops have decreased the diversity of healthy, low-water crops such as millets. With growing urban interest in millets, experts call for economic incentives and MSP support to bring back millet-based diets. This would help the environment, farmers’ incomes, and public health.