§1What this business is
Pump bodies, handles, caps and bases are cast in iron, cleaned, pickled, painted or powder-coated, and assembled with the piston, rod, valves and gaskets, then tested. India Mark II deep-well pumps lift water from up to 90 metres. Buyers are government water-supply departments, contractors and hardware dealers.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone with foundry or engineering experience and access to government tenders.
Who it is not for
Someone without capital to wait for government payments.
Advantages
- Steady government demand for rural water supply
- Simple product with long use
- Spare parts give repeat sales
- Low break-even in the report (21%)
Drawbacks
- Government buyers need BIS marks and tenders
- Casting is heavy, hot and polluting work
- Payment delays from departments
- Large machinery cost (₹17.10 L)
Skills you need
- Iron casting and machining
- Assembly and pressure testing
- Tendering and government paperwork
- Quality control to BIS standards
Why difficulty 3/5: Foundry skills, BIS approval and tenders all needed.
§3Market
Who buys
- State water-supply and rural development departments
- Water-supply contractors
- Hardware and pump dealers
- Households and farms
How it sells
- Government tenders
- Dealers in hardware and pumps
- Direct sale of spare parts
Good to know
- The report says India Mark II pumps can lift water from wells as deep as 90 metres.
- Year-1 sales in the report are ₹80.04 L at 30% capacity.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Die casting machine | 1 | ₹10,00,000 |
| Pickling plant | 1 | ₹3,50,000 |
| Riveting machine and air compressor | 1 | ₹20,000 |
| Buffing machine | 1 | ₹10,000 |
| Heating chamber (for powder-coat curing) | 1 | ₹1,80,000 |
| Laser or pad printing machine (optional) | 1 | ₹1,50,000 |
From: PMEGP sample project report — Handpump (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
- Cast iron (pig iron, scrap)for pump body, handle, cap and base
- Piston valve, pump rod, nuts, bolts, washers, pinsbought-out parts
- Rubber gaskets and cup leathersfor sealing and the plunger
- Paint or powder coatingfor finishing
From: PMEGP sample project report — Handpump (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam
- GST
- State pollution board consent and fire NOC (the report lists both)
- Trade licence
- BIS certification (listed in the report; India Mark II pumps for government supply are made to IS 9301)
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
₹23.02 L manufacturing project fits PMEGP and CGTMSE; Stand-Up India for SC/ST or women founders. Above MUDRA's ₹20 L ceiling.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Report cost of project ₹23.02 L: plant & machinery ₹17.10 L, other assets ₹1.00 L, working capital ₹4.92 L; premises rented (not costed). Finance: own ₹2.30 L, term loan ₹16.29 L, working-capital loan ₹4.43 L.
Working capital: Working capital ₹4.92 L (bank ₹4.43 L).
Year not printed on the report — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: EEPC India
- Check the exact 8-digit code in the DGFT ITC-HS list.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Tender losses or delays
- Pig iron and scrap price changes
- Pollution consent issues
- Late payments
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working hand pump manufacturing unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam, GST), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Hand Pump Manufacturing?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.