- Out of about 141 m.Ha of net area sown in the country, about 65 million hectare (or 45%) is presently covered under irrigation.
- Substantial dependency on rainfall makes cultivation in unirrigated areas a high risk, less productive profession. Empirical evidences suggest that assured or protective irrigation encourages farmers to invest more in farming technology and inputs leading to productivity enhancement and increased farm income.
- Launched in 2015, the overreaching vision of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) is to ensure access to some means of protective irrigation to all agricultural farms in the country, to produce ‘per drop more crop’, thus bringing much desired rural prosperity.
- Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yoiana (PMKSY) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (Core Scheme) launched in 2015. Centre- States will be 75:25 per cent. In the case of the north-eastern region and hilly states, it will be 90:10.
- Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the extension of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PMKSY) till 2026, with an outlay of Rs 93,068 crore.
- It will benefit about 22 lakh farmers, including 2.5 lakh scheduled caste and two lakh scheduled tribe farmers.
- In 2020, the Ministry of Jal Shakti launched a mobile application for Geo-Tagging of the components of projects under PMKSY.
- Its objectives are:
- Achieve convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level (preparation of district level and, if required, sub district level water use plans).
- Enhance the physical access of water on the farm and expand cultivable area under assured irrigation (Har Khet ko pani).
- Integration of water source, distribution and its efficient use, to make best use of water through appropriate technologies and practices.
- Improve on-farm water use efficiency to reduce wastage and increase availability both in duration and extent.
- Enhance the adoption of precision-irrigation and other water saving technologies (More crop per drop).
- Enhance recharge of aquifers and introduce sustainable water conservation practices.
- Ensure the integrated development of rainfed areas using the watershed approach towards soil and water conservation, regeneration of ground water, arresting runoff, providing livelihood options and other NRM activities.
- Promote extension activities relating to water harvesting, water management and crop alignment for farmers and grass root level field functionaries.
- Explore the feasibility of reusing treated municipal waste water for peri – urban agriculture.
- Attract greater private investments in irrigation.
- Formulation: It was formulated by amalgamating following schemes:
- Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) – Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (now Ministry of Jal Shakti).
- Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) – Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development.
- On-Farm Water Management (OFWM) – Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC).
- Implementation: Decentralized implementation through State Irrigation Plan and District Irrigation Plan.
- Water budgeting: It is done for all sectors namely, household, agriculture and industries.
Functions of PMKSY
- The plan goes for bringing concerned Ministries/Departments/Agencies/Research and Financial Institutions occupied with creation/utilize/reusing/potential reusing of water, brought under a typical stage, so a thorough and all-encompassing perspective of the whole “water cycle” is considered and water budgeting is accomplished for all areas to be specific, family, horticulture, and businesses.
- The program design of PMKSY goes for a ‘decentralized State level arranging and execution’ structure, with a specific end goal to enable States to draw up a District Irrigation Plan (DIP) and a State Irrigation Plan (SIP). All structures made under the plans will be geotagged.
PMKSY Scheme Components
The major components of PMKSY are listed below:
- Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) was launched in 1996 with the aim of accelerating the implementation of irrigation projects that exceed the resource capabilities of states.
- Har Khet ko Pani (HKKP) aims to create new water sources through Minor Irrigation. Repair, restoration and renovation of water bodies, strengthening carrying capacity of traditional water sources, construction rain water harvesting structures.
- It has sub components: Command Area Development (CAD), Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI), Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies, Ground Water Development.
- Per Drop More Crop (PDMC): Improving the efficiency of water usage by various initiatives like precision water application devices, construction of micro-irrigation structures to supplement source creation activities including tube wells and dug wells, etc
- Watershed Development is the effective management of runoff water and improved soil & moisture conservation activities such as ridge area treatment, drainage line 5 treatment, rain water harvesting, in – situ moisture conservation and other allied activities o n watershed basis.
Ministries Involved in PMKSY
- Ministry of Agriculture- Promote efficient water conveyance and precision water application devices like drips, sprinklers, pivots, rain-guns in the farm “(Jal Sinchan)”, construction of micro-irrigation structures to supplement source creation activities, extension activities for the promotion of scientific moisture conservation and agronomic measures
- MoWR RD & GR- Undertake various measures for creation of assured irrigation source, construction of diversion canals, field channels, water diversion/lift irrigation, including the development of water distribution systems
- Ministry of Rural Development- Mainly undertakes rainwater conservation, construction of farm pond, water harvesting structures, small check dams, and contour bunding, etc.
Committees Involved in Implementing the PMKSY Yojana
- National Steering Committee (NSC):
- This is an Inter-Ministerial Committee under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister with Union Ministers of all concerned Ministries. It will supervise and monitor the program at the national level
- National Executive Committee (NEC):
- To be constituted under the Chairmanship of the Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog. It will oversee program implementation, inter-ministerial coordination, resource allocation, monitoring and performance assessment, addressing administrative issues etc.
- State Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC):
- SLSC will be Chaired by the Chief Secretary of the respective States to administer the scheme at the state level. It will have all authority to sanction the project and also monitor the progress of the scheme.
- District Level Implementation Committee: At the district level for ensuring last mile coordination at the field level