Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana

  1. Introduction
  2. Objectives
  3. Programme implementation
  4. Programme Components
  5. Related Resources
  6. Key components
  7. Criticism

Introduction

  • 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.
  • 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.

The broad objectives of PMKSY

  • 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.

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana

Programme implementation

  1. Krishi Sinchayee Yojana with an outlay of Rs.50,000 crores for a period of 5 years (2015-16 to 2019-20) is to achieve convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level.
  2. PMKSY has been formulated amalgamating ongoing schemes viz.
  3. Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) of Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation;
  4. Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) of Department of Land Resources; and
  5. On Farm Water Management (OFWM) component of National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) of Department of Agriculture and Cooperation.
  6. PMKSY is to be implemented in an area development approach, adopting decentralized state level planning and projectised execution, allowing the states to draw their irrigation development plans based on district/blocks plans with a horizon of 5 to 7 years.
  7. States can take up projects based on the District/State Irrigation Plan.
  8. All the States and Union Territories including North Eastern States are covered under the programme.
  9. The National Steering Committee (NSC) of PMKSY under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Prime Minister, will provide policy direction to programme framework and a National Executive Committee (NEC) under the chairmanship of Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog will oversee the programme implementation at national level.
  10. Provision has been made under PMKSY during 2015-16 for carrying out extension activities in the field with special focus on water harvesting, water management and crop alignment for farmers and grass root level field functionaries.

Programme Components

A) Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP)

To focus on faster completion of ongoing Major and Medium Irrigation including National Projects.

B) PMKSY (Har Khet ko Pani)

  1. Creation of new water sources through Minor Irrigation (both surface and ground water)
  2. Repair, restoration and renovation of water bodies; strengthening carrying capacity of traditional water sources, construction rain water harvesting structures (Jal Sanchay);
  3. Command area development, strengthening and creation of distribution network from source to the farm.
  4. Ground water development in the areas where it is abundant, so that sink is created to store runoff/ flood water during peak rainy season.
  5. Improvement in water management and distribution system for water bodies to take advantage of the available source which is not tapped to its fullest capacity (deriving benefits from low hanging fruits)
  6. At least 10% of the command area to be covered under micro/precision irrigation
  7. Diversion of water from source of different location where it is plenty to nearby water scarce areas, lift irrigation from water bodies/rivers at lower elevation to supplement requirements beyond IWMP and MGNREGS irrespective of irrigation command.
  8. Creating and rejuvenating traditional water storage systems like Jal Mandir (Gujarat); Khatri, Kuhl (H.P.); Zabo (Nagaland); Eri, Ooranis (T.N.); Dongs (Assam); Katas, Bandhas (Odisha and M.P.) etc. at feasible locations.

C) PMKSY (Per Drop More Crop)

  • Programme management, preparation of State/District Irrigation Plan, approval of annual action plan, Monitoring etc.
  • Promoting efficient water conveyance and precision water application devices like drips, sprinklers, pivots, rain – guns in the farm (Jal Sinchan);
  • Topping up of input cost particularly under civil construction beyond permissible limit (40%), under MGNREGS for activities like lining inlet, outlet, silt traps, distribution system etc.
  • Construction of micro irrigation structures to supplement source creation activities including tube wells and dug wells (in areas where ground water is available and not under semi critical /critical /over exploited category of development) which are not supported under AIBP, PMKSY (Har Khet ko Pani), PMKSY (Watershed) and MGNREGS a s per block/district irrigation plan.
  • Secondary storage structures at tail end of canal system to store water when available in abundance (rainy season) or from perennial sources like streams for use during dry periods through effective on – farm water management; Water lifting devices like diesel/ electric/ solar pumpsets including water carriage pipes, underground piping system.
  • Extension activities for promotion of scientific moisture conservation and agronomic measures including cropping alignment to maximise use of available water including rainfall and minimise irrigation requirement (Jal sarankchan);
  • Capacity building, training and awareness campaign including low cost publications, use of pico projectors and low cost films for encouraging potential use water source through technological, agronomic and management practices including community irrigation.
  • The extension workers will be empowered to disseminate relevant technologies under PMKSY only after requisite training is provided to them especially in the area of promotion of scientific moisture conservation and agronomic measures, improved/ innovative distribution system like pipe and box outlet system, etc. Appropriate Domain Experts will act as Master Trainers.
  • Information Communication Technology (ICT) interventions through NeGP – A to be made use in the field of water use efficiency, precision irrigation technologies, on farm water management, crop alignment etc. and also to do intensive monitoring of the Scheme.

Key Components of PDMC

  • Micro Irrigation (MI): Focusing on water use efficiency enhancement
  • Drip Irrigation
  • Sprinkler Irrigation
  • Other Interventions (OI): Supplementing drought-proofing measures
  • Water storage/ harvesting structures
  • Secondary Storage Structure
  • Ground water development and recharge
  • Renovation of existing water bodies
  • Water conveyance and water lifting devices

Status of PDMC

  1. The coverage of MI during 2015-16 was 5.72 lakh ha against target of 5 lakh ha and in 2016-17 it has been 8.22 lakh ha again exceeding the target of 8 lakh ha
  2. Due to cooperation of States and hard work of field level officers, highest ever coverage of MI has been achieved during 2016-17
  3. Previous highest was 6.9 lakh ha in 2010-11
  4. Under other intervention also 1akh ha protective irrigation potential has been achieved during the last 2 years.

Guidelines Revised for MI (Micro irrigation)

  1. District and State Irrigation  Plan of PMKSY has been considered as the basis for developing the MI action plan.
  2. More focus has given for convergence and linking with the water sources created under PMKSY and other programmes.
  3. Specific emphasis on registration of farmers on basis of Aadhar details.
  4. More focus on  transparent and efficient process of empanelment of manufacturers with thrust on quality control and after sales service.
  5. Focus on extending coverage for water guzzling crops and field crops like cereals /pulses.
  6. Emphasis on water stressed and over exploited ground water areas for adoption of micro irrigation.
  7. To encourage higher penetration in the areas of low coverage, higher cost norms have been prescribed for states with low penetration of MI including NE and Himalayan States. as conveyed by Ministry of Finance.
  8. Subsidy pattern has been simplified – provision for only 2 categories i.e., for small & marginal categories(55%) and others(45%)
  9. The cost norms which were restricted to 5 spacing has been segregated to 14 spacings

Rs. 5000 crore-Micro Irrigation Fund

  1. In the Budget Speech 2017-18, dedicated Micro Irrigation Fund of Rs.5000 crore announced.
  2. This corpus is to be established with NABARD.
  3. States have been requested to provide feedback/suggestions for effective utilization of the fund.
  4. Consultation with Ministry of Finance and NABARD are in progress to operationalize the corpus.
  5. This issue has been Kept for group discussion with States

Suggestive Activities-Based on feedbacks from states

  1. Use as State share
  2. As top-up subsidy
  3. Command area of irrigation projects in project mode
  4. As part of Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF)
  5. Any other mode of implementation

D) PMKSY (Watershed Development)

  • 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.
  • Converging with MGNREGS for creation of water source to full potential in identified backward rainfed blocks including renovation of traditional water bodies

Criticism

  • Delay in availability of funds to implementing agencies hampering timely execution.
  • Cluster approach and convergence with source created under other components of PMKSY and MGNREGS is missing.
  • Being flagship scheme, periodically reviewed by PMO, Cab sec, NITI Aayog, MoWR – Some States are not timely updating the progress on MIS.