Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY)

Indian farmers generally depend on rainfall in an unhealthy manner regarding the cultivation of crops. This leads them to take a huge gamble as there is zero absolute assurance regarding the occurrence and volume of rainfall.

With a focus on water conservation and irrigation, the Indian government has initiated different schemes, and PMKSY is one of them.

Scroll through to know all the vital aspects related to PMKSY!

Introduced in 2015 by the Government of India with an investment of ₹ 50,000 crores (US$ 7.7 billion), PMKSY is a national mission aiming to develop irrigation sources to offer a permanent solution to drought. It carries with it the motto of "Har Khet Ko Paani".

The aim of this mission's implementation is to expand cultivated areas along with assured irrigation, improve water use efficiency, and lower water wastage. PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana focuses on generating sources for assured irrigation and creating protective irrigation by harnessing rainwater at the micro-level through "Jal Sinchan" and "Jal Sanchay". Besides these, micro-irrigation is incentivised through subsidies for ensuring "Per drop-More crop".

PMKSY Yojana has been formulated by the amalgamation of some ongoing schemes. This includes the following:

• Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) of the Ministry of Water Resources
• River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR, RD&GR)
• Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) of Department of Land Resources (DoLR)
• On Farm Water Management (OFWM) of Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC)

Following are the broad objectives of PMKSY -

• Integration, distribution and efficient usage of water sources for making the best usage of water through appropriate practices and technologies.
• Improving the efficiency of on-farm water usage to lower wastage and increase availability in terms of extent and duration.
• Enhancing adoption of precision-irrigation and other technologies for saving water (More Crop Per Drop)
• Enhancing recharge of aquifers and introducing practices for sustainable water conservation.
• Achieving convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level (preparation of district-level water usage plans and also sub-district level if required)
• Enhancing physical access of water on farms
• Expanding cultivable area under assured irrigation (Har Khet Ko Paani).
• Exploring the feasibility of reusing treated municipal wastewater for peri-urban agriculture.
• Ensure integrated development of rainfed regions using watershed approach towards the regeneration of groundwater, arresting runoff, soil and water conservation, extending livelihood options and other NRM activities.
• Promoting extension activities related to crop alignment, water management, and water harvesting for farmers and grassroots level field functionaries.

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The various components and their activities of PM Kisan Sinchai Yojana are as follows -

1. AIBP by MoWR, RD & GR

• Focusing on faster completion of ongoing Medium and Major Irrigation including National Projects

2. PMKSY(Per drop more crop) by Dept. of Agriculture & Cooperation, MoA

• Innovated/improved distribution system such as pipe and box outlet system having controlled outlet and other activities to enhance the efficiency of water usage
• Awareness campaign on water-saving practices, programmes, technologies, etc., organisation of conferences, workshops, documentaries, advertisements, publication of booklets, pamphlets, success stories, etc.
• Capacity building, training to encourage potential water source usage through agronomic, technological, and management practices that include community irrigation.
• Extension activities to promote scientific moisture conservation and agronomic measures like cropping alignment for maximising available water usage. This includes rainfall and minimising irrigation requirement (Jal sarankchan)
• Water lifting devices such as electric/solar/diesel pump sets. This includes water carriage pipes.
• Secondary storage structures at the tail end of a canal system for water storage when abundantly available, like during the rainy season or from perennial sources. Such sources include streams for usage during dry periods through effective management of on-farm water management.
• Constructing micro-irrigation structures to supplement source creation activities, including dug wells and tube wells that are not under MGNREGS, PMKSY (WR), and PMKSY (Watershed). This is for regions where groundwater is available and is not under the critical/semi-critical /overexploited development category.
• Topping up input cost specifically under civil construction beyond the permissible 40% limit, under MGNREGS. This is for activities such as outlet, distribution system, silt traps, lining inlet, etc.
• Promote efficient conveyance of water and precision water application instruments like pivots, rain-guns, drips, sprinklers in the farm (Jal Sinchan)
• Programme management, approval of annual action plan, preparation of District/ State Irrigation Plan, monitoring etc.

3. PMKSY (Watershed) by Dept. of Land Resources, MoRD

• Water harvesting structures like nala bund, farm ponds, check dams, tanks etc.
• Effective rainfall management such as staggered trenching, land levelling, mulching, field bunding, contour trenching/bunding, etc.
• Entry point activities, nursery raising, afforestation, ridge area treatment, horticulture, pasture development, livelihood activities, soil and moisture conservation, capacity building, drainage line treatment for the asset-less individuals and production system & micro-enterprises for marginal and small farmers etc.

4. PMKSY (Har Khet Ko Paani) by MoWR,RD & GR

• Creating and rejuvenating traditional water storage systems such as Katas, Bandhas (Odisha and M.P.); Eri, Ooranis (T.N.); Dongs (Assam); Jal Mandir (Gujarat); Khatri, Kuhl (H.P.); Zabo (Nagaland); etc. at feasible locations.
• Diversion of water from various locations where the presence of water is adequate to nearby water-scarce regions, lift irrigation from rivers/water bodies at lesser elevation for supplementing needs beyond MGNREGS and IWMP regardless of irrigation command
• Improvement in water distribution and management system for water bodies to take advantage of the available source that is not tapped to its total capacity. A minimum of 10% of the command area should fall under precision/micro irrigation
• Developing command area, creating and strengthening distribution network from source to the farm
• Repair, renovation and restoration of water bodies; constructing rainwater harvesting structures (Jal Sanchay); strengthening carrying capacity of traditional water sources
• Creating new water sources through minor irrigation (both ground and surface water)

Several farmers have reaped benefits with Krishi Sinchai Yojana in the running. Before this, farmers faced a lack of sufficient irrigation facilities. Since PMKSY aims at solving issues at the grassroots level, all villages encountering such problems would also reap the benefits of this vital initiative.