The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) recently approved the extension of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PMKSY) till 2026. This decision entails an outlay of Rs 93,068 crore and impacts various schemes related to agriculture including the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), Har Khet ko Pani (HKKP), and watershed development programs under PMKSY.
About The Scheme:
The PMKSY, a Central Scheme launched in 2015, has a funding structure divided as 75:25 between the Centre and the States. For the north-eastern region and hilly states, the division is 90:10. It’s designed to benefit approximately 22 lakh farmers, including 2.5 lakh scheduled caste and two lakh scheduled tribe farmers. The Ministry of Jal Shakti initiated a mobile application for Geo-Tagging of the scheme’s components in 2020. The AIBP, HKKP, and Watershed Development are the three main components of this scheme.
Detailed Components:
The AIBP was brought into effect in 1996 to expedite the implementation of irrigation projects that exceed the resource capabilities of states. The HKKP aims to create new water sources through minor irrigation involving repair, restoration, and renovation of water bodies, strengthening carrying capacity of traditional water sources, and construction of rainwater harvesting structures.
Both schemes consist of sub-components such as Command Area Development (CAD), Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI), Repair, Renovation, and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies, and Ground Water Development. On the other hand, Watershed Development involves effective management of runoff water and improved soil and moisture conservation activities.
Objectives of PMKSY:
The objectives of the scheme include convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level and expansion of the cultivable area under assured irrigation. It also seeks to improve on-farm water use efficiency, enhance the adoption of precision-irrigation and other water-saving technologies, and introduce sustainable water conservation practices. The scheme also focuses on enhancing recharge of aquifers and exploring the feasibility of reusing treated municipal based water for peri-urban agriculture.
Concepts Explained:
An aquifer refers to a body of porous rock or sediment saturated with groundwater which enters it as precipitation seeps through the soil. It can resurface through springs and wells. Peri-urban agriculture involves intensive semi- or fully commercial farms near towns that grow vegetables and other horticulture, raise livestock, and produce milk and eggs. Precision Irrigation is an innovative technique that optimizes water usage and aids farmers in achieving higher crop yield with less water.
Formulation of PMKSY:
The PMKSY was formulated by amalgamating schemes such as the AIBP from the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (now Ministry of Jal Shakti), Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) from the Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development, and On-Farm Water Management (OFWM) from the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC).
Implementation Details:
The implementation of this scheme is decentralized, carried out through the State Irrigation Plan and District Irrigation Plan.
