The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched on July 1, 2015, to address issues of water resources and provide a permanent solution to drought-proofing in Indian agriculture. The scheme was formulated by amalgamating three existing overarching programs: the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), and the On-Farm Water Management (OFWM) component of the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA). While the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare plays a pivotal role, the scheme is structurally an inter-ministerial initiative coordinating multiple government departments to ensure end-to-end solutions in the irrigation supply chain.
Core Objectives and Vision of PMKSY
- The overarching vision of the scheme is encapsulated in two primary mottos: “Har Khet Ko Pani” (assuring physical access to water for every farm) and “Per Drop More Crop” (improving on-farm water use efficiency).
- The scheme aims to achieve convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level to prevent piecemeal execution of water management projects.
- It seeks to enhance the recharge of aquifers and introduce sustainable water conservation practices by exploring the feasibility of reusing treated municipal wastewater for peri-urban agriculture.
- The initiative emphasizes the promotion of micro-irrigation techniques, such as drip and sprinkler systems, to reduce water wastage and enhance crop productivity.
Inter-Ministerial Architecture and Core Components
The PMKSY is unique due to its decentralized and multi-ministerial implementation framework. The scheme is divided into four primary components, administered by three different central ministries.
Strategic Implementation Mechanism
Decentralized Planning
- The implementation architecture of PMKSY relies heavily on decentralized planning through the mandatory formulation of District Irrigation Plans (DIPs) and State Irrigation Plans (SIPs).
- District Irrigation Plans identify the holistic irrigation needs of a district and present a comprehensive water usage trajectory, which are then aggregated into the State Irrigation Plan.
Institutional Monitoring Framework
- The scheme is monitored at the highest level by a National Steering Committee (NSC), which is chaired by the Prime Minister of India and includes Union Ministers from concerned ministries.
- A National Executive Committee (NEC), chaired by the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, oversees program implementation, resource allocation, and inter-ministerial coordination.
- At the state level, a State Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC) chaired by the Chief Secretary of the respective state holds the authority to sanction and monitor the projects.
Financial Architecture and Funding Pattern
- The funding pattern for PMKSY projects generally follows a 60:40 ratio between the Central Government and the State Governments.
- For the North Eastern States and Hilly States (Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Uttarakhand), the funding ratio is modified to 90:10 (Centre:State) to accommodate their geographical and financial constraints.
- Union Territories receive 100 percent central funding for the implementation of PMKSY projects.
Micro Irrigation Fund (MIF)
- To further support the “Per Drop More Crop” component, a dedicated Micro Irrigation Fund (MIF) was created with an initial corpus of Rupees 5,000 crore.
- The fund is managed and operated by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
- The primary objective of this fund is to facilitate State Governments in mobilizing additional resources to expand coverage under micro-irrigation beyond the regular PMKSY allocations.
Technological Interventions and Geo-Tagging
- The scheme mandates the compulsory geo-tagging of all irrigation assets and water bodies created under PMKSY to ensure transparency and track physical progress.
- The geo-tagging is executed using the “Bhuvan” spatial platform, which is developed and maintained by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
- The integration of the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) is mandatory for routing all financial releases to ensure direct and delay-free fund transfers to implementing agencies and beneficiaries.
PMKSY Extension (2021-2026)
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the continuation of PMKSY for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26 with an overall outlay of Rupees 93,068 crore.
- The extension prioritizes the completion of 60 ongoing major and medium irrigation projects under the AIBP component.
- Under the Har Khet Ko Pani component, the extension specifically targets the revival of 4,500 traditional water bodies to enhance regional water security.