Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) was launched by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India during the year 2015-16.
It aims to enhance physical access to water on farms and expand cultivable areas under assured irrigation, improve on-farm water use efficiency, introduce sustainable water conservation practices, etc.
What are the objectives of PMKSY?
The main objectives of PMKSY are as follows:
- Bringing new areas under irrigation.
- Bridging gap between irrigation potential created and its utilization, and improving on-farm water use efficiency.
- Enhancement of physical access of water on the farm and expansion of cultivable area under assured irrigation, along with renovation of water bodies.
- Development of ground water based irrigation in sustainable regions.
- Integrated development of rainfed areas towards soil and water conservation, regeneration of ground water, arresting runoff, providing livelihood options & other natural resource management activities, and promoting extension activities relating to water harvesting & management, and crop alignment.
- Promotion of efficient water conveyance and precision water application devices like drips, sprinklers, pivots, rain-guns in the farm, construction of micro-irrigation structures to supplement source creation activities, and extension activities for promotion of scientific moisture conservation and agronomic measures.
What are the Components of PMKSY?
PMKSY is an umbrella scheme, consisting of two major components being implemented by this Ministry, namely, Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), and Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP).
HKKP, in turn, consists of four sub-components, namely Command Area Development & Water Management (CAD&WM), Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI), Repair, Renovation, and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies, and Ground Water (GW) Development.
In addition, under PMKSY Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) component is being implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, while the Watershed Development component (WDC) is being implemented by the Department of Land Resources.
Under AIBP, 60 major and medium irrigation projects are under various stages of implementation with financial assistance, whereas 85 irrigation projects are being implemented under CAD&WM.
Further, 1,244 surface minor irrigation and 13 groundwater irrigation schemes, apart from 1,139 watershed development works, are presently under implementation under PMKSY. In addition, 295 water bodies are under renovation and work targeting Rs. 4,000 crore as subsidies for micro-irrigation is also being implemented under PMKSY.
Major Irrigation Projects under PMKSY
Under the AIBP component of PMKSY, a total of 4 major irrigation projects were taken up from Uttar Pradesh, with the pari-passu implementation of CAD&WM. Out of these, one project, namely the Bansagar Canal project, was completed in the year 2018.
Further, the physical and financial works of another two projects, namely Arjun Sayahayak and Saryu Nahar Pariyojna, are being declared closed in the current financial year.
Work in the balance fourth project, namely Madhya Ganga Canal Phase II project, is also in an advanced stage.
Against ultimate irrigation potential of 16.53 lakh hectare, 14.65 lakh hectare has been created in these projects, and central assistance of Rs. 1,397.91 crore has been disbursed so far under PMKSY-AIBP.
In addition, under the RRR of the water bodies component of PMKSY, in the State of Uttar Pradesh, a cluster of 8 schemes has been completed, while another cluster of 12 schemes is presently under implementation.
Against the target of 3.45 thousand hectares, irrigation potential created so far through these schemes is 2.35 thousand hectares. Central assistance of Rs. 16.41 crore has been disbursed for these schemes.
Similarly, under the groundwater component of PMKSY, a cluster having a target of 28.09 thousand hectares is presently under implementation. Out of this, 15.91 thousand hectares have been created, for which central assistance released so far is Rs. 16.69 crores.
Also, under per drop more crop component of PMKSY, 23.25 thousand hectares has been brought under micro-irrigation in the State of Uttar Pradesh, with the disbursement of central assistance of Rs. 521.79 crore.
Similarly, under the watershed development component, 249 projects have been funded and completed, with central assistance of Rs. 197.31 crore.