• During 2016-17, ninety-nine (99) on-going Major/Medium Irrigation (MMI) projects (and their 7 phases) under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)-Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) have been identified.

    • The programme has ultimate irrigation potential of 76.03 lakh hectares (Potential created as in March, 2016 was 41.39 lakh hectares, balance irrigation potential to be created was 34.63 lakh ha) have been prioritized in consultation with States for completion along with their Command Area Development & Water Management (CADWM) works.

    • Funding mechanism from Long Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF) through NABARD has provisioned for both Central and State Share.

    • Out of these, AIBP works of 44 projects have been reported to be completed/almost completed.

    • Central Assistance (CA) of Rs. 11,489.31 crore has been released for these projects during 2016-17 to 2019-20.

    • Further, during 2020-21, till February, 2021, CA of Rs.1082.71 crore has been released.

    • Out of the 99 projects, in respect of 8 projects, the States have indicated that either the CADWM works are already completed or not envisaged under the present programme.

    • Of the balance 91 projects, 88 projects have been included while for 3 projects DPRs are not submitted by States for inclusion.

    • As of now, 88 projects have been included under the ongoing CADWM program targeting Culturable Command Area (CCA) of 45.08 lakh hectare. 

    • Central Assistance amounting to Rs. ,678 crore has been released from 2016-17 till December, 2020.

    • As per information provided by the States, about 14.85 lakh hectare CCA has been developed, with the reported expenditure of Rs. 5,302.00 Crore.

About PMKSY

PMKSY has been conceived amalgamating ongoing schemes viz. 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) and the On Farm Water Management (OFWM) of Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC).

The scheme is to be implemented by Ministries of Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Development. Ministry of Rural Development is to mainly undertake rain water conservation, construction of farm pond, water harvesting structures, small check dams and contour bunding etc. MoWR, RD &GR, is to undertake various measures for creation of assured irrigation source, construction of diversion canals, field channels, water diversion/lift irrigation, including development of water distribution systems. Ministry of Agriculture will promote efficient water conveyance and precision water application devices like drips, sprinklers, pivots, rain-guns in the farm “(Jal Sinchan)”, construction of micro-irrigation structures to supplement source creation activities, extension activities for promotion of scientific moisture conservation and agronomic measures.

The major objective of PMKSY is to achieve convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level, expand cultivable area under assured irrigation, improve on-farm water use efficiency to reduce wastage of water, 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 by exploring the feasibility of reusing treated municipal wastewater for peri-urban agriculture and attract greater private investment in precision irrigation system.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants. The views expressed here are personal.)