• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for 2021-26 with an outlay of Rs 93,068 crore.

• The CCEA has approved central support of Rs 37,454 crore to states and Rs 20,434.56 crore of debt servicing for loan availed by the Centre for irrigation development during PMKSY 2016-21.

• Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), Har Khet ko Paani (HKKP) and Watershed Development components have also been approved for continuation.

• The scheme would benefit about 22 lakh farmers, including 2.5 lakh scheduled caste and two lakh scheduled tribe farmers.

• Central funding of 90 per cent of water component for two national projects, namely Renukaji Dam Project (Himachal Pradesh) and Lakhwar Multipurpose Project (Uttarakhand) has been provisioned. The two projects would provide beginning of storage in Yamuna basin, benefitting six states of upper Yamuna basin, augmenting water supply to Delhi as well as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan, and a major step towards rejuvenation of the Yamuna. 

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana

• Launched on July 1, 2015, the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) is being implemented to expand cultivated areas with assured irrigation, reduce wastage of water and improve water use efficiency.

• PMKSY is an umbrella scheme, providing central grants to the state governments for specific activities. 

• It consists of two major components by the department of water resources, river development and ganga rejuvenation. They are:

1) Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) 

2) Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP). 

HKKP, in turn, consists of four sub-components. They are:

• Command Area Development (CAD)

• Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI)

• Repair, Renovation and Restoration of Water Bodies

• Ground Water Development.

• In addition, Watershed Development part is being implemented by the department of land resources.

• Another component of PMKSY, ‘Per Drop More Crop’ is being implemented by the department of agriculture and farmers welfare.

Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme

• It is a flagship programme of the government that aims for financial support to irrigation projects. 

• Total additional irrigation potential creation targeted during 2021-26 under AIBP is 13.88 lakh hectare. 

• Apart from focused completion of 60 ongoing projects including their 30.23 lakh hectare command area development, additional projects can also be taken up. 

• The inclusion criteria have been relaxed for projects under tribal and drought prone areas.

Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP)

• It aims for enhancement of physical access on the farm and expansion of cultivable area under assured irrigation. 

• Under HKKP, Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI) and Repair, Renovation and Restoration of Water Bodies sub-components are targeted to provide additional 4.5 lakh hectare irrigation. 

• In view of the importance of rejuvenation of water bodies, the Cabinet has approved a paradigm shift in funding of their rejuvenation in both urban and rural areas, with significant expansion of their inclusion criteria, and enhancement of central assistance from 25-60 per cent in general area. 

• Further, the Ground Water Development component of HKKP, approved provisionally for 2021-22, targets creation of irrigation potential of 1.52 lakh hectare.

Watershed Development

• This component focuses on development of rainfed areas towards soil and water conservation, regeneration of groundwater, arresting runoff and promoting extension activities related to water harvesting and management. 

• It envisages completion of sanctioned projects covering 49.5 lakh hectare rainfed/ degraded lands to bring additional 2.5 lakh hectare under protective irrigation, during 2021-26. 

• A specific provision for development of springsheds has been included in the programme.

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